Me: Hola!!!!!!! I'm finally here with the next chapter. I know it's been
awhile but I've been a busy person. I hope you all are liking this story,
all of my reviews have told me so, but if you're lying then you must tell
me. Constructive criticism is welcome just as long as you're not hurtful
about it. I think that's why they call it constructive criticism...anyway, I
don't own anything. I'll see you after. Oh! Just a mental note...through out
the chapter when there are a lot of little dots (.....) that means there is a
pause. The longer the dots go on, the longer the pause. Just wanted to let
you know in case.
Zoe stepped out of Cliff's hospital room closing the door behind her. The brightness of the hallway compared to the lightness of the room made her
squint her eyes. A deep sigh came from her as she looked up to see Dan
standing there.
"How is he?" He asked quietly.
"Exhausted....no wait, that's me." She said sarcastically with a slight
smile.
He smiled back at her and realized that she was in a better mood since she
saw Cliff. "So, he's definitely going to be ok?"
"Absolutely. He's a tough kid, he'll heal." She said and looked down at her
clothing. "Look at me, I'm a mess."
"Don't worry about it." He said and looked at the dirt on her jeans and
shirt. "You pull off dirt and grass stains pretty good."
Zoe chuckled for the first time that night. "Very funny Lennox." She looked
at her watch. "It's getting late."
Dan was smiling in surprise from her better mood and just the fact that she
was talking to him. His smile faded some as he looked at his own watch.
"Wow, it's almost one in the morning."
"Yeah, I should really get back to the house and get cleaned up and then get some sleep. I would stay here over night but something just tells me I
don't have to."
He nodded in response and they started walking down the hallway with a few
glances towards Cliff's hospital room door.
They got to the parking lot and Dan paused. "Do you need a ride home?" He
asked politely.
"No. Taylor drove in my car with Hannah when Cliff was rushed here in the ambulance. She left me the keys and Jeannie took them both home." Zoe said and pulled the car keys out of the front pocket of her jeans. She turned and started heading towards her car as Dan still stood there looking after
her. "Bye." She said with her back to him.
He walked to his own car and watched her take off before leaving himself. He didn't turn and head in the direction of his apartment building though, he followed the direction she went. His intentions were just to make sure she got home safely and that she was all right. They drove a few minutes and he wasn't worried about losing her on the road because he already knew
the way to her house. Something really sparked his interest and got him somewhat confused. It was Zoe, taking a turn that wasn't the direction of
her home.
"What the-?" He said and squinted to see if the vehicle taking the detour
was really her. It was Zoe and it made him curiously follow her.
Zoe yawned as she pulled her car to the side curb and put it in park.
Another sigh came from her in between yawns and she looked at the clock above the radio. It was around 1:30 but she felt she needed to be where she
was. She needed to talk.
Dan pulled his car next to the curb shortly after she did. He made sure that she couldn't see he was there before following her. Zoe walked through the stone gates and along the path. The grass was already getting wet from the dew of the night but she didn't care. She was already dirty from the day and the fact that mud was slightly splashing on her tennis shoes and
jeans didn't bother her.
She walked slowly through the grass swerving in and out of different
tombstones until she finally reached the one she was looking for.
"Hey Big Sis." She said quietly while looking down at the gray concrete with engraved words on the front. The grass made soft noises as she lowered
herself onto it. She sat next to the tombstone blankly staring at it. Flowers from a while back were still sitting in the cup on top of it and
she made a mental note to go buy new ones.
"I miss you." She added after awhile. "It's really hard to come here but I
need somebody to talk to........I guess you're up there watching everything that's happening. I guess you're kind of supervising my movements with the kids but not able to do anything when I mess up.....They think about you a lot. I think about you a lot. What happened with Clifford today.....I can't help but blame myself for not being there to stop it from happening........I
just can't stop thinking that I should have been there because those children come before anything.....before work....before men.....before myself. I care about them so much and I know that they would much rather have their mother here to raise them but you're not and I'm trying to do the best I can........Changing my life the way I did wasn't the easiest thing.....but saying goodbye to you wasn't either. Everything just kind of fell into place once I got here, you know.......the job, the kids, the men. I realized what family is all about....what life is all about.....and what love is all about. Those
three are great kids and I love them with every inch of my body. When I heard Taylor on the cell phone say something happened to Cliff, my heart just....stopped. I could barely breath and the entire time I was trying to get to him, I kept thinking that if I lost him to, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I wouldn't be able to take losing another person that I love so
much........." Zoe said and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Her
eyes were watering up some as she continued.
"When I found out he was going to be ok, I could feel my heart beat again.
I could hear myself breathing again. It was as if I had stopped living myself when I was waiting. And then I felt alive again when it was over.
You're face kept flashing through my head. Everything that had happened then....the phone call I got when the car accident happened, arriving to our
old house after it happened, the tears that I shed so hard when I heard those words....... 'There was an accident, she didn't make it.'" Zoe quoted and
wiped away a few tears falling over her cheeks.
"Seeing Taylor, Cliff, and Hannah all still being hit with the fact that their mother was never coming back. The fact that you were dead and there was nothing we could do to change it no matter how hard we tried." She took
in a deep breath and paused as she wiped away more tears. "We've gotten more....adjusted to you not being here but it's still...really hard at times. When you died, I thought about who would be there to take care of me. Then I realized that your children where the ones that needed taken care of and that I would just have to learn how to be an adult. A parent. I did learn, but....Sue.....I still need somebody to take care of me no matter how old I am.
I need someone to talk to about things and right now there are two...wonderful human beings that could do that. The thing is.....I don't know which one is....the one. I know I usually don't believe in this kind of thing but.....as my big sister...that's always looked after you just give me a sign? Please...just something to guide me down the right path." Zoe said and looked up at the sky in hope that her sister was above her watching and
listening.
Dan walked towards the area Zoe was at. He could tell she had been talking
to the grave and she had been crying. He saw that it was her sister and gave a look of sympathy. He watched her looking at the sky and hesitated on whether he should approach her. In the distance Zoe was breathing heavily
and waiting patiently. Dan's better judgment got the best of him and he
turned around to walk back to his car.
Zoe heard rustling near by and looked in his direction. She saw the figure and then looked towards the entrance of the graveyard at his car. She knew
it was Dan and wondered what he was doing there. Something told her it
wasn't just a coincidence.
Once he left, she turned back to the grave and looked at it in confusion.
Her head pounded as she turned her body and laid down next to the tombstone. The grass left wet stains of mildew on her already dirty shirt
but she didn't care. It was the closest she could be to her sister...physically anyway. Zoe's mind raced at the possible solutions to her problems. Was Dan the right man? Or was Marcos? If she even went back
to Marcos would he take her in with open arms or would he turn her away because she hurt him? Marcos had always been there for her since she moved
back to Chicago but she felt as if her heart just wasn't there. In her mind, he was the reasonable guy. Fun, loving, good with kids. While Dan was the fancy, sexy, daring guy who didn't have experience with children. She had made a commitment to her sisters children and she didn't want to screw it up by choosing the wrong guy. Was Dan being there that night her sign? Her guide down the right path? Was Sue trying to tell her something? She
had asked for a sign but how would she know when it came?
Rustling near by broke her train of thoughts. She sat up and looked around the empty graveyard. It was musty and dark but she could faintly make out a
figure in the distance. Her mind hoped it was Dan again but she knew it
wasn't.
-------------------
Taylor looked at her cell phone clock as she swung on the front porch
swing. It creaked with every motion but she tuned it out after a few minutes. The porch was completely dark except for the streetlight slightly tinting a few spaces. She sat there repeatedly sighing to herself at the
events of the previous day. Just a few hours ago she was sitting in the hospital waiting room worrying harder than ever whether her little brother would be ok or not. When she heard those screams coming from the side of
the house and then when she saw Cliff laying there unconscious, she had
stopped breathing. Panic was in Melissa's face and was soon to be in
everybody else's.
Noise from the house over broke her thoughts. She looked up to see the porch light of the house coming on and a familiar figure walking out the front door. It was Julian. The light from the porch made Taylor visible and he noticed her sitting there quietly. After a slight pause and a thought of
wonder, he walked over to her from his home.
"Taylor?"
"Hi." She said quietly. She had been on the verge of tears all night since
she had gotten home from the hospital.
"What are you doing out here this late?"
"Just thinking." She responded, still quietly.
He kept silent for a second as he approached her more. "Is it ok if I sit
down?"
"Sure."
Julian took a seat next to her on the swing and knew something was wrong
with her. "Taylor?"
"Yeah."
"What are you thinking about?" He asked slowly but confidently.
She didn't answer.
"Cliff maybe?" He asked curiously.
She nodded. "I.....I blame myself Julian. Is that normal?"
"Umm.....yeah. I think it is. Naturally, you feel you should have been
watching him better right?"
Taylor nodded. "I keep screwing up lately. I hate myself for it."
"You're not screwing up." He reassured her. "You're...being a teenager. I
do it all the time."
She chuckled and he smiled because that's what he wanted to make her do.
Taylor looked up at him in the silence. His smile comforted her and she
liked how close he was sitting next to her.
"Julian?"
"Yeah." He said as she moved her face closer to his.
"Make me feel better." She whispered and leaned in even more.
Julian's eyes widen at his opportunity to make his move. He leaned in and
his lips slowly touched hers. She moaned at the feeling but he didn't expect her to. Julian pulled away from her at the sound and she looked at
him like she did something.
"What's wrong?" She asked quietly.
He kept silent. "Nothing." He stated after a minute and leaned back into
kiss her.
Taylor put up her hand to stop him and moved away. "You think you're taking
advantage of me, don't you?"
"Umm..."
"You think since I'm down about Cliff and everything that by kissing me,
you're taking advantage of the situation."
"Taylor-"
"That you're taking advantage of me." She interrupted him.
"Umm..-"
"Well, Julian, you're not-"
"Taylor-"
"I'm falling for you." She said quickly after some hesitation.
They fell silent and he took in what she said. "Taylor?"
"Yeah?" She asked squinting in nervousness.
".....I've already fallen." He responded and she looked up at him with a
smile.
"Really?" She asked girlishly.
He nodded and pulled her face towards him for more kissing. The sweet sensation rushed through their bodies. Even a simple kiss can say so much,
especially between two people who care about each other.
----------
Zoe got to her feet quickly and stared straight in front of her where the
dark figure was standing. It stopped and stared at her also but then started moving towards her again. Her breath increased at not knowing what
was coming closer.
"Who's there?" She asked, her voice shaky.
There was no response for awhile. "Marcos." The familiar voice said slowly
and approached her more.
Zoe recognized it was him and sighed. "Marcos?"
"Yeah."
"What are you doing here?!" She asked. "You scared me!"
"I'm.....just visiting."
"Who?" She asked curiously.
"Umm....just an old friend of mine."
"Whatever." She said under her breath and looked at her feet.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting." She said and motioned to the grave next to her.
Marcos recognized it as her sisters and didn't say anything more on the
subject. "Did you see Cliff?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"He's going to be fine." She said reassuringly. "Anyway.....I better be
going."
"Me to." He responded in awkwardness.
Zoe gave another glance at the grave and smiled at it in sadness before headed towards the exit of the graveyard. Marcos followed her. Once they were out Zoe headed to her car and he headed to his. She stopped and turned
back around.
"Marcos?"
"Yes?"
"Can we talk? Maybe tomorrow or something." She asked.
He hesitated. "Sure, Zoe. Anytime." He said.
She nodded. "I'll call you." She said and headed for her car again. As she got in and watched him pull away first, her thoughts filled her mind again. She had asked Sue for a sign. And when Dan showed up, she thought he was
it. But now, Marcos came to. What was that supposed to tell her? That Marcos was the right guy, the right path. Or was it Dan? Things confused
her so much she almost missed the turn to head to her own house. She decided that she would go home, take a nice hot shower, climb into bed, get
about four hours of sleep, and then get up for another long day. She
sighed at her plans but accepted them and kept driving home.
----------
The next morning, Taylor drove Hannah to the hospital with her to see
Cliff. Zoe had told them to go ahead without her considering she was running late already, plus she needed to swing past her office to check in
with Sophia. When she got there, the woman was in her office, as usual
working on a case file.
Zoe knocked on the door.
"Come in." Sophia said, seeing that it was her through the glass.
"Good morning."
"Good morning. What are you doing here?"
"Umm....this is where I work last time I checked." Zoe stated.
Sophia smiled and stood up. "Zoe, your nephew fell out of a two and half
story window yesterday and you come into work this morning?"
Zoe opened her mouth to object but closed it again at Sophia's look. She
gave her friend a light smile and a hug.
"What about Megan Rict?"
"Dan's handling that. I don't want you to worry about it. If everything is
ok with your family I might let you come into work tomorrow, but not
today."
Zoe smiled again. "Where is Dan?"
"He's out interviewing the parents again."
Zoe nodded and sighed.
"Zoe, go see your nephew. And when you're done with that...."
Zoe looked at her curiously.
"Get some sleep. I can tell that you didn't get much last night, am I
right?"
She nodded in response and smiled once more before leaving. After jumping back into her car and driving to the hospital, Zoe started thinking again.
She picked up her cell phone and looked through the memory for Marco's number. It automatically dialed and she held the little silver object to
her ear. It rang twice before the familiar voice picked up on the other
line.
"Hello?"
"Marcos? Hi, it's Zoe." She said slowly.
"Hi. I was waiting for you're call Zoe. We need to talk."
"I know we do." She responded. "Are you free for coffee say around ten?"
"Hmm...yeah I think I can make that. Where?"
"Where else?! Starbucks!" She said and chuckled to herself some.
"Alright, see you then." He said and hung up his phone. Zoe did the same
after she heard the click of his and put the phone back into her purse.
Another deep sigh came from her and she shook her head knowing that she
didn't know what to talk about with him, just that they needed to talk.
The elevator doors opened letting her onto the floor where Cliff was. She walked around a few corners and saw his door open. Inside Taylor and Hannah sat against the wall in two chairs listening. The TV was off, which was odd and the only person who could be heard was a manly voice. Zoe looked around
the door to see Dan sitting next to Cliffs bed with all three children
paying attention to him.
"Dan? What are you doing here?"
"I was in neighborhood." He said plainly.
She nodded. "What were you guys talking about?"
"You." Hannah said with a chuckle.
"Me?" Zoe asked surprisingly. "What about me?"
"Dan was just telling us how funny you were hiking." Taylor said.
Zoe took in the statement and looked at Dan plainly. "Hiking.." She said quietly, reminding herself what had happened the previous day. "Right." Zoe
shrugged it off at least for awhile and turned to Cliff. "How you doing
bud?"
"I'm ok." He said with a sore voice. Zoe smiled at him and ran her fingers
through his hair.
Everybody fell silent. "Well.....I better be going." Dan said and stood up.
"Do you have to Mr. Lennox?" Hannah said and ran to his side. She looked up at him with a sad puppy face. Taylor chuckled in the background. Zoe waited
to see his response to the little girl. Dan smiled and bent down to her
height.
"Yeah, I've got some work to do." He said and Hannah made an even sadder
puppy face. "But..." He added. "I'll be back soon."
She smiled. "You pinky promise?" She asked and held out her pinky finger.
"I pinky promise." He said and locked his own with hers. Zoe's face lit up
at the sight. He got along with the kids and that was good sign to her.
Dan patted the little girl on her head as he stood back up to his normal size. He gave a nod to Zoe. "Don't worry about Megan. I'm solving it." He said reassuringly. "See you later." He added and walked out the hospital
room door.
Zoe smiled again and sat down next to Cliff's bed. "Why were you talking
about me hiking?" She asked.
"He said it was so funny Aunt Zoe." Cliff responded slowly. "I wish I could
have seen it."
"I didn't do that bad." She stated.
"He didn't say you did bad." Taylor chimed in. "He just said you were
funny."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, he really likes you Aunt Zoe." Hannah said girlishly.
Zoe looked at the little girl surprised and then turned away with a semi
smile growing on her face. "I'll be right back." She said and left the room. She ran down the hallway and around a few corners to see Dan getting
onto the elevator. "Dan! Wait!" She yelled and he stopped the automatic
elevator doors from closing with his hand.
"Zoe? What's wrong?" He asked worriedly as she stepped into the elevator.
There was another person in there with them and it made things more
awkward.
"I need to talk to you." She stated out of breath.
"About?"
"Yesterday." She responded.
Dan's face turned to panic at the thought of having to discuss what had
happened. The elevator opened letting the other person off at their designated floor, leaving Zoe and Dan alone. He looked at her, waiting for
questions and some shouting about what had went on the previous day.
"Why did you take me hiking yesterday?" She asked calmly and Dan sighed at
what he knew was coming.
"I..."
"I know it wasn't because of Megan Rict. Why Dan?"
"I wanted to talk to you. To just be alone with you for awhile Zoe."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I felt we needed to talk about what happened between us the other night. I...I didn't know this whole thing was going to happen with
Cliff. I'm sorry."
"That's not your fault." She said and he looked at her shocked. "I know I blamed you for it but I was upset and scared then. It's not your fault."
She added.
"Thanks for telling me this now. I've only been worried about it all night
and this morning." He said with an upset tone.
"You were worried about it?"
"Umm yeah. Zoe I know I'm not the most sensitive guy in the on, I do have some feelings." He stated defensively.
"I know you do. I'm sorry, I just.....Dan, were you at the cemetery last
night because you were worried then to?"
"You saw me there?"
Zoe nodded. "I saw you leaving."
"Oh. Well, I saw you and I didn't want to interrupt whatever it is you were
in the middle of so I left without making myself apparent."
"Was it because you were worried? Is that why you were there?"
Dan looked around the empty elevator hesitantly. "Yes, ok. I was worried
about you."
"You were?"
"Is that honestly so hard to believe Zoe?!" He shouted defensively.
"No....I just...I didn't think you cared that much about......the kids..."
"They're part of your life Zoe. I care about them because I care about
you." He said softly.
Zoe didn't respond. She stood there with her mouth slightly open. The elevator doors opened and Dan stepped out. She stayed in. He looked at her knowing that she wasn't going to follow him then and turned away to leave. The doors closed again and Zoe sank to the floor of it breathing heavily.
Things were more confusing then ever.
----------
Around ten o'clock Zoe headed towards Starbucks to meet Marcos. He was
already sitting at one of the tables with two coffees. When she sipped
hers, she found that it was exactly was she was going to order.
"I know you like that kind." He said.
"Mm....Vanilla Cappiciuno Latte with triple exspresso....Thank you." She
responded and they fell silent. "So..."
"Zoe, I have a confession to make." He blurted out.
Her face turned to shock, not expecting him to want to talk first. "O-ok."
She said unsure but gave him a look to continue.
"Last night.....I said I was visiting an old friend at the cemetery. It
wasn't just an old friend."
"What?" She asked confused but curiously.
"It was my ex-fiancee." He said and Zoe's mouth slightly dropped.
"Ex-fiancee?" She asked in confusion. "You......you were engaged before.
You never said that."
"I know, but I didn't want you to think I was the kind of guy who just
proposed to get married."
"Why would you think that I would....even..think like that Marcos?"
"I was engaged to her for less than a day, Zoe. Before...."
"Before she died?" Zoe guessed.
"Before she was killed." He corrected.
"Killed?...." She asked with a shaky voice. "Killed how?"
"She was murdered." He responded with a sad tone.
Zoe's face turned to shock. "You didn't...."
"Of course not!!" He said knowing that she thought he did it. "I'm mad you
even...eh..." He said in exhaustion. "Listen, I don't want you to worry
about me anymore Zoe."
"What are you talking about Marcos?"
"I'm leaving." He said.
"Leaving where? When? For how long?" She asked immediately.
"Virginia. In a few days. And as far as I'm concerned, forever." He
answered.
"Virginia? Forever? Why?"
"Got a job there. Got some family there."
"But what about Chicago? What about your family here or your friends here?"
"You mean my few colleagues that couldn't give a crap about me and those
dirtbags I call cousins?"
"I'm talking about myself....Marcos...what about Cliff? And Taylor, and
Hannah? Those kids really like you."
"They'll like Dan better, trust me." He said and Zoe looked away hurt. He realized it. "I...Zoe..I didn't mean that like that. I meant you're better
off with Dan, so they'll be better off with Dan to." He said.
Zoe looked at her coffee cup and sighed. "So this is goodbye?" She asked.
"I'm so glad I got to be in your life again Zoe. I know I meant something to you, but sometimes things like that don't always last. So, yes, this is
goodbye."
Zoe held back her tears. All the confusion and the thinking were able to
stop now. She didn't have to choose which path. Marcos had already done
that for her. He smiled at her and stood up.
"I'm going to visit Cliff one last time today but then after that, you all will probably never see me again." He added dramatically. Zoe stood up with
him and he wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Letting me in." He stated plainly and then let go of her. He bent down and
kissed her cheek. "Goodbye Zoe Busiek."
"So that's it?" She said while a tear fell from her left eye and he walked out of Starbucks, leaving her behind. "Just leave like that?" She called after him. People around the coffee shopped looked at her sympathetically.
"Bye Marcos." She stated quietly and grabbed her coffee to leave.
----------
Zoe sat in her car quietly before she started it. She had shed a few tears at the unexpecting news from her ex-boyfriend, Marcos, but she figured that life was meant to be this way. That this was all in the plan for her. She
couldn't help but know that she would miss him at times. He had meant something to her. Not just as a boyfriend but as a friend. A shoulder to lean on sometimes. And he had definitely meant something to her kids. She didn't even want to know about his ex-fiancee being murdered. It would only make her feel worse knowing that something like that had happened to him in his past. When other people hurt, she hurt. Zoe told herself to let him go. That it was the right thing to do. He wasn't meant to be with her and he
was moving on with his life, making some big changes on the way.
Her concentration was broken by the sound of car horns at the stop light near the Starbucks. There was a car accident. A man had run a red light and smashed into another vehicle crossing the intersection. It reminded Zoe of painful memories filled with tragedy. It also reminded her of what Zoe had
asked her sister for, a sign. She knew now that Dan was the right path. Marcos was leaving and that made him out of the picture. She realized that there had been signs all over the place. Dan being at the cemetery first
and then at the hospital that morning, getting along with the kids. The
conversation in the elevator and her discoveries of Marcos. His face
running through her mind every spare minute of each day and his voice making her heart beat faster every time he spoke to her. The feelings that had been between them since day one. The kindness and flirtation he showed. Dan was supposed to be with her and now that she had made up her mind, she
wasn't going to let one more minute come between them.
Zoe picked up her cell phone and dialed Dan's. After about three rings, he
answered.
"Hello?"
"Dan?"
"Zoe? I'm glad you called. Listen, I thought you want to know that I've closed the Megan Rict case. That stupid construction company forgot to put
out the sign like the family had accused. They are being charged for failure of proper construction procedure along with the hospital bills for
Megan Rict. The family is getting our insurance on her car."
"Is she ok?"
"She's doing better. Speaking better and will be out of the hospital
shortly. Her family can sleep at night now, along with her." He said
happily.
Zoe smiled. She knew he was smiling on the other side of the phone and it
amazed her how he didn't have an ounce of awkwardness in his tone from
their previous conversation in the elevator. She thought about what she
needed to tell him but decided not to do it over the phone.
"Where are you?"
"The office, why?"
"I'm coming to see you. Don't go anywhere Dan. There's something I need to
tell you." She said.
"Why can't you just-" He asked but heard a click and then a dial tone
before he could finish the question. "Ok..." He said and smiled at the
possibilities.
Within fifteen minutes, Zoe pulled into the office parking lot and ran into the building. She quickly took the elevator to their floor. When the doors opened she saw him walking towards his office with a file of papers in one
hand, and a water bottle in the other. Zoe smiled and ran to him.
"Dan!" She called.
He looked in her direction and saw that she was running towards him. His eyes widen as she leaped into his arms with a huge smile on her face. Zoe's
force threw Dan off his feet as she laughed childishly. He fell to the floor with her on top of him and the papers in his hand had scattered all over along with the water bottle. People around the office stared at them,
a few laughing at the sight.
"Zoe?!" He shouted shocked and confused but also laughing at her actions.
Sophia had stepped out of her office at the sound of all the commotion and looked at the two shocked. She smiled after a while knowing what was going
on. They were so cute together.
"I love you Dan." She admitted and smiled down at him. He had one of his
hands resting on her leg and the other on her arm.
"What did you say?" He asked shocked.
"I love you Dan Lennox." She repeated. There was a slight pause before she leaned down and touched her lips to his. They kept kissing for a minute as
people around them applauded and said a few 'awws'.
"I love you to Zoe." He said.
She giggled at what she had done but he interrupted it with another kiss.
Zoe moaned slightly at the feeling and kept giggling after they broke.
Sophia walked up to them.
"As cute as this is....we are in the middle of a running business here. Could you to possibly take it in one of your offices?" She stated and asked
quietly.
Zoe laughed loudly this time and got up from Dan. He sat up and started collecting the papers that had been scattered. Zoe walked around him and stood next to Sophia. The colleague and friend leaned over in Zoe's ear.
"Congratulations." She whispered. "You two are very cute together." She added and walked away leaving Zoe with an even bigger smile. "Back to work
people. Shows over!" She yelled while closing the door behind her.
"Yeah, we are cute." Zoe said to herself quietly.
Dan finished collecting his things and stood up in front of her. "Your
office or mine?" He asked, his body being inches away from hers.
She giggled. "You pick." She said.
He smiled and took her hand with his free one. Dan slowly led Zoe into his office and closed the door behind them. He threw the file on his desk and wrapped his arms around her. She giggled as he placed her on the couch and kissed her again. As he was kissing her neck, she looked up as if something
was there that only she could see.
'And we live happily ever after...' She thought to herself. 'Thanks sis.' She added and giggled again at the feeling of Dans lips against her skin.
Me: The End! That's it people. The last chapter of I Do Or I Don't. I hope you liked this story. I enjoyed writing it. Wild Card is a great show and very amusing to watch on Sunday nights. Review and make me happy!!!! Love,
Shannon!
you know in case.
Zoe stepped out of Cliff's hospital room closing the door behind her. The brightness of the hallway compared to the lightness of the room made her
squint her eyes. A deep sigh came from her as she looked up to see Dan
standing there.
"How is he?" He asked quietly.
"Exhausted....no wait, that's me." She said sarcastically with a slight
smile.
He smiled back at her and realized that she was in a better mood since she
saw Cliff. "So, he's definitely going to be ok?"
"Absolutely. He's a tough kid, he'll heal." She said and looked down at her
clothing. "Look at me, I'm a mess."
"Don't worry about it." He said and looked at the dirt on her jeans and
shirt. "You pull off dirt and grass stains pretty good."
Zoe chuckled for the first time that night. "Very funny Lennox." She looked
at her watch. "It's getting late."
Dan was smiling in surprise from her better mood and just the fact that she
was talking to him. His smile faded some as he looked at his own watch.
"Wow, it's almost one in the morning."
"Yeah, I should really get back to the house and get cleaned up and then get some sleep. I would stay here over night but something just tells me I
don't have to."
He nodded in response and they started walking down the hallway with a few
glances towards Cliff's hospital room door.
They got to the parking lot and Dan paused. "Do you need a ride home?" He
asked politely.
"No. Taylor drove in my car with Hannah when Cliff was rushed here in the ambulance. She left me the keys and Jeannie took them both home." Zoe said and pulled the car keys out of the front pocket of her jeans. She turned and started heading towards her car as Dan still stood there looking after
her. "Bye." She said with her back to him.
He walked to his own car and watched her take off before leaving himself. He didn't turn and head in the direction of his apartment building though, he followed the direction she went. His intentions were just to make sure she got home safely and that she was all right. They drove a few minutes and he wasn't worried about losing her on the road because he already knew
the way to her house. Something really sparked his interest and got him somewhat confused. It was Zoe, taking a turn that wasn't the direction of
her home.
"What the-?" He said and squinted to see if the vehicle taking the detour
was really her. It was Zoe and it made him curiously follow her.
Zoe yawned as she pulled her car to the side curb and put it in park.
Another sigh came from her in between yawns and she looked at the clock above the radio. It was around 1:30 but she felt she needed to be where she
was. She needed to talk.
Dan pulled his car next to the curb shortly after she did. He made sure that she couldn't see he was there before following her. Zoe walked through the stone gates and along the path. The grass was already getting wet from the dew of the night but she didn't care. She was already dirty from the day and the fact that mud was slightly splashing on her tennis shoes and
jeans didn't bother her.
She walked slowly through the grass swerving in and out of different
tombstones until she finally reached the one she was looking for.
"Hey Big Sis." She said quietly while looking down at the gray concrete with engraved words on the front. The grass made soft noises as she lowered
herself onto it. She sat next to the tombstone blankly staring at it. Flowers from a while back were still sitting in the cup on top of it and
she made a mental note to go buy new ones.
"I miss you." She added after awhile. "It's really hard to come here but I
need somebody to talk to........I guess you're up there watching everything that's happening. I guess you're kind of supervising my movements with the kids but not able to do anything when I mess up.....They think about you a lot. I think about you a lot. What happened with Clifford today.....I can't help but blame myself for not being there to stop it from happening........I
just can't stop thinking that I should have been there because those children come before anything.....before work....before men.....before myself. I care about them so much and I know that they would much rather have their mother here to raise them but you're not and I'm trying to do the best I can........Changing my life the way I did wasn't the easiest thing.....but saying goodbye to you wasn't either. Everything just kind of fell into place once I got here, you know.......the job, the kids, the men. I realized what family is all about....what life is all about.....and what love is all about. Those
three are great kids and I love them with every inch of my body. When I heard Taylor on the cell phone say something happened to Cliff, my heart just....stopped. I could barely breath and the entire time I was trying to get to him, I kept thinking that if I lost him to, I wouldn't be able to handle it. I wouldn't be able to take losing another person that I love so
much........." Zoe said and tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. Her
eyes were watering up some as she continued.
"When I found out he was going to be ok, I could feel my heart beat again.
I could hear myself breathing again. It was as if I had stopped living myself when I was waiting. And then I felt alive again when it was over.
You're face kept flashing through my head. Everything that had happened then....the phone call I got when the car accident happened, arriving to our
old house after it happened, the tears that I shed so hard when I heard those words....... 'There was an accident, she didn't make it.'" Zoe quoted and
wiped away a few tears falling over her cheeks.
"Seeing Taylor, Cliff, and Hannah all still being hit with the fact that their mother was never coming back. The fact that you were dead and there was nothing we could do to change it no matter how hard we tried." She took
in a deep breath and paused as she wiped away more tears. "We've gotten more....adjusted to you not being here but it's still...really hard at times. When you died, I thought about who would be there to take care of me. Then I realized that your children where the ones that needed taken care of and that I would just have to learn how to be an adult. A parent. I did learn, but....Sue.....I still need somebody to take care of me no matter how old I am.
I need someone to talk to about things and right now there are two...wonderful human beings that could do that. The thing is.....I don't know which one is....the one. I know I usually don't believe in this kind of thing but.....as my big sister...that's always looked after you just give me a sign? Please...just something to guide me down the right path." Zoe said and looked up at the sky in hope that her sister was above her watching and
listening.
Dan walked towards the area Zoe was at. He could tell she had been talking
to the grave and she had been crying. He saw that it was her sister and gave a look of sympathy. He watched her looking at the sky and hesitated on whether he should approach her. In the distance Zoe was breathing heavily
and waiting patiently. Dan's better judgment got the best of him and he
turned around to walk back to his car.
Zoe heard rustling near by and looked in his direction. She saw the figure and then looked towards the entrance of the graveyard at his car. She knew
it was Dan and wondered what he was doing there. Something told her it
wasn't just a coincidence.
Once he left, she turned back to the grave and looked at it in confusion.
Her head pounded as she turned her body and laid down next to the tombstone. The grass left wet stains of mildew on her already dirty shirt
but she didn't care. It was the closest she could be to her sister...physically anyway. Zoe's mind raced at the possible solutions to her problems. Was Dan the right man? Or was Marcos? If she even went back
to Marcos would he take her in with open arms or would he turn her away because she hurt him? Marcos had always been there for her since she moved
back to Chicago but she felt as if her heart just wasn't there. In her mind, he was the reasonable guy. Fun, loving, good with kids. While Dan was the fancy, sexy, daring guy who didn't have experience with children. She had made a commitment to her sisters children and she didn't want to screw it up by choosing the wrong guy. Was Dan being there that night her sign? Her guide down the right path? Was Sue trying to tell her something? She
had asked for a sign but how would she know when it came?
Rustling near by broke her train of thoughts. She sat up and looked around the empty graveyard. It was musty and dark but she could faintly make out a
figure in the distance. Her mind hoped it was Dan again but she knew it
wasn't.
-------------------
Taylor looked at her cell phone clock as she swung on the front porch
swing. It creaked with every motion but she tuned it out after a few minutes. The porch was completely dark except for the streetlight slightly tinting a few spaces. She sat there repeatedly sighing to herself at the
events of the previous day. Just a few hours ago she was sitting in the hospital waiting room worrying harder than ever whether her little brother would be ok or not. When she heard those screams coming from the side of
the house and then when she saw Cliff laying there unconscious, she had
stopped breathing. Panic was in Melissa's face and was soon to be in
everybody else's.
Noise from the house over broke her thoughts. She looked up to see the porch light of the house coming on and a familiar figure walking out the front door. It was Julian. The light from the porch made Taylor visible and he noticed her sitting there quietly. After a slight pause and a thought of
wonder, he walked over to her from his home.
"Taylor?"
"Hi." She said quietly. She had been on the verge of tears all night since
she had gotten home from the hospital.
"What are you doing out here this late?"
"Just thinking." She responded, still quietly.
He kept silent for a second as he approached her more. "Is it ok if I sit
down?"
"Sure."
Julian took a seat next to her on the swing and knew something was wrong
with her. "Taylor?"
"Yeah."
"What are you thinking about?" He asked slowly but confidently.
She didn't answer.
"Cliff maybe?" He asked curiously.
She nodded. "I.....I blame myself Julian. Is that normal?"
"Umm.....yeah. I think it is. Naturally, you feel you should have been
watching him better right?"
Taylor nodded. "I keep screwing up lately. I hate myself for it."
"You're not screwing up." He reassured her. "You're...being a teenager. I
do it all the time."
She chuckled and he smiled because that's what he wanted to make her do.
Taylor looked up at him in the silence. His smile comforted her and she
liked how close he was sitting next to her.
"Julian?"
"Yeah." He said as she moved her face closer to his.
"Make me feel better." She whispered and leaned in even more.
Julian's eyes widen at his opportunity to make his move. He leaned in and
his lips slowly touched hers. She moaned at the feeling but he didn't expect her to. Julian pulled away from her at the sound and she looked at
him like she did something.
"What's wrong?" She asked quietly.
He kept silent. "Nothing." He stated after a minute and leaned back into
kiss her.
Taylor put up her hand to stop him and moved away. "You think you're taking
advantage of me, don't you?"
"Umm..."
"You think since I'm down about Cliff and everything that by kissing me,
you're taking advantage of the situation."
"Taylor-"
"That you're taking advantage of me." She interrupted him.
"Umm..-"
"Well, Julian, you're not-"
"Taylor-"
"I'm falling for you." She said quickly after some hesitation.
They fell silent and he took in what she said. "Taylor?"
"Yeah?" She asked squinting in nervousness.
".....I've already fallen." He responded and she looked up at him with a
smile.
"Really?" She asked girlishly.
He nodded and pulled her face towards him for more kissing. The sweet sensation rushed through their bodies. Even a simple kiss can say so much,
especially between two people who care about each other.
----------
Zoe got to her feet quickly and stared straight in front of her where the
dark figure was standing. It stopped and stared at her also but then started moving towards her again. Her breath increased at not knowing what
was coming closer.
"Who's there?" She asked, her voice shaky.
There was no response for awhile. "Marcos." The familiar voice said slowly
and approached her more.
Zoe recognized it was him and sighed. "Marcos?"
"Yeah."
"What are you doing here?!" She asked. "You scared me!"
"I'm.....just visiting."
"Who?" She asked curiously.
"Umm....just an old friend of mine."
"Whatever." She said under her breath and looked at her feet.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just visiting." She said and motioned to the grave next to her.
Marcos recognized it as her sisters and didn't say anything more on the
subject. "Did you see Cliff?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"He's going to be fine." She said reassuringly. "Anyway.....I better be
going."
"Me to." He responded in awkwardness.
Zoe gave another glance at the grave and smiled at it in sadness before headed towards the exit of the graveyard. Marcos followed her. Once they were out Zoe headed to her car and he headed to his. She stopped and turned
back around.
"Marcos?"
"Yes?"
"Can we talk? Maybe tomorrow or something." She asked.
He hesitated. "Sure, Zoe. Anytime." He said.
She nodded. "I'll call you." She said and headed for her car again. As she got in and watched him pull away first, her thoughts filled her mind again. She had asked Sue for a sign. And when Dan showed up, she thought he was
it. But now, Marcos came to. What was that supposed to tell her? That Marcos was the right guy, the right path. Or was it Dan? Things confused
her so much she almost missed the turn to head to her own house. She decided that she would go home, take a nice hot shower, climb into bed, get
about four hours of sleep, and then get up for another long day. She
sighed at her plans but accepted them and kept driving home.
----------
The next morning, Taylor drove Hannah to the hospital with her to see
Cliff. Zoe had told them to go ahead without her considering she was running late already, plus she needed to swing past her office to check in
with Sophia. When she got there, the woman was in her office, as usual
working on a case file.
Zoe knocked on the door.
"Come in." Sophia said, seeing that it was her through the glass.
"Good morning."
"Good morning. What are you doing here?"
"Umm....this is where I work last time I checked." Zoe stated.
Sophia smiled and stood up. "Zoe, your nephew fell out of a two and half
story window yesterday and you come into work this morning?"
Zoe opened her mouth to object but closed it again at Sophia's look. She
gave her friend a light smile and a hug.
"What about Megan Rict?"
"Dan's handling that. I don't want you to worry about it. If everything is
ok with your family I might let you come into work tomorrow, but not
today."
Zoe smiled again. "Where is Dan?"
"He's out interviewing the parents again."
Zoe nodded and sighed.
"Zoe, go see your nephew. And when you're done with that...."
Zoe looked at her curiously.
"Get some sleep. I can tell that you didn't get much last night, am I
right?"
She nodded in response and smiled once more before leaving. After jumping back into her car and driving to the hospital, Zoe started thinking again.
She picked up her cell phone and looked through the memory for Marco's number. It automatically dialed and she held the little silver object to
her ear. It rang twice before the familiar voice picked up on the other
line.
"Hello?"
"Marcos? Hi, it's Zoe." She said slowly.
"Hi. I was waiting for you're call Zoe. We need to talk."
"I know we do." She responded. "Are you free for coffee say around ten?"
"Hmm...yeah I think I can make that. Where?"
"Where else?! Starbucks!" She said and chuckled to herself some.
"Alright, see you then." He said and hung up his phone. Zoe did the same
after she heard the click of his and put the phone back into her purse.
Another deep sigh came from her and she shook her head knowing that she
didn't know what to talk about with him, just that they needed to talk.
The elevator doors opened letting her onto the floor where Cliff was. She walked around a few corners and saw his door open. Inside Taylor and Hannah sat against the wall in two chairs listening. The TV was off, which was odd and the only person who could be heard was a manly voice. Zoe looked around
the door to see Dan sitting next to Cliffs bed with all three children
paying attention to him.
"Dan? What are you doing here?"
"I was in neighborhood." He said plainly.
She nodded. "What were you guys talking about?"
"You." Hannah said with a chuckle.
"Me?" Zoe asked surprisingly. "What about me?"
"Dan was just telling us how funny you were hiking." Taylor said.
Zoe took in the statement and looked at Dan plainly. "Hiking.." She said quietly, reminding herself what had happened the previous day. "Right." Zoe
shrugged it off at least for awhile and turned to Cliff. "How you doing
bud?"
"I'm ok." He said with a sore voice. Zoe smiled at him and ran her fingers
through his hair.
Everybody fell silent. "Well.....I better be going." Dan said and stood up.
"Do you have to Mr. Lennox?" Hannah said and ran to his side. She looked up at him with a sad puppy face. Taylor chuckled in the background. Zoe waited
to see his response to the little girl. Dan smiled and bent down to her
height.
"Yeah, I've got some work to do." He said and Hannah made an even sadder
puppy face. "But..." He added. "I'll be back soon."
She smiled. "You pinky promise?" She asked and held out her pinky finger.
"I pinky promise." He said and locked his own with hers. Zoe's face lit up
at the sight. He got along with the kids and that was good sign to her.
Dan patted the little girl on her head as he stood back up to his normal size. He gave a nod to Zoe. "Don't worry about Megan. I'm solving it." He said reassuringly. "See you later." He added and walked out the hospital
room door.
Zoe smiled again and sat down next to Cliff's bed. "Why were you talking
about me hiking?" She asked.
"He said it was so funny Aunt Zoe." Cliff responded slowly. "I wish I could
have seen it."
"I didn't do that bad." She stated.
"He didn't say you did bad." Taylor chimed in. "He just said you were
funny."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, he really likes you Aunt Zoe." Hannah said girlishly.
Zoe looked at the little girl surprised and then turned away with a semi
smile growing on her face. "I'll be right back." She said and left the room. She ran down the hallway and around a few corners to see Dan getting
onto the elevator. "Dan! Wait!" She yelled and he stopped the automatic
elevator doors from closing with his hand.
"Zoe? What's wrong?" He asked worriedly as she stepped into the elevator.
There was another person in there with them and it made things more
awkward.
"I need to talk to you." She stated out of breath.
"About?"
"Yesterday." She responded.
Dan's face turned to panic at the thought of having to discuss what had
happened. The elevator opened letting the other person off at their designated floor, leaving Zoe and Dan alone. He looked at her, waiting for
questions and some shouting about what had went on the previous day.
"Why did you take me hiking yesterday?" She asked calmly and Dan sighed at
what he knew was coming.
"I..."
"I know it wasn't because of Megan Rict. Why Dan?"
"I wanted to talk to you. To just be alone with you for awhile Zoe."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I felt we needed to talk about what happened between us the other night. I...I didn't know this whole thing was going to happen with
Cliff. I'm sorry."
"That's not your fault." She said and he looked at her shocked. "I know I blamed you for it but I was upset and scared then. It's not your fault."
She added.
"Thanks for telling me this now. I've only been worried about it all night
and this morning." He said with an upset tone.
"You were worried about it?"
"Umm yeah. Zoe I know I'm not the most sensitive guy in the on, I do have some feelings." He stated defensively.
"I know you do. I'm sorry, I just.....Dan, were you at the cemetery last
night because you were worried then to?"
"You saw me there?"
Zoe nodded. "I saw you leaving."
"Oh. Well, I saw you and I didn't want to interrupt whatever it is you were
in the middle of so I left without making myself apparent."
"Was it because you were worried? Is that why you were there?"
Dan looked around the empty elevator hesitantly. "Yes, ok. I was worried
about you."
"You were?"
"Is that honestly so hard to believe Zoe?!" He shouted defensively.
"No....I just...I didn't think you cared that much about......the kids..."
"They're part of your life Zoe. I care about them because I care about
you." He said softly.
Zoe didn't respond. She stood there with her mouth slightly open. The elevator doors opened and Dan stepped out. She stayed in. He looked at her knowing that she wasn't going to follow him then and turned away to leave. The doors closed again and Zoe sank to the floor of it breathing heavily.
Things were more confusing then ever.
----------
Around ten o'clock Zoe headed towards Starbucks to meet Marcos. He was
already sitting at one of the tables with two coffees. When she sipped
hers, she found that it was exactly was she was going to order.
"I know you like that kind." He said.
"Mm....Vanilla Cappiciuno Latte with triple exspresso....Thank you." She
responded and they fell silent. "So..."
"Zoe, I have a confession to make." He blurted out.
Her face turned to shock, not expecting him to want to talk first. "O-ok."
She said unsure but gave him a look to continue.
"Last night.....I said I was visiting an old friend at the cemetery. It
wasn't just an old friend."
"What?" She asked confused but curiously.
"It was my ex-fiancee." He said and Zoe's mouth slightly dropped.
"Ex-fiancee?" She asked in confusion. "You......you were engaged before.
You never said that."
"I know, but I didn't want you to think I was the kind of guy who just
proposed to get married."
"Why would you think that I would....even..think like that Marcos?"
"I was engaged to her for less than a day, Zoe. Before...."
"Before she died?" Zoe guessed.
"Before she was killed." He corrected.
"Killed?...." She asked with a shaky voice. "Killed how?"
"She was murdered." He responded with a sad tone.
Zoe's face turned to shock. "You didn't...."
"Of course not!!" He said knowing that she thought he did it. "I'm mad you
even...eh..." He said in exhaustion. "Listen, I don't want you to worry
about me anymore Zoe."
"What are you talking about Marcos?"
"I'm leaving." He said.
"Leaving where? When? For how long?" She asked immediately.
"Virginia. In a few days. And as far as I'm concerned, forever." He
answered.
"Virginia? Forever? Why?"
"Got a job there. Got some family there."
"But what about Chicago? What about your family here or your friends here?"
"You mean my few colleagues that couldn't give a crap about me and those
dirtbags I call cousins?"
"I'm talking about myself....Marcos...what about Cliff? And Taylor, and
Hannah? Those kids really like you."
"They'll like Dan better, trust me." He said and Zoe looked away hurt. He realized it. "I...Zoe..I didn't mean that like that. I meant you're better
off with Dan, so they'll be better off with Dan to." He said.
Zoe looked at her coffee cup and sighed. "So this is goodbye?" She asked.
"I'm so glad I got to be in your life again Zoe. I know I meant something to you, but sometimes things like that don't always last. So, yes, this is
goodbye."
Zoe held back her tears. All the confusion and the thinking were able to
stop now. She didn't have to choose which path. Marcos had already done
that for her. He smiled at her and stood up.
"I'm going to visit Cliff one last time today but then after that, you all will probably never see me again." He added dramatically. Zoe stood up with
him and he wrapped her arms around her. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Letting me in." He stated plainly and then let go of her. He bent down and
kissed her cheek. "Goodbye Zoe Busiek."
"So that's it?" She said while a tear fell from her left eye and he walked out of Starbucks, leaving her behind. "Just leave like that?" She called after him. People around the coffee shopped looked at her sympathetically.
"Bye Marcos." She stated quietly and grabbed her coffee to leave.
----------
Zoe sat in her car quietly before she started it. She had shed a few tears at the unexpecting news from her ex-boyfriend, Marcos, but she figured that life was meant to be this way. That this was all in the plan for her. She
couldn't help but know that she would miss him at times. He had meant something to her. Not just as a boyfriend but as a friend. A shoulder to lean on sometimes. And he had definitely meant something to her kids. She didn't even want to know about his ex-fiancee being murdered. It would only make her feel worse knowing that something like that had happened to him in his past. When other people hurt, she hurt. Zoe told herself to let him go. That it was the right thing to do. He wasn't meant to be with her and he
was moving on with his life, making some big changes on the way.
Her concentration was broken by the sound of car horns at the stop light near the Starbucks. There was a car accident. A man had run a red light and smashed into another vehicle crossing the intersection. It reminded Zoe of painful memories filled with tragedy. It also reminded her of what Zoe had
asked her sister for, a sign. She knew now that Dan was the right path. Marcos was leaving and that made him out of the picture. She realized that there had been signs all over the place. Dan being at the cemetery first
and then at the hospital that morning, getting along with the kids. The
conversation in the elevator and her discoveries of Marcos. His face
running through her mind every spare minute of each day and his voice making her heart beat faster every time he spoke to her. The feelings that had been between them since day one. The kindness and flirtation he showed. Dan was supposed to be with her and now that she had made up her mind, she
wasn't going to let one more minute come between them.
Zoe picked up her cell phone and dialed Dan's. After about three rings, he
answered.
"Hello?"
"Dan?"
"Zoe? I'm glad you called. Listen, I thought you want to know that I've closed the Megan Rict case. That stupid construction company forgot to put
out the sign like the family had accused. They are being charged for failure of proper construction procedure along with the hospital bills for
Megan Rict. The family is getting our insurance on her car."
"Is she ok?"
"She's doing better. Speaking better and will be out of the hospital
shortly. Her family can sleep at night now, along with her." He said
happily.
Zoe smiled. She knew he was smiling on the other side of the phone and it
amazed her how he didn't have an ounce of awkwardness in his tone from
their previous conversation in the elevator. She thought about what she
needed to tell him but decided not to do it over the phone.
"Where are you?"
"The office, why?"
"I'm coming to see you. Don't go anywhere Dan. There's something I need to
tell you." She said.
"Why can't you just-" He asked but heard a click and then a dial tone
before he could finish the question. "Ok..." He said and smiled at the
possibilities.
Within fifteen minutes, Zoe pulled into the office parking lot and ran into the building. She quickly took the elevator to their floor. When the doors opened she saw him walking towards his office with a file of papers in one
hand, and a water bottle in the other. Zoe smiled and ran to him.
"Dan!" She called.
He looked in her direction and saw that she was running towards him. His eyes widen as she leaped into his arms with a huge smile on her face. Zoe's
force threw Dan off his feet as she laughed childishly. He fell to the floor with her on top of him and the papers in his hand had scattered all over along with the water bottle. People around the office stared at them,
a few laughing at the sight.
"Zoe?!" He shouted shocked and confused but also laughing at her actions.
Sophia had stepped out of her office at the sound of all the commotion and looked at the two shocked. She smiled after a while knowing what was going
on. They were so cute together.
"I love you Dan." She admitted and smiled down at him. He had one of his
hands resting on her leg and the other on her arm.
"What did you say?" He asked shocked.
"I love you Dan Lennox." She repeated. There was a slight pause before she leaned down and touched her lips to his. They kept kissing for a minute as
people around them applauded and said a few 'awws'.
"I love you to Zoe." He said.
She giggled at what she had done but he interrupted it with another kiss.
Zoe moaned slightly at the feeling and kept giggling after they broke.
Sophia walked up to them.
"As cute as this is....we are in the middle of a running business here. Could you to possibly take it in one of your offices?" She stated and asked
quietly.
Zoe laughed loudly this time and got up from Dan. He sat up and started collecting the papers that had been scattered. Zoe walked around him and stood next to Sophia. The colleague and friend leaned over in Zoe's ear.
"Congratulations." She whispered. "You two are very cute together." She added and walked away leaving Zoe with an even bigger smile. "Back to work
people. Shows over!" She yelled while closing the door behind her.
"Yeah, we are cute." Zoe said to herself quietly.
Dan finished collecting his things and stood up in front of her. "Your
office or mine?" He asked, his body being inches away from hers.
She giggled. "You pick." She said.
He smiled and took her hand with his free one. Dan slowly led Zoe into his office and closed the door behind them. He threw the file on his desk and wrapped his arms around her. She giggled as he placed her on the couch and kissed her again. As he was kissing her neck, she looked up as if something
was there that only she could see.
'And we live happily ever after...' She thought to herself. 'Thanks sis.' She added and giggled again at the feeling of Dans lips against her skin.
Me: The End! That's it people. The last chapter of I Do Or I Don't. I hope you liked this story. I enjoyed writing it. Wild Card is a great show and very amusing to watch on Sunday nights. Review and make me happy!!!! Love,
Shannon!