My One True Friend
Chapter Nine
Emily
Looking back on July 4th
We took Cam and Jake to the annual Independence Day Carnival in the park this year, along with Liz, Nikolas, Gia and Spencer. The kids were too tired to stay for fireworks so Nikolas and Gia went home to Wyndermere while Liz took the boys back to her place.
That left Lucky and me laying on a blanket waiting for the show to start. It was right where I wanted to be...alone with my best friend. My feelings for him only grew each day instead of lessening.
I know. I know. So if that is true then why did I date Leo for nearly two months? I sort of fell into dating him for one thing, not like I went out looking for that, and all our dates were really casual, too. But the reason they happened at all is because of what I saw between Liz and Lucky when Cameron was sick.
They got close again. I was the outsider watching them hug and hold hands and worry about their child, as they had every right to do. They are his parents. I'm just his Aunt and just Lucky's friend...not the woman he married twice who he would probably go back to in a second.
And then Liz told me that things hadn't worked out with her and Jason...big surprise there, right? I want my brother happy but everything him and Liz did was the wrong way. Sneaking around, cheating, lying...breaking Lucky's heart. It got me so worked up. I hadn't been that mad at Jason ever before in my life. Liz was even worse...cause she made promises to Lucky that she broke. I know he broke his vows too, with Maxie, but that did not give her the free pass she seems to think it did.
But that's the past. I'm not gonna go into those nasty little details with you. We all put it behind us...we had to...there are kids involved. And Lucky has forgiven Liz, of course. Was there any doubt he would?
So they got extremely close when Cam was sick and Liz even told me one day It would be great for the boys if we all lived together again.
And it would be. It would be great for my nephews. Though you know that I'm not biologically their Aunt, it's the role I've always played for them and also their god mother. I love them more than words can say. I won't get in the way of their family coming together again.
That was my thinking when I dated Leo but it still didn't work out. That night in the park, before the fireworks started, Lucky brought Leo up. We were both laying on our back on the blanket, looking up at the stars. "The good doctor working tonight?"
"Yeah, the night shift."
"Too bad."
"You don't really sound upset. You didn't even try to get to know him when I was dating him."
"Was dating him? You're not anymore?" Lucky propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at me.
I could have sworn I saw real happiness in his eyes at the idea that I wasn't with Leo anymore. But I could have imagined that. You know I got one hell of an imagination...me and my fairytales that I always expect to come true.
"I ended it with him last week."
"That's a shame."
"Say that without a smile and I might believe you, Lucky. What do you have against him anyway?"
"Not a thing. But I thought it was a little soon for you to be dating."
"Liz doesn't. Either does Lulu or Nikolas or Dillon or Gia or..."
"Okay, okay. I get it. Six months though..."
"They just wanted to see me involved in life again. Dating is a part of life for single people and I have to face I'm now single and Zander will never be back. Even though we were having problems when he died... I never expected to be dating someone new this summer."
"Do you think it was too soon?"
"Probably. But it wasn't serious anyway."
"Still he was the first guy you were with after Zander so you must have had some feelings for him to be able to take that leap. He didn't hurt you, did he? Cause I'll go see that guy tonight, if he did."
"He didn't do anything wrong. I just wasn't feeling him. We went to art gallery openings and plays and concerts but I would have rather been watching pee wee baseball games for Cam and Morgan's team with you. So I finally said hell with it. There is only so long he was gonna put up with me not taking it anywhere anyway."
"So you two didn't then..."
"Are you asking me flat out if I slept with Leo?"
Lucky laid back down, looking up at the stars. "No. I wouldn't get in your business like that."
"Cause I didn't sleep with him."
I really don't know why I felt like I had to explain myself to him cause he was probably back in bed with Liz already by that point. And there was really no evidence that my one little kiss on that yatch had made him see me as a woman...not a buddy.
But still I made it clear that Leo hadn't been my lover and I wasn't going to ever be with him...just in case it mattered at all to Lucky.
The fireworks started and he held my hand. It was a really sweet night for us. Liz wasn't anywhere around and I could pretend...Lucky really belonged to me.
(See
the pyramids along the Nile See
the market place in Old Algiers I'll be so alone without you Fly the ocean in a silver plane I'm gonna be so alone without
you Fly
that ocean in a silver plane
Watch the sunrise on a tropic
isle
Just remember darling all the while
You belong to me
Send me photographs and
souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to
me
Maybe you'll be lonesome
too, and blue
See the
jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember 'til you're home
again
You belong to me
And I'm hoping maybe you'll be lonesome, too, and blue
See the jungle when it's wet with
rain
Just remember til you're home again
You belong to me
Lucky is mine, in a way. He is my best friend and that means the world to me. But somehow I have fallen madly in love with him too and I want more than that...but not if he is going back to Liz ever again. I can't be a pit stop on his road back to her. I won't.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Lucky walked me to my door that night and I just had to ask him what was going on with him and his ex.
I heard it all day at work from her...they went here with the boys and there and they were so happy. I saw it with my own eyes plenty of times...and Lucky mentioned pizza parties this day, and water parks that day, the circus, the zoo. That was all fine. I wanted to know if all that family time made Lucky and Liz think about remarrying. Cause for all I know they were already making love again...but Liz hadn't said that...still in the two years before I learned she was good at keeping secrets.
Don't get me wrong. Liz is and always will be my friend. So I needed to know if my friend had her dream guy back now or...was there even half a chance left he could end up mine?
"So..." I started as I unlocked the door and we walked inside "you know Liz said something to me a few weeks back...and I never asked you about it cause things have been so crazy for the last few months...but she said it would be wonderful for the boys if you all lived together again. And I was thinking...that would be wonderful for them. Don't you think so?"
"Sure. Cam and Jake would think it was wonderful."
I tossed my purse down on the couch and kicked out of my sandals. Trying to sound casual, I asked "Any chance of that happening?"
"I don't see it happening." He walked over to me and took both my hands. "Em...are you trying to play matchmaker for me and Liz? I thought you gave that up years ago."
"I'd do anything to see you happy."
"I'd do the same for you, Em."
"I know. You've always been right by my side...you've been the best part of my life, Lucky."
His eyes took on a lighter shade, as unshed tears came into them. "You don't have to say that. I know how important Zander was to you."
"Yes, I loved him...I'm not saying I didn't...but we were far from the perfect couple with the break-ups and everything. Still I will always be glad I had those years I had with him but...long before I knew Zander you were here making me smile and wiping away my tears and running away with me and coming to rescue me...and now that Zander is gone, you are still here. I sometimes wonder if I take up too much of your time...cause you never complain about all the hours you spend just cheering me up."
"I'm right where I want to be."
"Remember when you said maybe I am all you need? I know it was a while back now...that night you broke up with Sam. You said maybe I am all you need, as far as a woman in your life, and I know you didn't really expect me to take that serious but...I just want you to know I will work hard to be all you need because you are all I need already."
And then he leaned toward me and I closed my eyes and...
