As St. Helena wine country came into view, and they neared the town, Heather began to fidget. She’d had the past hour to come up with what she wanted to say, and had nothing. How did you put all that she finally realized, weeks, months’ worth of feelings and emotions into a simple speech that started with, hi, I’m back?
“Just speak from your heart,” his Italian accent heavy, his tone soft and sweet for a change, Mr. Moretti tapped at his chest, “right here, you can’t go wrong with the heart, Miss.”
“From the heart, got it.” She blew out a nervous breath, “And if it’s too late?”
“It’s never too late for love, Miss. Not the real kind.”
“Right…” she said in a near whisper, and then it hit her. “The park! Take me to the park!”
“What?” An eye roll with a dramatic sigh followed his question. “Why are we going to the park? I’ll never understand…”
“I know…you’ll never understand young people. Clay and Tommy, they’re at the park. It’s the last Friday of the month; all the kids are there for Painting In The Park.”
Another big sigh, something Moretti was good at, and he made a quick, sharp right turn toward the park. An enormous crowd could be seen from quite a distance. Given the season threatening to change, and sunny dry days becoming fewer and farther between, it made sense. St. Helena residents wanted to organize one last Painting In the Park before they were forced indoors for the winter.
“How will I find them in that crowd?”
“Really?” Moretti was annoyed by her lack of imagination and determination. “You’re looking for a man with a child, you’re in an ice cream truck, and you don’t know how you’ll find him… I’ll never understand.”
“Music! The ice cream truck music! The kids will come running…parents in tow! Tommy loves your gelato!”
Mr. Moretti looked up, as if speaking to the heavens, “She fiiinally gets it, this one. Oy!”
Approaching the final blocks, leading to the park, Moretti flipped on the music and the crowd began to separate. It worked, kids were running and adults scattering – Heather and Mr. Moretti were the cause of playground pandemonium.
Parking at the curb, where a line was already forming, Heather jumped out to search the crowd, climbing up the step on the side of the truck, holding the side mirror to stay balanced. Her phone buzzed in her hand, but she ignored it, she was on a mission – realizing her dream. Scanning the crowd, she finally found what she was looking for. This really was what it was about – finding what she was looking for – in life and in love. Clay.
“Clay!” she shouted over the large noisy crowd.
He looked up from the phone in his hand and looked around, but inevitably returned his attention to the phone he was holding. So she called his name again, getting the same result as before. Her phone buzzed yet again, but she ignored it until once more, her pocket buzzed.
She called Clay’s name one more time, ready to wave her arms and gain his attention, but he didn’t even look this time. Frustrated, she grabbed her buzzing phone, turning it off before forging through the crowd to get to her man. The notification on the screen grabbed her attention; it was a text message, from Clay.
Why would he text her? He knew she was supposed to be in the air, New York bound. The man stood within shouting distance, but curiosity got the best of her and she opened the message.
‘I know you won’t get this for a while, you’re still in the air, but I couldn’t wait until you landed. Heather, I should have stopped you, asked you to stay, fought for you and us, chased you to the airport, hell…there were a lot of things I should have done. Like tell you I love you. I want you to be happy, and if that is in New York, so be it. I’m sure they need kid Doc’s there too. Anyway, I hope you had an uneventful flight, made it safe, and everything you want is waiting for you. If I’m part of that list, just say the word. All my love, Clay.’
Her eyes welled, overwhelmed with emotion from his words – he loved her, he was willing to move for her, he wanted to fight for her. She chuckled at the part about an uneventful flight given the delays leading up to departing the plane; she had to assume it would have been a less than comfortable flight.
She returned her attention to the next message that had rattled her phone
‘I already miss you so damn much, that I swear I hear your voice, calling my name. How ridiculous is that? Anyway, I love you. Call me when you land and get settled. Let’s talk.’
So he had heard her calling his name – this moment felt surreal. He was saying all of the right things, wishing for another chance as she had while waiting for her flight and here they were, with that chance.
‘There it is again, your voice. Even Tom hears it. We’re at the Painting In The Park. Tom painted a Unicorn for you – he’s never mentioned them before but said you knew all about them. Guess we’re both a couple of love sick guys. Talk soon.’
Swelling with joy, her heart soared, a feeling she hadn’t experienced before now. Clay’s words had moved her to tear stained cheeks and a snorting giggle at the Unicorn reference. If there was a single doubt in her mind up to this point, about where she was meant to be, it was gone.
Her attention back on her phone, she decided to get his attention another way…she texted him.
‘I don’t even know what to say, other than, I love you too. So much it hurts. I was afraid, Clay…but I’m not anymore. Let’s talk, we’ll figure it out. Man, what I wouldn’t give to be in the park too, eating gelato with you and Tomster right now…’
This was silly, plain silly, a made for T.V movie sweet romance silly. Here she was, confessing her love to a man via text message, teasing him with gelato, when he stood within walking distance. That’s what they had though, a sweet romance, and this is how their story was meant to play out.
Heather watched him pull out his phone again; the look on his face was both one of confusion and delight. She watched him read the handful of words, a smile emerging as he reached the end. He looked down, talking to Tommy it seemed, before his fingers went to work on his phone. Excitement washed over her when her phone buzzed in her hand.
‘You have no idea how badly I wanted to hear those words. I can’t wait for your call, baby. Funny you mention gelato, the boy and I are in line for one now. We’ll have an extra scoop, your favorite flavor, just for you. What I wouldn’t do to see your face right now…’
There was nothing left to say, they had said it all, albeit through text messaging. It was time to let him off the hook and tell him she was back, and never leaving again.
‘You want to see my face? It’ll cost you a scoop, Doc… Look up…’
Nerves took over as she waited for him to read her message, ridiculous as it was. Those obnoxious butterflies were back, fluttering around in her belly from the excitement in knowing how much her life was about to change.
He read it. Looking left to right, he read it again – a million dollar smile stretched across his face. She saw his body quake in laughter as realization set in and he scanned the crowd once more, finally locking eyes on her. His body sagged, ever so briefly, a gasp, maybe a sigh, escaping him, either way he looked relieved to see her.
Clay disappeared from sight, ever so briefly, coming back into view holding Tommy. Tommy’s little hands were clapping before they covered his mouth as he laughed in excitement. Her heart was ready to burst.
What’s more is Sara appeared at his side with Cooper and Trey, motioning for him to do something she couldn’t quite decipher. As Sara took Clay’s place in line, he placed Tommy on his shoulders and bolted her way.
She quickly stepped off the side of the ice cream truck when Clay and Tommy reached her, standing toe to toe. With so much that she wanted to say just moments before, she found herself standing there speechless…something that happened to her often when Clay was around.
“You’re here.” He said, breaking the silence.
“I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t go back.”
“But I thought you wanted to go home, chase your dream. I don’t want to stand between you and what makes you happy, Heather.”
“I am home, here in St. Helena. I was just too scared to admit it before. And this is my dream…you, and Tommy…you make me happy, Clay.”
“Well, you make us happy, twinkle toes. I promise I’ll never let you go again, I’ll always fight for us, I’ll tell you every day that I love you, and show you just how much. And I’m going to marry you twinkle toes, so be ready for forever because that’s what I’m talking about.”
“I totally have time for forever…”
Clay leaned in and kissed her, the crowd around them clapping, offering their heart felt ahh’s.
“So, is this Fall Fling of ours over?” Clay teased, resting his forehead against hers.
“Yeeeah…not really my thing anymore. I’m looking for something a little more…permanent.”
Tommy interrupted their silly banter, “Does dis mean we get ‘a keep her dad?”
Heather reached for the tot, pulling him from his father’s shoulders and hugging him close, “Yeah, buddy…forever.”
The End