For the one of the first times since I knew Nick he was completely silent. He walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder. It was comforting. It just reminded me that this man was the best friend I ever had and would ever have. It allowed me to think about everything. I had pulled my sister from a burning building. Nursed her back to health from a gut wound. Sniped countless men who were trying to kill her. I've protected her. She's protected me. Just as much as I've protected her. But the only thing we couldn't protect each other from is the thing I'm starting to regret most. The fact that I'm in love with someone I can't tell the truth too. She tried to warn me. I told her what I thought she needed to hear but not something I myself wanted to heed. I don't want CniDaria to put her happiness on hold for me. I never have. I don't want to put my happiness on hold for her. And I know she's never wanted me to. I want to be happy. I want her to be happy. Maybe that happiness can come from being with the man that's being a friend to me right now…
"Look Thylonius, I must get back to work. I know you're trying to help me with Nala but honestly, I don't want to force it. I even tried banging on the door and she wouldn't answer. If she doesn't like me the way I like her there's not much point. I'll try to keep in touch with her but I'm not going to get hung up on her. I'll just be stuck at that point. I have goals in my life and to be waiting for someone for years isn't very desirable." I just nodded my head and saw Nick hop in his car and leave. What he just struck me. 'Waiting for someone for years'. After awhile, would Nala do the same thing? Would she move on with another guy? How much time do I really have left, am I okay with her not being with me?
After Nick left. I took out my phone. I looked up a number I hadn't dialed in over a year… Nala's.
I didn't expect it to work. I expected that she would change her number. Or that the number would be blocked from me. I was wrong on both counts.
"'Ello?" I froze I hadn't expected her to answer at all. She got impatient. Still the same fiery Aussie I always knew.
"OI! I do not have time for this shite so tell me who the fuck is playing on my phone or I swear to bloody Christ…
"Hi Na." She went deadly silent. I could tell she didn't expect it to me.
"Ty?" She was asking the question but she knew. Which suggested to me she didn't believe it or worse couldn't believe it.
"Yeah it's me… How are you?"
"'Ow am I?" She laughed I was scared now. That laugh used to mean I was going to get killed. "After all this time after 'verything that 'appened you ask me how am I? I thought you were dead?!" Why does everyone I care about always assume that? "I 'adn't heard from you in over a year and with everything going on, so I just assumed!"
"You wouldn't take my calls Na! Did you expect me to do that forever?! Huh?! You know how hard that was? To keep calling you and you keep sending me to voicemail? You know how agonizing it is to leave voicemail after voicemail begging you to call me back? Did you really think I could do that forever?
"YES!!!" I was struck silent. "I listened to every voicemail. To every plea. To every declaration. I listened to every word you left me to listen to. Not once did you 'pologize Ty…"
She was right. I didn't. I wasn't going to apologize over voicemail. "If you had picked up the phone I would have. The last actual conversation we had all I did was apologize" She tutted on the phone. "What's that for?"
"Because you know that doesn't count you bloody fool…" I paused and I laughed. I couldn't help it. I laughed right in her face. "What the bloody 'ell are you laughing at?"
"Because I knew that was what you were going to say… Because after all this time you're still the same woman I fell in love with." She didn't say anything I thought I heard a sniffle.
"Look I have to go Ty. It's nice to hear your voice whatever the tone of mine. But I have a project to do for JESCA…
"Wait… Did you mean JESCA Foundation the Non-Profit?"
"Aye. JESCA I'm a junior executive in charge of small business development. What of it?"
"You're in the States?"
"Aye I'm in Orlando, Florida. Why? where are you?"
"Miami…." She paused again.
"Goodbye Ty…" There it was again I was going to let her go again. But this time I couldn't do it
"Don't hang up…"
"Ty I can't do this with you…"
"Yes you can." She was quiet but she didn't hang up. "You can do this with me because you love me and I love you. More than anything I even thought possible, I love you. I didn't think happiness was possible for someone like me. And then I ran into you. I literally ran into you." She laughed. "I didn't even know I could be happy until that day. Until that day I saw you. You brought something to me that I can't explain or describe but I know one thing and since I've known you I have known this: you complete me Nala. Since I met you I've wanted to be a better person. A better man and I admit I failed at that and for that reason I lost you I don't want to lose you again. Please let me meet you tonight?
"What?! Tonight?"
"All I need is your permission and I can be there in an hour."
"How?"
"I can fly"
"What the bloody 'ell are you on about?"
"I can fly a plane. My company would allow me to fly to Orlando they let me do it all the time" She pauses "Nala just say yes"
"Yes"
An hour and a half later I was knocking on her door. She opened it. She was wearing a tank top and jeans. By no means a flattering outfit. But she was still most beautiful woman I had ever seen all the same. She invited me in, and she closed her door turned with her arms closed just looking at me. Nervously looking around I started to speak. "Nice to see you again Nala, quite the place you have here." It was a modest one-bedroom apartment. Living room connected to an opened kitchen concept. The one bedroom was down the hall to the side not visible to where we were.
"What are you doing here Thylonius? After all this time? With everything going on in the world you didn't even bother coming to graduation. Did you ever think about me if I was okay?"
"Did you do the same? I didn't receive a call from you." She stayed silent to that and turned to look out the window where there was a view of a lake below. "I thought about you daily since the last time we spoke. Always thinking about where you were and what you were doing."
"Really? What made you actually call this time?" Still facing the window she spoke in an exaggerated tone. A tone that really didn't believe anything I had to say.
"A friend said something to me that made me realized I couldn't wait any longer for the things I wanted." I fiddled with a box in my pocket.
"Oh? What are the things you want?" I didn't answer her. "Huh? Cat got your tongue Thylonius?" She turned around and gasped as she found me on one knee. I was knelt down presenting her with a ring I bought her when I was in China the night before we had our fight. I could never throw it away because I always knew I was going to be here. Looking up at her and her shocked expression as she agreed, beyond all reason, to be my wife. She stood speechless looking down at me as her eyes teared up.
"The things I want Nala are things that I could do with you at my side. Everything that I want starts with you." She started crying and kept mouthing yes. She came down to my level and repeatedly kissed me as she took the ring and put it on her finger. We sat there together for some time holding each other. Making up for the lost time we had from each other apart.
I called the only other people that mattered to me in this world. I asked Nick to be my best man. I asked CniDaria to be in the wedding as a bridesmaid. Nala insisted that my sister take part in our day. Nick's response was what I expected. "I'd be honored my friend I'm happy for your decision." Ni's was more measured "After all this time are you sure?" I gave the same answer to both of them. "After all this time she took me back. I'm sure I've made the best decision I'm just not sure she has" Both of them laughed and they both agreed. I always thought that in some way I wasn't going to have some type of happy ending. So maybe this was the universe telling me that I was right all along. I was glad that during the most important moment of my life that the people I cared for most would be up there with me.