Chapter Ten:
Author's note: Part way through the chapter, the perspective shifts. Be wary of that.
Aidan McFadden slowly revolved on the spot to face me. Suddenly, for one of the first times in my life, I was conscious of my appearance. Of my disheveled hair, the bra strap that had fallen down my shoulder, Will's marks of lust on my neck.
"Danni…" he took a step toward me and took my hand in a way that was not remotely romantic.
"What?" I asked, my voice shaking. I was terrified. I needed Aidan in my life. Was this the only way to get it?
"You know you don't mean that," he said, his voice low yet calm.
"I need you, Aidan," I whispered.
"One slip isn't going to step me from being your friend," he said, smiling.
"But… Everyone thinks you're in love with me…" I started.
"I'm not," he said. "You don't have to be, either."
"If you don't want me, why do you care?" I asked.
"I've known you my entire life. Of course I'm going to care if I see you going at it with some jerk," he said. My face reproached him slightly. "Not that he doesn't have his good points."
"He's not my boyfriend," I said.
"There's always been a little something there. Go for it, kid," he said. I smiled in relief. In that moment, when he affectionately called me 'kid' and advised me to go after another man, I knew there really was nothing between us except for that he was my oldest friend, and I'd always love him for that.
"I'm sorry I never told you," I said.
"No problem. It was always kind of inevitable," he said.
"As much as I tried to deny it," I joked.
"Just like your mother," agreed Aidan.
"And… my sister," I said quietly.
"Right, that. Can I tell you a secret?" he asked. I laughed, and knew what it would be before he could tell me.
"God, jilted for my sister? That's terrible. Good luck," I said, imagining him as my brother-in-law. It wasn't difficult.
"Same to you," he said, nodding over my shoulder. I turned my neck and saw Will waiting, staring at us. I smiled-I'd never though of him as the kind of guy to run after a girl who'd run out on him. Maybe there was more to him than I'd ever expected. There had never been a better time to find out.
"You don't mind..?" I asked.
"Go," he said firmly. I turned to run, and reached Will. I expected one of our burning, passionate kisses, but all we could do was melt into the heat of our embrace.
Will held my hand firmly in his own when we cautiously stepped over the threshold of my house. We slowly approached the kitchen, hoping that our announcement would be well received.
I laughed when we entered. Mom and Dad were in each other's arms, kissing passionately, with passion they managed to keep after seventeen years. They broke apart when they entered, and smiled without embarrassment.
"Hey Jordan. Will," said Mom, her eyes widening when she saw our joined hands. Daddy leaned against the counter and crossed his arms in suspicion.
"Callie, Sawyer," said Will nervously. He nudged me.
"Will and I are dating," I said, telling only a partial lie. I didn't think they'd take to me telling them that so far we'd only been doing it.
"Jordan's my girlfriend," he clarified, for my benefit.
"That's great," said Daddy. Mom smiled and rolled her eyes.
"Duh. Will, you staying for dinner?" she asked, stirring something on the stove. I smiled. They were pretty cool, my parents.
"Sure," he said in surprise.
Together we began to set the table, amazed at how the announcement had gone over. Will was two years older. He was a known player. For years we'd suspected he was in love with Tara.
Or maybe I'd just thought so.
"WILL!" came a shrill, girlish voice. I rolled my eyes as Lissie ran in and threw herself into Will's arms.
"Hey kid, what's up?" he asked.
"How come you're here and Tara isn't?" she demanded.
"I invited him, Liss," I said. Her six year old mind slowly processed this.
"Oh. Is he your boyfriend?" she asked, her voice disgusted with a touch of reverence. Will ruffled her hair before setting her down again.
Charlie joined us, silently observing, silently understanding as was his way. Tara came with Will fifteen minutes later. I quickly shot him a questioning look, but he shook his head. Their time would come later.
Fairly soon after dinner, Aidan went home, Tara disappeared into her room and Mom and Dad took the little ones up to bed, leaving Will and me to clean up the kitchen.
We didn't spend much time cleaning.
Will lifted me onto the island in the middle of the kitchen, I put my arms around his neck and we kissed, sweetly and perfectly.
"See, when you can get away with just having that why would you sign up for the whole thing?" I teased.
"Because I knew eventually you'd get bored of it and run off, and I won't be losing my woman to Aidan," he said jokingly. I punched his shoulder.
"That's all?" I asked, raising my eyes to him.
"Duchess you know I…" he paused. He wasn't ready for that. I wasn't, either, but perhaps we both did. "Yeah. That's about it."
"Aidan's in love with…" I began.
"Tara?" he asked. I nodded.
"Good luck to whoever ends up with her," he said, scoffing. I would have been angered, but I agreed completely.
xxxxxCALLIE SCOTTxxxxx
I lay down on our bed, shivering despite the closed windows, the heat coming from the vents, and the thick blanket wrapped around me.
I'd tried to hard not to let my past affect my daughter's future-a plan that had completely failed when I'd caused such a scene in the kitchen, right before them.
Sawyer was a saint for being so understanding. After almost twenty years, twenty years of anxiety, distance and fear, wouldn't some men be at least annoyed? He didn't remotely understand my pain, yet he stood by me through it.
Thinking of him almost made me smile. I twirled my diamond ring around my finger, thinking of what he'd told me recently, that he hadn't just proposed to me because of the "baby" but because he'd really loved me. What would I have said, had I not been pregnant and he'd done it anyways? I know what I would have said, really. I would have shot him down, and everyone would have backed me instead of him, we'd break up and I'd probably have neither Tara, Jordan, Charlie nor Lissie.
Or maybe, just maybe, I'd still have Tara.
I was shocked out of my reverie when he came in and sat on the bed.
"Lissie's upset. She thinks Joey stole Will from her," he laughed. I attempted a smile.
"I think he'll make her happy," I said. I bent my head to hide a tear, and my still white blonde hair swung over my face. Sawyer reached forward and gently tucked my hair behind my ear, and brushed away the tear.
"Hey. What's on your mind?" he asked gently.
"Nothing. Lissie. That's funny. They're perfect, all of them," I said.
"Even Tara," he said gently. To an outsider, the comment would have sounded peculiar, but I understood. He knew what I was thinking of. He always did, and I always knew his heart. Marriage for seventeen years and friendship of thirty would do that to you.
"I can't believe we thought we were old at your parent's anniversary, when I was pregnant with Charlie. We were practically children then. Now we're old," I mourned.
"Would you slap me if I told you still looked exactly the same?" he wondered.
"Probably."
"Then I won't. It's a bit too cheesy, isn't it," he decided. I leaned in toward him and we kissed.
"Our lives, my love, are a bit cheesy," I relented.
XxxxxJORDAN SCOTTxxxxX
I woke with a start the next morning, unfamiliar with a presence on my right. I realized what had happened: Will had stayed the night. And we were spooning, of all things. Like people who mattered to each other. Like people in love.
Lissie tiptoed down the hall, pressed open our parent's door and bounded into their bed. I realized that Will and I had slept almost as my parent's were doing-and my parent's had magic love, fairy tale love. I'd always known I'd wanted to grow old like them, but had never imagined doing it with anyone. Now I imagined myself in a white dress, Will at the end of an aisle, looking grown up and handsome. Children abounding in a house full of love.
Then I turned around and saw the real William Hunter, looking infinitely dear in his sleep, his stubble tickling my bare skin. We wouldn't live in the future. We'd never have to.
Because the present had never been more beautiful.
THE END
Author's note: I apologize for the length of this story. But I was losing interest in it and I hated leaving you guys out of the loop. If I ever revisit this series, I'll either go back to Callie and Sawyer being newlyweds, or zoom into a particular character's life, perhaps Jenny's. But don't count on it, because right now I'm wrapped up in two other stories, When One Door Closes and A Life Less Ordinary. Please go check them out, and thanks again for reading.