It was six in the morning when Ryan's phone rang. He'd just come out of the shower and putting the drops in his eyes that would probably be a habit he'd have to have for life.
Squinting at the phone to see who it was he finally answered, "Frank?"
"Yeah. You got time to meet for coffee before work?"
"Uh … sure. Sure … yeah. The Diner across from the precinct?"
"Uh … how about just grabbing a cup near the pier?"
"O … kay. Is everything …?"
"Everything is fine." Frank cleared his throat. "Or I hope you think everything is fine. I'll meet you at O'Dool's."
Ryan looked at his phone and started grinning. God he hoped this was what he thought it was. It would make up for all of the craptastic stuff that had been going on.
# # # # # # # # # #
"Dammit Wolfe, stop grinning like that."
Ryan laughed and then laughed some more.
"Look you dust monkey …" but it was more embarrassment than anger that was driving Frank. Part of him felt like a fool. Part of him was relieved to have the worst over. But dammit, it would help if Ryan would stop laughing.
"Oh man," Ryan said finally catching his breath. "Seriously Frank, this is great. I really mean that. I called Tony on the way over and he said if I screwed this up he'd bury me. Tell me I can at least tell him I didn't screw it up."
Frank finally grinned, mostly in relief. "Naw, you did good. You could have had me by the short hairs. But you know … for a while yet …"
"It's all right Frank. I get it. Until you talk things out with your kids and deal with Melissa …"
"Yeah. Then there is my family … Vee might change her mind."
"So for the record … what are we talking about here? I know Vee will take you anyway she can have you but …"
"I mean for it to be marriage. But I want her to make sure she …" The smile left Frank's face. "She says the age difference doesn't matter but I need to be sure she understands. Hell, I suppose I need to consider what it means too."
"Frank, just one thing … and … and you can tell me to shut up. But … do you want kids? I mean kids with Vee."
A little uncomfortably since he honestly wasn't sure he answered, "She told me about the trouble her mother had and how it runs on that side of the family."
"And?"
"I'm not the Jackass. I'm willing to let nature take its course … but not at the risk to her health. That enough of an answer for now?"
And Ryan knew he'd have to be satisfied with that. "Yeah. And for the record … I trust you with Vee … all of it … or you'd never have gotten close to her."
Frank knew that Ryan could make trouble for him; could have made trouble for him from the beginning. But he hadn't and he knew that meant something. He stuck out his hand and the two men shook on it.
Ryan started grinning again, "Guess I better start saving up."
"Huh?"
"Father of the Bride pays the tab."
"We're thinking about eloping to Vegas."
"Oh no you don't," Ryan said laughing. "I want Vee to have … to have it all."
"You kidding?" Frank asked. "Between the two of us she already does."
Had Vee been there she would have said, "Absolutely."
End of Part 1. Part 2 Continued in the next installment entitle "Every Mile A Memory."