Betty smiled to herself as Henry looked around his living room. Betty had never seen up close the deer-in-the-headlights look, but the look on Henry's face sure came close. Betty had called Amanda in the cab on her way over and asked how part two of her plan was progressing. Amanda assured her that Marc and Daniel were scrambling around the office furiously placing calls and getting the details worked out. Amanda had whispered that Daniel had even gotten Alexis recruited to call in some favors.
Henry stood rooted to his living room carpet. He didn't know whether to rush over and kiss her, or keep his distance. She had certainly pulled out all the stops in the appearance department. She looked absolutely gorgeous!
"I came here to talk to you. I'm going to talk and you're going to listen." Betty said, "sit down."
Henry raised his eyebrows.
Betty raised hers, motioning to the couch with her head. Henry took a seat on the couch and looked at Betty.
"I've tried to call you for the past three weeks, ever since I woke up in the hospital. You were the first person I asked for." Betty told him. Henry started to speak, but Betty held up a hand.
"I know that what I saw that night wasn't really what I saw. I was seeing what Charlie wanted me to see. I actually feel sorry for her. She's so desperate for what we have that she would create such a sham scenario thinking she would scare me off. Well, let me tell you something Henry Grubstick, I don't scare that easily." Betty paused, letting her words sink in.
"I wanted to stay in that hospital bed after you said goodbye. I didn't have anything left to lose. I had already lost you and nothing hurt more than that. My mother was the one who helped me realize that I can't hold on to my fear anymore if I hope to have a future with you." Betty said.
"Your...mother?" Henry asked.
"Yes. Mama came to see me while I was in the hospital. She showed me what happened and that's when I remembered what led up to the accident." Betty said. Henry looked down at the floor. Betty stood up and hobbled over to the couch. Henry kept his eyes on the floor even when Betty's legs came into view.
"Henry...Henry I can't bend down. Look at me." Betty said. Henry looked up at Betty.
"Henry, it wasn't your fault. It was mine. Not yours, not Charlie's. MINE." Betty said, " I love you Henry. I know you did everything you could to try and protect me, but you can't predict anything. Nobody knows when it's time for them to go and if you spend all of your life trying to be safe, then you won't have any room for happiness. Or passion. Or love." Betty said.
"Betty... please forgive me for the things I said. I'm so sorry and I.." Henry stopped as Betty reached down and cupped Henry face in her hands, slowly shaking her head.
"No Henry, not this time." Betty said, "no more sorries. We're going to move past sorry. I want a committment from you,
right here and right now. There are things we need to do and we're wasting time." Betty said as she walked back to the
chair. She reached into her purse and pulled out a box and an envelope. She walked to Henry and handed them to him.
Henry opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. He looked at them, then up at Betty.
"Betty, these are plane tickets." Henry said, "for a flight in three hours."
"Yes, I know. Did you read the destination?" Betty said. Henry scanned the tickets, then looked at Betty in confusion.
"Betty, I don't understand." Henry said frowning.
"Open the box, maybe that will help." Betty smiled. Henry turned the box over in his hands and lifted up the lid. His eyes widened as he looked at the items inside. A pair of gold cufflinks, with what looked like...
"Gerber daisies?" Henry said. Betty nodded, "read the inscription." Henry held one up to the light for a better look. Written above and below the daisies on both cufflinks were four simple words. Te quiero, mi corazon.
"Oh...Betty." Henry breathed. He looked up at Betty as his eyes stung with tears. She bent down as far as she could.
"I know it's not the usual way things are done, but this relationship was never based on the usual way things are done"
Betty said. She took a deep breath and looked deep into Henry's eyes.
"Henry Grubstick, will you marry me?"
Daniel Meade's office at MODE was in a full panic. Three of its'associates were pacing between Daniel's inner office and Betty's desk outside. All three of them were rattling off into the receivers at breakneck speed.
"Where's the dress Christina?" Amanda yelled, "Just hurry up here with it. Our flight leaves in...damn TWO hours!"
"I don't care WHO wants that church tomorrow! I need it booked for one pm tomorrow! No, not twelve, ONE! Marc said into his phone.
"Dad...DAD...listen to me. I'm going to be there tomorrow. Can you talk to your friend? I'm doing this for someone very special Dad and it would mean a lot to me. Thanks." Daniel sighed as he hung up the phone. Amanda raced in, holding a messengered envelope.
"Here, the tickets just arrived. Where's Betty's dad?" Amanda exclaimed.
"He's on his way to the airport." Daniel said, " I talked to him earlier."
"Any word on if her plan worked?" Amanda said. Daniel shook his head.
"Nobody knows." Daniel said, "I hope so, otherwise this is going to be one heck of an expense to eat."
"Oh chill out." Amanda said, "Betty's got her MODE girl on and if she has her way, Henry will be so confused he won't know whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt." Amanda brightened as she saw Christina flying into the room, a dress bag over her arm.
"Well, come on. I've got what I'm supposed to have and now that you've rushed me into a frazzle, we've got to get to the airport or Betty won't have anything to wear but her birthday suit." Christina said hurriedly as she dashed back out the door.
"Wonderful visual for Henry I'd imagine." Amanda said as she waved goodbye to Daniel. Alexis strode into the room with Daniel's tux freshly pressed.
"Well, I just got off the phone with his mother. She must think I'm the most lunatic woman she's ever talked to, but I found a service in Tucson and there's a car on the way to pick her up." Alexis said, "Daniel do you think she's going to be able to pull this off?"
"If anyone can, it's Betty." Daniel said as he took the tux from his sister.
"I need a date." Daniel said, "How about it?" Alexis laughed and linked her arm through her brother's as they left the office together.
Hilda hurried to pay the driver as Santos grabbed Rosa and Justin ran to the trunk to grab the bags. Aiden stood on the curb as Justin handed him his backpack. Justin grunted as he lifted out the suitcases.
"Jeez mom, what did you pack in here bricks?" Justin said, heaving the suitcase to the curb. Santos handed Rosa to Hilda as he went to get a luggage cart.
"Justin, that one is your Aunt Betty's." Hilda said, "This one is mine." She lugged her suitcase out of the trunk and flung it to the curb just as Santos arrived with the cart.
"Hilda your clothes are going to be on display for everyone here if you don't stop throwing that around." Santos said as Hilda glared at him. Santos and Justin loaded the bags onto the cart and headed to check their bags. As they worked their way through security, Hilda felt Aiden grab her hand.
"Hilda, do you think this is going to work?" Aiden asked.
"Sweetie, I think everything is going to be just fine." Hilda said as she ruffled Aiden's hair. All of them made it through security without incident. As they walked to their gate, Hilda spotted her father already waiting there.
"Papi!" Hilda shouted. She ran and hugged him. As she hugged him, she whispered in his ear.
"Have you heard from Betty?" Igancio nodded.
"She said they were on their way. I don't know how Henry is holding up though." Ignacio said, "Betty said he still looks kind of dazed."
"Yeah Betty has that effect on people." Hilda said with a laugh as the family made their way to the waiting area.
Betty's phone rang as she and Henry sat in the cab rushing them to the airport. Betty answered, glancing over at Henry.
She watched him still idly fingering the cufflinks, a dazed expression on his face. Betty heard Amanda telling her that
all the details had been taken care of and everyone Betty wanted there was either on the way or getting ready to leave.
Betty thanked Amanda and told her she would see her there. As she disconnected, she looked over again at Henry. She
touched his hand that was holding the box.
"Henry, are you ready to do this?" Betty asked. No response. Betty released an angry breath and addressed the cabbie.
"Sir, can you pull over at the next corner? I'll be getting out there." Betty said. Henry's head snapped up to her.
"Driver, I'm sorry there's been a mistake. Keep going to the airport." Henry said as Betty relaxed. The cab pulled up to the airport a few minutes later. Betty paid the driver as Henry grabbed his bag he didn't remember packing. As he turned towards the entrance, something registered in his brain.
"Betty, I forgot something!" Henry said, his brain and heart finally registering what was going to happen. They had BOTH forgotten something. Something Henry wasn't about to let pass.
"Betty, go on inside and get checked in. I just have one phone call to make." Henry said.
"Henry, is everything all right?" Betty asked. She wondered if Henry was having second thoughts. She'd blindly called Henry's bluff and set this plan in motion; but what if he called her bluff? Henry walked over to Betty and gently brushed her cheek with his index finger.
"Everything is better than all right." Henry said, " I just have to make one phone call." Henry turned and walked a short distance from the entrance. Betty turned around and walked into the airport. Henry called his mother who was still somewhat confused, and got the number of her old college boyfriend. He waited impatiently as the call went through. Finally, a man's voice answered.
"Neil Cassidy."
"Mr. Cassidy, my name is Henry Grubstick. You probably don't know who I am, but you went to college with my mother Helen." Henry said as the older gentleman interrupted.
"Helen! I sure do remember her, such a sweet gal. What can I do for you Henry?" Neil said.
"Well I heard that you are the best in your particular field, and I need a favor. A huge one." Henry said.
"You've got my attention son." Neil said, "What is it I can do for you?" Henry smiled into the phone as he began to explain what he needed.
Five hours and one delay later...
Betty and Henry blissfully made their way off the plane. Henry refused to tell Betty who his mysterious call was to, just
smiled that killer smile of his that Betty could feel all the way down into her toes and gently held her hand for the flight.
As they claimed Henry's bag from the carousel, Betty saw everyone.
Hilda holding baby Rosa, Christina, Amanda, Alexis, and presumably Henry's mother stood together as Ignacio, Santos,
Justin, Daniel, Marc and Aiden stood off in a separate group. Henry walked to his mother and pulled her into a hug.
"Mom, I can't believe you're here." Henry said.
"I can't believe I'm here either." His mother said. She looked past Henry to Betty. Betty smiled at her as Henry's mother walked up to her and hugged her.
"And you must be Henry's Betty." Henry's mother whispered in her ear.
"I am." Betty said, hugging his mother back.
"You make my son very happy." His mother said, "I'm so glad to be here."
"I'm glad you're here Mrs. Grubstick." Betty said.
"I think you should start calling me Helen." Mrs. Grubstick replied, "and we have a lot of catching up to do."
"Mom." Henry groaned as the group laughed. Hilda grabbed Betty as Ignacio took Henry. Betty and Henry looked at one another as they were pulled in separate directions.
"Ok, that's enough. No more seeing each other until tomorrow." Hilda said, "Papi, make sure everyone gets their rest and make sure you get there on time. Do you have the address?"
"Yes, Mi hija. Henry will be well rested and all of us will be there." Igancio said. Henry turned quickly and rushed back to Betty. He bent his head and kissed her, all too quickly for both of them.
"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." Henry said softly, grinning down at Betty.
"You'd better." Betty replied with a grin of her own as Hilda led them to the hotel. As they passed under the exit, Betty looked up at the welcome sign above the door.
Welcome to Beautiful Las Vegas!!!
TBC...