Magic in Our Hearts (22 page)

Taylor knocked softly on the door and then opened it. “Oh Roselin!” Taylor hurried to the bed and bent over the silent form slumped on top of the covers. Taylor didn’t need to be told she was gone. She spoke softly, “I’m so sorry Brett wasn’t here, Roselin. I know she will miss you so much. So will I.” Taylor gently laid the woman flat on her bed and brushed her hair back from her peaceful face. She began to cry. “I’m so glad you aren’t suffering any more, and I promise you Brett will be well taken care of.” Taylor hurried downstairs to talk to Helen. They had to call the doctor and the funeral home. She also had to call Brett. She didn’t want to make that call. It would devastate her partner.

Brett reached for her cell phone as it vibrated on her hip while she walked out to get in her cab for the trip to the airport. Everything, including the press conference, had gone well, and she was expecting to start working with the athletes within four months in Boulder at their new state-of-the-art training facility. She was walking on air. Even the athletes had expressed support for her coaching methods. She couldn’t wait to get started.

“Hi, honey.”

“Brett, I have some bad news, honey.”

“Mom …” Brett’s heart slammed in her chest. 

“She’s gone, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.”

“Did she, did she …” Brett began to cry.

“She was in no pain. She slipped away early this morning.”

“I’ll get there as soon as possible.”

“I know, love. We’ll take care of her until you get here.”

“Taylor, I …”

“I know baby, I love you too.”

Brett sat in the first class section of the Boeing 757 in a state of shock. Her heart beat wildly as she realized that she had missed her mother’s passing. It broke her heart that she hadn’t been there for her, the one thing she wanted—no, needed—to do. God, she was such a failure as a daughter! “Can I get you anything to drink?” the flight attendant asked as she waited patiently in the aisle of the plane.

Brett looked up at the woman, her eyes full of pain and anger. “I’d like a glass of Scotch, neat, please.”

By the time Brett got off of the plane she was completely inebriated and barely able to stay on her feet. Her body wasn’t used to alcohol and was rebelling in a big way after only two drinks. Brett hadn’t even thought of the consequences of her drinking. She had thought only of her mother and her own grief. By the time she had finished her first drink, she felt woozy. Her second had hit her harder.

She couldn’t think, she couldn’t feel, and most of all she couldn’t hurt.

Taylor spotted her as she came through the self-opening doors of the airport.

She had tried to call Brett on her cell phone when she landed, but she hadn’t answered. Something was wrong! Brett could barely walk. Her gait was unsteady.

As she approached Taylor, Taylor could see her face and knew immediately what had happened.

“Brett, what, oh honey, no …” Brett’s red-rimmed eyes looked at Taylor.

“I drank, Taylor. I’m so sorry. Please don’t leave me. I’d be so lost without you.” Brett’s words were slurred. She was completely docile as Taylor bundled her into the car.

“I’m not leaving, sweetheart. We’ll get you some help, I promise.” Brett’s eyes closed, and Taylor looked at her partner and cried—cried for the loss of Brett’s mother and for her struggling daughter. She knew losing her mother was hard on Brett, but it hadn’t occurred to her that she would turn to alcohol. She should have waited to tell her when she had gotten home.

By the time they arrived home, Brett was barely conscious. Helen and Fran had to help Taylor get Brett into bed where she slept heavily under Taylor’s watchful eye. Taylor wasn’t sure what the alcohol would do to Brett, and she was scared to death that Brett would continue to drink. Taylor had called Jeb immediately after Brett had effectively passed out, and he was on his way to Boulder.

She knew that the next few days would be critical if Brett was to regain her sobriety. If anyone knew what she was dealing with it was Jeb, and Taylor needed help.

Brett stirred and then opened her eyes, her mouth so dry she couldn’t swallow.

Her head pounded and her stomach was nauseous. Then she remembered, “Oh God, Mother! I’m so sorry.”

“Brett, honey, are you awake?”

Brett rolled her head over and her eyes met the concerned eyes of her lover.

Taylor was sitting next to the bed where she had been watching over Brett for several hours as she slept. “Taylor, I’m sorry.”

“Brett, listen to me. We’re going to get through this together. Do you want to keep drinking?” Taylor spoke softly, her eyes locked onto Brett’s face.

“No, I just was so angry that I wasn’t here for Mother and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I failed her.”

“You didn’t fail your mother. You were a wonderful daughter. She loved you.

I understand how angry and sad you are, but we need to get the alcohol out of your system and then talk about what to do next, okay?”

“Okay. I love you, Taylor.” Brett began to cry, sobbing as Taylor gathered her up in her arms and held her tightly.

“Everything will be okay, honey.” Taylor held Brett until she was completely cried out, and then she helped her to the bathroom to take a shower.

By the time Brett was dressed, Taylor had made several telephone calls to finish the arrangements for Roselin’s funeral. Everything had already been prear-ranged, and all she needed to do was take Brett to the funeral home to see her mother. Taylor was afraid that the visit would be too much for Brett in her fragile state, but she knew it had to be done.

Brett came out of their suite and came toward the dining room table where Taylor sat with Helen and Fran. She was still walking a little unsteadily. “Could I get a cup of coffee?”

“Certainly.” Helen rushed to get Brett a cup as she sat down at the table next to Taylor.

The three women recognized the guilt and sorrow on Brett’s face. Their hearts went out to the grieving woman. Taylor spoke softly to her. “Honey, do you want to see Roselin?” 

Taylor had taken Brett’s hand in hers, and Brett held on tightly. The bands in her chest loosened when she looked at her supportive friends. There was no blame or anger as they looked back at her. “Yes, I would.”

“I’ll take you this morning, and then we’ll talk about the rest of the arrangements.”

“Okay.” Brett stood up on wobbly legs and then spoke again. “Thank you for taking such good care of my mother. I know she cared very much for all of you.” Helen responded, as Fran started to cry. “Brett, we loved your mother. It was an honor to take care of her.”

Taylor stood up and tugged on Brett’s arm. “Come on, honey.” The rest of day moved by quickly, and Brett dealt with the details, but her mind was a blur. The combination of alcohol and her grief made simple decisions difficult. She couldn’t seem to see her way clearly. She was sitting out on the back deck staring up at the mountains when Jeb walked out the back door.

“Jeb, I didn’t know you were coming.” Brett looked up, surprised to see him.

“I thought you might need some support.” Brett hung her head in shame as she realized why he was there. “Taylor told you I got drunk.”

“Yes, are you okay?”

“I don’t know why I drank. It just happened.”

“Honey, losing a mother is a very hard thing to deal with.”

“I wasn’t here for her.”

“Oh Brett, you’ve been with her every single day. She loved you without reservation. Do you think she would be upset with you for not being here?” Jeb placed an arm around Brett’s shoulders when she started to cry. “I just feel so lost right now.”

“I know, baby. But Taylor loves you and will be by your side, and Rex and I will always be here for you. You’re not alone. We’re all family.” Taylor watched as Brett allowed Jeb to console her. She needed someone who understood her grief and her weakness, and right now that someone was Jeb.

They stayed out on the back deck for over an hour talking quietly. Then they came inside with an unexpected announcement.

“Taylor, Jeb and I are going out for an hour or so.” Brett reached up and touched Taylor’s forearm lightly. “We’re going to an AA meeting.” Taylor knew how hard that statement was to make, and she masked her surprise. “Do you need company?”

“Not tonight, thanks, but maybe you can go with me some other time.” Brett smiled as she spoke. She loved Taylor for her unqualified support. 

“Okay, sweetie.”

“I love you Taylor, and I promise I’ll take care of this.” Brett wrapped her arms around Taylor’s neck and hugged her.

“I know you will.” Taylor’s gaze stayed on both Jeb and Brett as they exited the house. Taylor knew Brett would be just fine. Her resolve was firm, and Jeb was there to support and understand her.

Brett managed to get through the funeral with the support of Taylor and Jeb.

She attended AA meetings every day for a week straight before she started to feel like she had a handle on things. Her mother had taken care of all the arrangements for her death, leaving all her worldly possessions to her only daughter. She had also left a letter to be read by Brett. It was that letter that strengthened Brett’s resolve to deal with her problems with alcohol. She had read the letter with Taylor by her side.

“Brett, there has never been a mother as proud as I am. I watched you recover from
your injuries and get your life together. You are an amazing woman with talent and
heart. I leave this world knowing that you will garner many Olympic Gold medals for
your efforts. I will be watching as you show the world how talented you really are.

I will also be watching as you and Taylor have my grandchildren. I know you will
raise them with love and compassion, teaching them everything they will need to know
about life.

Please do not grieve over my passing. I have had a full and wonderful life and I
have no regrets. Take care of Taylor. I know she will take care of you and know that I
love you dearly.

Your mother.”

Brett cried as she finished reading the letter and then turned to Taylor. “I miss her so much.”

“I know you do, honey but as she told you, she’ll be watching over you.”

“She always had such faith in me.”

“That’s because she knew you. There is nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it.

Brett smiled despite her sorrow and gathered Taylor closer to her. “Then I guess I better work to get you pregnant. She wanted grandchildren.”

“I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

CHAPTER 23

Three Years later …

“How are you feeling, Taylor?” Rex asked as he bent over her hospital bed where she lay serenely looking back at him.

“Pretty good, my labor pains aren’t too bad yet. The doctor says it’s going to be another couple of hours.” Taylor was telling the truth. She looked radiant as she lay back against the pillows. The worst of her discomfort were the pains that arrived every thirty minutes or so, along with a lower back ache. Considering that she was soon going to deliver twin girls, she was feeling fairly calm. Her room was a private suite in the birthing center at the Boulder Hospital. The room was painted a soothing pale yellow, and soft background music wafted through the room. The bed covers were pale yellow to match the walls; there were no sterile hospital linens in this section of the hospital. The ambience was meant to keep expectant mothers comfortable as they prepared to bring new life into the world.

“Jeb’s parking the car. He’ll be up in a minute. Where are Helen and Fran?”

“They’re down in the cafeteria getting a bite to eat. They brought me to the hospital and have been here for hours. They won’t leave.”

“Of course they won’t. Have you talked to Brett?”

“No, I haven’t been able to get through. It’s hard to get her on the telephone lines in Torino. The hotel was swamped with incoming calls. I left a message at her hotel. She’ll call me as soon as she’s able to.”

“She’s going to be pissed that she’s missing the delivery,” Rex remarked with a grin as he sat in the chair next to her bed. 

“Yeah, our timing could have been better but we talked about this possibility.

Twins tend to arrive early.” Taylor smiled happily up at Rex. She had found her pregnancy to be heavenly up to this point. Even with all that was going on in their lives, Taylor’s being pregnant had been a joy to both of them. Brett had been joyous when Taylor became pregnant, and she loved it as her body changed with their growing children. Everything about the pregnancy excited and intrigued Brett. Finding out that they were having twin girls had almost overwhelmed her. She spent weeks getting the nursery ready before she had to leave for Italy and the Olympics. She had argued many a night that Taylor should reduce her workload at the spa and clinic. Taylor had stalwartly refused, driving Brett crazy. She had been working early that morning when her water broke, causing pandemonium at the spa.

“I can’t believe how well you look! Pregnancy becomes you.” Rex exclaimed as he gazed at Taylor. She positively glowed with health and happiness.

“Hah, you big flirt! I gained almost forty pounds!” Taylor laughed as she patted her protruding stomach. Thank God Brett thought her pregnant body was sexy. She had made Taylor send pictures of her stomach the last six weeks that she had been in Italy. She hated missing the last months of Taylor’s pregnancy.

“Hey, beautiful, how goes it?” Jeb burst into the private birthing room, his arms full of flowers and two teddy bears.

“Good. It’s going to be a while before these two girls arrive. Helen has a key to the house for you two. Your room is ready.” Taylor and Brett had added on to the main floor of the house so the nursery would be connected to their bedroom.

They had also added an office instead of continuing to use a part of their bedroom for that purpose. The upstairs still had two guest bedrooms, one exclusively for Rex and Jeb’s visits.

“Hey, there’s your girl!” All eyes turned to the television as the local newscaster showed an earlier telecast from the Olympic Games broadcast from Italy.