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Todayisadayof anniversaries.
Ade’s hand squeezes mine tenderly as I lie on the hospital bed. The reason I’m here today is so much happier than four years ago, the day I watched one of my soul mates die so he could give me his heart.
It’s the anniversary of Tiero’s death… but also of my old self. So today is also the anniversary of my rebirth.
That day four years ago, was the hardest day of my life… nothing could have prepared me for saying goodbye to Tiero.
It was also Aiden’s and Rhia’s toughest day. He had to watch me being wheeled off into the operating theater and wait for hours, uncertain whether I’d live or die. And poor Rhi? She took it hard that I didn’t see her before the operation, but giving her my friendship ring to look after, gave her something to hold onto, literally.
I opened my eyes to the sight of Aiden’s beautiful face, his delicious chocolate-brown eyes focused solely on me. Could there have been a better sight to start my new life to?
Was the recovery process easy? Not really, but we faced everything together, our bond growing stronger because of it.
Did I wake up that day as myself? Or were my fears that Tiero’s darkness lived in his heart justified?
The answer really isn’t straightforward. When I look into the mirror, I still see me, yet Iamdifferent. I like to think in a good way.
Something changed for Tiero that last morning the three of us spent together. When he took stock of his life, something shifted in him. He seemed to find redemption.
He gave three people a second chance to live with his organs. Probably more second chances than he handed out in his whole adult life.
What he gave me was a heart mostly filled with love. I say mostly, because on some days I feel a fierceness and determination that’s not mine… well it is now, but you know what I mean.
My tolerance for bullshit and people without integrity is almost non-existent. Not that I come across such people all that often.
It has become easier to speak my mind and to go for what I want, often single-mindedly, I’m surprising myself.
But is this Tiero’s influence or something born from staring down death and realizing time is precious? Perhaps it’s a combination of both.
With Tiero’s heart beating in my body, I swear I can feel what he felt. It sounds weird, even fanciful, but it’s my truth.
When I focus my mind on Tiero’s heart… my heart, it leaves me in awe how much Tiero was able to love despite his upbringing. How did he suppress his true emotions for so long? I’d like to think that his potential is now flourishing and flowing freely inside me.
It was partially the reason I stopped working for Freemont Security when Aiden and I returned to the States. Ever grateful to Gary for looking after me when I first arrived, I felt guilty, but as always, he did nothing but encourage me to follow my heart. Training security dogs wasn’t fulfilling; I need to know I’m making a difference.
Thankfully, the stars aligned with a little shove from Gary, and I was offered a position as a guide dog trainer and that’s what I’m very happily doing now…. well, not for the next year, but I’ll pick it up again later. It’s what makes my soul sing. Seeing people regain their independence never fails to put a smile on my face.
The first dog I trained in Atlanta was for Axel. He was reluctant at first, but Shelby convinced him, and they’ve never looked back. Boomer never leaves Axel’s side, bonding with him the moment they met. He not only helps Axel to get around safely, but his companionship is luring him out of his deep depression to everyone’s relief.
In the strangest of circumstances, I also trained a guide dog for Alonso. When I met up with him after leaving the hospital in Rome, I was so shocked to see him. He was a shadow of the man earlier tasked to safeguard me. All his muscle tone had evaporated, and his impaired vision left him feeling like a useless burden.
On top of that, Mateo expressed concerns about his safety in Italy. To cut a long story short, we took him to Atlanta with us, then helped him set up a new life, with Rambo, his trusted Labrador. He also met a wonderful girl, Aubrey, who loves cooking as much as he does, and together they opened a restaurant. The Blind Chef has become a sought-after venue known for its authentic Italian cuisine. It’s the go to place for our monthly dinner night with the crew.
As we promised Tiero, we return to his—my—island every year in August. Three years ago, we also returned on the anniversary of his death, making it the day of our wedding.
To some, it might seem a bit morbid, but we couldn’t think of a better date. It didn’t just symbolize a rebirth for me, but also for my relationship with Aiden. Tiero plucked a future for us out of thin air. What better day to celebrate our love?
We flew in Father Joseph to marry us, and Rhia and Lex were there as our witnesses. It was the perfect day.
We held a big reception to celebrate our nuptials in Atlanta and everyone dear to us was there. Oh, and Aiden’s wedding gift to me was to bring Knox home. I was and am so excited about it, my gentle giant now part of our ever-growing four-legged family.
So life is very very good.
Rhia ended up moving to the States, starting up a new headquarters of her company and dazzling Atlanta with her expertise and Irish accent. She and Lex are married now, living on the property next to us. There is a lot of space between us and any other neighbors, because those two are as loud as ever.
Rhia and I see each other almost every day, traveling together into Atlanta for work in the mornings. Aiden picks me up in the afternoon, and so I get to spend every day with the two most important people in my world.
That’s about to change, though. I’m about to add another person to that list… one I’m yet to meet. I’m buzzing with anticipation and apprehension… not long now.
