Chapter 20

Anelise and her four companions touched down in Chicago with an hour and a half to spare before her flight to Nashville. After clearing customs, she found her gate and turned to the men she’d grown to care for, her smile tinged with sadness.

“I guess it’s time for me to head to my gate,” she said.

Ken was the first to pull her into a hug, asking her to send him a graduation announcement. “Anelise, it’s been a pleasure getting to know you. You’re an amazing young woman, and I’m lucky to have met you.”

He added, “My son wanted me to tell you that he thinks you’re incredibly hot and to wait for him until he turns eighteen—if you’re into younger guys, that is.”

Despite her blush, Anelise laughed. “Tell him thank you. I don’t know where I’ll be in two years, but I’ll keep my options open, and he should too.”

Next was Craig, who hugged her tightly. “Take care, Ani. I’ll keep an eye on these two for you. Remember how special you are and make sure any man you date treats you right. Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

“Thank you, Craig, I will,” she replied, feeling a lump forming in her throat. She made a silent promise to herself not to cry until she was back in Nashville, knowing that once she started, she wouldn’t be able to stop.

Turning to Michael and Ollie, she hugged Ollie, whispering for him to be good for his dad. She showered him with kisses before handing him to Craig.

Michael then pulled her into a bone-crushing hug, lifting her off the ground. When he set her down, he didn’t say anything, letting his eyes convey what he couldn’t trust his voice to. He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs tracing her soft skin, before leaning in to kiss her. It was a gentle kiss, but it was filled with so much emotion that he almost broke down.

Anelise felt a surge of emotions threatening to spill over. She knew if she didn’t leave right then, she wouldn’t go back to Nashville. She’d throw caution to the wind and stay with him.

“Goodbye, Michael…”

She pulled away from him, picked up her carry-on and purse, and started walking away, taking deep breaths to hold back the tears.

“No, my Ani. You go home with me,” she heard Ollie cry out. She didn’t turn around but heard Michael say something to him. Then Ollie started crying louder, calling out to her, “my Ani!”

She had never been so grateful to turn a corner and disappear down a different hallway. She could still hear Ollie’s cries faintly and almost ran to her gate.

She checked in and started pacing to keep her breathing steady, fighting back the tears. An elderly woman must have noticed her distress because she asked if she was okay. All Anelise could do was nod and offer a weak smile.

She boarded the plane, feeling numb and unsure of how she was still standing, and flew the hour and a half to Nashville. She walked to the pick-up area where she saw Leslie and Naomi waiting for her, waving enthusiastically.

Seeing them, Anelise felt her resolve crumble. She ran to them, throwing herself into their open arms, and started sobbing. Both women were taken aback. They moved to the side and held her as her body shook with sobs.

Leslie looked at her mom in shock, and Naomi, suspecting what was wrong, stroked Anelise’s hair and asked, “Ani, honey, are you in love with him?” All Anelise could do was nod and continue crying.

They felt terrible for her and moved to a bench where they sat down. They tried to soothe her for several minutes before Leslie took her baggage claim tickets and went to get her bags.

Once Leslie was gone, Naomi asked gently, “Ani, did you tell him how you feel?”

Anelise pulled back and shook her head. “I couldn’t! I didn’t want to be the clingy college girl who couldn’t get over a summer fling!”

“Do you know how he feels about you?” Naomi asked, her heart aching for the young woman she loved like a daughter.

“No, he didn’t say anything other than he would miss me.”

Naomi sighed. “Let’s get you home and in bed. We can figure things out later.”

Anelise walked arm in arm with Naomi, met up with Leslie, and walked to the car. She didn’t say a word the whole way to their apartment, and tears streamed down her face.

Leslie and Naomi talked quietly, occasionally glancing back to check on her. Once they got home, Anelise declined food, feeling sick from all the crying, and was tucked into bed.

Leslie started on some laundry, and Naomi unpacked her carry-on and plugged in her devices. Leslie took Anelise’s phone and texted her parents, who she knew would be worried and want to talk to her.

The text read, “Made it back to my apartment. Exhausted, will call you tomorrow when I wake up.”

“Mom, what do I do when she wakes up?” Leslie asked.

“I’m not sure she’ll be up until tomorrow. She looks terrible and is an emotional wreck. I’ll bring croissants in the morning, and we can wait together to hear the whole story,” Naomi said, kissing her daughter goodbye.

Leslie walked her mom out, closed the door, and poured a tall glass of sweet tea. She muted the TV when she heard a noise and realized it was Anelise sobbing. She sighed sadly and whispered, “Oh, Ani…”

—

Michael was trying to calm Ollie, who was inconsolable, crying for Anelise to come back. With Ken and Craig’s help, they managed to collect their luggage and get a cab home.

Ollie was sobbing in his car seat and fell into a fitful sleep a few minutes later. The rest of the drive was quiet, leaving Michael alone with his thoughts.

He was relieved to pull into his driveway and see his parents coming out to greet them. His dad, Dennis, started grabbing their luggage, and Susan unbuckled Ollie who had woken up and started crying again.

Michael's folks were stumped by Ollie's behavior. The little guy was usually easygoing and didn't fuss much. Once they were inside, Michael dropped everything and pulled out the tablet Anelise had loaded with stories.

He settled Ollie on the couch, hit play, and left the room, heading for the kitchen with his parents trailing behind.

They embraced him, and then his dad asked, “We're glad you're back, but what's going on with Ollie?”

“He's upset because Ani isn't here,” Michael explained, grabbing a beer from the fridge, grateful his parents had stocked up.

“Wait, who's Ani?” his dad asked.

“Anelise. She goes by Ani. She and Ollie hit it off, and he's been like this since she left for her flight,” Michael said, taking a long swig from the can.

“Wow, that's unexpected,” Susan said, watching her son. “And what about you?”

“What about me?”

“Why do you look like someone stole your candy?” Dennis asked.

“No, I don't. I'm just tired and jet-lagged,” Michael dismissed.

His parents just looked at him, and he sighed, sitting at the kitchen table. “She's amazing.”

“And is that good or bad?” Susan asked, thinking she already knew the answer.

“It's good because Ollie had someone who loved and cared for him while we were away. They did everything together, and he's really attached to her. He's not handling her absence well.”

Michael continued, “Ani had the foresight to record herself reading some of Ollie's favorite stories on his tablet, and that might be the only thing that saves me right now,” Michael said, taking another gulp of his beer.

“And that's bad?” Dennis asked, “I'm lost, son.”

“It's bad because I'm in love with her!” Michael blurted out.

Dennis took a deep breath, and Susan asked, “Like in love with her how?”

“~So~ in love with her that I'd hop on a plane and beg her to come back with me and never leave!” Michael explained, rubbing his temple.

“So in love with her that my heart aches because she's not here... What I feel for her is way more than anything I felt for Kara.”

Susan and Dennis exchanged a glance, then looked back at their son. “So why aren't you doing something about it?” Dennis asked.

“What can I offer her? Dad, I'm 16 years older than her and I have a kid. She has her whole life ahead of her, so many possibilities! I feel like I'd hold her back,” Michael tried to explain.

“Did you even ask her? Or tell her how you feel?” Susan asked, and Michael just shook his head.

Susan got up and hugged her son. “If it's meant to be, you'll find a way back to each other. I know it!”

Michael wasn't so sure. He felt like life had sucker-punched him and ripped his heart out again, and he'd never find happiness.

Susan served up a casserole, and Dennis held Ollie as they ate dinner, asking about their trip. Michael kept the weekend in Paris to himself for now. He showed them some photos Anelise had taken of Ollie.

When Ollie saw a picture of him and Anelise, he started crying again about “my Ani” not being there. Susan and Dennis were taken aback by the little boy's attachment to the beautiful young woman who'd cared for him for the past three months.

Michael gave up on Ollie's bath for the night and just got the little guy to bed. He started a load of laundry, put away his work stuff, and took a shower.

He sat on the bench in his shower and, for the first time since Ollie was born, let tears fall as he mourned what he and his son had lost.