Shout-outs: I Dream of Scotty, Guest, LAurore, Guest, Mlle M's, Dutchie, tikismile, blueyedmentalistfan, Guest, Jane Doe51, and Angry Little Princess
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Rated: T
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Chapter 12
"I can't get her out of my head," Patrick told Candy. "But she's so young. She's only a senior in high school and I'm on my way to med school. And her whole life is in Chicago. It would be unfair to ask her to uproot her life for me, that's the whole reason she ended things with Greg. It would be unfair to ask her to wait."
"Have you thought about what you could do for her?" Candy asked, pouring them both more iced tea and taking a long sip. "There are med schools in Chicago. You don't have to follow Eddie to California. He'll have Faith. He won't need his old best friend tagging along with a beautiful woman to support him."
"I don't want to trap her."
"How are you trapping her by going to Chicago? It isn't like you're asking for a lifetime commitment," Candy answered. "You're just going to be closer to her. After a while, you can decide where to go from wherever you are. But I think you will regret it if you don't go after her. For once, you have to do something for yourself Patrick. Not for me, not for Eddie, and especially not for your dad. You have to do it for you."
Patrick took a sip of his tea and paused, almost sure of what he had to do.
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Dear Teresa,
He realized that was feeling something he had never experienced before: the desire to live in one place forever. With the girl with the raven hair, his days would never be the same again.
I am thinking about you. I cannot get you out of my head and I don't want to. But I do not want to trap you, one word from you and I won't do it even though it is the one thing I want to do more than anything right now. I was thinking about moving to Chicago to be with you. I would get my own apartment, I would give you all the distance you needed but just to be close to you would mean so much to me.
I won't make plans until I hear from you. But I am making plans just in case. I have Candy's blessing, I have Eddie's blessing. Fred told me not to let you slip away and he said that Ethel would want the same thing too. I am waiting on you and you alone my dearest friend. Please don't keep me waiting too long.
Breathlessly your's,
Patrick
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Chicago
"He actually said he wants to move here for you?" Leah asked as they made meatballs.
"Yeah," Teresa answered, biting her lip as she added bread crumbs and worked it into the ground beef.
"And what have you said?" Leah asked impatiently.
"I haven't answered him yet," Teresa replied. "This is huge and I just ended things with Greg not too long ago."
"So? It shouldn't matter because Patrick might be your soul mate. Do you know how rare it is that people actually get to meet their soul mate? Do you know how much rarer it is that they actually get to be together?"
"What do you know about soul mates? You're not even out of high school yet!" Teresa answered back. "And that's another reason this might be a bad idea! I'm only eighteen. I have my whole life ahead of me. What if Patrick isn't the one and then I miss out on the person who is?"
"Patrick isn't going to leave you," Leah said.
"But he might," Teresa replied. "You don't think you'll lose your parents and then you do. You don't think you'll have to raise your brothers or grow up so quickly when you're a little girl, blowing out your candles and wishing that someday your prince will come. . ."
"Like you ever wished that someday your prince would come!" Leah retorted. "You've been saving yourself ever since you were a little girl Teresa. You're not a damsel in distress, you never have been and you never will be. You know the secret most women will never know, there isn't a Mr. Darcy and there definitely aren't any fairytale endings. But what's wrong with an imperfect prince charming to give you a hand every now and then? You shouldn't have to do everything by yourself just to prove a point or because you can. You know the truth, just because you find the guy it doesn't guarantee you'll have the happy ending, but you can sure as hell try!"
Teresa shook her head. "No. My dad was in love and it literally killed him when he lost my mother. There is no way I am putting my brothers in that situation. There is no way that I'm putting any child in that situation!"
"Honey, not everybody is like your dad, you know that! You have proof!" Leah said. "You know what I think? I think you're just scared!"
"Oh yeah?" Teresa replied. "And why would I be scared?"
"Because you're already in love with him. You know it and I know it. It's too late baby, so why are you fighting chemistry?"
Teresa stopped short, Leah's question had caught her completely off-guard. What was she fighting? When he had been with her, she had been terrified he was in love with Angela and would bring her to California with him and that everything would change between them.
She bought a postcard with the Chicago skyline at night on it and wrote him two simple sentences.
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Dear Patrick,
Come to Chicago. I will be waiting.
Love,
Teresa
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Florida
His old car was stuffed to the gills with his things; he was starting all over again. Candy and Billy stood with him, holding a paper bag filled with sandwiches.
"We'll come and visit you as soon as you're settled," Candy promised, hugging him tightly. "Meet your girl and see the city."
"Thanks," Patrick replied, hugging her back. "I'll miss you."
"We'll miss you too sweet boy," Candy answered, releasing him. "But this is good for you. You need to do this."
"Just treat her good," Billy added. "After everything she's been through, God knows she deserves it."
"I promise," Patrick replied. "I will spend the rest of my life cherishing her if she'll let me."
"That's what I like to hear," Candy said, hugging him again. "You better get going; you have a long trip ahead of you."
But they exchanged another round of goodbyes and hugs before he actually got on the road. He looked back only once and smiled at Candy and Billy as they waved him off to his new adventure.
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Chicago
Teresa was waiting for him at his new apartment with enough groceries to feed an army and her tape player. He left the car on and jumped out to greet her, knocking her hat askew with his enthusiasm.
She laughed and hugged him back, greeting him with a good to see you again and asking how his trip had gone. When they had chatted for a while, they got things squared away with his landlady then went up to see his apartment.
"I'll help you get it set up," Teresa promised as they looked at the sparse space. "I know all the places to get great deals on furniture. We'll go shopping tomorrow, for tonight why don't you just come and spend the night at my house? I am sure my brothers would love to see you again."
"I'd like that," Patrick agreed. "But first I just need to unload my car. I don't want to drive around Chicago with my whole life."
"Okay," Teresa answered, setting everything she was holding down. "I'll help."
"Thanks," Patrick said.
Together they made quick work of unpacking the car and then they drove back to her house where she made dinner and he entertained her brothers with magic tricks. A while later, Leah showed up with pastries for dessert and to welcome Patrick to Chicago.
She joined Teresa in the kitchen and helped her finish dinner while they chatted and listened to music. When dinner was almost finished, Leah stopped Teresa and looked at her straight in the eyes.
"You're okay, right? You're not going to make a run for it or anything?"
"I'm fine," Teresa assured her. "I'm finally looking forward to moving forward."
"Are you sure? You're not going to run away in a few months when things start to get too serious?"
"No," Teresa answered. "Oh no."
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Sacramento, California - four years later
Teresa counted to ten and then opened her eyes, staring at herself in the full mirror.
"You look just like your mother did on her wedding day," her aunt Lee said adjusting her veil. "You're so beautiful honey."
"Thank you," Teresa whispered.
"What's wrong?" Her cousin Kate asked.
"I just wish my mom were here," Teresa answered.
"Oh sweetie. . ." Lee said, getting up and hugging her. "She is here; she's in your heart and looking down at you. She'd be so happy for you, finding happiness with Patrick. I think she knew all those years ago this was going to happen."
"Yeah, think so too. . ." Teresa replied, swallowing. "I'm not going to cry, don't worry."
Leah burst into the church nursery, half-dressed in her maid of honor dress. "I just talked to Jimmy; he said that Patrick wanted you to have this."
Teresa laughed when she handed her an envelope. "Did you give him the letter I wrote for him?" She asked.
"Of course!" Leah answered. "Now hurry up and read his letter to you, you don't have much time left before the ceremony starts."
Teresa nodded and opened the envelope, stepping aside so she could have a few minutes to herself to read it.
My dearest Teresa,
On a day like today, I think it is only fitting that I write you a letter because letters are what brought us together in the first place. I will forever be thankful to my fourth grade teacher, Miss Perkins for bringing us together. I only wish I could go back and thank her in person for giving you to me. Of course I can't do that, because her and your old teacher Mr. Andrews are married now and living in Kenya, teaching the kids how to read and write and building houses in their spare time. Maybe they're bringing another little boy and a girl together with words, and having no idea how they will impact their future.
And now I have to thank you, my darling friend. You kept writing me back even after the assignment was over. You encouraged me to be something more than what my father was training me to be. And here I am today, a better man because I know your name. I have to thank you because you let me become one of your best friends even though we didn't get to meet until we were older and life had changed us in ways we didn't think were possible. I have to thank you because even though you had seen the negative effects of lost love, you didn't let it dictate your choices and you let me move to Chicago to pursue you like a relentless lover. You gave me a family with your brothers and another friend with Leah. I have to thank you because you followed me to California and held me up while I finished medical school. You held me the night I lost my first patient and you said yes when I asked you to marry me. You didn't even hesitate. I have so much to thank you for, I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you, I believe.
Today I am looking forward to seeing you walk towards me in a white dress; I am looking forward to vowing forever and always. I am looking forward to our first dance as husband and wife, to making love to you with the Eiffel Tower outside our window. I am looking forward to the rest of our lives together. My whole life has been leading to you.
I love you.
Your's Forever
Patrick
Teresa smiled when she finished reading the letter and released a deep breath, feeling calmer after reading Patrick's words of love to her.
"They're waiting for you," Lee said. "Are you ready?"
"I'm ready," Teresa answered as Lee fixed the veil one more time and stood back to admire her. "I'm ready."
_The End_
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Author's Note:
There, a happily ever after for them. I am so glad for all the people who stuck it out with me on this journey. It has been a lot of fun. Your feedback and support for this story has meant a lot to me. I am looking forward to our next adventure together, look for it starting November 14th, it will be more of a holiday story than a Christmas story because it will span over Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. In addition to my long Christmas story, I have several one-shots planned for other fandoms. So, maybe there will be something that tickles your fancy. The next couple of Fridays, I might do some filler stories for my 13 Wishes collection or another series. I don't know until I actually look at my notebooks.
Now, one last time for old time's sake, please tell me what you thought. And look out for the soundtrack to Love, Teresa on my 8tracks account (browneyesparker).
Love,
Holly, 10/30/2014_