Second Chances (36 page)

After deciding what to make for dinner, Hannah realized that she had to go to the grocery store and because she knew there had to be other items she needed, she went to the Super Target.  She walked in and started with the produce.  Just as she was about to pick the perfect head of romaine lettuce, a man came up beside her. 

“It’s you!  It really is you.”  He thrust out his hand and waited for her to shake.

Hannah paused.  “I’m sorry?”  She was confused.

“Hannah, right?”  He asked, still excited.  “It’s Rick from Creative Loafing.” 

Instead of a handshake, Hannah smiled widely and gave him a friendly hug.  “You saved me.  That makes you a friend.  And I hug my friends.”  She looked at him, waiting to see why he was so excited.  It didn’t take him long.

“Okay, I know I talked to you about this once before, and you weren’t interested, but things have changed.”  He paused to take a breath.  “Whew.  So, anyway, when you wouldn’t let us interview you, it resulted in a discussion at the office.  We realized there are a lot of single moms who are just as desperate as you, but simply end up homeless, feel forced to give up their kids, all these horrible scenarios.  And I remembered what you said about just needing a leg up, not a hand out.  That really stuck with me.  And that’s why we created a foundation.”

“You did what?”  Hannah was confused.

“We usually take on a charitable project every year and try to give back to the community that has been so generous with us.  This year, we decided to do something long term instead of hit and run.  So we started a foundation.  And it’s all because of you.”

“Wow,” Hannah said, genuinely shocked.

“So can I interview you now?  It’s a happy story.  I can still keep you anonymous.  I just want your story in your words.  You’re really good with them.”  He stood there and watched and waited for a response.

“A whole foundation?  Because I talked about needing a leg up?”  She was shaking her head in surprise.

“Yup.  Let’s get a coffee and talk.”  He steered her toward the Starbucks just inside the entrance. 

“Make mine a hot chocolate and we’re good,” Hannah remarked.

They talked for over an hour like old friends when Hannah suddenly realized that she still had to finish shopping and drop off the groceries at home before picking up the girls.  She excused herself and didn’t really give the article another thought.

Two days later, Gavin came home from the office with the latest Creative Loafing.  There was an article that everyone was talking about.  Some woman advertised for a sugar daddy and now there was a foundation created for single moms…check it out online…leg up dot org.

“What did we say about anonymity?”  He was exasperated.  At the same time, he was rather impressed.  His Hannah had inspired the creation of a foundation.  That was incredible.  She was incredible. 

“I haven’t even seen the article.  Is it not anonymous?”  She barely looked up from her latest jewelry project.  She looked at the stones she had wrapped in wire critically.  Then she smiled and laid them on the coffee table in the keeping room where she was working.  “What do you think?  Earrings or necklace?”

Gavin shook his head.  “I don’t know.  Earrings, I guess.”  And he headed to the study to read the article.

On Saturday, they had their first of two planned estate sales.  The turnout was impressive.  Before it all began and while they were organizing everything, Hannah asked Gavin a serious question.  “Are you sure about getting rid of everything?”  Everywhere she looked there was a ton of…stuff…Swarovski crystal this, Murano that, collections of silver and so much more.  “It must be difficult for you,” she commented.

“You’d think so, right?”  He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the one area of the house she had never been in.  “Look at this.  This is me, how I like to live.”  He stepped aside after throwing open the door and gestured for her to walk through.

The room was…so minimalist that it was practically barren.  There were no knick knacks, no photos, no paintings, no clutter, no dust, no mess.  “Wow,” she commented.

“Yeah.  Wow.  See why I could be very comfortable in the confines of a sailboat.  I don’t need a lot.  It’s all just stuff.  My favorite pictures are in here.”  He pointed to his head.  “Or I save them on a flash drive.  It’s simple.  Just like the kind of life I want.”

Smiling, Hannah felt as though she understood him just a touch better.  “Okay, let’s go sell your junk.”

The sale was a huge success.  An even bigger success was the change between them.  Hannah had stopped being mad.  She was reasonable.  She could even see how it had happened…the desire for revenge, the intent to punish someone for the hurt, and most especially…the falling in love.  Hannah could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her.  And she knew that all of this was killing him.

Gavin wanted more than anything for Hannah to suddenly wake up one morning and agree to live his dream with him.  She had come into his life and made him believe that life could be different and better.  And so he wanted her life to be different and better, too.

“The boat is going to be moved on Monday.  We’ll be leaving following the boat.  I have a driver bringing us to Charleston.  We’ll head out from the Cooper River Marina.  I want to make sure that everything is settled by then.”  He was getting more and more excited. 

The house was on the market.  He had saved nothing but personal items.  He had sold everything that he hadn’t found a use for on the boat.  Still, he had Hannah pack some things in boxes.  He loaded the boxes into the Edge.  “I hope you don’t mind.  I have to borrow your vehicle.”

“It’s not mine yet,” Hannah said with a laugh.  “Have at it.”

“I am going to stick a few things in storage that I may need later.  I’ve been thinking I may want to have a small cottage on an island, you know, kind of like I had here.”  He took the keys she passed him and headed to the storage unit.

After he left, Hannah shook her head.  “A cottage like here.”  She looked around at this big empty house.  At least it gave the girls an excuse for spending more and more time outside.  The next few nights were going to be spent on the boat.  The house…was empty, for all practical purposes.  There were no beds.  Their clothes were either on the boat or packed away.  Gavin had rented Hannah a storage unit next to his own for her personal items.  It was a
one month rental because that was the shortest rental offered.  Over the past week, she had been encouraged to pick her apartment.  Yet instead of an apartment, he had actually found her a condo to rent.  It was a two bedroom and overlooked the lake.  There was a sandy beach area and a pool.  There were walking paths and a playground.  Hannah knew they would be very happy there. 

“Now, I want you to know that you don’t have to buy beds.  I put the girls’ beds and your bed in storage.”  He was ever practical, ever generous. 

Hannah was touched.  “Thank you, Gavin.  Thank you for making the rest of our time together so pleasant.  Thank you for making sure we’re taken care of.”  She was about to go order dinner.  And on the way past him, she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Gavin smiled to himself.  He had a chance.  There was still time for her to decide that they could be happier together.  And he was hoping that the time in the Caribbean would be as magical as it was the last time. 

Her phone rang just as she was about to use it.  It was Rick.  “Hey, I didn’t expect to hear from you again.”

“Are you sitting?” He asked happily.

“No,” Hannah said honestly.  “There is no place to sit.”  And she laughed.

“Well, find some place to lean.  I mean it.”  He took a breath. 

“What’s going on?”  She asked with interest. 

“I have a job offer for you.  I have the
perfect
job for you.”  He chuckled.

“Oh really.  And what is that?”  Hannah was afraid to get too excited without some details.

“We need you to run the foundation.”  He waited for it all to sink in.

Hannah walked outside with the phone.  There was more room to pace as they talked and Gavin was well out of ear-shot.  As Rick described the responsibilities of the position, she was absolutely in shock at the job offer.  She was excited, too.  This was a job that she was qualified for.  This was a job that she could support her children with.  This was everything she had been waiting for.  This could be her future.

“How long do I have to think about it?”  Hannah asked.  “When would you need someone to start?”

“Well, obviously, you are our first choice.  We could give you two weeks to think about it.  We want someone in there running things full time within a month.  Ever since the story ran, the foundation has been receiving serious donations every day.  It’s huge!  All because of you.” 

“Okay.”  She sighed.  “I’ll let you know.  I’ll give you an answer in two weeks.”

The timing was good.  She would be headed back from the Caribbean by then.  Hannah stopped pacing for a moment.  She stared out at the lake, at the sailboat.  She turned and saw Gavin watching her out of the window. 

Why had she even said that she needed time to think about it?  She wrapped her arms around her middle.  Part of her hadn’t ruled out Gavin.  Part of her still wanted to be with him.  She had to make a choice.  Part of her was going to be very disappointed.

They spent their last night at Gavin’s on the boat.  They really had no other choice.  It was that or
sleep on a floor.  Hannah loved the boat.  It was cozy.  And there was nothing better than being all cozy with those she loved. 

It was the first time she and Gavin were forced to share a berth…and a bed.  Somehow, they already anticipated the tension.  They stayed topside for as long as possible.  Gavin had a special bottle of wine for them to share.  And though she might have thought better of it, this time she decided a little wine to take the edge off would be a great idea. 

“This bottle of wine was a house warming gift,” Gavin said.  “The plan was to open it on the one year anniversary of living here.  Of course, by then India and I were already having issues.  By the second anniversary we were truly struggling.  And before we could reach the third, well…we weren’t living together anymore.”

“I’m sorry you went through that, Gavin.”  She reached over and grabbed his hand for just a moment. 

He sighed.  “It’s okay.  I’m celebrating the move with the right person.”  He poured the wine and lifted a glass.  “Let’s toast to new adventures.”

They clinked wine glasses and each took a sip.  Long after midnight they headed below to go to sleep.  Somehow, this time was even more uncomfortable than the first night they ever shared a bed.  Somehow, this time held far more importance. 

They climbed into bed and lay on their backs.  It was strange.  In the past, they would have spooned.  Hannah would have backed into him.  Gavin would have thrown an arm around her.  And within minutes, they would have fallen asleep…or started making out and having sex.  Quite frankly, Gavin would have been comfortable with either outcome.  Instead, it was this forced co-habitation and an unnatural space between them.  After what seemed like an hour, Hannah’s breathing deepened and he knew she had fallen asleep.  Gavin rolled onto his side, careful not to touch her.  “God, Hannah.  I
love
you.  This is killing me.  Having you close but not touching you is killing me.  The thought that we may only have two weeks left together is killing me.  The idea that I may be living thousands of miles away from you and an ocean apart…slow death.  I don’t know how to do this.  I want you with me, but…”  He took a breath.  “I want you happy, more.  If it takes us being apart, then so be it.  Because when you love someone, you put their needs before your own.  I know that now.  I get that.  Life is different because I learned to love from you.”