Daddy

“I've missed you, Ollie. I'm going to miss you for a long, long time if you don't forgive me.” She loved him enough to come back and ask him to forgive her. “Every day I wanted to call you … to come over … to tell you I was sorry … what a total fool I was … how wrong I was to think that the play on Broadway mattered more than you did. It was a stinking decision to make, even if I came to my senses in the end.”

“But it was honest,” he defended her, “it was what you'd always wanted. You had a right to that, Charlie.”

“I wanted you more. I just didn't know it for sure till I lost you. And then it was too late.” His eyes told her that it was, and she was sorry she had come then, but he was moving slowly toward her with an odd look on his face.

“Who told you that?” he whispered as he pulled her closer. “Who told you it was too late? And who tells you that you were wrong and I was right? A thousand times I told myself that I could have moved back to New York with you, that we could have moved into the house in Purchase, what right did I have to stand in your way?”

“You had every right … you had your kids to think of too. All I was thinking of was myself.”

“And now?” He could barely get the words out as he held her. He still loved her so much. It hurt just standing this close to her again.

“Ollie, I love you so much.” She barely breathed the words, and then slowly he kissed her. It was all he had wanted to hear, all he had cared about, all he had lived for after she went away.

“I love you too … you'll never know how much I miss you. I thought I'd go crazy for a while. …”

“So did I.” She was smiling suddenly, as he swept her off her feet and carried her through the house while she laughed. “Where are you taking me?” Suddenly she was happy again. She was in the arms of the man she loved. He didn't hate her, and he had been as unhappy as she was. She had been such a fool, but thank God she hadn't left to do the play on Broadway.

“What are you doing?”

He marched solemnly up the stairs toward his bedroom. “Taking you to my bed where you belong, until you learn to behave yourself … goddamn famous actress … don't ever pull a stunt like that again!” He railed as she laughed and he carried her through his bedroom doorway. It looked familiar and warm and wonderful as she looked up into his eyes.

“Ollie, I'm so sorry….” He was still holding her, as though he would never let her go this time, but he smiled at her.

“Don't be. I was as big a fool as you were.”

“And now?” She looked up at him, as he deposited her on his bed.

“I figure we're both fools and we deserve each other.”

She smiled as she held her arms out to him, and as they lay in his bed for most of the next four days, it was a magical weekend. The kids found her in her jeans and his shirt, barefoot in the kitchen, when Sarah dropped them off Sunday night on her way to the airport. She came in to say good-bye to Oliver, but only briefly, and she looked intrigued when she saw Charlotte, looking tousled and happy in the kitchen.

“Is that who I think it is?” Sarah whispered with a smile, as Oliver walked her to the car. He had tried to introduce them, but Sam and Alex had made so much noise, it was impossible to hear anything, and Charlotte looked faintly embarrassed to be found barefoot in Oliver's kitchen.

“It is.”

“Does this mean you're moving to New Yoik?” Sarah looked faintly amused, and pleased for him as she slid behind the wheel of her car. She and the children had had a very good weekend.

“No, I'm not moving to New York.” He looked faintly smug, and tried to pretend he wasn't.

“She's staying.”

“She is?” Sarah looked impressed, and he smiled at her.

“I got lucky, I guess.” This time.

“No, Ollie.” She smiled up at him, the past no longer painful for either of them. “She's a smart girl. Congratulations to both of you, or am I premature?”

“A little.” He grinned, and they both laughed.

“Good luck then.” She waved and backed out of the driveway, and he walked back into the kitchen, still feeling startled as he saw Charlotte with one arm around Sam, and holding Alex with the other, talking animatedly with Mel above their heads, as Aggie made hot chocolate amid the confusion.

“I can't believe how lucky I am,” she whispered to Ollie as they sat at the kitchen table.

“I'm the lucky one.”

“We both are.” She thought of the ring she had had sent back to him and wondered what had happened to it. She glanced at her hand as she thought of it, and as she looked up, she saw that Oliver was laughing. “What's so funny?”

“You are. And in answer to your question, I threw it away.” In truth, he hadn't had the heart to send it back to the store, and it was in the safe in his bedroom closet.

“How did you know what I was thinking?”