AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We’re both laughing now. I like these moments between us. They’re short and sweet but they’re also full of hidden meaning. There is a change happening; there are energies shifting from me to her and from her to me. It’s subtle for the most part, but it is also undeniable. The warmth swells and spreads out, seeping through the fabric of our otherwise minimal connection. It gives new sense to everything we say and do around each other, and I have made a habit of paying close attention and hoping for more.
“You said you’ve got the twin gene running through your family, too,” Becky says once the humor fades. “How come you’re a single child, then?”
“Well, the gene doesn’t necessarily activate through every generation, just like in your case. From what you told me, it’s your grandparents who have twin siblings, not your parents.”
“Yeah…”
“It’s not a rule, per se, but more of a common occurrence. Chances are that if I have kids, it’ll probably be twins.”
“If?” she asks, giving me a wondering look.
I offer a subtle shrug in return. “If, when. Whichever works better, I guess.”
“You’ve never thought about having a family of your own?”
“Of course. I just never had the chance to build one,” I say. “Not for lack of trying, but my work and my desire to succeed have been paramount up to this point. You need to understand something, Becky. I had a lot to prove from a young age, especially after my parents cut me off. It was either their way or the highway, and I refused to let anyone tell me how I should live my own life. It didn’t seem fair at the time. It still doesn’t seem fair now.”
She shakes her head. “It isn’t.”
“So, I focused on work, on making a living, on constructing something so powerful and influential that it will go on to thrive without me.”
She nods. “HeartMatch certainly did that. I doubt the app will ever die, considering the success it’s had so far. I know some of the revenue figures, since I had to design the graphics for all of your shareholder meetings,” she replies.
“I want a family, truth be told. I have found the need growing more and more as of late. Maybe it’s why I’m retiring from the business so early,” I tell her, wondering if she can sense the meaning in my tone. “So that I might kick back and find me a woman to love, a child to raise…”
Her gaze drops for a hot second. “It’s what anyone wants. A family. Somewhere they belong. Someone they belong with. I didn’t think my own family would be fractured like this, but in the absence of a father, my son has been blessed with two incredible aunts and two loving grandparents. Elliot and I got lucky… though I’m not sure for how much longer…”
“What do you mean?”
“My parents are getting older. They don’t have much in terms of life savings, and in this economy, it’s been hard for them to even cover their basic medical insurance,” she says. “My sisters and I will always do everything we can to make sure they stay afloat, but honestly… I have Elliot to think of as well. Laura will have her own family too someday. Callie is already engaged and planning to move in with her guy. They’ll prep for kids as well. As we all go on to look after our own families, whole or otherwise… I worry our parents are going to suffer.”
“And you know they won’t tell you about it, either,” I reply.
“Exactly. They’re both proud and stubborn mules,” Becky sighs deeply. “They’d rather die in a ditch than ask their daughters for help. Imagine—Mom fell in my house and she didn’t call me, she only called the ambulance. She broke her frickin’ shoulder, and she didn’t want to bother me from work. Imagine that…”
I think about it for a moment. It does take great strength of character to insist on being independent at any age, to not be a burden on anybody. It comes from a lifetime spent strong and unafraid, of facing every challenge ahead with the right person beside them. But now, time has caught up with Becky’s parents, and time doesn’t forgive anyone. She will need help. They all will.
And she deserves a good and reliable man in her life. I think she needs one.
“Don’t worry about that anymore. We’ll figure out a long-term solution for you and the family, one where everybody is covered,” I tell her. “You don’t need to struggle anymore.”
Becky gives me a troubled stare. “I don’t want to owe you anything, Todd. I’m grateful for the money you’re paying me with regards to the ‘borrowed family’ thing; I’m grateful for the new job perks and the bonuses as well, not to mention the time you’ve been spending with us… but I can’t possibly accept any charity from you.”
“It’s not charity,” I reply.
“I’m serious, Todd. We’re going to be okay.”
“I know you will. Now, try the pecan donuts. They’re out of this world, I promise.”
She eyes me suspiciously but she takes a bite nonetheless. Almost instantly, her mood changes from sullen and wary to exhilarated. “Holy smokes,” she whispers, her gaze shining like a newborn star. “You were right. These are incredible…”
I like getting to know her better. I like understanding what makes her tick. And the better I get to know her, the more I get out of every moment we spend together. The more determined I become to find a way to give her a better and easier life. She has struggled for long enough, and the sound of her happiness is like a drug to me. I’m gradually becoming addicted to the simple act of giving her joy.
And it’s the best feeling in the world.
I have no idea where this ends. Maybe in tears. Maybe in loneliness. But maybe there’s a one percent chance that this opens the door to something more between us. Maybe.
CHAPTER12
