Claire arrived at the restaurant. She didn't see any of the men she expected waiting for
her. For just a moment she thought it had all been some kind of cruel joke.
"Dr. Keeply?" The maitre d' asked.
"Yes."
"I have instructions to escort you to a private dinning room." He bowed to her
and showed her towards a small room off the foyer.
It was set with a table for one. Claire was very puzzled. There was a rose on the
table this time a red one.
"This is for you, I'm told it is self explanatory, your meal was pre-ordered you
will be served soon. Enjoy you meal." He pulled her chair out for her.
Claire looked at the package he'd handed her. Claire was typed on the cover.
She opened the package and saw that it contained letters at least a dozen.
They were letters from Kevin, and there was also a note.
Claire,
I'm so sorry I have to explain things to you this way. But I do feel I owe you more
of an explanation than we were able to cover.
When I was offered the 'chance of a life time' position with the SWB to do research
on the human RNA level. I was selfish, I never should have insisted you come with
me like I did. You are a genius in your own right and deserve to pursue your dream
of research and surgery. I was so selfish and short sighted. I soon leaned of my
mistake. I missed you very much those months away from you. I wrote you several
letters but I was not allowed to send them. They are here for you now if you care
to read them. I did love you very much, that was real. I'm glad we had the few
moments together with Darien's help. I wish I could change many things that
happened during my short life but the most personal one would be my choice
to follow my career over my heart.
Love Always Kevin
Claire was crying softly by the time she stopped reading the note. She looked at the
letters and sighed. Kevin had been her first broken heart, her first real love. She'd
never wanted to believed he was so callus that he hadn't attempted to contact her
after he left for the secret research project.
The waiter brought her meal, there was soft music playing in the background.
She sipped her wine and toyed with her food, it was delicious but she wasn't hungry.
She decided to keep the letters but she didn't want to read them. Not yet, maybe one day.
She was preparing to leave when she heard a sound behind her. She turned. It was Bobby.
"Claire, I wasn't sure this was a good idea. But Kevin convinced me that you needed to
know he did love you. He didn't just abandon you. He asked me to arrange this dinner
for you when the time was right. Deciding when, that was the hardest part."
Bobby cleared his throat. He hated seeing her so sad. He glanced away.
"Bobby, thank you. I does help to know he didn't abandon me." Claire stepped forward,
then stopped a few feet separating them.
"Then I'm glad I honored his wishes. If you want to talk. I'd be glad to listen."
He looked up at her again, she looked so fragile at that moment.
"I could use a shoulder to lean on right now." She whispered.
Bobby took the few steps between them and embraced her gently. Claire bent her head
to the curve of his shoulder and wrapped both arms tightly around his solid frame.
"I'm sorry, but maybe now you can heal." Bobby said softly, almost to quite for her
to hear the words.
She held on to him for several minutes, needing the support. Bobby held her firmly,
but he didn't crush her in his arms. He was offering comfort, letting her know he
cared and was there to help.
Claire sighed, and eased back slightly, "Thank you, you are a very special friend to
me Bobby. I'm grateful for your kindness."
"You're welcome, but it wasn't much." Bobby whipped a tear from her cheek with
his thumb. "I'll escort you home now if you're ready?"
"Yes, thank you." Claire gathered up her things and walked with her hand tucked into
Bobby's arm out to the van.
He drove her home, they were both silent during the drive. He walked her up to her door.
"You'll be alright?"
"Yes, I think so. Thank you." Claire gave him a weak smile and opened her door.
Bobby waited until she was inside and heard the door locked. Then he sighed and turned
to leave. He'd been in love with Claire for over a year now. But he'd known there was
something preventing him from getting close to her. He'd learned who is was several
months ago when Darien had come up with the idea of injecting Kevin's DNA into him
in an attempt to find the answer to removing the gland.
Claire had been deeply in love with Kevin Fawkes during their time at college together.
But he'd left her hurt and disappointed.
Bobby hoped she could heal and move on now. He hoped he could one day tell her how
he felt about her and she would welcome him into her personal life.
He climbed back into Golda and sat behind the wheel. He could dream couldn't he?
Everyone was entitled to dream.
end
her. For just a moment she thought it had all been some kind of cruel joke.
"Dr. Keeply?" The maitre d' asked.
"Yes."
"I have instructions to escort you to a private dinning room." He bowed to her
and showed her towards a small room off the foyer.
It was set with a table for one. Claire was very puzzled. There was a rose on the
table this time a red one.
"This is for you, I'm told it is self explanatory, your meal was pre-ordered you
will be served soon. Enjoy you meal." He pulled her chair out for her.
Claire looked at the package he'd handed her. Claire was typed on the cover.
She opened the package and saw that it contained letters at least a dozen.
They were letters from Kevin, and there was also a note.
Claire,
I'm so sorry I have to explain things to you this way. But I do feel I owe you more
of an explanation than we were able to cover.
When I was offered the 'chance of a life time' position with the SWB to do research
on the human RNA level. I was selfish, I never should have insisted you come with
me like I did. You are a genius in your own right and deserve to pursue your dream
of research and surgery. I was so selfish and short sighted. I soon leaned of my
mistake. I missed you very much those months away from you. I wrote you several
letters but I was not allowed to send them. They are here for you now if you care
to read them. I did love you very much, that was real. I'm glad we had the few
moments together with Darien's help. I wish I could change many things that
happened during my short life but the most personal one would be my choice
to follow my career over my heart.
Love Always Kevin
Claire was crying softly by the time she stopped reading the note. She looked at the
letters and sighed. Kevin had been her first broken heart, her first real love. She'd
never wanted to believed he was so callus that he hadn't attempted to contact her
after he left for the secret research project.
The waiter brought her meal, there was soft music playing in the background.
She sipped her wine and toyed with her food, it was delicious but she wasn't hungry.
She decided to keep the letters but she didn't want to read them. Not yet, maybe one day.
She was preparing to leave when she heard a sound behind her. She turned. It was Bobby.
"Claire, I wasn't sure this was a good idea. But Kevin convinced me that you needed to
know he did love you. He didn't just abandon you. He asked me to arrange this dinner
for you when the time was right. Deciding when, that was the hardest part."
Bobby cleared his throat. He hated seeing her so sad. He glanced away.
"Bobby, thank you. I does help to know he didn't abandon me." Claire stepped forward,
then stopped a few feet separating them.
"Then I'm glad I honored his wishes. If you want to talk. I'd be glad to listen."
He looked up at her again, she looked so fragile at that moment.
"I could use a shoulder to lean on right now." She whispered.
Bobby took the few steps between them and embraced her gently. Claire bent her head
to the curve of his shoulder and wrapped both arms tightly around his solid frame.
"I'm sorry, but maybe now you can heal." Bobby said softly, almost to quite for her
to hear the words.
She held on to him for several minutes, needing the support. Bobby held her firmly,
but he didn't crush her in his arms. He was offering comfort, letting her know he
cared and was there to help.
Claire sighed, and eased back slightly, "Thank you, you are a very special friend to
me Bobby. I'm grateful for your kindness."
"You're welcome, but it wasn't much." Bobby whipped a tear from her cheek with
his thumb. "I'll escort you home now if you're ready?"
"Yes, thank you." Claire gathered up her things and walked with her hand tucked into
Bobby's arm out to the van.
He drove her home, they were both silent during the drive. He walked her up to her door.
"You'll be alright?"
"Yes, I think so. Thank you." Claire gave him a weak smile and opened her door.
Bobby waited until she was inside and heard the door locked. Then he sighed and turned
to leave. He'd been in love with Claire for over a year now. But he'd known there was
something preventing him from getting close to her. He'd learned who is was several
months ago when Darien had come up with the idea of injecting Kevin's DNA into him
in an attempt to find the answer to removing the gland.
Claire had been deeply in love with Kevin Fawkes during their time at college together.
But he'd left her hurt and disappointed.
Bobby hoped she could heal and move on now. He hoped he could one day tell her how
he felt about her and she would welcome him into her personal life.
He climbed back into Golda and sat behind the wheel. He could dream couldn't he?
Everyone was entitled to dream.
end