Michelle just sat there in the car. She couldn't even begin to drive. Now the tears came, almost as large and as fast as the raindrops on her mini-SUV. She and Tony had picked it out a little over a year and a half ago, just in case baby made three for the Almeida household in the near future. God what had she done. Nothing in her life had gone like she planned in the last year and a half. She sat in guilt, carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Needless to say, answering her phone was the last thing she wanted to do, but she was still officially the Deputy Director of Division and duty called, once more. It was Bill. She hadn't even planned on listening until she heard "Tony's alive". Before she could process his words, the voice she had been dreaming about for the last half hour came to life over the phone.
In the tenderest voice he could use Tony simply said, "Michelle it's me." She was speechless. All she could let out was "Tony" still trying to convince herself it was really him. She asked about what had happened, but she didn't really listen. Just hearing his voice was enough. He knew she would be in a fragile state, possibly even shocked, so he carried the conversation, gave her facts and assured her he would soon be back for her. He called her sweetheart, and Michelle melted. But then came the words she had waited to hear delivered sincerely for 18 months. "Michelle…I love you" Her reply was sincere, but almost automatic. "I love you, Tony"
God, the anticipation was worse than every Christmas morning, birthday, and even her wedding put together. She was going to see Tony again. She had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn't her brain going into auto pilot. For thirty minutes she waited around, signing this, typing that. She tuned the assistant out when she heard the all too familiar buzz of the main doors opening. She knew it had to be Tony. As he came around the corner, she barely took her eyes off of him; she excused the well-meaning assistant. This was their long overdue moment. All the things she wanted to say to him were swirling around in her head and a rush of emotions swept over her. She breathed deep as she prepared to be held in his arms once more.
The joy that rushed through her body when they touched exceeded her expectations. She needed to convey to Tony how much she loved him. Her first attempt failed as she couldn't get further than, "when they told me you were dead" Tony knew. He'd been there before and he knew. They kissed briefly, but Michelle had to get it out. "I love you. I never knew how much until I thought I lost you". And then she realized…the guilt set in. Tony could tell something was wrong. When she started to blame herself he stopped her, knowing that she had to do her job, even at his expense. That's why they were leaving. But then she took it a step further.
"You chose me and I chose" The normal old egotistical Tony obviously gone, he wouldn't even let her finish the sentence. He wouldn't wish the last year and a half of his life on his worst enemy, much less the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. They did the best they could. Those words rung true of the last 18 months, they had gotten by, and things were already looking up.
