Chapter 30

Bzzzz… Bzzzz… Bzzzz… Bzzzz… Bzzzz… Bz.. *click*

"Hello?" Daniel answered in a groggy voice.

"Daniel!"

"Betty? What's wrong? What time is it?" The phone had woken him up and his curtains were drawn, he wasn't awake enough to even know what day it was at the moment.

"It's eight in the morning." Betty said sounding like she was in a hurry.

"Oh. Okay."

"Daniel?"

"Yeah?" he rubbed at his eyes, trying to wake himself up.

"Can I ask you for a favor?" He could tell she was biting her lip.

"Of course! Anything, always. What is it?" He tossed the blanket off of him, ready to get up any second.

"I need you to go to my dad's therapy appointment this morning. I wouldn't ask but Bobby's at work, Justin is at school, Hilda had an emergency client, Elena's meeting up with some old friends in Jersey today, and I have to be on a call with Mr. Dunne in like five minutes. Nobody else is available. Would you mind going and being there with him? I don't want him to be alone."

"Yes, of course Betty. What time does his session start?"

"Really? Thank you so much! It's supposed to start at nine. I mean really all he's doing is muscle exercises today so it shouldn't be too bad, but we like to take turns being there with him. I hated to ask, but I really have to be on this call today. We're going over next month's issue so I can't really skip this."

"I understand. Don't worry, I've got this. Besides, I'd do anything for you."

"Awe, that's so sweet. Call me later and tell me how it went, okay?"

"Sure! Hey, do you think you'll have time to meet for lunch today?"

"I think I can squeeze you in." she couldn't help the flirty tone oozing out over the phone.

"Great! Meet around noon? At the Thai place across from Meade?"

"Oh that sounds good. Noon it is!"

"Okay, I'll let you go."

"Okay, bye. I love you!"

"I love you too. Bye baby." *click*

Daniel set the phone down on the nightstand and sat up in bed, eyes wide, heart racing, Baby? Did I just call her baby?

Betty set her phone down, with her jaw still dropped. Did he just call me baby? She giggled to herself. She didn't hate it.

Daniel knocked on the door to Ignacio's new room at the stroke rehabilitation center. It was only slightly better than the one at the hospital, it wasn't as well used so it seemed nicer, but the amenities were essentially the same, and the color scheme wasn't that much different, except this room was grey and he had an actual view rather than the side of another building. Granted this was a view of the parking lot, but still.

"Mr. Suarez?"

"Daniel? Is that you?"

"Yeah, Mr. Suarez, it's me. It looks like I'm your therapy buddy today, if… if that's alright?"

"Well of course! But please, how many times do I have to tell you, call me Ignacio."

"Sure… Ignacio. So what's on the agenda for today?"

"Mainly stretches, so my muscles don't get too weak. I can't do much right now, but then again I can't complain. How'd you get roped into coming here?"

"Oh I didn't get roped in. Bobby's at work, and Hilda had an emergency client. I'm assuming you know where Elena is?"

"Yes, of course. Visiting friends in New Jersey."

"Yeah, and Betty has a conference call with Mr. Dunne, so she called me to help, and well here I am, happy to be of service. What would you like me to do?"

"Well, glad to have you! When the therapist comes in, they'll tell you what to do. Don't worry, she's great. You'll like her."

"Alright then."

"Oh, look. Here she comes!" Ignacio seemed excited, but when Daniel looked up and saw this shorter middle aged black woman coming towards him he could see why Ignacio liked her so much. She had this huge smile and was already laughing when she entered the room. She instantly made you feel better. Just like Betty, he thought. It was good to know that there were more people like her in the world, even though none would come close to Betty in his book.

After the therapist came to collect Ignacio, Daniel followed them down to the physical therapy room. There were all sorts of devices and equipment in it, but overall the "tasks" seemed basic, but it made sense because after a stroke even the most basic movements need to be relearned. You never know how much you take for granted until you can't do it anymore, even something as simple as taking a step, or picking something up with just one hand, or walking a small flight of stairs. Daniel couldn't help the knot in his throat that formed when he realized just how much work was ahead of Ignacio. They had all been warned by the doctors and nurses, but until actually doing the work, it's hard to wrap the mind around just how long of a road it is to full recovery. Most people never make it back to one hundred percent, but he could tell and he could see it in Ignacio's eyes that he wanted it. Ninety-nine percent of the work was just doing it, not finding an excuse to give up, basically just being there and really trying. As much as they all wanted to help and the therapists worked with him, in the end it was up to Ignacio if he wanted to get better. He wanted it, and Daniel decided right then and there as he saw Ignacio stretching and letting the therapist exercise his arm and leg that he would help him get there.

After a few minutes Kinesha turned to Daniel and asked him if he would be around often to which Daniel responded that yes he would, and she had him come over and practice with Ignacio so that way he knew what exercises to have him do and could help him. Ignacio needed to work more often during the day than just with the therapist. After a week in the new facility, they had seen so many family members and friends for Ignacio it was hard to keep everyone straight, so when she asked him his relation to Ignacio, Daniel was shocked to hear Ignacio interrupt with "He's my future son in law!" quite forcefully, it made him blush furiously not knowing exactly what to do or say and without meeting his eyes he looked at Kinesha and gave a slight nod and added "Someday, uh hopefully." to which she replied with a squeal and a hand clap that reminded the two men of the woman they were both thinking of. They laughed along with her and continued the exercises. Little did either of them know that they had just started the first of many therapy sessions together. From this point on, the only person Ignacio wanted helping him was Daniel, and Daniel would never admit it to him, but it felt really great being allowed to help in a significant way. He was also discovering that he really enjoyed the conversation, the laughs, and the work itself was extremely rewarding. He thought he might have to look into this a little more and see what all would be involved in something like this. His mind was starting to fire off ideas without him even realizing it.

When they returned to Ignacio's room, Daniel helped Kinesha get him back onto the bed by using a sliding board, something he had never seen before. It was so basic and yet it made a huge difference. He had a lot to learn, but he was determined to remember every detail of what he had seen today. Kinesha left and Daniel took his seat next to Ignacio's bed.

"So…" Ignacio began. "I see you worked things out with Betty?"

Daniel blushed. He should have known this was coming, he just didn't expect Ignacio to jump right in. "Um… I guess you could say that…." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Relax, Mijo. I'm just messing with you. I'm happy for you both."

"You, you are?"

"Yes, I can see how much she cares for you. I'm not blind, and I saw what was going on. All those long nights, answering to your beck and call..."

"Mr. Suarez, we never…"

"Daniel, I know there wasn't anything going on then. I know this is new territory for you. What I was going to say was that I saw how things changed. You two were never just boss and assistant. You were friends first and foremost. Then, things started to change. We all saw how you acted at the wedding. It was only a matter of time. Trust me, I know what that's like. Mijo, I'm happy for you, truly. Just know that if you ever hurt her, I will get up out of this bed and show you where Betty gets her right hook from. Then I'll send Bobby and Hilda to finish the job. You got that?"

Daniel gulped but had to try and hide his smile. "Thank you Mr… Thank you, Ignacio. That means a lot. It took me a long time to realize how I feel about her, but I don't regret a moment of it. I would never hurt her. I would do anything for her."

"I know it. Why else would you be here right now?" Ignacio chuckled.

"While that may be true, I do want you to get better. I'm not just here for Betty, I'm here for you, too. You've helped me a lot Ignacio. You gave me advice when I needed it, and you've been there for Betty her whole life, and I've always admired you. If I ever get the chance to be half the father that you are…" Daniel let his voice trail off as he looked towards the window.

"Daniel, listen to me. You are a kind, honest, hardworking, and loving man. You've come a long way, and I'm very proud that you are with Betty. You'll make a great father one day. If that happens to be with Betty, then I would be very proud to know that my future grandchildren's father is you. I mean that."

"Thank you Ignacio." Daniel said quietly and smiled to himself. He didn't know what had gotten into Ignacio lately, but he sort of liked this more honest and forthright version. Maybe it really was the drugs that was making him more vocal?

"Speaking of Betty, why don't you go see if she's done with that call? Therapy really takes it out of me. I could use a nap." He smiled at him, but Daniel could see the exhaustion behind his eyes. This whole getting better business really was hard work.

"Sure thing. Just let us know if you need anything, alright?"

"Of course. See you later, Mijo."

"See you later, Ignacio."

Daniel left the center with a smile on his face, he hadn't expected that conversation, but he couldn't have asked for it to go better. He felt like he had finally been able to really help, and it left him feeling like he was on cloud nine. He was proud of himself, but mostly he was proud of Ignacio. He saw how hard he worked in that therapy session and he knew that every moment would be worth it if it meant that Betty and her family would have Ignacio around as good as he could be. He was determined; this was what he was here for, to help.

Daniel didn't notice the man across the street in a blue car with the camera watching as he exited the building and got into the waiting town car, or how the car followed him on his way to meet Betty. Neither he nor Betty noticed him watching them, taking snapshot after snapshot as they met in front of the restaurant and hugged and snuck in a quick kiss and held each other's hand for the briefest of moments and as he placed his hand on her back leading her in for their lunch date. They didn't notice as they left that the man was still there and watched as Daniel wrapped his arm around her while they headed down the street to the crosswalk to enter the Meade building to go say hello to Claire before meeting Hilda at her house. They were blissfully unaware, and the scruffy, oily, sleazy paparazzo smiled smugly as he got back into his car and drove off, talking on the phone to someone:

"Yeah, I'm on him… I don't have enough yet, but it's only a matter of time. Give me a couple more days and I'll have what you need."

Hello my darlings. I know this was shorter chapter, but I needed something to move the story forward a little bit. I also wanted to say that the therapist is an amalgamation of the different home health care workers who helped my grandmother this past year as she slowly worked her way back from being without a hip to getting her replacement and learning to walk again. The name is borrowed from one of the nurses who helped her, and is pronounced "Kin-ee-sha", but I didn't have much reason for dialogue from her at this point. Perhaps in the near future, we'll see where the story takes me. Let me know your thoughts! Where would you like to see the story go? Any ideas from the clues I've hinted at so far? Leave me a review! Much love!