《Completing the List》
1. Go out more often
Life as she knew it was going relatively well. What more could one person ask for given the heightened situation in other parts of the world? She had her health, a family to lean on and a man that loved her more than he loved himself. To Elizabeth Fraser, there wasn''t a single thing she thought she needed, except maybe a few trips to get some new shoes. Not a necessity, but it would definitely score you a lot of brownie points in her books. She had been married for over five years, and to her that in itself was a miracle. Elizabeth was one of those people in her circle of friends that always swore she would never get married, ever. That one person who wanted to raise cats and buy shoes for the rest of her life and not worry about a man and kids and all that jazz. At the time it seemed like something she wanted in her life and she really couldn''t explain why. It was also something she didn''t hesitate to let people know as well: married life just didn''t seem in the plans. She was a big fan of Beatrice from that great Shakespearean comedy ''Much Ado About Nothing''. The woman that would rather hear a dog moaning than hear a man say he loved her. She wanted to be exactly like her icon, cold and unwilling to hear anyone out but deep inside there was still a romantic that hoped for something different. That something arrived when Hayden came into her life.
Elizabeth was raised in a very male dominated household. The middle child of three squeezed between two alpha males that were her brothers, and combined that with her ultra macho alpha male like Dad... the house was booming with testosterone and she had to be tough to keep up with the men in the house. Usually one''s Mother was the one person someone would turn when she wanted the company of another lady in the house, but this was an option that wasn''t available to Elizabeth. Less than two years after she was born, Elizabeth lost her mother to cancer and she was suddenly the only one in the house that had to sit in order to urinate. This meant that she had to live in a house full of alpha males for the better part of her life, which meant her name was shortened to Lizzy since men were never fond of big names and was called that for the rest of her life despite the fact that her mother always hated it when her father called her that. Now while most women who are raised in that macho environment would be tomboy tough and too much to handle, but Elizabeth managed to remain a woman while still being able to punch her brothers with authority. While most men would seem intimidated by her independence and toughness, Hayden shrugged if and relished the idea of a challenge. He was persistent, not to the point where one needed to file any restraining orders, but enough to realize that what he was doing and exactly what he wanted. Lizzy was a waitress at a place that was not high profile but nowhere near sleazy either, her happy medium. The clientele was reasonably fair with their tips and she was able to work in a somewhat gentle work space that was hardly if ever a hazard or place of harassment. Her impeccable memory along with her upbringing in an all male house made her bedside manner just the thing needed to keep people at bay and in their place and at the same time interact with clients which lead to a very loyal base that came back often to see her smile and enjoy the quality food. Lizzy was bold, ambitious but still at the same job for several years, content with what she had and not willing to upgrade out of fear that it would ruin the status quo which was all right by her. With a large bath tub, a bottle of wine chilling in the fridge and a good book half finished, was there really any more she could ask for?
Hayden on the other hand had a very different background. His family was Irish, which meant a lot of brothers, sisters and more than enough drinking and rough housing to go around. He was tough and able to take anything that came his way. Hayden was never the kind to take the easier road out, even if it was right there in front of him. He had the talent and the brains to do and become anything he wanted, but h chose not to take that path because there was no challenge, no thrill. He would find both of those when he signed up and started training to become a fireman. While many found his profession to be honourable yet risky, it was his mother was furious over his career decision, mainly because he was the youngest child of seven. The idea of ''her baby'' going out day in and day out to risk his life to save strangers in a burning building infuriated his mother a great deal. The rest of his family was more supporting and that was the benefit of having a huge family, no matter what happened at least one member would come to your side and show a little support. It''s the times when everyone banded against you when it was appropriate to take a good look on your position and re-evaluate. But Hayden was strong and vigilant in his career choice and his performance on the job convinced many it was what he was meant to do, his true purpose in life. Hayden literally had no fear of anything, and was often awarded for courage, valour and his ability to rescue many lives despite the danger. Many of the guys in his firehouse started to call him ''horseshoe'' cause there was convinced he had one on him somewhere because he was the luckiest bloke they had ever seen go into building after building and not come back out with a scratch. Hayden never hesitated to thank his peers for teaching him the right way to do his job and mentor him, but they all knew it was a cocktail of luck and skill that lead to his impressive record. None of this helped relieve the fears that his mother had for his profession. She worried everyday that someone would come back to her home to inform her that his luck had run out and the job had caught up with him.
But based on the stories of Hayden''s success, his life as a fireman wasn''t showing any signs of catching up to the young man. Not only was Hayden in great shape, but he happened to have the luckiest moment of his life when one of the members of his house set him up on a blind date. Hayden really didn''t actively pursue a mate because he was a strong believer in fate. When it was time for him to get hitched, something would happen and it would all fall into place. But to appease his nosy sisters, he agreed to let them set him up every now and then with something they assumed was just right. His sisters tended to be very pushy and it was a very Irish thing. He knew better to say no when he didn''t have any valid excuses, so Hayden didn''t fight it and went out on an occasional blind date. While he never took these dates very seriously he still wanted to look his best. Hayden took the time to get his hands a very nice suit from a bud in the fire house, clean up and even shave before going out. The last thing he wanted was this person telling off her sisters and making them look bad so he made the effort for them and to be ready in case fate walked through the door. It was one thing to mess with fate, but another to upset his sisters whom he loved enough to make an effort. He knew they loved him and that their hearts were in the right place. Hayden walked into each date hoping for the best but expecting the worst, and this time out he found himself at a rather nice diner that was small, but not too crowded. It was a cozy place and he sat himself down at the table. His date had asked to meet here as it was a place she liked so he arrived early like a good trooper, ready to be polite and courteous.
"Chew with you mouth closed and avoid slurping of any kind." He whispered to himself.
"Well isn''t that a given?" someone called out to him.
Hayden turned around and was surprised to see the waitress had budded in on his self lecture on good manners. Lizzy had been serving food to another table less than a few feet away and not only did she flash him a grin, the kind a school kid would when calling you out and mocking you in the playground but the other patrons she was serving couldn''t help but laugh. Hayden felt a little embarrassed but at the same time was surprised and taken back by bold and brash manner in which he was called out for something he probably shouldn''t have said out loud. Lizzy came over to his table with a warm smile, and he was instantly won over.
"Would you like a menu?" she softly asked, being a little more polite this time.
"Ahhh, well... not yet." Hayden replied. "I''m expecting to be joined by someone very soon. We''ll order when she gets here."
"A big date?" she asked.
"A blind date." he answered playfully
"Oh my... and who set this up?" she questioned just as playfully.
"My sister," Hayden honestly replied. "I have a hard time saying no to women, especially when they have the same Irish background as myself. They''re really tough broads."
"I see." Lizzy said with fascinated grin. "Well when your date arrives, I''ll come back with a few menus. Did you want anything to drink? Soda? Whiskey to ease your apparent nerves?"
Hayden laughed. "I''m not nervous. I''m all right. Thank you for offering."
"Alright." Lizzy took her tray and went back to the kitchen to get back to work.
Hayden sat there at his table and spent the next half hour watching Lizzy roam around the room, providing great service and good food to other various tables. Every table in the diner except his that was. He sat there now getting a little nervous. Checking his watch every several minutes, Hayden did start to sweat a bit when he realized that his ''date'' was over thirty minutes late. It wasn''t like it was sitting at a booth in the corner. He was at a small table, which seemed to be zoned right in the middle of the dinner. If Hayden didn''t know better, he could have sworn everyone was watching the poor single guy in the middle of the room waiting for someone. It was evident to everyone there that whoever Hayden was waiting for was likely going to be a world class no show. He sat there and tried his best to be cool with everything, but he was obviously embarrassed by the situation.
Around the forty-five minute mark, Lizzy arrived with ten ounce steak, baked potato with the works coleslaw. She put it down on the table with a smile, "Sorry it took so long to get your order out. The book overcooked the first one."
"Oh, I see." Hayden said as he looked down at the plate, a little shocked considering that he had yet to place his order. "Thank you." He said as he looked up at the kind waitress. She had really gone above and beyond to limit his personal embarrassment.
As Lizzy went back to the kitchen, she watched as he started to eat his meal and at least knew that he would leave with his head high rather than the shameful walk of one who had been stood up. She never really understood why in this world of technology that someone would never show up without even calling or texting was rude and unfair to the poor bloke. It was the perfect place for a blind date: busy, full of people and very public. She literally had no idea why that lady would so such a thing. From what she had seen of him thus far, he seemed like a decent chap. When Lizzy came back out of the kitchen with a new slate of orders in her arms, she looked back to the table to notice the man was gone. She strolled up to the table to collect his plate and discovered a sizable tip and a letter written on a napkin. It read:
You really saved my ass in there, so thanks a bunch! I was very impressed by both the food and staff. I won''t forget this soon!
She didn''t take the note seriously, but was proven wrong. It wasn''t until the next week, but Hayden had returned for another helping of her unique charm. This time he had come in for lunch and she just happened to be doing a double shift to help out a co-worker who worked the lunch rush. She noticed he was there and stopped in her tracks.
"What''s he doing here again?" she asked to herself.
"He''s been eating lunch here every day since Monday." The cook replied as he couldn''t help but overhear her question. "Same thing too: scrambled eggs with bacon and whole wheat toast." He tossed the finished breakfast over the serving counter to her waiting hands. "There you go, mingle."
She smiled at the thought and proceeded to bring the breakfast out to Hayden who was actually reading the menu. The cook never made a mistake, Lizzy confirmed to herself as she slid the plate in front of him and smiled when he looked up. "Would you like a refill?" she said as she raised a nearby pot of coffee.
"Another plate I didn''t order. Am I really that predictable?"Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Don''t feel bad. Cooks love regulars who don''t change. Makes it easier for them to get meals made and out to the floor."
"I don''t mind nor feel bad. It''s not every day someone finds a place to eat like this where the staff is great and dependable, not to mention outgoing." He paused for a moment. "How did you know how I liked my streak?"
Lizzy smiled back at him. "You seemed like the kind of man who wouldn''t be afraid of a little blood." She could tell by his posture and his attitude based on living with her brothers for so long that it didn''t seem like something he would mind. She was right.
"Good call." He said as he held up the cup, "I''ll take a refill to go with breakfast."
Lizzy only saw Hayden when she covered for her best friend Anna because Hayden also worked nights at his firehouse downtown. He was in one of the most active houses in the city and they sometimes saw as many as four to ten calls a night, at least. They both worked the same hours, so it was hard for him to catch a glimpse of her unless he came in on his day off. It was two weeks before he finally mustered the courage to ask her out. It didn''t go very well. He asked too shyly and she gunned him down quickly, just to watch him squirm like a mouse being played around with by a cat. She was interested, but wasn''t ready to make it easy for him. I week later he had tried again, this time just leaving a hand written message with the cooks. She dismissed that as quickly believing that no request would ever be accepted unless face to face. That meant no phone messages, no texting and especially zero invites through facebook.
It wasn''t until a few weeks later when she saw Hayden in a different light that convinced her he was a bloke worth taking a chance on. While she was working, the building across the street had caught fire. She thought nothing of it and assumed it would be taken care of in good time but even when the fire trucks showed up the blaze someone got out of control and scared the patrons inside. With a full blown inferno outside, the diner''s business slowed down a great deal since the road was closed off for a while. Since she was ahead of her work and had a moment, Lizzy went outside to catch a view of the blaze for herself. She had never seen such a spectacle before, and was excited to catch a glimpse. Above the third floor of the five floor apartment complex, bright red flames shot out of every window. The fire looked strong and seemed to have plenty of fuel to go on for hours. Firemen on the scene were in buckets rising up to the widows to put out the fire from the windows while others had gone inside to bring people out the old fashioned way. She watched in amazement as each member of the team fought as a unit to take the beast that was consuming the building before them and trying to take as many lives as it could. It was a battle the firefighters refused to give up and under two hours the blaze was contained and then eventually extinguished. Just as the fire was starting to die down, three firemen had emerged from the building with a family that had been stuck inside. They were all alive, wearing the masks the firemen had taken in with them and quickly passed to onsite medics to make sure they were fine. She hadn''t noticed paid attention to any of the fighters in the group until one of them waved to her. She paused for a moment and then realized it was Hayden that had been waving at her. He still had a small child in his arms, and the kid even took the time to wave with him. They both had black char on their faces from the smoke, but it only made their teeth stand out more as their smiles were a vibrant testimony to how happy they were to be alive. At that exact moment, Lizzy had finally seen the real Hayden. He suddenly was no longer the same guy as it was clear that he had went out of his way to downplay what he did for a living. Some men wouldn''t hesitate to brag about dragging people out of burning buildings to impress the ladies, but he didn''t. He did talk about his job, but he never seemed to go out of his way to dramatize it, maybe out of fear that it might scare more than impress. Looking back at her with a blackened face from the smoke, she realized there was more to this man than he was leading on. She was more interested in learning more about the man than she had been before. Fate was telling her to give him a chance.
Given what she does for a living, Lizzy was still surprised by how casual and low key the place Hayden had selected for their first date. It wasn''t a dump, not even close but nowhere to what you call a five star establishment either. The place''s d¨¦cor was written on the wall and it didn''t take a rocket scientist to figure out what kind of food was served there. Still she was a member of the industry herself so she refused to judge the place before experiencing what she knew was the only two things any restaurant should be decided by: the staff and the food. They were greeted very nicely when shown to their table, and while the d¨¦cor screamed that they were about to eat something Mexican, the menu was varied in taste and had something for everyone such as burgers, chicken fingers and what not. There were some entries that stood out more than others and even one that offered an award and a place on the wall if you managed to consume the entire platter.
Hayden had a smile on his face, that playful boyish grin that he always flashed whenever he was going to do something risky, off the charts crazy or romantic. "I was thinking of doing something really big tonight."
"Are you sure you want to do something like that on our first date?" Lizzy said with a hint of sarcasm. Part of her really didn''t believe him or his intentions.
"I think for all the glory, you have to be willing to give anything a try." He answered as that playful grin just refused to go away.
"What you''re purposing is a really big commitment." Lizzy said trying to go out of her way to point out exactly what he was doing.
"I know." He concurred, "But I think it''s worth the risk."
It was after that first date where everything changed. Lizzy slowly transformed from the woman in her group that was never going to get married, to a love struck teenager who could envision the rest of her life with that special someone. Everyone she knew, from family to friends were all stunned by her change in attitude, going from the sceptic to the romantic was something no one very predicted, but the right person brought that out in her and she never hesitated to let everyone know who that was. Hayden was feeling pretty good as well, and his sisters had noticed it as well. He was never sensitive to their pestering and was always relaxed around his nieces and nephews than his other brothers. He was also going out more often with Lizzy, mainly in the morning since they both worked evenings at their respective places of employment. It was when Hayden even asked his chief to change his days off so they would match with the time that Lizzy had off each week when men at the station started to take this seriously. It was several months later when Hayden would pop the question that would change their lives forever.
A few months after their first date, Lizzy was invited to a family barbeque that Hayden''s Dad was hosting. By the way that Hayden described it, it was just going to be burgers and hotdogs for immediate family but Lizzy had really underestimated how intimidating a big family could be when they were all in one place. The backyard filled to capacity with his kids, their spouses and a few in-laws as well as their kids too. Mr. Sheppard''s pool was full of screaming youngsters and the grill was full of red meat, charred to protection and given a splash of beer every few minutes on the fire, just for a little unique taste from the old man. Lizzy liked Hayden''s father, mostly because he reminded her lot of her own Dad, the alpha male who everyone stopped to listen to and had the final say, only with a different accent. She got a long with a lot of his family, especially with his sisters which were the in family relationship she never had. Hayden''s mother with a bit of a stiff ass when it came to the women who dated ''her baby'', but she seemed to enjoy Lizzy''s company and get along better than she had with the other ''suitors'', much to the surprise of the rest of the family. Hayden''s Dad loved having Lizzy over for his annual Barbecue''s because Lizzy''s talent to serve food out at super fast speeds meant that no one lined up and crowded the cook. She didn''t mind waiting on the tables for just that reason, and it was second nature to her. She whizzed over to each table and made sure everyone got the right foods and it made the meal easier for everyone and more enjoyable.
"Hayden." his father called out to him as he was grilling a few more burgs, "This one is a keeper. She''s the best assistant I''ve ever had!"
Lizzy cracked a big grin and waved to him from the barbeque and seemed to be enjoying herself. Many family members attending could also tell that Hayden had found a real catch, and began to take bets when he was going to make the next move. That being marriage of course. This subject came up a few times, with them only considering the idea of being one couple, not two people living at completely different locations. It wasn''t until a very amazing apartment close to Lizzy''s home did they really truly consider shacking up. Hayden wasn''t too fond of the idea of ''living in sin'' but Lizzy wasn''t very spiritual at all and couldn''t care less what others thought of their living arrangements. She made him special pasta for dinner to help her ease into the conversation, Alfredo with extra garlic and spices to give it a little kick. When Hayden came over with a bottle of wine, at first he assumed there was something wrong. The apartment was spotless on a molecular level and usually when his Mom did that someone was in deep shit. But he couldn''t be further from the truth as she was happy and eager to spring something on him. As they were eating, Lizzy finally broke the silence.
"Remember we had a talk about living together a few weeks ago?" she asked.
"I remember we were leagues apart on that issue." Hayden replied as he didn''t look back and kept his eyes on his food.
"Well, a really nice place has come up that I want but I can''t afford it alone." She paused for a moment and put down her fork. "I have many options if I wanted to get another roommate, but I don''t want to live with a friend. I''d rather move in with you... and the place is a two minute walk from where I work. I wouldn''t need to commute anymore."
Hayden paused for a moment himself to ponder to the statement. "Where you work isn''t that far from the firehouse." He conceded, "I would save a lot of travel and gas myself."
"So are we shacking up?" Lizzy asked, sensing a shift in momentum.
That comment seemed to offend Hayden a bit. "You realize my family is very religious. They might take this badly. Wouldn''t your family?"
"No, they wouldn''t." Lizzy honestly replied, "Mom was the God fearing one in my family and the day she left us, so did religion. Our household is pretty much a non-prophet household."
"In other words I''m shacking up with a heathen?"
"Is that what they are calling non-believers these days?"
"Hey, according to my Mom all non-believers shall perish."
Lizzy looked back at him and smiled. "So will food if you leave it on the counter."
"And your point is?" Hayden quickly asked.
"Chill." Lizzy said just before she burst out laughing.
Hayden seemed a little shocked at first, but then laughed out loud to the point where some of his soda came out of his nose. While religion was a definite split between them, Hayden wasn''t hardcore enough to let Lizzy''s lack of faith bother him, not to the point where he felt it was necessary to defend. He was the kind of guy who was content with his own salvation to care what or little anyone else thought of it. He strongly believed people shouldn''t be forced to accept God or religion unless it was a choice of free will. So even though Lizzy was critical and often poked fun of his faith, it was all right because he was secure with his God enough to not let the thoughts of others stand in the way. Regardless of their differences, he loved her. If you asked him to explain why, he couldn''t tell you a specific thing that made him feel the way he did. He just did and felt it was best to go with the flow and shack up, even though it might upset his parents.
"I think we can do this," Hayden said, "but on one condition."
Lizzy could see the crack in the foundation and went for it. "Okay, anything."
"Marry me," Hayden said with a smile, seeing his own crack to expose. "I think the while shacking up thing will be easier to handle if we are waiting to wed. That and the whole I love you thing doesn''t hurt either."
"Well, golly. This is very romantic. We went from shacking up to getting married." Lizzy said as she joked around which was her way of dancing around the shock of how far this conversation had gone. "You''re not even on one knee."
"Okay." Hayden stepped out of his chair and got down on knee.
Lizzy laughed and decided to tease him further. "Where''s the ring?"
Hayden look defeated for a moment, but then cracked a smile. The kind where you would see on a cat that had just snapped up the canary was all over his face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box that usually carries a specific piece of jewellery. Lizzy put her hands to her mouth and hushed as she couldn''t believe he actually went ring hunting on his own.
"Where did you get that?" She asked, shocked he was even carrying it.
"It was given to me." Hayden said as he opened the box. The ring wasn''t enormous, but it was nice, elegant and looked very old. "My grandmother gave it to me. It''s a family heirloom."
"Oh my goodness..." Lizzy gushed as she looked down on it, it was spectacular.
"She could tell we were hooked on each other and offered to let me have it. So now that we have our ring, you going say yes already?" Hayden held up the ring for her and used the chair beside him to keep his balance.
Her answer was obvious as she nodded with a tear in her eyes, and Lizzy watched with bated breath as he took the ring out of the box and slipped it on her finger. She had kidded with him about marriage and when presented with an offer that was no joke, her eyes began to swell with joy just at the thought of being husband and wife. She took a moment to catch her breath.
"Does this mean we get the apartment too?" Lizzy asked.
Hayden laughed, "Of course it does."
2. Cut Down On The Fighting
A wise person once said ''the reason why we fight i because we care''. It basically meant that if you didn''t care, why would you bother to make the effort to have your words heard? So while there is such a thing as too much fighting, not fighting at all is just as bad if not worse because it meant no one cares anymore to make the effort to be heard and stand up for what they believed in. Lizzy and Hayden didn''t mean to, but they quickly became the couple that fought often and rather bitterly. Lizzy was far from an expert when it came to dealing with relationships, and she was going all the way right off the bat as she got married to her first serious relationship and sharing a residence with someone. Hayden''s Mom at first looked like she was going to blow a gasket when she first heard that they were moving in together, but the discovery of the ring and where it came from seemed to convince her this was the real thing and something that deserved her respect and support. But there was conflict from day one when Hayden moved into the new apartment. Lizzy had arrived first and was starting to decorate and get things settled in when Hayden arrived with a lot of guy stuff that seemed to clash with her own and was just flat out ugly. One thing that completely revolted her was the green chair. It was something that came right out of a bad seventies sitcom, and the color was pea green which made it the most revolting piece of furniture that she had ever laid eyes on. The problem however was that it was Hayden''s chair. Not just any chair, ''the'' chair that he would always sit in to watch football, baseball or whenever he wanted to settle down with a good book. No other chair could do, it was that one or nothing. Lizzy remembered the day he brought the hideous thing moved into the apartment. He was living at home with Mom & Dad before the big move, but she noticed as they were moving his stuff in but there was no furniture. She seemed a little more at ease when a dresser drawer came up, but a few moments later, two boys from the firehouse carried in the chair that would start the first big fight of their living together. Her mouth gaped with shock as they walked in carrying the pea green relic, and Hayden came right behind them and pointed to the living room.
"Put my baby right over there guys," Hayden directed, ""Beside the big couch that''s in front of the television."
Lizzy walked over to Hayden and tried her best to saw something but couldn''t. She was still shocked but finally said something when he asked if she was all right after noticing the look on her face. "What on earth is that hideous looking thing?"
"That''s my chair. The only chair I have ever used, and ever will use." Hayden said as he beamed in pride. "I''ve watched every Giants game in that chair. From when I was a wee little one on my Pa''s lap, to the games I''ll be watching this season on the fifty inch plasma television that I''m going to put up on the wall."
"What television are you referring to?" Lizzy said, again shocked.
"Well, I had some cash left over after tossing in my share of the rent. I thought it would be great to get something new for us both to share. I can watch my games, and you can watch your shows on it too."
"But look at it?" Lizzy whined as she watched the firemen put the thing down in the living room. "It''s green! It completely clashes with my white couch and love seat! It''s easy to see these things are decades apart in age. They just don''t look good together!"
"I''m sorry, but it''s my chair. It''s the only thing I''m bringing here." Hayden said as he looked back at her. "If it goes, then so do I."
Lizzy couldn''t believe what she was hearing as she watched Hayden walk into the living room and adjust the chair so it had the perfect angle. As she watched him do that, one of his bud''s from the fire house walked up to her.
"Let it go Liz," Hayden suggested, "This thing is his most prized possession."
"Are you serious?" Lizzy asked in disbelief.
"Dead serious." he answered, "One year as a joke, we stole the chair to pretend that it was tossed into the trash. He flipped out because he missed watching the big game that week and because the Giants lost, he blamed us for taking the chair. It took him a long time for forgive us for it. Just ask Jared. It was his idea and Hayden''s response to his sense of humour was to pop him in the chin. Believe me when I tell you: this is a lost cause. Let it go."
Lizzy took a deep breath and decided to put up with the chair because being with Hayden was more important than what color their furniture was. To her it looked hideous in the corner of the living room, but it was Hayden''s only piece of furniture that he brought from his place. He loved the chair so much he let her have her way with everything else: the kitchen table, drapes over each window, the place settings, dishes and every other creative thing to pick. The only think he wanted in the house was the chair, his chair. Lizzy knew it was a futile effort but she soon realized that letting Hayden have his own chair had its benefits. Whenever he would eat something the spills would always land his chair and not her couches. So after living with the chair for a few months, it didn''t seem that bad as his chair became the default recipient of all the abuse men are known to give furniture but it saved her own from the same fate.
Like many new couples, they had their fair share of spats from schedule conflicts with their work to who got to watch television during certain times when something they both wanted to watch was on at once. The usual stuff that most couples fight over, but it was nothing compared to the fight they had when it came to the subject of where they would get married. Lizzy didn''t want anything difficult or complicated, just a few friends and family at the court house for a quick and very cheap ceremony. Hayden knew Lizzy wasn''t a practicing person of religion, but he didn''t realize how deep it really went. She didn''t want to go anywhere near a church, even for a wedding. Hayden was the complete opposite, not too deeply religious but the kind of person that would show up on the important days and special events. He wanted to go back to his own church and marry the woman he loves in front of God and hundreds of witnesses from his own neighborhood. This was the big fight that all other fights would be measured against, as religion was always a sore spot even though they both tried to downplay it.
Hayden flopped onto his green chair in disbelief. "I just can''t believe you don''t want to get married in a church. I mean what girl doesn''t want to have the flowers, the organ music and the man she loves waiting for her at the altar?"
"This girl doesn''t." Lizzy said, "We are not made of money, and your church is an expensive place to rent out for a Wedding. I thought it would be best if we saved our money for more important things like rent and food, maybe a honeymoon."
"I don''t think you get it. When someone gets married, everyone makes a contribution. Not only does that cover the cost of the wedding there is always more than enough to help out and even pay for a honeymoon." Hayden was clearly frustrated but ready to talk about it rather than yell. He was trying to remain calm and talk about it rather than start another fight. "This isn''t about conversion."
"That''s good because odds of that happening are about as good as Hell getting a Hockey Franchise." Lizzy said.
"That''s very funny coming from someone who likely doesn''t believe in hell in the first place." Hayden replied, "Do you even believe in a higher being, a creator?"
"No more than I do in seven dwarves, a galaxy far, far away and one ring that rules them all." Lizzy answered. She was never a religious person and it only intensified after she moved out of the house to live on her own. It left her free to investigate if religion was something she wanted in her life or something she wanted to discard. She chose the ladder of the two.
Hayden was still a little fazed from what had happened earlier. He looked back at her with disgust in his face. "I still can''t believe you said that to his face."
"Said what?" Lizzy asked because she had said a lot at the meeting with his local parish and wanted to be absolutely sure which comment she made that he was talking about. It had all started earlier that day when Hayden surprised her by driving her over to his church. The one he was baptized in and worshiped with his peers in all his life. She was surprised that he brought her there but it was for a reason. He had set up an appointment to visit his priest. The father was a busy man but he made time for Hayden because he was very close with his family. Once the conversation began, the priest could tell she was very uncomfortable with the conversation as well as the idea that Hayden had decided in advance that they would be getting married in his church. During this conversation was when Lizzy began to formally object to the idea of marrying him in the church. When asked what part of it she had a problem with, she didn''t know where to start.
"First of all," Lizzy said, taking a deep breath. "I find it a little sexist that a decision this big about where we get married was made without my knowledge."
"This place has significant sentimental value." the priest replied, "It was a decision that was made before he even met you, so it cannot be considered a slight against you."
"Yes it can." Lizzy corrected.
Hayden to could tell this was going to be the start of a significant conflict. Less than five minutes later the priest would take no more as he stood and left the room, making it clear through his silence that he wouldn''t allow them to marry within his church. The meeting pained Hayden a great deal, it was something he had always considered part of the package. Getting married in the same church that he grew up in was a no brainer to him, and he never stopped to think or consider that the person he purposed to might have different thoughts about his church and religion for that matter. It was a lesson that Lizzy''s protests had made perfectly clear. She didn''t believe in it and it put them on opposite ends: they couldn''t live as man and wife if they couldn''t agree on where to start.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
The issue came to a close not by one person giving into another, but through the arrival of a new minister only four months later. Fatty foods and wine eventually got to the previous priest that Lizzy had conflicted with and he passed away in his sleep. Lizzy didn''t feel bad about it, but Hayden was crushed since it was the same bloke that baptized him and guided him through his life thus far. Despite people''s assumptions about Lizzy''s apparent atheism, she attended the funeral with Hayden, to at least show respects to someone he admired a great deal. It was during this service that the solution their stalemate came to them. After the funeral and people where on their way back to their cars, someone approached the couple. It was the new priest that had been assigned by the church to take over the parish. He was young, only two years older than Hayden but only five years shy of his thirtieth birthday. He walked up to them and extended a hand.
"Hi there. I''m Adam O''Reilly." The young man said.
"Adam?" Hayden said with a smirk on his face, "The same from King''s Elementary?"
"The very same," the priest said with a smile, "Your memory is impeccable. I thought you might have forgotten."
"You two know each other?" Lizzy stated, obviously aware it was likely.
"We used to be best friends in school." Hayden said as he slapped the man''s shoulder, "We used to be partners in crime."
"Used to be." Adam concurred, "I have a new partner and he''s pretty cool. Hey, did you ever keep in touch with Gary?"
"I''m afraid not." Hayden said, "Not since he made Uncle Sam his partner in crime."
Father O''Reilly then turned to the lady next to Hayden. "I assume you would be Elizabeth, the bride to be?" He said with a warm smile as he offered her a hand.
"Yes." Lizzy said as she shook his hand.
"I actually was very close to Father Johnson. He came over to our parish to visit with my mentor often so I''m aware of your situation. I don''t want to interfere but I would like just offer my assistance and anything I can do to help. I''m not asking to do anything you''re not comfortable with Elizabeth, it would be great if you would be willing to just to hear me out."
"Alright." Lizzy said with a smile.
Turns out Father Adam, as he prefers to be called, was much more approachable than the previous priest was. When they came to visit weeks later, he went out of his way to make the both feel welcome, clearing out a large portion of his schedule so they didn''t feel rushed and even had a small cheese and cracker spread to hopefully make things more comfortable. Hayden wasn''t as nervous this time out, considering what had happened during the meeting with Father Johnson, who was more of an authority figure. With Father Adam, he was visiting an old friend, not the new head of his parish.
"I just want to repeat." Father Adam started with a smile, "That no one is going to pressure anyone to do anything they are not comfortable with. Now Elizabeth, I take it from my conversation with the late Father Johnson that you do not share the same faith as Hayden."
"Actually," Lizzy said as she tried to be polite with her correction. "I don''t follow any organized religion."
"An atheist then, I presume?" Father Adam quickly concluded.
"Correct." Lizzy confirmed just as quickly and very proud of her stand in life. "Richard Dawkins is my homeboy."
"I see." Adam wasn''t upset and even cracked a smile. Hayden was afraid the conversation was going to get a little more heated but his assumptions were incorrect. "Elizabeth, we know why Hayden wants to marry here. To be honest, it has more to do with comfort than an exhibition of faith and devotion to God." Adam paused for a moment to take a sip of water. "Hayden has come to this church his whole life and he''s watched most of his siblings walk down this very aisle. No one is asking you to adopt our faith."
"We''re not?" Hayden asked, somewhat confused.
"No, we''re not." Adam confirmed, "If you want to read the notes I perform at every ceremony, neither member are asked to devote any allegiance to a God."
"Oh really? And why is that?" Lizzy asked as she was confused by this detail. Why would people gather in a church if it wasn''t to worship God?
"That''s because the ceremony of holy wedlock is about two people pledging allegiance to each other, not a God. When we make reference to God, it''s that He is just another witness to this great occasion, not the center of it. I''m asking you to devote your soul and your life to Hayden, not God. If you chose to do that at a later time I would welcome you with open arms but I will not force you or blackmail you into doing it just to get married here. As far as I''m concerned that is conduct unbecoming of people who claim to a man of God. The best way for you to introduce someone to your home is not to force them to watch from outside, but to invite them in and allow them to make their own decisions. Regardless of where life will take you Elizabeth, both you and Hayden will always be welcome here. You will always have one friend here, regardless if we agree on faith or not. That is my pledge to you."
Lizzy had been touched by his sincere words. He was willing to accept her for whatever she was and offered to let her and Hayden marry without asking her to jump through any hoops to get there. The man wasn''t offering special treatment but merely practiced what he preached by offering an olive branch. She would be a fool not to take it, especially given that she did want to marry Hayden more than anything she ever wanted before in all her life. She wiped a tear from her eye and smiled at the two men who were waiting for her response.
"So..." She started, "What weekends are available in July?"
The way the two men responded you would have thought their favorite football team had just scored the winning touchdown at the Superbowl. Turns out there were plenty of dates available in July and the happy couple had no problem selecting their date. It was a wonderful day and the wedding went off without a single hitch. Father Adam gave a stunning and very neutral ceremony, and everyone left feeling happy and content. Hayden''s parents were beside themselves because it was the same church every other child was married in and Lizzy''s Dad was stunned that she was willing to step anywhere near a church, let alone get married on one. He was still pleased because it meant he got to walk his little girl down the aisle. It was a task he did eagerly, beaming with pride. Everything was perfect and the two of them couldn''t have been happier. Yet when you get married only so much time would pass before the honeymoon would end, and conflicts would again arise.
It''s always the same thing when it comes to being pressured by your family. There are three stages that parents just refuse to give up on. The first is school: where are you going to attend college? You get that speech from grade nine until your first day of your freshman year and then the gripe is what your major is going to be and what you''re going to use it for when you get out. It''s a never ending nag, but parents love it because they''re just proud to have a kid in college. Lizzy and Hayden didn''t have this issue since neither of them attended college. They both took good, hard working jobs and stuck with them, much to the discontent of their families. Yet when you find that special someone, the focus changes: when are you going to get married? When you finally walk down the aisle and say your ''I do''s'', the focus then shifts once but this time it was to the theme that started their next round of fights from the moment till their first anniversary: when are you going to have kids.
This was the subject that was a sore spot for both of them. Hayden wanted kids badly and basically immediately after they became married. Lizzy wasn''t in a rush to become a parent. She wanted to spend a few years just enjoying time with Hayden. Marriage was a big enough step for her and she wasn''t ready to make any more at least for a while so that she could get more comfortable with the idea of being someone''s mommy. It was a thought that had scared her night and day and now she was so close to becoming that person someone looked up to that it terrified her. She let her feelings be known to Hayden and he didn''t take them well. He took this as an indictment of him as a husband and that she didn''t think he was ready to be a father. She never understood what his problem was, but it was something men felt concerning the subject. She tried to explain she was the one worried about becoming a parent, but he never seemed to want to hear her excuses. As a member of the fire department, Hayden kept grounded where it came to the subject of his mortality. He dealt with life threatening situations too often to mention. Basically Hayden didn''t want to take the life he had for granted or assume that he would come home every night unscathed. This was the reason the fights had become so bitter but one day they just stopped. It was only one year into their marriage when Hayden had suddenly stopped bringing the subject up and Lizzy noticed it almost immediately. She had sometimes made comments that opened the door for the subject to come up again, but Hayden never took it and ignored the chances. Lizzy was never the kind to brag, but accepted that Hayden likely decided to finally give her some space and let her come to him when she was ready to commit to this rather than force her to hurry along. She really appreciated it but never told him that because she didn''t want to think she might be rubbing in his face. She was still curious to what had happened to provoke his silence on the issue. Did someone step in on her behalf and tell him to cut it off and give her some slack or had he decided to do that on his own? She didn''t look a gift horse in the mouth because without that nagging issue, things were very peaceful for the next several months. That one fight they had was the mother of all fights. It was one that made the rest of the fights they ever had look like practice for the big one. They screamed, yelled, cursed and there were even a few broken dishes during the ordeal. It ended just as ugly as it had started with Hayden and Lizzy exchanging insults before he slammed the door on his way out to work. She had cried that morning and even decided to call in sick from work. She was in no mood to handle her job that day and stayed home, watching some television before eventually getting around to cleaning up the mess that was made by their enormous fight. To make a peace offering, she had decided to make a huge meal for dinner, something that would let him know that despite their spats she still loved him and didn''t want him to go. She was halfway through cooking a duck in the oven when there was a knock at her door.
She rushed into the living room, hoping it was Hayden coming home early from work to make up from their fight. She opened the door and it wasn''t him. It was Jared, one of Hayden''s best friends from the firehouse. Jared had a few pounds on the rest of the guys but he made up for it with wit and his ability to find the words when no one else could. He wasn''t dressed very well, wearing all his gear and his face was still black with char meaning he had just come from fighting a fire. She looked up at him confused at first, and then it all suddenly came to her like a wave: something had happened. "Jared, what are you doing here?"
"We answered a huge fire at a storage facility today, a real five alarm blaze. I''m not going to sugar coat it Liz, it was brutal." He looked down at his shoes, hoping there was some sort of cheat sheet that would help him a long. "A lot of people got hurt today."
Lizzy''s eyes began to fill with tears. "Where''s Hayden?" Jared didn''t answer her and it was clear he was crying, which was hard to tell considering how much dirt and ash was on his face. "Is he all right?" Lizzy asked.
"I''m afraid not, Liz." Jared replied, "He''s dead."
3. More One on One Time With Liz
It took a few hours for the facts to sink in. Jared stayed with her for the first few hours, which was good because her own apartment might have burned down if a fireman hadn''t been there to put out the duck and save the kitchen. Jared didn''t say a word, but had all the details if she wanted them. She didn''t even ask that day, instead calling her family and Hayden''s family as well. Turns out another member of the house went to visit his parents to deliver the news in person. They were devastated by the news that Hayden''s luck had finally run out. He got trapped in a building that had non-functioning sprinklers and was storing combustible materials that were not approved by the city or safety inspectors. The result was an enormous fire that was impossible to contain and explosions that took the firemen by surprise and injured over a dozen of them but killed five. It took over seven hours to contain the blaze, but it was still burning even as Jared left to break the news to Lizzy. All six firemen who died in the fire were declared on arrival when they came in to be treated. There were a lot of sad men at the hospital, but Jared knew Lizzy had to be told so he volunteered to break the news. Hayden was his best bud, and had he died instead he knew that Hayden wouldn''t hesitate to do the same for him. Jared stayed as long as he was needed, waiting for someone from her family to show up and be there for her.
This is when smoke started coming from the kitchen. She had been so consumed by the news of Hayden''s death, she had forgotten about the dinner that was not burning in the kitchen. Jared grabbed a fire extinguisher and put the flame in the oven out and pulled out a burned bird that had been the source of the small blaze. Lizzy started to cry on the couch just after Jared had put out the small fire.
"Is everything okay?" she asked.
"I got it, nothing to worry about." Jared said as he put the fire extinguisher on the kitchen counter. "Is that a duck?" He looked over at Lizzy to see her nod her response. "Aw damn. That''s a waste of a perfectly good bird."
"It was my way of apologizing." Lizzy said without thinking and then suddenly it all came back to her. The fight, the broken dishes, the screaming and insults exchanged that morning. Those ugly words were the last thing Hayden had ever heard from her. She started to once again sob uncontrollably, putting her head into her hands as she remembered the last things she ever said to him.
Jared put two and two together and quickly realized what was going on. "You guys had a fight, didn''t you?"
"A big one." Lizzy answered.
"You''re cooking a duck, so that had to be a doozy." Jared paused for a moment, "It didn''t end well either, did it?"
"No, the last things I said to him were horrible and I can''t take them back!" she began to cry even more. "I can''t believe that''s the last thing I ever said to him!"
"Forget what you said today." Jared said as he came over and took a seat in front of her on the coffee table. "What was the last thing you said to him yesterday before he went to work?"
"I said that I loved him." Lizzy answered.
"That''s right and what about the day before?"
"Same thing."
"And the day before that?"
"The same."
"So there you go." Jared said as he waved his hands up. "Even though today was that odd day where you didn''t part saying those three words, that doesn''t negate or disqualify the kazillion times you told it to him every other day. He knew every day you loved him, and I''m sure he knew it today as well. Don''t beat yourself up about one fight because couples fight! I have a million of them a week with my old lady. People who don''t fight, those are the people who are on the highway to divorce. Fighting is healthy, it''s good for ya! Couples are like a volcano. You need to release some steam every now and then and puff a little smoke. If you don''t, then you''ll go Mount St. Helen''s and blow the whole thing sky high."
"I''m sorry it happened at all." Lizzy said.
"What are you apologizing for?" Jared said with a smirk, "For being a normal couple?"
Lizzy paused and took Jared''s hand. "I just can''t believe he''s gone."
"Neither can I Liz." Jared replied.
They sat there, not saying a word until one of Liz''s brothers had arrived to comfort her. Her younger brother Danny was the first to arrive because he lived downtown. Liz''s Dad called with the news and he was on the first subway to get to her apartment as quickly as he could. He came in and gave her a big bear hug. "It''s okay Liz, I''m here." He and Jared sat her down on the couch and then Danny darted into the kitchen to start cleaning up. Not only did he clean up the mess from the small duck fire, he put the kettle on and made her a nice cup of tea. He turned to Jared when he was giving Liz her tea, "Did you need anything Jared?" he politely asked.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"No, I''m good. As a matter of fact, I''m need to get going. I need to clean up and get an update on the other guys." He picked up his coat and his hat and started to walk to the door. "You guys give us a call if you need anything, ok?"
"We will." Liz said as she looked back up. "Thanks."
The next several days were Liz''s worst. Because Hayden has been killed in an explosion, it was recommended that the funeral be closed casket. Liz went a step further, accepting advice from Jared in asking for cremation, thus having Hayden transferred to an Urn rather than a casket. Jared thought it would be easier for everyone to visit a small pretty little thing rather than look at a casket they wouldn''t be allowed to open. The other guys from the firehouse volunteered to help out with the wake, setting up a touching memorial that was behind his urn. There was a tall picture of Hayden in his dress uniform along with some other pictures from scattered events that they managed to collage together around the bigger portrait. It was a lovely set up and Liz was amazed by how they went to honour a fallen comrade. Lizzy had taken the time to wear something nice, but it was blacker than night to symbolize her grief. It was a lovely tribute and everyone was nice to her, and Father Adam took a moment to say a few words and offer thoughts of hope. It was nice of him to do so because she was in no shape to say a single word. She could barely shake everyone''s hand and say thank you. All she wanted to do was go home, crawl under the sheets in her bed and sleep for the rest of the year. She knew however there was much to do to pay tribute to Hayden, and then when it was all over she would be able to hide away in her apartment and grieve her own way, alone and with no one to bug her. The weekend was one of the worst of her life, but she put on a good face and went through it. Hayden had been killed while doing his job, so every fireman in the city came dressed in their best to show their respect for a fallen comrade. It was a stunning tribute to a brave man that was known for risking his life on the job many times, and his luck just happened to run out.
The company that was responsible for the incident and the lack of paperwork for the explosives inside were in a lot of hot water. They also had sprinklers that were not up to code or recently inspected and as a result, they didn''t function during the fire and the result was an out of control fire that found the combustible items and caused the death of over half a dozen firemen, including Hayden. Lawsuits were inevitable, but Lizzy didn''t care about that at this given time. She was too sad to even think of something as useless as money at this time. Her husband was gone, and she didn''t know what she was going to do tomorrow without him, let alone in the distant future. All the plans she had made, all the things she wanted to do, they all included Hayden in the picture. Not having him there was like a hole in her life had been punched out, like a donut. She didn''t want to deal with the outside world, just her own that was falling down like a poorly stacked house of cards. She didn''t know how she made it through the wake, but everyone around her was nice. When it was all said and done, Lizzy went back home and was escorted by her father, her brother and Hayden who was in the confines of a very elegant urn that sat beside her in the back seat. She had no idea where in the apartment she was going to put the urn, or even if she would be able to afford to keep the place either. So many questions were jumping around in her head and she had no answers. She didn''t want to think about the future just yet as to her it was all a blank slate. It''s like someone had broken in the movie theatre and stolen the prints, leaving nothing but a blank screen for all to look at. She just wanted to go home and think about the past and remember the man she loved before he went away.
Once home, Lizzy''s Dad and brother wanted to stay to make sure she was all right and would be fine. After shuffling them away, she started to clean the apartment up, just for something to do. Every time she bumped into something that belonged to Hayden, she stopped for a moment to examine it and then tossed into a pile she was making in the middle of the living room. She had no intent of keeping everything. While she was cleaning the kitchen, she came across something that almost caused her to break down. There was a thick candle that was only burned a fraction of its size. In the middle of the candle was a card that had ''Elizabeth and Hayden'' written on it and the date of their wedding. It was the candle they had lit at the main table of their wedding. Every since that day they lit the candle together on their anniversary. Now that Hayden was gone, the candle was a reminder of another thing that she''ll never do with him again. It was more than Lizzy could take as she used every ounce of energy she could muster and tossed the candle out of the kitchen and against the wall. The candle broke in half and even left a dent in the wall. Lizzy then walked into the living room and started to pick up Hayden''s stuff that she found and piled up in the middle of the living room floor. She started to toss them around in a fit of rage and then fell to the floor, crying uncontrollably. She started to pick them up again, her hands trembling and rather than toss them around she laid them on the coffee table.
Lizzy sat back down on the floor and looked up from where she was sitting across the coffee table to where Hayden''s urn was resting. Lizzy sat there for several minutes looking at the small urn, as if it was looking back at her. She took a deep breath.
"You probably think this is funny, don''t you?"
She didn''t know why she said that, but her anger was something she never really let out that much, but today it was flying off the handle more than ever. A few second later, she turned back. "You were the one with the hot temper, tossing dishes around and punching walls. So don''t give me any crap just because I need a moment to let off some stream. I''m grieving. I have a right to be upset and you know why."
She picked the urn up from the coffee table and tried to decide where she was going to put it. She then smiled and knew the only place Hayden would want to be. She walked over to the ugly green chair and put the urn down in the back corner, leaning up to look nice and comfy. His favorite chair, and now she had a new reason to keep the chair in the living room. It was where Hayden loved sitting the most, and he''ll be there after life as well.
4. Help out with the laundry
She had been putting it off forever, but her friends finally convinced her it was something she needed to do. It had been four months since Hayden had passed, and Lizzy thought it was finally time to go through his stuff. She would pack away the important stuff she wanted to keep and to throw the rest away. Jared and the boys from the firehouse had volunteered to take the ugly green chair off her hands because they wanted to put it in the main TV room and think of Hayden whenever they sat or even looked at it. For years she had been looking for a way to get rid of that ugly hunk of junk, but she couldn''t stand to part with it. She refused to let go of it because she liked taking the urn off the mantle and put Hayden in the chair to watch TV or the game. She hoped that still having Hayden in his chair would prevent their team from losing anymore games that year. Turns out the idea worked, as the team went on to with their first championship in twenty years. Lizzy was happy and sad at the same time when she watched the final game of the season with Hayden''s urn sitting beside her in the ugly green chair. She wished Hayden had been there to witness and share the moment with her, but he wasn''t. Irony at his best, the team he had been watching his whole life won it all the first chance they had after his passing. A cruel joke that wasn''t very funny.
But Lizzy''s best friend Anna was right when she said it was time to clean up the house and finally toss out or pack away Hayden''s stuff. She refused to however do this alone and told Anna that she would only clear stuff away if she was there to help out. It was all Anna needed to hear and she was on the next red eye for the city. Annabelle Davis was not only Lizzy''s best friend Anna was her maid of honour when she walked down the aisle to marry the man she loved. She kept talking to Lizzy on the phone, badgering her to do a few things to carry on and help her get through the grief and pain that she was going through. So when Lizzy asked her to help out with the cleaning of Hayden''s stuff, she was there quicker than you could say ''girl power'' and was knocking her door with a fury and eager to help her clean up and aid with the grieving process. When she first got there, Lizzy was happy to see her and had four bottles of her favourite wine in the fridge and they both got smashed talking about the good ole days and when things were easier for them both. A time watching the boys at school when getting the next Bon Jovi album and pimples were their biggest worries in life; simpler days that they couldn''t go back to.
It was the next day when they started to clean up the house and pile Hayden''s stuff for packing or tossing. They both moved the coffee table into the bedroom and used the big empty space in the middle of the living room to put all of his stuff and sort through it. She had already decided that there was nothing in his wardrobe that she wanted to keep but she wanted to thoroughly go through all the pockets to someone who bought his stuff from the salvation army wouldn''t get something that might be personal to Hayden. Lizzy and Anna were going through his clothes when Anna had enough, "Do we really need to go through every piece of clothing?"
"Yes, we do." Lizzy replied, "I don''t want something personal of Hayden''s to get into someone else''s hands and besides, this is just polite. You always clean out pockets to make sure there is nothing when you''re donating stuff out or just doing the laundry."
"Is that so?" Anna said as she did a half assed search through a pair of Hayden''s old cargo pants.
"That is so." Lizzy said as she picked that same pair of pants up and started to do a more through search of the pockets. As she was looking through the side pockets, she came across a piece of paper and pulled it out of the pocket and waved it in Anna''s face. "You see? You don''t want this going out there, do you?"
"Oh my goodness!" Anna said in sarcastic riddled shock. "It''s a good thing you found that piece of paper. It would be a crime if some bum out there got his hands on last week''s grocery list."
"We don''t do grocery lists." Lizzy corrected. She looked back at the piece of paper in his hand.
"Then what is it?" Anna asked.
"I''m not sure." Lizzy said as she kept starting at it. It was folded four ways and was a complete single sheet of paper. She could tell from the angle she was holding it that there was something written on it, but she couldn''t tell what from looking at it folded up. "Should I open it?"
"Of course you could. This could be a long lost love letter!" Anna was one for the dramatic and was a hopeless romantic. To her, this was straight out of one of her romance novels: the post mortem love letter.
"Hayden wasn''t the love letter type." Lizzy''s curiosity was really eating away at her and she gave in and opened the piece of paper up. It was short, brief, but unclear. She looked back up her best friend. "This isn''t a love letter, it''s a list."
"A list of what?" her friend quickly asked. Rather than say it out loud, Lizzy responded by simply handing the list to her to find out for herself. Anna took a long look at the piece of paper, and was shocked to see what kind of list it was by looking at the title at the top: things to do before I die.
Lizzy took a closer look at the list that had thirty items.
1. Go out more often
2. Cut down on the fighting
3. More one on one time with Liz
4. Help out with the laundry
5. Attend another meeting
6. Make a birthday cake
7. Have a picnic at that park
8. Visit our little lady
9. Make a fancy meal for the boys
10. Eat another taco where it all started
11. Take Mom to see Paul
12. Get to sixty and go epic
13. Give Gary back his Hermy
14. Visit Shannon and Damon
15. Help Jared lose a few pounds
16. Rescue a mutt from the needle
17. Have a catch with Dad
18. Go see one of Jimmy''s Shows
19. Take Liz to that play she likes
20. Walk by that lake one more time
21. Go see a game at the last ballpark
22. Finish reading that book
23. Enter a poker tournament
24. Take Lizzy to the Vines
25. Have another moment with the counsellor
26. Volunteer more time to the kitchen
27. Give a toast at a wedding
28. Start my own little crew
29. Seek forgiveness from the one I hurt most
30. Make a difference
"How ironic that?" Anna asked.
"How so?" Lizzy responded with a question of her own.
"Well, we found a list of things Hayden wanted to do before he died, months after he died." Lizzy said as she walked over to her couch and took a seat. She was starting to feel dizzy, and she didn''t want to faint. "Things he''ll never get to do since he''s already gone."
"Well, he did some of them." Anna said as she walked over and sat down beside Lizzy. "Look at this; he''s already scratched out the first four."
"That may be so but there are thirty items on this list." Lizzy started to tear up and reached for a tissue. "That means there are twenty-six things that he never managed to get around to doing. I feel so sad that he never even made it to the halfway point." She looked at the list and the first four items. She laughed at the one that was about less fighting, not one that should have been crossed off, she thought to herself. Then she came across the last one that was scratched off: help out with the laundry. "Funny, thing." Lizzy said and pointed out to the item on the list. "I remember him doing this one."
"Really?" Anna said with an excited grin on her face. "Do tell!"
Lizzy could remember the effort he made. It was a few months before he died and she could still recall it, as if it happened the day before.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Come on Liz!" Hayden called out from door as he started to haul the big bags all by himself. "These clothes aren''t going to clean themselves."
"Neither are you!" Lizzy called out from the bedroom, sorting her own stuff. "The last time I checked the machines in the basement are going to do all the work for you today. It''s not like you''re going to hand wash it or anything and build up a sweat."
"Semantics." Hayden replied with a grin to greet Lizzy as she came out with the detergent and another bag of dirty laundry. "Someone sweated and worked very hard to invent those machines for us. We should be thankful for their efforts and the fact that we no longer have to clean our Old Navy sweatshirts by hand."
"Well, don''t act like you''re going to do all the work. It doesn''t take that much effort to fill a machine." Lizzy said as she was being saucy with him.
Hayden took it with a smile, "I know love. It''s just that I don''t get whole weekends off that much anymore. I wanted to use this one to do more around the house and help do my share."
"I appreciate that. It''s not every day a man is willing to skip the game to do the laundry." Lizzy looked back at him to see the look on his face when he was suddenly reminded there was a game that afternoon. He gave out a short sigh but was determined to do what he set out to do like a good trooper and started to carry the big bags of clothing down the stairs to the laundry room. Lizzy was getting a kick out of all this and decided she wasn''t going to tell him that it was his team''s bye-week until after they had gotten started, and after a good bit of teasing. She locked the door behind her and trotted down the stairs to catch up with her husband...
Lizzy opened her eyes and then told everything to her friend. Anna listened as Lizzy recalled what she remembered about Hayden going out of his way months ago to help out with the laundry for the first time in forever. After she was finished, Anna picked up the list. "So he did that because it was something he wanted to do before he died. It sounds a little lame to be on this kind of list."
"I think what he meant was that he wanted to help out more every week, not just once and be done with it." Lizzy replied as she took the sheet back from her. "Besides, there are some items on this list that don''t look easy, so I guess he made a few easy ones to make sure he got off to a good start."
"So I guess the rest are a little tougher?" Anna asked.
"Maybe for him. This was his list so I am sure there are some tasks that are more difficult for him based on his history and relations." Lizzy took a look and pointed to another item on the list. "See this one: take Lizzy to that play that she likes. To him that would have hell on earth. He hates the theatre."
"So which is the play he was going to take you to?" Anna suddenly inquired.
"I''m not sure. I like a lot of plays." Lizzy replied, and this was one problem with the list. They made perfect sense to Hayden concerning what they were about, but to normal eyes, they were coded and hard to determine what they meant. "My goodness, what on earth is a Hermy?"
Anna cringed, "I don''t think I want to know."
Lizzy was fascinated by the list, but she didn''t know what to do about it. Part of her wanted to complete the list for him, do the things that he wanted to do and maybe through them learn more about the history of her soul mate. Yet another part of her was well grounded and knew that she couldn''t afford the money or the time to take on such a venture and she might have to wait before she could tackle the items on the very brief yet complicated piece of paper.
She didn''t think about the list or what to do with it until several days later when everything changed. She was watching Anna make her scrambled eggs for breakfast when there was a loud knocking on her door. Lizzy looked over at Anna because she was not expecting any guest. From the confused look on her face, it was obvious that she was not expecting anyone as well. Lizzy thought it could be one of the guys from the firehouse just to check up on her but Jared had promised they wouldn''t come by as often as they did shortly after the fire. Lizzy walked up to door and took a gander through the peep hole to identify her guest. It wasn''t one of the guys from the house. The man was middle aged, wearing a suit and carrying a brief case. Lizzy knew exactly what she was dealing with here: a lawyer. Why is this lawyer knocking on my door? There was only one way to find out. She slowly unlocked the door and partially opened for him. Once it was opened a crack with the chain still up. "Can I help you?"
"Yes," the lawyer replied, "I''m looking for Mrs. Elizabeth Sheppard."
"That would be me." Lizzy said as she closed the door and then took down the chain and opened it wide open. "I want you to know that I''ve already retained a lawyer and plan to take any legal action when I''m ready to do so."
"I understand that, I am not looking for a job." The lawyer reached into his pocket and produced a card. "I already have a client. I represent Norville Industries."
"You mean the same company that neglectfully killed my husband?" Lizzy asked.
"Well that is the pickle that we are currently in. We have recently come to a settlement with two of the other widows from this horrible tragedy. Rather than wait for you to come after us, we would like to offer you the exact same deal that the other two did so this never has to reach a courtroom and be dragged out any longer than it has to be."
"So you''re here to offer me money?" Lizzy suddenly concluded.
"A pretty fair bit, actually." He took a small envelope out of his bag and paused for a moment. "I would be a fool to actually think that any amount of money will make the pain of your loss go away. We are very sorry for your loss and hope that this settlement will help you in move into the future and prosper." He went on to hand the envelope to her.
Lizzy stood there with the envelope in her hands and she didn''t know what to do.
"I''m going to need some time to think about this and to let my lawyer look over it." She honestly didn''t think about the lawsuit that much, but the idea of getting money now and not having to relive the entire ordeal was tempting.
"Of course, take all the time you need. Review it with your lawyer and get back to us at your own convenience. Thank you for your time Mrs. Sheppard and once again we are very sorry for your loss."
After she closed the door, Lizzy locked it back up and then turned to face her friend who had been listening to the entire ordeal. She walked up to her friend and handed the envelope over to her. "I can''t open it. I want you to do it for me."
Anna looked at the envelope and took a deep breath. "Okay." she took the letter and tore one end out and pulled the offer from the case. She scanned over the contents of the three pages and eventually got her way to the important part. She looked over the numbers and then the final tally. "Well, it''s not a small number."
"How much are we talking here?" Lizzy asked, not wanting to be materialistic but at the same time curious to what they thought her pain was worth.
"More than enough for you to skip going back to work if that''s what you want." Anna said as she passed the envelope and the papers back to Lizzy. "If you need more time to grieve, this will let you take as much time as you need. You don''t even have to move out now if you accept this. Not for a while."
Lizzy took the paper from her and gazed at the big number that was looking back at her. Usually people who win the lottery get numbers like this, but there it was on paper and ready for her to sign and cash in. She felt bad thinking about her husband''s death as a lucky lottery win, but this was the same amount offered to other widows and she didn''t envy the idea of a long drawn out battle in court.
"I''m going to take the deal." she suddenly blurted out, almost ashamed she was giving in.
"Just like that?" Anna asked.
"Yeah, just like that. I''m not ready to go back to work." Lizzy walked over and sat down on Hayden''s green chair. She put down the offer from the lawyer and picked the list back up and started to go over it. "This deal would also give me the means to finish a little project that would mean a lot to me and Hayden."
"The list?" Anna said in shock. "Are you serious? Why would you want to do the things that Hayden wanted to do before he died? You don''t even play poker!"
"It doesn''t matter." Lizzy said as she looked back at the list. "The list says enter a poker tournament, not win one."
"I see... and what about the ones we don''t know about?" Anna pointed to another part of the list. "Who are Shannon and Damon and why does he want to spend more time with them?"
"I don''t know," Lizzy honestly answered. "But I want to find out. There are secrets about Hayden out there and good or bad I want to know about them. It''s his story, the part that he never stuck around long enough to tell me. I want to know everything before I let him go."
"So you''re just going to travel around and complete all these tasks yourself." Anna seemed shocked that Lizzy was even thinking about this.
"I''ll need help. I know I can count on Danny, Jimmy and Dad. Even some of Hayden''s family will likely help. Even if all I could do was talk to them to fish out some details that will help me figure out some of the more cryptic goals."
"What if they don''t know anything about any of this?" Anna asked.
"Well, we will need to be creative to find out all the details of each one." Lizzy replied with a cute smile.
"I''m sorry, did you say we... as in me working on this crazy thing with you?"
"Yes, I did. You hate your job. I''ve got the money to finance our quest. Let''s do this and finish the list for Hayden."
"Hayden won''t care if you finish this list."
"But I will. This is more than just a favour to Hayden. It''s a mission to learn more about the man I loved, and understand why these things were important to him." Lizzy looked back at the list. "I want to know more about him, and this is the key to doing that. I need your help to find the answers."
"What about my job, my life back on the west coast?" Anna cried, not to confident about what she wanted to do.
"Stay here with me, we''ll live off this and get the job done. Let''s both take some time to discover something new about Hayden and ourselves."
"Alright," Anna said, finally giving in. "I do hate that job. But I want you to promise that if you find out something bad about Hayden, it was your idea to do this mission to learn more about him, okay?"
"Okay." Lizzy said as she hugged her friend for backing her. "Bad or good I want to know what all these things are about."
Anna took a deep breath and took the list back from her, "I''m going to look over this while you finish up checking pockets."
Lizzy stood there in complete intrigue while Anna went back to the fridge to open a bottle of wine to go with her initial studying of the list. Lizzy decided to give in while she was ahead and went back to going through the clothes she was going to toss out. She felt a little better doing it, knowing that things were going to stay the same with not having to move and that Anna would stay to be with her on this journey. A mission from Hayden, and she had no intention of letting him down. Lizzy didn''t care how long it was going to take, she was going to complete the list for him, not out of some personal loyalty but because deep down, it felt like the right thing to do. She tossed all the clothes into the basket and then walked into the kitchen to get her own glass of wine and to get start what could be the next great adventure of her life.
5. Attend another meeting
Lizzy and Anna had looked over the list over the next few days, and even though Anna wanted to attack the easy chores first, Lizzy refused to cherry pick the tasks and do them all in the order they were written in. She had sent the papers the lawyer brought over and ordered her attorney to accept the settlement offer and take the money. Lizzy''s lawyer had tried to talk her out of it but realized quickly this is what Lizzy wanted and made sure it went through. Now with the money to keep her apartment without worrying about going back to work was a good thing, and they were free to started working on the list to complete Hayden''s goals. Anna and Lizzy were making notes and thinking about what the first task could be about. The fifth task read: attend another meeting. Both women were stumped to what it might have meant. Anna was as stumped she felt the need to break out more wine. Another benefit to taking the money was a well stocked fridge and Anna took full advantage of that since she was asked to stay there.
"Maybe he was a member of a club, you know one that held meetings and did good things for the community." Anna said, pitching ideas out loud.
"If he was going to meetings like that, I would have known about it. There would be some kind of uniform around here somewhere and I looked through his clothes again to see of any said anything about a club or organization." Lizzy replied, rubbing her temples trying to figure this out. Neither of them could come up with an answer, but help came a few hours later in the form of Danny, Lizzy''s brother. He had come just before supper, since he had offered to cook. When he arrived, he was carrying a box in his arms. It wasn''t huge, but enough to make it a chore core for him to carry in. Her brother walked into the living room and placed it on the dining room table.
"What is this?" Anna asked with a weird look on her face.
"I stopped at Hayden''s firehouse before I came here." Danny replied, "They knew I was coming over and asked me to tale it with me since I was going this way to see you."
"What is it" Lizzy asked, since he didn''t answer it the first time.
"They cleaned out Hayden''s locker last month. This is everything from it. I thought you could look for clues that might help you with the list." he opened the box and all three of them started to look through his stuff.
"The list?" Anna said as she turned to Lizzy. "You told him?"
"Why not?" Lizzy answered, "I had no intention of keeping it a secret from everyone."
"Wine?" Anna said as she held up another bottle.
"I''m fine, thanks for offering." Danny answered.
They both went back to taking stuff out and looking for something that might give them any clues to what some of the list was referring to. The answer to one of them came when Lizzy reached into a pocket of his jacket and found something. It was a coin, a very big coin that she didn''t recognize.
"What on earth is this?" she asked out loud.
"I have no idea." Anna said as she leaned over to look at it.
"It''s a sobriety coin." Danny answered.
Both Lizzy and Anna stopped looking at the coin and both locked their eyes on Danny.
"How did you know that?" Lizzy asked her brother.
Danny put down what he had in his hands and took a deep breath. He then dug into his pocket and pulled out another coin and put it on the table in front of them. "As you can see, my coin has a different number. It represents how many years the person who owns it has been sober. My coin represents two years, while Hayden''s represents five. If my math is right, he''s been sober ever since you guys got married."
"Wait Lizzy, the list said something about going to a meeting." Anna said as she was finally starting to put things together.
"Well, that''s a no brainier." Danny said as he took his coin back and put it in his pocket. "He was likely referring to going back to his AA meetings."
"I had no idea." Lizzy said as she looked at the coin. "I didn''t know he was an alcoholic."
"Don''t take it so bad." Danny said with a smile, "You didn''t know I was one too."
"And here I was, waving all this alcohol in your face and in Hayden''s face for all these years! I feel horrible about this!" Lizzy took the wine she had in her hands and went to the kitchen and poured it out into the sink. She felt disgusted to have any of it there. To her it was like waving a chocolate cake in front of someone who had been ordered to diet. She took the bottle out of the fridge and then poured what was left of it into the sink as well. Lizzy was going to pour another bottle that was new, never opened down the drain when Danny came into the kitchen and took it away. "Give that back!" she cried out.
"This is not the answer." Danny said as he put the bottle back in the fridge. "Just because Hayden and I couldn''t control ourselves doesn''t mean that you and Anna can''t. We have a problem, one that I am happy neither of you have been cursed with. I''m in control of my life Lizzy, and I can handle watching others drink. You don''t need to toss out all your wine. Just keep the hard liquor locked away and never show me the key."
Lizzy was about to laugh, but she suddenly realized that Danny really meant what he said. Whenever Danny fell off the wagon, it was always with the finest whiskey that he get his hands on. Regardless of it was mixed with coke or diet 7up, or even straight up on the rock, that was the poison that drove him to keep drinking, excessively. Danny picked up the coin and held it up for her. "What this represents is that Hayden was taking control of his life and not letting the bottle take control of him and ruin everything. It''s clear to me that he loved you enough to stop drinking so you and he would have a good life together. You were his inspiration to stop, his sole reason to stay sober just like you and Dad are my reasons to stay off the sauce."
Lizzy started to tear up. "Why didn''t he tell me?"
"It''s possible he was ashamed, afraid of how you would react." Danny put the coin back down on the table. "You''re the first one I''ve told. Not even Dad knows."
"Is normal to keep this thing a secret?" Lizzy asked.
"Well, there is a reason why it''s called anonymous." Danny slyly replied, "It allows people to concentrate on their recovery and allow them to reveal everything at their own pace. I guess Hayden wasn''t ready to talk to anyone yet. I doubt even his family knew, unless any of them escorted him to his meetings."
"Where can I find his meeting?" Lizzy quickly asked.
"You can''t." Danny said, "I don''t know where he was meeting because I didn''t even know he was attending. There are literally dozens of different meetings that take place every week here in the city and we don''t even know if he attended private meetings just for him and a select few. There''s no way you''re going to find it."
Lizzy didn''t want to accept that and asked him to give her the location of meetings that were near her apartment and also near Hayden''s former firehouse. Danny protested at first, but relented and gave her locations to three meetings that take place within the areas she had requested. Lizzy had no idea with if any of those meetings Hayden attended, or even if the people he talked to would be there, but she wanted to cross this one off the list and decided to attend them all, giving a small speech about what she was doing there and to express how she felt. Seemed like the best place to do that. As per her promise, Anna came with her to the first meeting which was held at a church only a few blocks from his firehouse.
They arrived casually dressed, and walked into the meeting not looking around for anyone but focused on the task at hand. One of the volunteers working at the building greeted them at the door as they walked in. "Hi there, first meeting?"If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"Yes, it is actually." Lizzy replied as she took a brochure from the man and walked into the room with her friend. They found a seat in what was a huge circle at that gave everyone a chance to be seen and prevented anyone from hiding at the back of the room. They sat there and watched as people volunteered to stand up and make their heartfelt confessions. Some would talk about why they drank and what happened and who got hurt as a result. Some were just starting their recovery while others had been there for years and still took things one step at a time. Finally when many of the people had talked and the rest were not in the mood or too shy to step up, Lizzy took her turn and stop up.
"Hi there, my name is Elizabeth."
"Hello Elizabeth." the room all called back to her.
"I''m sorry for the confusion, but I''m not an alcoholic."
"Denial. Typical for first timers..." someone called out.
"Well that''s not why I''m here. This is." She reached into her purse and pulled out a coin. Everyone looked at it, confused. "This isn''t my coin. It belonged to my husband. I didn''t even know he was an alcoholic, but his name was Hayden and he was a fireman at the house located a few blocks from here. I''m not sure if he came to his meetings here but I wanted to let everyone know if this is where he attended the meetings here that his absence isn''t because he started drinking again. It was because he died a few months ago fighting a fire and was buried a hero. I loved him very much, and even though I was unaware that he was coming to meetings like this. I wanted to let you know that I admire what you do here, what he was doing when he was here and to let you know that when he died he was sober, on the right track and doing well. Thank you."
After Lizzy had said her piece, the group clapped for her and showed their appreciation for her words. After that a few people took their turns and then the meeting was over. Lizzy was still shaking from nerves so she walked over to the table to grab a cookie and a small glass of juice. As she was taking a sip, a man walked up and offered her a hand. "Hello Elizabeth, I''d like to introduce myself. I''m Ben."
"Hello Ben," Lizzy replied, "Pleased to meet you."
"I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate you coming over and giving us an update on Hayden. Some of us didn''t know what happened to him and we feared the worst. We were hoping that he hadn''t fallen off the wagon."
Lizzy paused for a moment to digest what he had said. "So this was where Hayden came to attend his meetings?"
"It was." Ben said, "He hadn''t been to a meeting for quite a while, but when he stopped meeting his sponsor for coffee, we began to worry. It''s a pleasure to finally meet the lady he never stopped talking about. He really cared about you and it was his love for you that inspired him to stay away from the bottle."
"So I''ve been told. This coin has meant he was sober for over five years, which meant he was not drinking the entire time we were married." Lizzy held onto the coin tightly, "I didn''t know he loved me enough to want to change like this."
"He did." Ben said, "But he also had help from a great sponsor."
"Is that person here?" Lizzy asked, "I would like to meet that person."
"You have." Ben answered, "We''re usually not allowed to speak about someone''s private business unless you''re their sponsor."
"Oh." Lizzy said. She then held up the coin to her husband''s sponsor, "Would you like to have this?"
Ben had a tear in his eye as he took the chip from her hand and looked at it. "Thank you. Hayden was a good man, and we worked hard together to help him down this path."
Lizzy didn''t say anymore, shook Ben''s hand and even gave him a hug before leaving the hall and returning home. The first thing she did when she returned home was find the list that was still sitting on the coffee table and then scratched off the fifth goal, the first one she had completed for Hayden. She felt very proud and excited that she would be able to complete the other twenty-four. It would take some time and some dedication to decode them, but she had the time and the money to make it all happen. She would keep going until she went broke or the list was finished, whichever came first.
A few months later while Lizzy was trying to work on another part of Hayden''s list, she received a package in the mail. She read the return address and immediately recognized the first name: Ben. It was a something from Hayden''s sponsor. She opened the package eagerly and was surprised to see the only thing inside: a video tape. She looked at it and walked over to her old VCR that was still hooked up to the very old TV that was in the spare bedroom. She slipped the tape in, pressed play and then held her breath in anticipation as she waited for something to appear on the screen. At first all you could see was a podium, and the camera was on a tripod because it wasn''t shaking at all. Then she heard a familiar voice, the man who sent her the tape.
"Get up there, man." Ben coached, "This is very important."
"I don''t know man, this seems so weird."
"It''s not... we do stuff like this all the time."
A few seconds later, Hayden came out from behind the camera and walked up behind the podium. He seemed uncomfortable with what they were doing but he stood there behind the podium and diplomatically put his hands on top of it. "Are you sure we need to do this?"
"Do you plan on telling your wife and family about your sobriety?"
"No. I don''t think I''m ready yet."
"Then this is definitely necessary, especially given your dangerous occupation. I do this for cops as well, knowing they could die at any time in the line of duty." Ben said as he worked on the focus of the camera. "This way if they pass away before they are able to sit down and have a talk with the ones they love, and I''m not trying to jinx you here bud, but I want a back up for your loved ones so you can let them know how well you''ve been doing and why you''re here."
"All right, I guess that makes sense." Hayden took a deep breath and then looked into the camera. "Liz, I guess it doesn''t take a rocket scientist to figure out who this is. The truth is I''m here because this is where I attend my meetings. I''m an alcoholic. When I was in my senior years in high school, I abused the bottle pretty bad and it resulted in the death of my friends. I wasn''t involved in the accident, but I couldn''t have stopped them from getting behind the wheel. Instead I ignored the dangers of what we were doing and they''re not here because I was too busy looking for my next shot. Despite my age, I realized that night that I was not in control and needed help. Even though I made an effort to get that help, I fell off the wagon a few times and went on some pretty nasty binges. My profession didn''t help as a lot of the scary stuff I saw drove me to drink a great deal, just to forget the images that were literally burned into my brain. It was a struggle to get through the week that was until I met you. Being there with you and spending time on each date gave me the reason to stay away from the bottle. I wanted to be sober so I could share and remember each great moment with you, and that is why I have this coin. Four years sober so far, and I hope to remain that way for a very, very long time." Hayden paused for a moment.
"Is that it?" Hayden called out.
"No, it''s not." Ben shouted out from the background. "The only time this tape is going to see the light of day is if you prematurely kick the bucket. So being the rocket scientist I am... I think it''s a good idea to leave a message just in case this tape ever has to be used."
"I never thought of it like that." Hayden looked back at the camera. "Liz, if you are watching this it means I never had the courage to step up and tell you the truth. I''m sorry if this is the way you had to find out but that also means I''m not around anymore. I really hope this is one of those moments when you look at this have a ''oh, look... Hayden still had hair on his head when this was made'' moment. If this tape is given out a lot earlier than that, I want to take a moment to apologize for bailing out a lot earlier than I should have. I love you so much but I hope that you have the strength and courage to move on without me and live the rest of your life to its fullest potential. Good bye Elizabeth, I''ll catch you on the flip side."
Lizzy watched with tears in her eyes as she watched Hayden walk out of the camera''s line of site and the feed turned off. It was a hard video to watch, but she could now watch it anytime she wanted to hear Hayden talk to her. Over the next few weeks, she took the time to show it to members of Hayden''s family. His father had a hard time accepting the truth but appreciated seeing his boy speak one more time. When she thought more than enough people had seen it, she decided to put the tape away in a safe place. Lizzy walked over to Hayden''s dresser and decided to put the tape in the top drawer. When she opened the drawer, she noticed something really weird. There was a stuffed toy in there and she grabbed it and pulled it out. It was a bear, a very old one. It was brown but very dirty and hadn''t been washed in decades. That was likely because it had holes in its armpits and would have lost its stuffing if put in the machine. It was also missing a nose but was the cutest thing she had come across since she started going through all of Hayden''s stuff. She had a good laugh but then put the bear back in the drawer where Hayden obviously wanted to keep it before moving on to do more work on the list.
6. Make A Birthday Cake
Lizzy stared at the next task and at first she seemed really cocky about it. This was a very easy task, she thought to herself, all I going do is bake a cake. How tough could that be? Turns out the Gods of baking had a great sense of humour and proved to her and Anna how tough it could be just to make one single cake. After several failures and a few hundred dollars in wasted groceries, Lizzy finally realized this was not going to be that easy and that they might need some help. "How are we going to get past this?" she cried out, "We have to at least make an edible cake that someone else would eat to complete this job."
"I''m not sure, but I can tell you this much." Anna said as she gestured towards the latest horrific mass of cake on the counter. "I''m not touching that thing with a ten foot pole."
"I don''t blame you one bit." Lizzy said as she stared at her latest attempt to bake. It was horrible and not in a nice way too. This task from the list was going to be a lot more difficult than she had earlier anticipated.
"The biggest problem is that the task isn''t for you to just bake any cake, but something nice enough to celebrate someone''s birthday with."
"We''re finished, there''s no way we''re going to do this one. Let''s move on to the next on the list!" Anna cried, ready to toss in the towel.
"Never!" Lizzy said with fire in her voice. "We will do this list in order, because this is the way Hayden would have done it."
"Are you sure about that?" Anna asked.
"No." Lizzy confessed, "But that''s how we''re going to do it. Let''s do this right."
"How are we going to do that?" Anna asked as she took her apron off in disgust. "Are we going to hire a ringer to cook it for us?"
"No, we are going to do all these tasks ourselves. No ringers!" Lizzy paused for a moment, "But that doesn''t mean we can''t pay someone to teach us how to do it." She looked down at the notebook she was googling with and turned the monitor around for Anna to read: Alfredo''s cooking academy. There was full information and numbers for them to call. "There are single night classes that teach specific things to people who are not chefs." She picked up the phone and dialed the number.
After a few rings, someone finally picked up the line. "Good afternoon, Alfredo''s cooking academy. How may I help you?"
Lizzy paused, nervous to speak. "Yes, I was wondering if there were any classes that could teach someone how to bake a fancy cake."
"Yes, there is. We have a class specifically made for creating and professionally decorating birthday cakes."
"Oh my!" Lizzy said as she got excited, "How much to attend that class?"
"It''s one hundred each for a ten class course. Classes are every Tuesday night."
"Perfect. I''d like to reserve a place for two students." Lizzy said as she whipped out her credit card to put down a deposit for their places. After she made the payment, she was told information would arrive in the mail. About a week later they had course materials, a reading list of the books they needed to buy as well as another list of the materials they needed to bring to class. They had to supply their own kitchenware so that they could bring the pans and other stuff home when they wanted to make stuff for homework. Lizzy for the first time in a while was very excited. She was on a quest to make something rather than investigate and run around looking for answers. She was going to learn how to make a cake and then use that vast knowledge to make it for someone, maybe at a party.
Lizzy was very excited when they arrived for their first class, but Anna was anything but. She didn''t like cooking that much, but was confident that Lizzy would do most of the work, and they would both pass. It was pretty much a flashback to her high school days when Lizzy would do all the work in science class and she just copied the notes and passed. Same would happen here so she wasn''t worried. But things got interesting when they arrived to class. There were only twenty people in the class, paired off in groups of two, so naturally Anna clung to Lizzy like always. She was confident that it would work out, they''d make a decent cake and move on.
They stood together, waiting with aprons on and materials set out to meet their teacher and get to work. He strolled in and had that puffy hat that all good chefs seemed to wear and spoke with a very, very thick French accent.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I am Alfredo Marchant. Yes, the Alfredo of this school. You were supposed to have a skinny and very well trained chef here to instruct you on this important dessert, but she has left for better pastures and here we are. You will learn from the very best, and when this class is over... you will be able to bake me a brilliant cake. An inspiring cake that someone would be proud to have at their party to celebrate their special day. Now who is ready to learn?"
Everyone in the class seemed very excited, especially with Alfredo himself teaching the class but he wasn''t the easiest instructor to work with. His standards were very high, and if your batter was not whipped enough or the cake didn''t bake puffy enough... that piece of crap you attempted to call a cake was tossed into the trash bin with absolute authority. Toss in one ingredient and the Frenchman would turn into an angry Brit in five point five seconds, kicking trash cans and telling you to dump what you got and start over again. Anna was quickly tiring of the old man''s antics, but Lizzy was taking it all in and working hard to make sure everything was perfect. She wasn''t doing it for the chef, and even he could tell that much was true. Everyone was there to just learn so they wouldn''t have to buy something from their local bakery and save twenty bucks every time someone had a special day. Lizzy was focused and wanted to learn how to properly make a cake, because to her the item on the list wouldn''t be finished unless the cake was made the right way and good enough for everyone to feast on it till there was nothing left. She would take all her cake knowledge home and keep baking until she ran out of stuff to bake with. With time her efforts were paying off. Each cake that came out after the other was getting better, as was her timing with the oven and the batter.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
It was around week six when Alfredo couldn''t contain himself and went out of his way to stand up and be heard. "I have to tell you everyone that I have never seen this kind of commitment and dedication from someone taking part in this kind of amateur class. I am very touched by the work many of you are doing, but Elizabeth has been one of my best pupils I have seen in a while. Tell me my dear, where does it come from. Who inspires such effort and hard work?"
"I want to make a cake for someone I love." Lizzy said honestly, "For someone who deserves nothing but the best and I want to be the person that makes this cake for them."
Alfredo''s heart melted and the old man cracked a wide smile from underneath his big white beard. "I understand and appreciate your motives. Deep down this is the reason why people want to cook. The only true reason why anyone wants to cook is to make something for someone else who will appreciate and enjoy their creations. Nothing says thank you more to a chef than to see someone reach for a second helping. That kind of satisfaction is fulfilling, and to want provide that gift of a well made meal for someone you care about... that is true love. A love of food and what it can bring out in people when they try it."
His words seemed to inspire the class for everyone, even Anna was making more of an effort to work hard and remember everything they were taught and apply it as best as she could. They worked hard to improve their decorating techniques and turned out some amazing cakes that months earlier would have been impossible for them to make. When the ten weeks was over, Alfredo was happy to inspect their final works and congratulate them all on a successful semester.
"I will be honest from the very start." the old chef said as he took his had off and tossed it on his own table. "I really didn''t think we were going to make magic like this, but that is the only word I can used to describe the masterpieces that lie before me. I want to thank you all for making this a very beautiful semester here at my academy. Go out there a make a cake that will bring smiles to everyone''s face!"
Everyone cheered and just like that Lizzy''s class was over. She had spent the better part of three months learning the proper way to make the cake, now all she needed to do was find someone with a birthday and bake them the mother of all cakes that everyone would love. She checked her calendar and find out when the next big birthday was in both her own and in Hayden''s family. She skipped ahead a few weeks and stopped when she reached a certain date. The next one from her current day was Sept 21st: her birthday.
It seemed awkward for her to make herself a cake, but it was better than nothing. She would invite her best friends and closest family members and make a huge cake for everyone to enjoy and eat. To her the best way to take care of the list would be to make herself a grand cake and then hold her own party to celebrate her new found talent and then move on to the next item.
As her Birthday slowly approached, Lizzy and Anna decided to invite a small gathering of friends and family, the first big event at her apartment since Hayden''s passing. When the day came, Lizzy and Anna both applied what they had learned and made an amazing two tier cake that was pink all over with white trim and had vanilla filling with a middle layer of raspberry jam. It was an amazing cake and it took them both hours just to decorate it. They left the cake in the center of the living room table, the center piece surrounded by chicken wings, salads and other snacks that made up the main meal. Friends and family slowly streamed in and we very impressed with the spread as well as the cake. They ate, drank and were very merry. Anna took it upon herself to light the cake and start the singing of her birthday song, much to Lizzy''s surprise and with a little help from her brothers they were able to blow out all the candles that were spaced throughout the cake. Then it was time to consume the main attraction.
Anna divvied out some very hearty helpings since they didn''t want very much left over. It was a big hit with everyone who came to attend the party. Both Lizzy and Hayden''s father took a second helping, the key to happiness according to Alfredo. While everyone was eating their cake, it was Hayden''s mom who first inquired about the origin of the magnificent dessert. "Who made this?"
"Anna and I did." Lizzy said as she beamed with pride. "We took a cooking class to learn how to make it properly and this fancy."
"Well good for you!" her mother in law said as she also beamed with pride. "I think Hayden would have been very proud of your efforts. He always loved something that was made with love rather than cooked for by someone else."
"I know. It was one of my favorite things about him." Lizzy quietly replied.
"You know, Hayden had asked me to teach him how to make a cake." his mother then piped in. "He said he wanted to do it for you. To make you a great cake for today actually. I was going to start teaching him how to bake two weeks after he passed away. It''s so strange that you made such a great effort to do the same, as if you''re taking care of this for him."
Lizzy looked back at her Mother-in-law and smiled at how she managed to figure it out without having access to the list. She didn''t have the courage to tell her about the list just yet but thought when the time was right and she was ready, they would sit down and talk about it. For now she wanted to relish the moment that had completed the cake quest that took a lot longer than either of them thought it was going to take. The next few tasks looked like they were going to be a little easier, but she wasn''t going to assume that anymore after how long it took her to do something like bake a cake. The item about the park was not going to be an issue, especially since Hayden talked to her about it all the time. To Lizzy, there was no doubt what the next task as about and she looked forward to it being a little easier to complete than this task was. One could only hope.
7. Have A Picnic At The Park
Lizzy booked the flight without telling Anna and surprised her the day they were leaving with two first class tickets. They could have driven to the city in question, but Lizzy didn''t feel like it since she could afford thousands of tickets and not worry about that for a while. However, she didn''t tell Anna that their trip was the next task and wanted to surprise her with it. She also called another of their friends named Gale, to meet up with her and to the city together. Anna didn''t even know where they were going until she mentioned that they were going to visit Gale.
"Oh my gaud!" Anna screamed with excitement, "We''re going to New York?"
"Yes, we are." Lizzy confirmed, "I thought we could do some shopping and touring. My treat for putting up with me and my list."
The girls were giggly all the way to their destination right up to the airport where Anna was in for another surprise. Lizzy had booked a car to pick them up and take them anywhere they wanted. Nothing fancy or stretched because she didn''t want to attract attention, but one good enough to get them where they wanted to go and store their stuff from all the shopping she intended to do. It wasn''t until they got to their hotel when Anna realized how out of her way Lizzy was going to spoil her. Lavished hotel rooms, room service and all the shops they wanted to hit were less than a few blocks away. It was good to take a break, but at the same time Lizzy had a plan of her own.
They met up with Gale downtown for breakfast and then spent the entire morning spending a lot of money on purses, clothing and some other stuff Lizzy wanted to take back to the apartment. Anna was having a ball as was Gale. To them it was like old times, just a little more expensive. Going out and doing things together like they always had. They had parted ways when Gale went off to New York to become a fashion designer and while she hadn''t succeeded just yet with her dream, she refused to give up and kept working on it. Lizzy had intended to donate some funds to help her along knowing that Hayden would be proud of what she was doing but coming to the city and the part was his idea to begin with. She remembered every conversation about this place since the first time he suggested it, and how he never gave up on it regardless of her continuous mockery of the suggestion.
"Come on babe, to me this is what men like me consider romantic."
"Sure, sitting on the ground and eating food off a blanket. Forgive me if I don''t see the appeal of the idea."
"But it''s not just any park, it''s the most famous park in the world. All parks are measured by this one place and I think it would be very cool to have a picnic there and eat something nice and just enjoy the atmosphere and the people all doing their thing."
"Like mugging people and stealing their valuables?"
"Ha ha... but no." Hayden said as he sat up on the couch and seemed rather serious. "I mean cheese, crackers and other fancy stuff all washed down with a bottle of some serious booze. If you don''t think that would be romantic on a sunny day at this place of all places, then you''re not the romantic I think you are."
Lizzy paused for a moment, looking interesting. "But where would we stay?"
"The biggest hotel in the city, one with round the clock room service!"
"Oh really, and who is going to pay for all this?"
"I will, right after I win the lottery."
"In other words, never." Lizzy said with a laugh. "I have a better chance of being struck by lightning than you winning a lottery."
"Well someone has to win it." Hayden said with a smile. "And I have to buy at least one ticket for a chance. One day that will be me on the newspaper holding that big cardboard check. People at the office will look at it, green with envy and that anger will lead them to buy ten tickets that night."
True, but will you forgive me if I don''t hold my breath?" Lizzy asked as she sat down beside her husband and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Ye of little faith." Hayden said sarcastically, "Maybe if I win I might not share it with you for not believing in my ticket''s ability to bring home the bacon."
"Oh, poor ticket." Lizzy said, "It''s just a shame your winnings don''t have any rights when it comes to divorce court. What''s yours is half mine, remember?"
"Who said anything about divorce court?" Hayden said with a shocked face.
"Well, I was just stating that under law." Lizzy paused for a moment. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to be so negative."
"That''s all right." Hayden said with a chuckle. "I keep forgetting you don''t believe in anything, let alone lady luck. Don''t worry about that. I''ll hold out enough hope for the both of us, all right?"
"Deal." Lizzy said as she genuinely felt sorry for her insensitive comments.
Hayden laughed again. "Don''t worry about it, Liz." he said as he came over and gave her a big hug. I prefer you remember this conversation when you''re sitting at the park and be prepared to give me the mother of all apologies."
"For what?" Lizzy asked.
"For not believing in happy endings." Hayden replied, "I''m not sure when that day is coming, but when it does... I expect the most heartfelt apology you''ve ever made. Deal?"
Lizzy took a deep breath. "Deal. Now clean those grubby hands and get ready for lunch!"
"Yes Ma''am." He said as he avoided her playful slap and ran off for the bathroom.
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Lizzy had the car stop at a shop that she had called earlier that day. She had the cafe/market shop make up a huge meal of sandwiches, salads as well as various cheeses and crackers to go along with one of their most expensive bottles of wine. As an added touch, the food was packed in a very nice wicker made basket and Lizzy had gone out of her way to pick up the blanket at one of the shops they hit that morning. The car whisked them all away from the stores and restaurants and towards the place that Hayden had always wanted to take her for a picnic on a sunny day, Central Park. Clearly it''s the most famous park in the entire nation, and the one place where he wanted to spend time with her and share a memorable moment.
As the driver brought them closer to their eventual destination, Gale was the first to pick up on what was going on since she lived there. "So why are we heading for Central Park?" she calmly asked.
"Well, we have to." Lizzy said, "Anna and I are on a mission."
"You have got to be kidding me!" Anna said with a hint of frustration. "Are we on our way to have a picnic at Central Park?"
"Am I the only one being kept in the dark on something." Gale inquired.
"You have no idea, this picnic is on the list!" Anna squealed. It was also the first time they had told someone outside the two of them about the list.
"What the hell is she talking about?" Gale asked.
"My husband made a list." Lizzy said quietly, "Thirty things he wanted to do before he died. Only four of them were completed."
"My gosh, you''re going to do all the things he wanted to do?" Gale patted her heart and understood what was going on. "Kudos to you kid. I''m not sure I would have the courage to do something like that but I''m in. Let''s go have a picnic at Central Park."
"I can''t believe you''re really here just for the list." Anna said, clearly frustrated.
"Not just the list." Lizzy replied, "And it says one picnic, not a dozen. This will clearly be the easiest thing we ever do on this list."
Anna sighed but gave up because she knew her friend was right. It was just one picnic and she was rather hungry as well so she went with it. "Gale, do we need a permit to have a picnic at the park."
"No." the driver answered. "Events with more than twenty people require a permit from the Parks Department. But you can also request a permit to reserve space in a park even if you have less than 20 people, which is what we''ve done today."
"Oh, thank you." Anna said as she decided to remain silent until they had arrived to the park.
Once they had arrived the driver helped them carry their food and blanket to a carriage that was waiting for them. From there the horse drawn carriage took the rest of the way to their reserved spot in the middle of the South Meadow. They had a bench and Lizzy took the basket and blanket across the meadow to the spot they had reserved.
She checked her map to confirm it. "We''re here, this is it."
"Wonderful spot, dear." Gale approved with a strong nod. "This is a wonderful spot, nice and open and with an amazing view of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir."
"This truly is an amazing place and it''s located in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world. I can see why Hayden wanted to bring you here for a romantic panic." Anna said as she looked around.
"I told you at the wedding that the man had a soft heart." Gale said as she helped Lizzy put the blanket on the grass. "This proves the man had a plan and every intention of doing well by you."
"Ain''t that the truth!" Anna agreed.
After Lizzy took all the food out, both ladies sat down on the blanket and took some food and salad. They also watched as Lizzy took her time to open the bottle of wine and pour three glasses. They all toasted to being there together and enjoyed eating and drinking for the next while and catching up on the time they has lost living on different cities.
"It''s a shame Hayden couldn''t be here." Gale suddenly said.
"He is." Lizzy replied and then did something that shocked them both. She opened up the big purse she had bought earlier that day and pulled out an urn and placed it standing up in the middle of the blanket.
"Oh, you didn''t!" Anna said as she was suddenly no longer able to eat.
"Girl, that''s a little creepy." Gale said as she backed away from it a little."
"I know it looks creepy, but by both of us being here this kind of completes the task because he always wanted to be here with me at the park." Lizzy knew she had freaked them out. Doing a task was one thing but bringing the ashes along for the ride was too much for them.
"Seriously Liz," Anna started, "We have names for people who carry around the ashes of their spouse to special places to share it with them."
"Such as?" Lizzy asked.
"Loonie." Gale started.
"Freak." Anna tossed in.
"In need of professional help." Gale said.
"Wait, it''s not that bad." Lizzy said as she waved her arms around. She looked forward at the urn that sat in the middle of the blanket. It was one thing to bring the urn to a park but to another city and bring it on vacation just to have him there for something he wanted to do with her. Yeah, it looks a little loony from that perspective. "Is it really that bad?"
Gale looked her right in the eyes. "Yes it is, Liz."
She said as she picked up the urn and returned it to the purse whence it came. They all sat there for a few moments, in awkward silence, waiting for someone to change the subject and finally Gale was the one to break it and bring the subject that everyone was thinking about but not talking about.
"What is this list that Anna keeps talking about?" Gale finally asked.
Lizzy took a deep breath and then pulled a photo copy of the list out of her pocket and handed the folded piece of paper over to her friend. She left the original back home, afraid that it might be damaged or lost if she had taken it to the city with her. She couldn''t bare to lose it and thought bringing copies instead was much safer. She watched as Gale read over the list at a very slow pace, going over each item. Her silence was driving them both insane and this time it was Anna how spoke up. "Don''t just sit there, tell us what you think?"
"It''s very interesting." Gale admitted.
"Interesting?" Anna said in shock. "That''s all you have to say?"
"I''m very dedicated do doing all these things on the list, to finish it for him and for myself." Lizzy boldly said, eager to be brave in front of her.
"Well." Gale said with a sigh, "This is deeply romantic of you. Completing the list for the man you love for him. But what do you get out of this?"
"Well," Lizzy started as she put her food down and grabbed her glass of wine and took a quick swig. "I get plenty from this. I am learning more and more about the man who was my husband. We found out because of task number five that Hayden was a recovering alcoholic. There''s no telling what we''ll find if we keep going. I want to learn as much as I can about my Hayden before I really have to say goodbye."
"That''s all I needed to hear." Gale said as she gave Lizzy a soft hug. "So if you have a pen we''ll scratch this picnic off the list and then we''ll go see the little lady."
"I''m sorry, what did you say?" Lizzy said as she almost choked on the salad she was nibbling on.
"The little lady. Do you think it''s a coincidence that it comes right after the park on the list?" Gale said as she giggled a bit. "It''s obvious Hayden was referring to another landmark he wanted to see while he was here in New York. Just think: what lady do people visit here just as much as any other historical site in the city?"
Anna and Lizzy looked at each other and they both had figured out what Gale was referring to. They packed up what was left of their picnic and went back to the car that was waiting for them. As they all slipped into the car, the driver was shocked to see them back so soon. They hadn''t been gone for more than an hour. As they got into the car the driver put away the magazine he was reading and put his hat back on.
"Where to, ladies?" he quickly asked.
"Next stop is the Statue of Liberty." Lizzy replied just as quickly.
"Yes Ma''am." the driver said as he started up the car and peeled off for their next destination.
8. Visit Our Little Lady
Liz and the girls were on their way to the statue of liberty. The statue was the very same beacon of hope and freedom that many people passed by on their way to become a part of the nation that used to take in all comers. Just as they were approaching the area where they would have to travel by boat to get to the small island that held the statue, Lizzy''s phone began to ring. She didn''t want to answer it because she was so excited about knocking off two items from the list in the same trip. She changed her mind when she realized it was a Jared calling from the firehouse, and likely calling to check in.
She opened the phone and tried to answer as naturally as possible. "Hey Jared."
"Hey Liz, how are things going?" Jared asked. He had been checking up on her about once a week just to make sure she had been faring well.
"I''m doing fine." Lizzy said as she looked out the window at the statue from a far distance. "I''m on my way right now to visit the little lady."
Jared paused for a moment. "What are you doing in North Carolina?"
"I''m not in North Carolina." Lizzy replied, "I''m in New York. We''re going to see what I thought Hayden referred to as the little lady."
"Then you''re in the wrong state, Liz." Jared said, "The little lady Hayden talks about is the same little lady we talk about here. That''s Margaret Davies, current resident of Grace Harbour retirement home in North Carolina."
"Why North Carolina?" Lizzy asked.
"Well, we wanted to pick a place that had good weather." Jared answered. "It was also a little cheaper because one of the chiefs knew the guy who runs the place and we got a bit of a sweet discount."
"I don''t understand." Liz asked. "How do you know her?"
"We saved her." Jared continued. "Hayden pulled this old lady out of a fire and she lost everything she had. She had no family and no where to go, so Hayden came up with a plan. We all take a levy out of our own pay checks. With ten guys in the house, we were forking over a thousand smackers a month to help this lady out. We registered her with the nursing home and have a tab with them that we pay every month. We felt for the lady and Hayden wanted to make sure she was taken care of her. That''s the little lady he was likely referring to because that''s what we all call her. She''s our little lady."
"Oh, I didn''t know that." Lizzy confessed, somewhat embarrassed.
"We don''t really talk that much about it." Jared confessed. "We don''t advertise that we would help people out that much or everyone would want the hand out."
Jared paused for a moment. "You''re at the statue of liberty, aren''t ya?"
Lizzy knew she was busted. "Well... yeah."
"Yeah, well considering the info you had to work on, that was a good guess." Jared had a chuckle at their expense, but she didn''t mind. "Look, if you really want to meet the real little lady, I''d be happy to text the address and telephone number to your phone. Okay?"
"Alright, I appreciate that." Lizzy replied.
"No prob Liz." Jared said, "Have fun at the big apple."
"Thanks Jared." Lizzy closed the phone to disconnect the line and tapped the driver on the shoulder. "Change of plans: back to the hotel."
"Are you sure?" the driver asked, "We''re almost there."
"I''m sure." Lizzy said as she sat back into her seat. "This isn''t the right place."
Once they got back to the hotel, Gale and Anna were dying for answers. They didn''t get any until they got back to the privacy of their own room. Lizzy gave them the skinny on what they term ''little lady'' meant to the firemen of their house, and that the woman Hayden wanted to visit is in an retirement home that he and the rest of his house paid for in North Carolina. There was no need for Lizzy to be upset at all. It was a simple misunderstanding and even Jared had confessed it was a good guess for someone who didn''t really know what the item was about. Their attempt to visit that statue was a good guess and would make sense if you didn''t have access to the real story since this item came right after the park. The girls lounged in the living room pondering what to do next.
"So what do we do now?" Anna asked.
"We have two more days in New York." Lizzy said, "We will do the town for two more nights and then we''re flying to North Carolina instead of back home."
"Wouldn''t hurt to buy something nice for Hayden''s little lady while were out tomorrow too." Gale suggested.
"Good idea." Lizzy said with a smile, "That will get us in the door at least."
"And about twenty more items for me." Anna said as she got up from the couch.
Lizzy could sense her frustration but she let her go, and decided to get a little sleep maybe get something for dinner and then wait until the next day to get back to the shops. Gale had things to do, but said she would come back the next day. She was true to her word and all three of them did some great shopping which combined with the lunch at central park made the trip all worth while. Lizzy spent a few bucks, but this was likely the last real big spend while on the quest to finish the list, so she really didn''t mind. Mention of the list never came up that day until supper when they were again eating this time in the middle of one of the most expensive restaurants in the city. It was one of those fancy places downtown where guys wouldn''t be allowed to enter unless they were wearing a suit jacket.
While they were eating an appetizer, Gale was the first to speak. "I want to help you guys out."
They both looked back at her.
"Excuse me?" Lizzy asked.
"I want to help with the list. I don''t want you two to have all the fun. I''d like to do what I can to help and hang out with my girls... just like old times!" Lizzy could tell Gale was serious and she wanted to get out of the city and help out a bit.
"Why should we let you tag along?" Anna suddenly asked as if here territory were being threatened. Lizzy didn''t understand what was going on with Anna, as she was clearly frustrated earlier in the day and now was being unreasonable when someone asked to help them finish the list. It was something she would have to address later.
"I know I can help. I may have messed up on this one guessing it was the statue, but I can help with other items on the list." Gale said as she took a sip of her drink.
"Give me an example." Lizzy asked interested in what she was talking about.
"As you know, I went to school with Hayden and his siblings." Gale answered. "I have valuable information that might help solve a few of those mysterious items on the list."
"Such as?" Anna asked.
"Well first off... I know what a Hermy is." Gale said with a smile.
"What else do you know?" Anna asked, more curious than threatened now.
Gale pointed to a specific part of the list. "I know this one too."
Lizzy cracked a smile and put her hand on Gale''s. "I guess I have an extra ticket to book for North Carolina."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
And the next day they all flew to the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. It was a nice place and they had appreciated flying into nicer weather since it was raining when they had left the big apple. The retirement home they were looking for was just outside town and they took a car there immediately to just get it over with rather than go to the hotel first. When they arrived to the home, the place was amazing. People were out in the yards and either doing lawn bowling or just sitting out in the sun and relaxing. You would have thought it was a resort, but the girls didn''t let that bother them as they walked into an enormous lobby that was meant to seat a lot of visitors while they waited to be met by those who lived in this particular residence. Was this a retirement home or a hotel, Lizzy thought to herself as she approached the desk. "Hi there, I called earlier this week. We''re here to visit Ms. Margaret Davies."
"Of course, I told her you were coming Mrs. Sheppard." the lady said as she stood up to shake her hand. Right this way, Ms. Davies is in the back getting a little sun. The girls all followed her out but as they were about to leave the lobby to the back area, the attendant held up her hand. "She wanted to only see Mrs. Sheppard and I don''t want to crowd her as well. She is a very sensitive lady."
Anna and Gale seemed a little shocked at first but settled down and understood as they returned to the lobby to wait. Lizzy followed the worker as they walked out to the deck behind the building. It was a nice place where residents could sit out there and get a little sun while checking out an magnificent view a near by forest. Lizzy saw the old woman as that the lady from the desk pointed her out. She was very old, in a wheelchair and just watching other people walk around on the grounds from a distance. Lizzy walked up slowly on the old lady, so she wouldn''t startle her and waved when she looked her way. "Hi there, Mrs. Davies, my name is Elizabeth Sheppard."
"Sheppard." the old lady said as she pondered the information. "I know that name. Where do I know it from?"
"Likely that would be from my husband, Hayden Sheppard." Lizzy said as she took a seat beside her. "He was a fireman."
"Ahhh, I see." Ms. Davies replied as she nodded her head. "You''re his Lizzy."
"Yes." She said with a smile, "I''m his Lizzy."
"It''s so nice to see you." she looked around, "Is Hayden here too?"
"No, I''m afraid not." Lizzy said, "Did he visit you often?"
"Once a year." the old lady replied. "You''re about two months early."
"He never told me about that." Lizzy informed the old lady.
"Don''t feel bad, dear." Ms. Davies replied. "This was something I think a lot of them men from the firehouse kept to themselves. They were likely afraid that if it was known they were doing this others would want their help too.
While it made sense to Lizzy explained that way, she was still upset that there were so many secrets between her and the man she married. "How exactly did the two of you met?"
"That day we met started out nice enough." the old lady recalled. "I had no idea I was going to lose everything I had. I would have lost my life as well if it were not for your husband and the nice men that work with him."
She was sitting in the chair when the fire alarm went off. She was crippled to the chair and since the elevator was the last thing you should take during a fire, she was trapped and unable to get out of the building. She dialed 911 to tell the dispatch that she was in the building and unable to get out on her own accord due to her handicap. It was less than twenty minutes later when she heard the wailing of the fire Trucks as they came rumbling to her building. She was on the fourth floor so she really felt bad for the fireman who was going to prove his worth by carrying her down the stairs on his shoulders. That knock on her door came less than five minutes later. "It''s open!" she called out.
The door swung open and there were two firemen in full gear and masks to protect themselves from the heat and smoke. One of them removed his mask and walked over to kneel beside her. "Afternoon ma''am, my name is Hayden and this is Jared. We are going to be escorting you out of the building today."
"Jesus, this is going to kill the back." Jared cursed to himself.
"Then you do point and I''ll carry her down. My back can handle it." Hayden responded as he already knew Jared couldn''t help out. He turned back to Ms. Davies. "It''s time to go. I want you to take my arms. I''m going to heave you out of the chair and put your stomach on my right shoulder and carry you down the stairs to safety."
He held out his hands and she didn''t hesitate to grab them. Hayden was confident in his abilities and that was enough to trust him. As they left the hallway and worked their way towards the stairs, it wasn''t Hayden''s back that gave out but instead the floors below them. Hayden and the old lady fell through and to the floor below. Thankfully that floor held and they only got some bad bruises from the fall. Jared stuck his head over the hole and called down,
"I''ve contacted the captain," Jared called out "He''s sending up more help. Stay there and don''t move!"
Hayden wasn''t much for doing as he was told as he sat up and was able to get back to his feet. The first thing he did was inspect Ms. Davies to make sure she didn''t break anything serious. She was no worse for the fall and able to move if it became necessary.
"Don''t panic, Ma''am." Hayden said comforting smile on his face. "I''ve been in worse situations than this." While it wasn''t true, he understood that he had to be confident to help Ms. Davies remain calm and not panic.
"Liar." Ms. Davies said to his face. She had been married to the same man for fifty years before he passed away so she could smell his bullshit almost as easy as it came from the lips of her own spouse.
"Okay, maybe not." Hayden confessed, "But I work with a good crew. We will make it out of here, I promise." He got back to his feet and started to feel the walls for heat. "It''s really warm on the other side of this one." and then he kept checking the other walls. "This one is good. We can save the crew some time if we waited in this room rather than here. It will also put more distance between us and that fire."
"I don''t see a door." Ms. Davies observed.
"Well ma''am." Hayden said as he took off his helmet. "When we don''t have the convenience of a door, we usually make our own." He took the axe he brought with him and started to pound a hole into the wall. After checking for smoke and realizing there were none, Hayden then tore into the wall and kept smacking the plastered wall until there was a hole big enough for most people to get through. He walked over and dragged Ms. Davies over to the hole. "You first, crawl through and I''ll push from behind."
"Okay." Ms. Davies used her arms to crawl through the wall and Hayden helped her momentum by holding up her legs and pushing them through with her. After that he quickly jumped through and helped her from the floor of the new room to a bed that was located in the far corner. Smoke wasn''t too thick but they couldn''t open any windows without permission from the captain. Hayden took his mask and gave his oxygen to the old lady.
They shared the mask as well as talked to one another to pass the time waiting for the others to arrive, which happened only a few moments later. Two more firemen had arrived and they carried Ms. Davies from the building while Hayden was well enough to exit the burning building on his own. Once out of the building, they were both taken to medical for exams and to be checked up on. Hayden patted Ms. Davies on the shoulder and gave her a big smile. "Still many more years to look forward to." he said to her with a big grin.
"Thank you, young man." she said to Hayden as they started to take her away to the ambulance that was waiting.
"You''ll see me again." Hayden replied as he waved and watched her leave the scene. But Hayden was true to his word. Less than a week later, he and Jared came to her hospital room to visit. They wanted to make sure she was all right and that she had a place to go to when her stay at the hospital was done. She had no one, and this was when the firemen started to discuss ideas that eventually led her to North Carolina and to the retirement home that has treated her very well ever since.
"Jared and Hayden came often to visit me." Ms. Davies said with a smile, "They are both good men. Hayden and I had a bit of a tradition."
"What''s that Ms. Davies?" Lizzy asked.
"Jared would show up whenever he could find the time, but Hayden always came to visit me every year on the same day. The anniversary of the day we met when he and his colleagues pulled me out of that building. This summer will mark our fourth anniversary." Ms. Davies beamed with pride, looking forward to the next visit.
Lizzy sat stunned as she couldn''t believe the story she was just told. Everyone talked about how Hayden walked out of buildings with people time after time, but this was the first time she had ever met and talked to someone who Hayden had helped save from a fire. Yet she didn''t have the heart to tell her what had happened to Hayden as the thought of her finding out that he wouldn''t be coming this year could break her heart. Lizzy felt for the little lady and what she had been through and spent the next few hours talking to Ms. Davies about her life, her visits from Hayden among other things. When she stood to leave, Ms. Davis asked Lizzy if she would come and visit again.
"I would love to." she said as she left the little lady with a hug. As she walked back to the lobby, she had a tear in her eye for being able to meet such a sweet lady.
Lizzy had every intention of visiting Ms. Davies again, but she never got the chance. Two months later on the exact day that Hayden rescued her, Ms. Davies passed away in her sleep just hours before breakfast. And for the fourth year in a row, Ms. Davies got to spend some time with Hayden on their anniversary.
9. Make A Fancy Meal For The Boys
Lizzy arrived home with Anna and Gale from North Carolina three days later and it was good to be back. The girls felt a little relieved when she put the urn back to where it was supposed to go, and the girls fought over the guest room, but compromised between using the spare room one week and then couch the next week. Gale had protested to Anna winning the first week in the spare room, but that all faded when she realized how comfy Lizzy''s very expensive pull out couch was. Four days passed and people started to settle in and get comfortable with each other before Lizzy came at them with the next task on the list.
"The next task," Lizzy started, "Requires us to do something nice for the boys down at Hayden''s firehouse."
"I know this sounds easy," Gale said as she was folding up her bed sheets, "But what do these fireman consider ''fancy'' will determine what we need to do to cast this job from the group."
"I agree." Lizzy said, "I''m going to call Jared later today and ask him what Hayden meant when he said ''fancy'' on the list." After the entire cake cooking debacle, Lizzy had decided not to underestimate any task on the list ever again and approach each one as if they were tougher than the previous. She wasn''t going to fall into that trap again which resulted in the task lasting over two months. This time she would make the call and make sure the answer was right and easier to take care of. She picked up the phone and dialed the number for the phone in the firehouse.
After a few rings someone picked up, "House 75, can I help you?"
"Yes, I''d like to speak with Jared. Tell him it''s Liz calling."
"Alright, Liz. No prob."
She waited a few seconds before Jared''s familiar voice came up. "You know Liz, we keep talking this much Beth''s going to think we got a thing on the go." he said with a hearty chuckle.
"Ha ha." Lizzy replied sarcastically. "Seriously, I need to ask you a question."
"Fire away." Jared said as he waited for his grilling.
"Well, I was talking to Hayden before he passed and he talked about giving the boys what he called a fancy meal to show everyone how much he appreciates them and their hard work. He specifically said about doing something ''fancy'', so what I''d like to know is what the guys at the house consider fancy."
"I see." Jared replied, "We''ll I''m glad you called this time out, because the term fancy like little lady has a completely different meaning here in the house."
"I assumed as much, do tell." Lizzy said.
"Well, it''s kind of like a bad means good thing. To us, the term fancy dinner means a barbecue. To use, a fancy mean is red meat on a grill. Beer and steak is usually our fancy meal of preference. So if you fired up a grill and cooked a lot of meat, that would do us just fine."
"Okay, so what day would be good to come over and fire up a barbeque for you?"
"I would recommend a Wednesday, for some reason we don''t get as many calls in the middle of the week. I guess not as many people with time on their hands would explain that." Jared paused for a moment, "Why did you want to hold a barbeque for the boys?"
Liz felt uneasy talking about the list, so she fibbed. "It was something Hayden and I always wanted to do for you guys. I''m going to rent a grill and be there Wednesday of next week. Okay?"
"Hey, sounds great to me Liz." Jared replied, "We''ll see you next week!"
Once Lizzy got off the phone she told the girls what the boys at the house considered a fancy meal. They laughed and were perfectly all right with the idea of just steaks and hamburgs being the meal rather than something that might actually be fancy. Leading up to that day they made a huge plan to serve the best barbecue they firehouse will ever see. There were going to be a variety of salads, drinks and even a variety of meats. There would be steaks, chicken, fish and even something veggie just in case someone was to ask for it. She had everything set up but to make sure everything was perfect, she needed to call in a ringer for the grill.
"I thought you said no ringers were allowed?" Anna asked kind of upset Lizzy was bending her own rules.
"This is kind of a ringer, but kind of not a ringer." Lizzy said as she sat down beside Anna to explain. "We are going to ask Hayden''s Dad, who''s a great griller and the perfect guy to cook dinner for the guys."
"Oh," Anna said as she thought about it, "I guess his Dad would love to cook the food for the guys. He also does love a good barbecue."
"That he does. He''d cook and I''d serve as usual. The old man loves a good cook out and to me it wouldn''t be the same without him." Lizzy paused for a moment, "And I think his Dad would love to do this for the house."
"Then it''s settled." Gale concluded. "Hayden''s Dad will be the grill man."
"Well, I have to ask him first." Lizzy said, "We don''t want to make any assumptions. I''ll drop by tomorrow and ask him in person."
So the next day, Lizzy took a trip to visit Hayden''s parents. A lot of people don''t like their in-laws, but Hayden''s family was always easy to get along with. When he first brought Lizzy over to meet everyone, Hayden was worried. That fear was unnecessary as Lizzy got along with her family a lot better than any other lady that he had ever brought home to meet the folks. The only person who wasn''t keen on her being around was Hayden''s mother, but to her no woman would ever be good enough for the baby of the family. Lizzy and his mother were still very civil with one another so it wasn''t like his mother work black on the wedding day or anything. She was as nice to Lizzy as she was to every other woman in her life, just not the kind of mom-in-law that went out of her way to do something with her. Lizzy never took offense from it, because a neutral mother-in-law was better than one you hated and that insulted you from a distance, so it always could''ve been worse. She still had plenty of people to gab with as Hayden''s sisters all loved the ground she walked on as she was the one to sweep their handsome brother off his feet and take him off the market. Hayden''s father liked her a lot as well. To him, Lizzy was the baby of the family because she was three years younger than Hayden who was the real runt of the litter.
Lizzy knocked on the door and was greeted with a warm smile as her father in law answered it. If it were not for the big box of some of Hayden''s stuff she had brought over, he would have given her a big bear hug. "Lizzy!"
"Hello Mr. Sheppard." she said with a smile.
"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Dad?" He said with a wide grin, "It''s nice to see you! Give me that..." Mr. Sheppard reached over and took the box from her and let her into the house.
Once inside, Lizzy was greeted by the brothers and sisters of Hayden that just happen to be visiting that day. It was a big family as Hayden had three brothers and three sisters. He was lucky number seven according to his father, the tie breaker that tipped the scales for the boys. While all of them had moved out and had homes of their own, most were in the same neighborhood which made it easy to visit mom and dad whenever they wanted to. While one of Hayden''s siblings was still living out of the basement, Lizzy preferred not to judge as David was going through a rough divorce and needed a place to crash while getting his finances in order. Despite getting a decent salary from his job with the police force, David needed to crash with his parents which turned out all right because Dad loved having an extra man around the house to help out with some household things. Mom liked having David home because it meant less leftovers for Dad to consume and it resulted in a little weight loss. While David made the best out of the situation he was in, he was determined to find a new place eventually and get out of everyone''s hair. Once the pleasantries were out of the way, Hayden''s Dad came in.
"We are having chicken enchiladas tonight for supper," He said, "You have to stay and join us!"
"Of course," Lizzy replied with a smile. "I would love to stay."
"Alright!" Mr. Sheppard hooted as he ran into the kitchen to tell his wife.
Lizzy walked over and sat down beside David, who was the oldest of all of Hayden''s siblings. They always got along and he was the big brother she never had. He always told her if she needed any help or favors to not hesitate to ask him and it would be done. She never needed his help in the past but was always happy to know the help was available should she ever need it.
"Hey Liz." Dave said as he watched her sit down. "Good to see you again. How are things going?"
"As well as one can expect." Lizzy said as she smiled. If anyone understood the idea of someone going down in the line of duty, it was a cop.
"We all miss the little bugger." David said, not one for elegant speeches. "So what''s up?"Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
"Well, I have a few questions about Hayden I was hoping you could help me with." Lizzy asked, hoping not to make things too awkward.
"Yeah, sure. Fire away." David seemed uneasy but was always willing to help family. At least information was free, until it led to something else.
"I have some information that seems weird to me, but made perfect sense to Hayden but I never got to ask him before he passed away. For example, do you know what a Hermy is?" Lizzy couldn''t believe she was asking this but tried anyway.
David gave out a small chuckle. "I know what a Hermy is. A lot of people do. Try asking me a question that no one else knows."
Lizzy decided to go with the flow and just keep asking questions. "Who is Shannon and Damon?"
David suddenly became very quiet after hearing those names as he got up from his slouched position, sat up in his chair and took a deep breath. "What do you know about Shannon and Damon?"
"Only their names." Lizzy replied. "How does Hayden know them?"
Realizing that Lizzy was lacking in a lot of Intel on the matter, David stood up from his chair. "At the moment, I''m not ready to speak about that. If Hayden didn''t tell you about Shannon and Damon, I''m not sure telling you now will do him any honor."
"How do you know them?" Lizzy then asked.
David knew how to interrogate someone and realized she was trying to pin him in a corner. "Liz, you''re not ready for this information. Give me some time and I''ll get back to you when I''m ready to talk about it. Alright?"
Even though David was not willing to reveal the information he had, the fact that he was willing to share it at a later time was better than nothing. It was further down the list anyway, so she had time to wait. "All right, I understand. We''ll talk about it later."
"Thanks, I appreciate the space." David walked out of the room and Lizzy found out moments later that he left the house and was gone for the rest of the day. Despite his quick exit, Lizzy was still having a great time, as was everyone else in the firehouse.
Once every one got to the table, the held hands and said grace. Even though Lizzy was not religious at all, but she participated anyway out of respect for their right to their own beliefs. She was a guest so it was best to do as they did in the household as to not offend anyone. Once they started to dig in, Mr. Sheppard held the tray of enchiladas up for Lizzy, "One or two?"
"One will be fine, thank you." Lizzy said as she watched Mr. Sheppard serve one of them to her plate. She waited patiently for dinner to end before trying to inquire about why she was really there. When every one was starting to feel stuffed and eager to hit the couch and vegg out, that is when she came forth with her ulterior motive. "Mr. Sheppard."
"Yes dear?" Mr. Sheppard said as he slouched in his captain''s chair.
"I was wondering if you could help me with something." She quietly asked.
"Anything, love. What''s on the go?" he quickly asked.
"Well, next week I am holding a barbecue dinner for Hayden''s firehouse. Just doing something nice for the guys and we''ve rented the biggest grill I have ever seen for it. They''ll be salads, sodas and desserts to go with all the steaks, sausages and other meats we''re going to have set up. The only problem is none of us planning it are any good at cooking anything on a grill. So we where hoping..." she made a gesture to indicate she wanted him.
"Me? You want me to get behind the grill and cook for the boys?" he repeated as he really didn''t know what else to say. He loved cooking on the grill, but he hadn''t done it once since Hayden had passed away. He didn''t want cook anything knowing that his little boy wasn''t going to be there to take his medium rare steak and baked potato. But Lizzy was doing this for the guys, for the brave men like his son who risk their lives to save complete strangers. If there was ever a time he was going to return to the grill, he couldn''t think of a better day to do it. "Is my favorite waitress going to be there to help me serve all these hungry firemen?"
Lizzy smiled and happily nodded. "Sure. If you cook''em, I''ll serve''em."
"All right then," he said with a beaming smile, "I''ll do it."
Lizzy was worried that her encouragement of Hayden''s Dad to do this would anger his mother, due to the fact that she got along with her father-in-law more than she did Hayden''s mother. Instead, Mrs. Sheppard showed the cracks of a small grin and nodded at Lizzy as she continued to eat her supper. It wasn''t too big of a hint, but it was more than anything she had shown for Lizzy in years, a gesture which Lizzy replied to with a smile of her own.
As the day came closer, Lizzy was getting everything ready when she realized she had too much stocked up for this dinner. There was a lot of food for just the members of the house, so she called Jared and told him to get the house to invite friends and family over because there was going to be more than enough for everybody. When that day came up, the setup outside the firehouse was one to behold. There were three tables set up with condiments, buns and salads to go with the meats that would be cooked that day. Many people lined up to get their steaks but the firemen were allowed to go first since it was their day and they were still on the clock, a call could come at any moment. Because they were on duty, Lizzy made it a dry event so there was no alcohol served. Her meeting with Hayden''s AA group also inspired her to stay away from the bottle herself for a while. She was very hesitant to drink very much since leaving New York with the girls. The video Hayden''s sponsor brought over and her own brother''s issues seemed to force her to think over everything she was offered from that point on.
Hayden''s Dad however was in his element, cooking the meats and making them to almost everyone''s liking but there wasn''t a single complaint. He grilled every thing so well, the men in the house asked him to cook the next time the firehouse had a barbecue, which he graciously accepted. Things were going very well until Jared came by with a new guest. Lizzy had served a few tables they had set up, and returned to the grill to see Jared and someone else speaking with Hayden''s father. As she walked up, Jared was the first to speak, "Liz, there''s someone here I want you to meet."
The man turned around, and she recognized him immediately, "Ben?"
Hayden''s AA Sponsor cracked a grin, "Yes, nice to see you again."
"Wait a second." Jared said as he stepped in, "You two have already met?"
"We met three months ago." Ben answered. "Liz came to one of our meetings to talk about Hayden and she returned his sobriety coin."
"Oh, so she knows everything?" Jared asked.
"She does and no, I didn''t tell her. She arrived to the meeting fully aware of everything by herself." Ben graciously took a plate from Hayden''s father that had a big greasy burger on it. "Thank you." he turned to face Jared and Lizzy again after taking a big bite. "Did you get the package I sent?"
"I got the tape, yes." Lizzy replied.
Jared had suddenly become very quiet. He disappeared into the firehouse and didn''t come back out for the remainder of the cook out. Lizzy had noticed this and became concerned. After Ben had left, she took a piece of cake and a scoop of ice-cream and went looking for him. She found him in the kitchen, sitting at the table and playing solitaire with a deck of cards. It was his way of having time to himself when he needed to think. He noticed she had arrived but didn''t say anything. Clearly something was wrong.
Lizzy walked over to the kitchen table and placed the bowl down. "You forgot to get some dessert." she quietly said.
"Thanks Liz." Jared said. He paused for a moment before putting down the cards and looking back at her. "So how many do you have left?"
"How many what?" Lizzy said slightly confused.
"The list." Jared explained, "30 things to do before you die. It all made sense when Ben arrived and you two had met. Item number five was ''attend another meeting''. Then you went to Central Park, visited the little lady in Carolina..."
"Thank you for that by the way." Lizzy quickly tossed in, "I would have completely messed that up if it wasn''t for your help."
Jared paused again. "You''re welcome." After that he reached into his pocket and produced his own piece of paper. "This is my list: the 30 things I want to do before I die. Hayden and I did this together, to inspire each other to complete it before either of us kicked the bucket. So because we wrote these together, I know that cooking a fancy meal for the boys is one of the items. Which one is this?"
"Number nine." Lizzy admitted since there was no point hiding it.
"How many did Hayden finish before he passed away?"
"Four."
"Not bad considering we only wrote up the list just a few months before he passed on. I guess he was pacing himself."
"To be honest the first few were really easy." Liz admitted, "There are a few that are so cryptic that I have no idea what they''re about."
Jared took a deep breathe, "Let me have a look."
Lizzy had a photocopy of the list in her pocket. The original remained at home in a very safe place. She handed it over to Jared, which she had no problem doing since he was Hayden''s best friend. The fact that he was present when the list was made up didn''t hurt either. They might have talked about a few of them when they were writing it up.
He looked over the list and giggled a bit. "Yeah, the first few were pretty weak. He''s leaving the heavy lifting to you."
"Seems so." Lizzy replied with a grin.
"Alright, let''s have a look here. The next one says ''eat a taco where it all started'', hmmm... a taco." Jared took a thinking position to ponder it.
"Skip that one." Lizzy admitted, "I already know it."
"Oh." Jared said as he sat back up. "All righty then. Let''s move on."
Jared did have the information to add, which helped explain of the items but there were still a few that were a complete mystery even to him. Apparently during the creation of the list, there were some details that Hayden didn''t want to explain even to Jared. His friend had no clue about Shannon or Damon was nor did he have a friggin'' clue what the hell a Hermy was. He dropped a few helpful hints on the a few others, which Lizzy thought was very nice of him.
"I don''t mean to pry." Lizzy said as she seemed on the verge of tears. "But why did you guys make these lists?"
"It was because of what happened at a firehouse on the other side of town." Jared answered, not looking up from the copy of the list she gave him. "A young lad in his early twenties got lit up at a really bad fire. We were there to back them up but we couldn''t save the poor kid. Hayden and I were talking a few days later, thinking about all the things that young man will never get a chance to do. We started talking about some of the things we wanted to do before we kicked the bucket and before you knew it, we were committing ourselves to paper and making a few bucket lists."
"How are you doing with yours?" Lizzy asked.
"Not bad." Jared confessed. "I''ve picked up the slack since Hayden passed, but I got a fair bit to do myself."
Lizzy stood up to leave. "If you need any help working on any of them, you know I''m here to help in any way I can."
"Thanks Liz." Jared replied. She let him keep that copy of the list and left him alone in the kitchen and back out to help Mr. Sheppard at the grill. Overall the barbecue was a huge success, and Jared even had the honour of crossing it off the list for her. They sat there in the kitchen and talked more about the list and the story about how it was made. After she finished talking to Jared, she went back down to join Anna and Gale along with Hayden''s Dad to start the most grueling task... clean up.
10. Eat Another Taco Where It All Started
Lizzy looked down at the list again and sighed. She knew exactly what this one meant and kept quiet for a few days, refusing to admit it to her friends. During that time she kept to herself and rethought about what she should do next. It also caused Anna and Gale to rack their brains over exactly what taco Hayden was referring to, which was rather redundant since she already knew what it meant. This item frustrated her so much, Lizzy had at one point considered tossing the list into the trash and walking away from it all. The reference was very personal, but Lizzy had no choice: this item was too much for her to handle alone. She sat in Hayden''s ugly green chair, wrapped in one of Hayden''s favourite blankets and thought about what she was going to do. To go through with this task would mean to open up a very old memory that she had never shared with anybody, except Hayden who was there to live it with her. It was one of those moments they shared together, something private. Yet in order for Lizzy to do this item on the list, she would have to tell them her friend the whole story. In the end Lizzy decided it was best to show them the place where it all started and explain it there.
It was around six in the evening when Lizzy, Anna and Gale arrived to the small food establishment and Lizzy looked around with wonder. Not a thing seemed to have changed as it looked the same way it did the last time she was there with Hayden. The ladies were greeted by the manager who was waiting tables that night and he whisked them all to a nice little booth in the corner and served them each a menu.
After he took off, Anna was the first to speak. "Why are we here? I mean this place isn''t exactly the first place I would have suggested."
"I know it''s not much." Lizzy said as she looked around. "But the staff is outgoing and polite and the meals are nothing short of amazing. They''re actually famous for one item in particular. If you manage to eat the entire thing, your entire table eats for free and you get your face put up over there on the wall of fame." She pointed over to a wall where there were only less than twenty pictures taken from a Polaroid camera of people who had successfully eaten this item. Above the pictures read a sign: The people who conquered ''the taco''.
"Oh my gaud." Gale said as she read the sign, "This is the place where it all started?"
"Yes, it is." Lizzy said.
"And Hayden ate one of these tacos?" Anna asked.
"Well the list does say eat ''another'' taco." Lizzy answered as she pointed to the wall, "Look at the picture in the upper right corner." The two girls quietly got up from their seat and walked over to the wall. They scanned all the pictures on the right side and there he was. Hayden had what looked like ten pounds of salsa dribbled all over the front of his shirt, but he was grinning from ear to ear and Lizzy was right behind him, laughing and hugging him from behind.
When they returned to the table, the girls were stunned. "So this is the place where Hayden ate the taco, but what started here?"
"We did." Lizzy answered. "That picture was taken during our first date."
Hayden sat in his chair, shifting around every few minutes. Finally he looked up at Lizzy with a childish grin on his face. That kind of face that you know men have when they are going to do something rash and risky. "I was thinking of doing something really big tonight." as he said that he pointed down at the menu to the biggest item on the list: The Wild Bill. It was a taco that was nothing short of enormous. Inside it was third of a head of lettuce, half a pound of cheese, two pounds of ground beef, and enough spices to kill a small animal just from smelling it. If anyone was able to finish the Will Bill in one sitting, the entire table would eat for free, and the person who ate it would have a picture posted on the wall of fame.
Lizzy looked at the item that he was considering. Apparently he would also get a free t-shirt that said ''I conquered the Wild Bill" that had a logo of the joint on it too. She looked at it again and then the wall before turning back at Hayden. "Are you sure you want to do something like this on our first date?"
"I think for all the glory," Hayden said as he took a sip of his beer, "You have to be willing to give anything a try."
"What you''re purposing is a really big commitment." Lizzy said as she also looked down at the menu. It said that if Hayden failed to eat the Taco, not only would you still have to pay for everyone eating at the table, the charge for an unfinished taco was forty-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents. The price was that steep to prevent people from trying without being fully committed. She was afraid that he would fail and then she would have to chip in and pay for the meal that she assumed he was going to cover.
"I know." Hayden said as he looked focused and determined. "But I think it''s worth the risk."
"Really?" Lizzy asked with an amused smile. "Are you sure about that?"
"With you here, I believe anything is possible." he said with a smile. He waited for the waitress to return to place their orders.
The waitress at first laughed when Hayden ordered the taco, but was more serious when he insisted. "You do realize it''s fifty bucks if you can''t eat it all, right?"
"Yes, I am aware of that. I''ll be okay." Hayden replied.
Lizzy went on to order something conservative, wishing that her date had done the same. It seemed to her that he was trying to do anything, even be foolish just to impress her on their first date. She had watched in disgust at first and then later with pride and amazement as Hayden took each bite towards infamy. Her husband to be had at the time went on to become only the fourteenth person to ever eat an entire Wild Bill taco. People at other tables cheered as Hayden put the last two bites into his mouth and he raised his arms in victory and stuck out his tongue to prove that he had finished the last bite and was successfully down. The taco was so stuffed of everything the joint could pack into it that a lot of salsa, melted cheese and sour cr¨¨me had spilled onto Hayden''s shirt. He was a mess and that was a new shirt he had bought just for his first date with Liz. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
The owner of the establishment came over and gave Hayden his shirt and got him to pose with it for his photo. When the flash went off, she had suddenly figured out the reason why Hayden had taken the risk to himself, his shirt and especially his stomach to win the prize. The photographer and the picture he had just snapped forever immortalized their first date and the picture would remain on their wall for as long as the place remained in business for everyone to look at. A picture of Hayden Sheppard and his friend Lizzy on their first date, there for everyone to look at and applaud every time they came in to eat. It was the one taco that turned their first date into an event, one the restaurant took the time to frame and hang on their wall.
Lizzy had never seen the photo since the time it was taken, but it was over five years ago and she remembered how they both felt about it. Not many people have a picture of their first date, and it was nice to see and know it was somewhere safe. Lizzy walked back to her table and joined Gale and Anna. They were both talking about how interesting this place was, and were scanning the menu for something they wanted to eat. Before they could say anything else, Lizzy took away their menus and folded them down in front of her. "We''re not ordering from the menu."
They both looked up at her, but it was Gale who spoke first. "And why not?"
"Because I''ve already ordered for us." Lizzy answered with a smile.
"Oh no!" Anna said as she put her hands in her face. "I am not eating that taco!"
"I have a very weak stomach." Gale said as she tried to weasel out. "I can''t handle spices that much, let alone this Goliath."
"Calm down." Lizzy said as she was almost ready to laugh, "I ordered only one taco, and it''s for all three of us."
The two women didn''t seem so frightened anymore and had a moment to calm down before the taco arrived. Three against one seemed like better odds.
"Alright." Anna said with a deep breath. "We''ll do it together."
When the taco arrived about fifteen minutes later, they were all shocked by its grandeur and obesity. They were stunned to imagine that Hayden had eaten one of these all by himself because if was almost the size of Anna''s head! Just from the smell of it, you could tell that it was packed with peppers, spices and probably anything hot in the kitchen the chef could shove into it. The three of them sat there and looked at it for a few moments, waiting for someone else to go first. To break the ice, Lizzy decided to go first. She grabbed a knife and fork and slowly cut a small sliver off the end of the taco and moved it to her own plate. She then cut off two more pieces smaller than her own and passed them to Anna and Gale''s plate.
"Dig in." she commanded.
"Thanks." Gale replied as she picked up her knife and fork.
Lizzy did wait and started to cut into her piece and eat it one small portion at a time. After the first few bites, Lizzy didn''t seem phased at all. "Not bad, no where near as hot as I..." she stopped for a moment. The other two girls were looking at her and she could feel a bead of sweat roll down the side of her cheek. She took out a mirror from her purse and looked to see that her face had turned a shade of red, and she was sweating profusely. She immediately grabbed some water and drank half a glass in an attempt to cool down.
Gale was the next to go and she cut a middle piece out and moved it to her own plate as well. Rather than take big bites out of the taco, they would nibble on their own pieces and then take another when the first piece was gone. Anna wasn''t good with spices and she turned an even deep shade of red as she ate her portion of the taco, coughing and going through water faster than Gale and Lizzy were. The owner came back every few minutes with a new pitcher of water to help them out. With each bit, their mouths burned with spices and peppers, eyes began to water and tears were present; if you didn''t know better, you could have swore all three women had just returned from a funeral from all the tears that were being shed. But everyone there was quite familiar with the taco, well aware of the tears the monster meal could generate.
Anna put her fork down after finished her second piece, "I can''t believe Hayden ate this entire thing by himself!" she said before downing a full glass of water.
"I can''t believe he wanted to eat this again!" Gale replied.
"You need a cast iron stomach to keep that down." Anna concurred.
"I am never eating spicy food ever again!" Gale cried with each torturous bite. With each horrific bite, every one of them had gained a new respect for Hayden and his ability to eat a lot of weird stuff.
The manager came over with more water and laughed as he saw the three crying women trying to tackle the taco together.
"Are you guys finished?" he asked, "Would you like me to take it away?"
"No!" Lizzy cried out as she guarded the plate from the manager. Encouraged by their drive to finish, the manager smiled and wished them luck on finishing the taco. After eating two portions each, there was an extra decent sized corner of the taco left they had forgot to count when portioning out the taco. Lizzy looked over and realized that her two friends had reached their limit, she was on her own. She put the utensils down and reached over, grabbing the last piece of the taco with her hands. The last portion was still almost the size of her hand as she picked it up and just took the biggest bite she could out of it. Without thinking, she just kept biting and chewing until there was nothing left but a big mess of salsa and grease on her hands. She looked back at her friends who staring back at her in awe. Lizzy was a complete mess with red sauce all over her hands, her face as well as her shirt which was clearly ruined. Lizzy smiled and then grabbed a napkin to clean her face.
"Scratch one more from the list." She said with a triumphant smile on her face.
"Good." Anna snapped back, "Because I''m never eating tacos again!"
Before Lizzy could reply to that, the manager arrived to speak with them and they couldn''t help but notice he had a camera with him. "Time for picture, I''m going to print it on the computer and put it on the wall."
"But there were three of us eating it." Anna said slightly confused. "I thought sharing was against the rules."
"That may be true," the owner replied, "But have you looked up there? There''s nothing but men up there. You are the first women to ever finish the taco! This is a rare feat and I think you all deserve to be on the wall."
The girls were delighted and accepted the invite to make the wall. Lizzy didn''t care about forking over fifty dollars to pay for the taco, her goal was something more personal. The manager waited for them to compose themselves and for Lizzy to clean her face with her napkin and then got them all to huddle together. The manager passed out three t-shirts that said ''I conquered the Wild Bill'' to pose with for the camera. He flashed a picture of his newest winners on his digital camera and ran off to his office to print off a few copies.
"This is so awesome!" Gale said in complete shock, "We''re going to make the wall with Hayden!"
Lizzy liked the thought of that, as the item was confirmed finished as they watched the manager place a new winner to his wall. He called Lizzy to come over and do something new that he changed since the last time she was there. Underneath their picture was a place where they could sign their names and leave a message or dedication. Lizzy and the girls all signed their names and as Lizzy signed her name last she made a dedication right under all their names. The girls took a look at what she had written and smiled and celebrated with a hug. Underneath the picture of the three girls sitting and with Lizzy''s shirt covered in salsa and taco sauce read two words: for Hayden.
11. Take Mom To See Paul
For the next task, Lizzy didn''t even have to leave her home to get things started. The first thing she did was go online to an auction site to make a purchase. She wasn''t fond of using websites like this, especially since Hayden loved to use sites like that to buy her special gifts. She had nothing against gifts, but when money was tight she didn''t like having that conversation with Hayden every time he went online and got something sweet for her. She didn''t have his password for the auction sight, but Gale had an account and was more than willing to help her use it. Lizzy took over and started to look around for the item needed to accomplish the next task. It took three days for the auctions to end, but in the end her quest to make the buy was a success. It wasn''t easy, and it cost her a thousand dollars to score what she was after but it was for Hayden''s mom and this time she wanted to make an effort to connect with her. Lizzy seemed genuinely happy to have won the auction.
Anna walked out of the spare bedroom and looked at her with a tired and what the hell are you doing kind of look on her face. It was nothing personal as Anna just always looked that way before having a cup of coffee.
"What''s going on?" she asked.
"I won my auction. Task eleven is on track to be completed!" Lizzy said with excitement. "Now I need to book a flight to London."
"London?" Gale repeated.
"Yes." Lizzy said as she started to look up some airline prices online. "Hayden''s Mom and I are going to need to fly there to see Paul!"
Gale stood up. ''Wait a second, you know who Paul is?"
"Yeah, how did you found out about that?" Anna said as she finally started to wake up.
"Well, I found out at the barbecue." Lizzy replied, "Jared told me about it after he grilled me about the list."
Jared sat in the kitchen, scanning over the list. "It''s a heavy list. Some look like they''ll be a breeze where a few will be tough to accomplish." He took another look. "Here''s an example of one that could be easy or hard, take the 11th: take Mom to visit some dude named Paul."
"I''m really afraid of that one. I don''t know who Paul is and I don''t want to hurt Hayden''s Father if I don''t know who the other man is." Lizzy was afraid of this one cause she had no idea about the history behind the man named Paul.
"Liz, calm down." Jared said as he smiled and almost laughed out loud. "I know who Paul is. Hayden''s Mom was born in the fifties, which meant during the sixties she was one of the screaming and very animated teenagers in America that witnessed a small event known as the British Invasion."
"You mean..." Lizzy said to herself as she tried to figure it out.
"What I''m saying is Hayden''s Mom was one of those teenage girls who worshiped the Beatles and the very ground they walked on." Jared continued, "The Paul that Hayden was making reference to is Sir Paul McCartney."
"So how do I take Hayden''s Mom to meet Paul?" Lizzy asked as she tried to figure out a way to set this up.
"It says take mom to ''see Paul'' not meet him. To see him all you have to do is buy a ticket to watch one of his shows." Jared put the list back down on the table. "That''s what Hayden meant by seeing Paul, rather than talking to him. He wanted to be there to witness his Mom see her teen idol on stage and share that moment with her. So in order for you to conquer this task, you have to get some cabbage and hit up some online scalpers for tickets."
"Oh," Lizzy said, "I can do that."
"Don''t be surprised if you have to fly out to another city to catch up with him." Jared said, standing up to leave. "I know you settled with the company that owned the building. Not that I blame you, courts can be held up for years. So you can afford to hit the web for a few tickets. That shouldn''t be a problem. You know what the toughest part will be."
"Yeah, I was afraid of that too." Lizzy said, distressed despite the fact she was very happy to have another item figured out. She was so worried that Paul was going to be something bad, but it turned out to be something simple but very cheerful. Hayden had wanted to take his Mom to a show to see her favorite singer, and to share that moment with her. She looked back down at the list, which didn''t seem as negative as it did earlier.
"Do you have any idea what a Hermy is?" she asked.
"Not a damn clue."
"That''s it?" Gale responded, almost disappointed. She was actually hoping that this was going to be a deep, dark mystery rather than something simple.
"I''m afraid so." Lizzy paused for a moment. "I''m really sorry for what I''m about to say, but, I need to do this task alone."
"How come?" Anna said with a faint whine in her voice. She was a pretty big Beatles fan too and was actually starting to look forward to this task.
"This is Hayden''s Mom. We can barely share a room together, so if I bring friends out and invite her to fly to another city and country to see Paul... she might be intimidated by the idea of an international all girls night. I want this to be something we can share together, and hopefully use it to get a little closer."
The girls seemed to settle down and realize what Lizzy said was true. She really did need to do this one on her own because it was a fact that she and Hayden''s Mom never had much of a chance to bond that much while Hayden was alive and this was the perfect chance to find some middle ground. As she drove out to the Sheppard home a few days later, Lizzy was petrified. She was worried that Hayden''s Mom might refuse to go, and that the task would never be finished. She paused at the door and gave it a soft knock. A few moments later Mr. Sheppard arrived at the door again and greeted her with another surprised grin and a big, bear hug.
"Lizzy!" He said, smiling at her. "Now what did I do to deserve two visits this week from my favorite daughter in law!"
"Hi Dad." Lizzy said with a smile, "I was hoping to talk to Mrs. Sheppard."
"Mom''s in the kitchen." He answered. "It''s tea time."
"Excellent." she stepped in and handed Mr. Sheppard a small travel bag. "Can you hold this for me? Won''t be a moment."
"Okay dear." Mr. Sheppard said as he complied and took the bag from her.
Mrs. Sheppard was in the kitchen with her tea, knitting something for one of her newest grandchildren, and listening to something in the background. Lizzy walked into the kitchen and took a seat across from her on the table. Mrs. Sheppard looked up and realized she was there. "Hello Elizabeth." she said without too much excitement. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
"What brings you here?" she asked Lizzy.
"I came to ask you for a favor." Lizzy said, not sure what answer to expect.
"Well, you may ask but I can''t guarantee you''ll get an answer you''ll like." she said as she looked back at the project she was working on.
"Something Hayden and I always did was talk about things we loved. And one thing we always enjoyed was taking about music and the artists we both loved and had in common." she paused for a moment. "One thing Hayden always told me was that he wanted to take you to a concert."
This comment caused Mrs. Sheppard to stop knitting and she looked up. "What kind of concert? I don''t listen to any of the rubbish you kids call music."
"When Hayden talked about it, he was referring to the Beatles."
"Well I hate to be the one to break it to you dear," Mrs. Sheppard said as she put her project on the chair beside her. "The Beatles kind of split up a long time ago and since then half of them have passed on. One of them not so pleasantly I''m afraid."
"That''s true, but your favorite Beatles is still out there." Lizzy said, "Hayden wanted to take you to one of his concerts. He wanted to be there to share that moment with you."
"He did?" Mrs. Sheppard replied, moved by this revelation.
"He wanted to bad enough to buy tickets." Lizzy reached into her pocket and pulled out the tickets that she had delivered to her apartment the day before. "These tickets went on sale months before he passed away. He bought them with the intent to take you with him."
Lizzy handed the concert tickets to Mrs. Sheppard for her to read them. Mrs. Sheppard was moved even more when she read the tickets: Two floor seats to see Paul McCartney, in another city. She looked up at Lizzy.
"London?" she said, looking rather surprised.
"Yes, the show is in two days." Lizzy added, "I just found them a short time ago."
"How are we going to find tickets to London this late??" She asked, suddenly eager to catch the next plane and go see the show.
Lizzy reached into her purse and pulled out two first class tickets to London. "How soon can you pack?"
For the first time, Mrs. Sheppard looked at Lizzy with something she hadn''t seen in a very long time: a smile. A really big one and she put her hand to her mouth as she looked like she was going to cry. She gave her back the tickets and for a moment Lizzy thought she was going to back away and turn down the invitation. But before she could say anything, Mrs. Sheppard turned back to her. "How much do I need to pack?"
Lizzy smiled and sighed deeply, "We''re only going to be there four days."
"Alright," she said, standing up. "I''ll be right back."
Lizzy watched as Mrs. Sheppard quietly exited the kitchen and went upstairs. Mr. Sheppard almost got knocked over as she bolted up the stairs. He came into the kitchen, still holding onto Lizzy''s travel bag.
"Where is she going?" Mr. Sheppard asked.
"To pack." Lizzy said with a smile, "We''re going to London."
"What on earth is happening in London that has you gals running out like this?" he asked.
Lizzy walked over and showed him the concert tickets. "Bribery."
He looked at them and then back at Lizzy. "That will win her heart... especially when you invite her to see the man of her dreams. Nice idea, Lizzy."
"I can''t take credit for it." Lizzy replied. "It was Hayden''s idea... I''m just doing it for him."
Hayden''s Dad gave her another big smile. "But it was your idea to take her yourself. You two are going to have so much fun."
"I hope so." Lizzy said, "I really want to do something special with her and bond a little."
"I have a feeling this might work. I haven''t seen her that excited about anything music related since the sixties." he giggled as he thought about those times. He then gave Lizzy another hug. "You two broads have a blast. I think this is the best idea ever."
"Thanks." Lizzy said.
Before she could say anything else, Mrs. Sheppard came running down the stairs with bag packed, ready to go. "Let''s get going. We have a flight to catch." She walked over to her husband and gave him a big heartfelt hug. "You and the boys will be all right till I get back?" she asked.
"I think we can manage." Mr. Sheppard replied.
"Not too much takeout hun. Please remember your cholesterol." she said and then turned to face Lizzy. "Let''s go, dear."
They then took a cab to the airport and had no trouble getting through baggage or security since they were flying first class. If anything the pampering of first class would make Mrs. Sheppard feel better and relaxed. The flight over was smooth and without many bumps and Lizzy even managed to nap a little. After catching another cab after getting out of the airport, they went straight to their hotel to check in. For the actual concert, Lizzy had rented a limo to get them so that neither of them would have to adapt to the idea of driving on the other side of the road. They had a day or two before the big show, so while in London there were many shops, galleries and historic sites to visit and take in. Neither of them had been to London before so they both got to explore and discover every bit of it together. This was something that the two of them were going share just between them, and it was the bonding that Lizzy was hoping for from the mother-in-law that never had much time for her.
Then came the night of the big show. Lizzy and Mrs. Sheppard didn''t dress up but were not dressed down for the occasion either. They arrived to the arena about an hour before the show was to start, and by the time it came to start the place was packed, not an empty seat in the house. Then the lights went out and everyone in the arena freaked out and started to scream. They shouted, chanted and clapped until the music started and that''s when the roof was almost blown off the place. The man they were all waiting and paid hand over fist to see finally came on stage, and everyone was transported back to another time, and so started the show of a lifetime for Mrs. Sheppard.
"You say yes... I say no... you say stop... and I say go, go, gooooooo..."
Everyone was on their feet, singing and clapping away and Mrs. Sheppard couldn''t help but do the same. Singing along with every song as the memories came flooding back to her and she was young again watching the idol she had never seen perform live for what seemed like a few lifetimes later. She knew every word, hung of every note and beat and was right into the show like everyone else. Lizzy was a fan of that music too and she was able to share and enjoy the night with her mother-in-law, together. Everyone couldn''t get enough and screamed and whooped it up as much as they could.
"Hello, hello... I don''t know why you say good-bye when I say hello."
Lizzy looked over at Mrs. Sheppard she could see the look in her eyes, the same she had when she was that young girl, back in the sixties during the British Invasion. The same girl that watched the Ed Sullivan show when the Beatles made their big television debut, collected every LP and listened to them while dancing with her friends when they came over to play. All the magic and hopes from that era came flooding back to her and countless fans in the arena and they returned the love back to Paul with one standing ovation after another and cheered him on till they couldn''t cheer anymore. Lizzy felt nostalgic and enjoyed every minute of it. It was the concert of a lifetime and she was able to share it with someone she loved and appreciated the show more than any other person she knew ever could.
The show went on for an amazing three hours, with one short intermission in the middle of it all. Lizzy wanted to make sure that they could commemorate the event and went hog wild with the gift shop during the intermission. She bought countless t-shirts for them and even for everyone back home, especially Gale and Anna. When she and Mrs. Sheppard had left, her mother-in-law literally floated out of the arena. She had seen the show of her life , one that she thought was never going to be possible. She turned to face Lizzy with the biggest grin that Lizzy had ever seen, let alone one pointed at her.
"I know this was Hayden''s idea," Mrs. Sheppard started, "but you were the one who made it happen. I feel bad for not being the mother-in-law that I should have been. It was nothing personal, no parent every thinks there is anyone out there good enough for their baby."
"I know that, but there''s still time." Lizzy said with a tear in her eye. "I haven''t had a Mom in over two decades and I miss having someone there when I need to talk."
"I''m so sorry it took this long for me to come around. I just didn''t like the idea of my youngest growing up leaving the nest. It all went by so fast." Mrs. Sheppard said as she gave her daughter-in-law a big hug. "I promise I will make an effort. I''ll be there for you Hun."
Lizzy was starting to cry. "You have no idea what it means to hear you say that."
"Well I have one more thing to say." Mrs. Sheppard said as she stood up straight and cocked a small grin. "Doesn''t Paul look amazing for his age?"
"My gaud, you are so right!" Lizzy agreed. "He doesn''t look a day over fifty."
"All that and he can sing too." Mrs. Sheppard gushed. He still had her heart after all these years, her favorite Beatle.
The two women returned to the hotel and called it a night. When they had arrived to London only days earlier, they were two people. As they left to fly back to America, they did so as family, a feeling that made the entire trip so worth the effort. It was the healing power of music, the comfort of times past among that allowed the two to connect and find common ground. Lizzy''s only regret was that Hayden couldn''t be around to have seen it. Her less than stellar relationship with his mother was always a sore spot with him, and he had always hoped something like this would one day happen. After they came home, Lizzy started to come by at least two times a week for tea. Mrs. Sheppard even started to show her how to knit so that they could both work on a stitch together with their tea. Mr. Sheppard looked into the kitchen many times, stunned to see how one concert could repair the bridge that many in their family thought would remain forever burned. It was actually his son that did it for them, planting the idea for Lizzy to take and run with. Even in his afterlife the man is still saving lives, the old man thought to himself as he walked away from the kitchen, still proud of his boy.
12. Get To 60 And Go Epic
After the success of seeing Paul in concert, Lizzy needed to get back to the list and keep momentum going. It had been a few months since Lizzy had started the list she felt a true sense of accomplishment seeing that a third of the list had been completed. Eleven of thirty items was a lot, and she wasn''t ready to slow down. She had more tasks to do but before anything could be done, some had to be interpreted the right way or they risk not doing the right thing and messing it all up. So when she looked back at the next several tasks on the list, many of them stumped her. She had no clue where to go from there. Neither Gale nor Anne could make sense of them either, no matter how hard they racked their brains, they couldn''t figure out what the hell Hayden was referring to when he wrote the next several items down.
Another week had passed until someone reached out to offer a little help. There was a knock at the door one morning, and Lizzy strolled over to the door unsure who it was. When she opened the door, it was one of the men from the firehouse. One of the younger men that Hayden was working with before he passed away, named Crispin. He was a young and handsome young man so when he entered the apartment, both Gale and Anna liked what they saw but did their best to keep their glee to themselves. After she let him into the apartment, she was very confused.
"What ''s going on, Crispin?" Lizzy asked.
"Well, I was talking to Jared last night." Crispin started. "He told me that you guys could use a little help with the list."
"Jared told you about the list?" Lizzy asked. She was a little surprised at first but it soon passed as she realized Jared had told her for a reason. Considering how much they were struggling at that moment with the list, any help they could get would be great.
"Well, Jared thought you guys are stuck." Crispin confirmed, "He showed me his copy of it, and when I read it one of them popped out. I came by on my day off to help you."
"And which part of the list are you going to help us with?" Anna asked, using the question as an excuse to get close enough to smell his neck for possible aftershave or cologne.
"The one about going epic and reaching level sixty." Crispin said, almost laughing. "Didn''t Hayden tell you about our online game?"
"I remember him saying something about it." Lizzy replied looking back at the other girls before turning her attention back to Crispin. "What was it called again?"
"Secrets of the Sword." Crispin answered. "Hayden got into the game because I was so deep into it. This is a very complex role playing game. We were playing together for over a year before he passed away. So when I read the part about going epic, I knew this was something I could help with."
"Yeah, what the hell does that mean?" Anna quickly asked, hoping the handsome young fireman might have the answer.
"In this game, Hayden and I were both Paladin Knights and the term "go epic" means you reach level sixty which allows you to upgrade a lot of your stuff to what is called ''epic'' gear. The last time I checked, he was in his mid-fifties so he never made it to his goal."
"I''m not one for playing video games, and I don''t think that..." Lizzy turned to face the other two girls. They shook their heads to indicate they had no idea.
"I''m actually volunteering to help Hayden''s character reach the level needed to complete the goal." Crispin informed her. "I just wanted to ask for permission before I actually logged into his account and started to level him up."
"We''ve been trying to avoid using ringers, but since you are a friend of Hayden''s I guess that doesn''t count." Lizzy paused for a few moments, "Are you able to log in from here so we can see it?"
"Of course." Crispin said as he walked over to the computer.
He opened a program from an icon that Lizzy always saw but never realized what program it opened. They watched with mild curiosity as highly detailed game loaded up and Crispin logged in as Hayden''s Paladin that was named ''Dameos''. He was defender of the human race from other side, which consisted of orcs, demons and trolls. Lizzy could tell the game was well made but it wasn''t something she never even knew Hayden was playing in his spare time. She and Hayden had their own computers, so when he was playing this game on his desktop, she was using her notebook or reading an actual book on the couch. Crispin explained that Hayden didn''t play that game too often, logging on only once or twice a week and most of the time that was when she wasn''t even home or working late at the restaurant. This made Lizzy feel a little better as she didn''t want to think she had been ignoring Hayden to the point where he had to turn to video games to amuse himself.
"Wow, this is quite amazing." Anna said as she watched him play. She really couldn''t comprehend what was going on but was more interested in the player rather than the game.
"Yeah," Lizzy said as she watched from a distance. "Interesting."
She had heard of this game, but never really saw it in person and was interesting by how Crispin grinded through the fictional reality. There were castles, villages and even rivers and lakes for the character to get around while questing for items and reward. It wasn''t her cup of tea, so she was very pleased that someone was willing to step up and take care of this for her. She could tell from her distance that Crispin had been playing this game for a while as he motored through enemy combatants and got quests done with ease as he already knew how to complete them. Lizzy didn''t want to sit around and watch forever so she went to her own computer and decided to use the extra time and the person helping out to do research to help her complete the rest of the jobs listed in the list. She attempted to look up websites that gave details about Hayden and his past life. To help with that she opened an account on websites meant for people to contact each other from days past. With it she used it to look up old photos, names and people. She had a hard time finding anything, but then she caught a lucky break. There was a picture of Hayden in his high school football days. He was dressed in full gear but had his helmet off. There was also a cheerleader that was behind him with her arms around his neck giving him a big hug. At the bottom it was the name she had been looking for: Shannon. The mystery woman with her arms around her husband was someone from his past. Then she came across another clue when she reading quotes. The line said ''Hermys are not accepted where you''re going boy!'' and that got her back up. She peeked into the living room to check up on Crispin who was more then settled into the game. He had already levelled Hayden''s Paladin a level since logging in, and Anna kept watching and pretending to be interested in what the handsome young man was doing.
Lizzy walked up to Gale who was reading a magazine on the sofa. "We need talk, my room." Gale put down what she was reading and followed Lizzy into the bedroom where she took the laptop and showed it to her. "What exactly does this mean?"
Gale read over the line and took a deep breathe. "Man, are people are still harping over that little piece of shit."
"I want to know right now." Lizzy said. "What the hell is a Hermy and why couldn''t someone take it where they were going?"The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Gale took a deep breathe and looked back at Lizzy. "Are you sure you want to hear about this. It isn''t exactly Hayden''s finest hour."
"I want to know about it," Lizzy insisted, "I don''t care what it does about his image. I know who my husband was."
"Really? Because you had no idea he was an alcoholic and obsessed with an online role playing game. Do you want me to add thief to the list?" Gale was never one to beet around the bush and she was up front and in Lizzy''s face. She paused for a moment and back away. "I''m sorry about that. This whole Hermy thing isn''t something any of us like to remember."
Lizzy hesitated for a moment and realized that Gale was trying to protect her and her image of her husband. But she wanted to know the truth, not a half truth that she lived. She wanted to know everything. "I want to know. What makes you think he''s a thief?"
"That item on list is his confession." Gale said as she pointed at it. "He said give Gary back his Hermy. We all knew what a Hermy was, and who owned it. The only thing I didn''t know was who stole it from him."
"Oh." Lizzy said as she looked at the list. "So by saying that it''s time to return Hermy to Gary... he''s basically admitting to being the man who took it away in the first place."
"Pretty much Liz, but that''s not the whole story." Gale walked over to a chair in the corner of the bedroom and took a seat. "When Hermy disappeared, Gary took it very personally. It was an item that he valued a great deal and when it was stolen, he literally flipped out. He accused several people of taking it away from him. He even started a fight in the middle of the cafeteria and it took several people to pry him off the person he thought had taken it. Then when he got home, after being suspended, he got into a fight with his own family and accused his father of taking it away from him. The police had to get between them and that''s when everything changed. It took less than twenty-four hours for Gary to be expelled from school and charged with several crimes ranging from disturbing the peace to assault. The judge agreed to give Gary probation if he agreed to attend a military school of his father''s choosing. No one ever heard from Gary again after he left that week to attend his new school."
"I can''t believe it." Lizzy said as she sat down. "Losing one item caused all this to occur in someone''s life? What was Hayden thinking?"
"He wasn''t." Gale replied, "Hayden was only fourteen when that happened. Were you an angel when you were that age?"
"Not even close." Lizzy confessed, though she never remembered something like this happening in her past.
"Neither was I." Gale said, "And no one had any idea how Gary would react to something we all thought would be so simple and childish."
"Such as his Hermy?" Lizzy suggested. "I assume it was going to be returned the next day?"
"That''s very likely but a lot changed in less than a day. Hayden never had a chance to give it back before it was too late." Gale seemed very saddened by this. It was not something she was proud of. "I''m sure it tore Hayden up with guilt over what happened."
"But he wanted to make it better." Lizzy said as she picked up the list. "Right here it says give Gary back his Hermy. That means he still has it and likely kept it for the expressed purpose of returning it. So all we have to do is find it because it''s likely here. Then we find out where Gary lives, pay him a visit and give him back the Hermy. He''s likely missed for a very, very long time."
"Do you really think it''s here?" Gale asked.
"It has to be. Hayden would never have added this to the list if he didn''t know where it was." Lizzy was about to start looking when she stopped in her tracks and turned back to Gale. "Give it up. What the hell is a Hermy?"
"Alright, I''m sorry." Gale said as she hopped out of her chair, eager to help her look for it. "Hermy is a teddy bear."
"A teddy bear?" Lizzy said in complete shock. "This Gary beat people up and almost got a criminal record because someone stole his teddy bear??"
"Like I said, not the reaction anyone expected." Gale said with a shrug. "From what I heard its brown, has short arms and a missing nose. So if you have a storage room with packed boxes that might be a good place to start."
Lizzy was about to lead her to the storage room, but she stooped two steps to the door and turned back to face Gale. "Did you say it was missing a nose?"
"Yes. Do you know where it is?" Gale asked.
Lizzy walked over to the other side of the bedroom and to Hayden''s dresser. She took a deep breathe and opened the top drawer and pulled out the teddy bear that she had found when she first cleaned out this dresser. She turned around and showed it to Gale.
"Did it look something like this?" she asked.
"Holy shit!" Gale said as she literally freaked out. Her mouth was gaped open and she was pointing at it. "That''s it! I can''t believe it''s still in decent shape after all these years!"
"Hayden had it with him the entire time." Lizzy said as she took the bear back from her. "I think he wanted to take it back, but never had the courage to fess up to what he had done to Gary."
"So what do you plan to do about it now?" Gale asked.
"Exactly what the list says." Lizzy said with a smile as she gave the small bear a hug. "I''m going to give Gary back his Hermy."
"Do you really think that''s such a good idea?" Gale asked with a touch of concern. "There''s no guarantee that man is over it. I''d rather not risk facing that man''s wrath."
"We''re not taking it away from him." Lizzy said with a smile. "We are returning it. I don''t know about you but I''d want this back no matter what. I bet for whatever reason, Gary still wants this back."
"Alright, but I''m going too." Gale said.
As they walked to the door, Crispin and Anna bumped into them in the hallway. Lizzy looked at them strangely. "Is everything going okay here?"
"Yeah, we''re all done." Crispin said, beaming with pride. "Hayden''s character is level sixty and has gone all epic."
"Already?" Lizzy said as she consulted her watch. "You''ve been only at it about forty five minutes! How did you do that so fast?"
"Like I told you before, Hayden was not a very active player." Crispin said with a grin, "And he''s never as good at this game as I am. It was no problem leveling him up."
"If you don''t mind." Anna said as she put an arm around Crispin''s shoulder, "I''m going to take our little helper here out for lunch since he skipped breakfast. Do you guys mind if I tag along next time?"
"No prob." Lizzy said with a grin. "We''re going to take this Hermy back to Gary. Nice work though!"
"No problem." Crispin replied. "I was happy to help."
"Thanks again." Lizzy said as she gave Crispin a big hug. Gale and Lizze watched Anna and Crispin leave the apartment and couldn''t help but giggle.
"Now what?" Gale asked.
"Now I need to get some information on a person we''re looking for." Lizzy walked into the living room and sat Hermy in Hayden''s ugly green chair while she picked up the phone, sat on the couch and dialed David''s number. When you''re looking for someone, having someone with access to the police database was the best way to go.
The phone rang a few times before David finally answered. "Hello?"
"David. It''s Lizzy."
"Didn''t I say I needed some time to get back to you?" David started.
"It''s not about that... not yet." Lizzy replied.
"Alright, what''s it about then?" David asked.
"I found out what a Hermy is and I need you to help me find Gary." Lizzy guessed that David was aware of the entire history and didn''t need to say anything about it.
"Why do you want to speak with Gary?" David asked.
"Because Hayden was the one who took his Hermy." Lizzy replied and waited for David to reply.
There was a long silence from the other end. "So what good will seeing him do?"
"I have his Hermy." Lizzy informed him. "I want to give it back."
There was another long pause. "You have Hermy?"
"Yes." she confirmed. "Can you look up an address so I can give it back?"
"No." David answered.
Lizzy paused for a moment stunned. "Why not?"
"Because this might be dangerous." David replied.
"I think you''re exaggerating just a bit." Lizzy retorted.
"You didn''t know Gary." David said before you could hear him sighing on the other side. There was another pause after that. "I want you and Hermy downstairs in thirty minutes. I''ll be there to pick you up. We''ll take that little bugger back together."
13. Give Gary Back His Hermy
True to his word, David was there in less than a half hour. He pulled up right to where Lizzy and Gale were standing. Lizzy hopped into the front passenger seat while Gale took a seat in the back. David didn''t even say hello and just pulled out and started to drive. It was complete silence in the car before finally David said something to them both.
"When Lizzy first started asking questions about Hermy," David started, "I did a little digging around just to satisfy my own curiously. Gary went straight from military school to the actual military service. He served in various wars for our country and still works for Uncle Sam. His base is located just outside town. Sergeant Major Gary Smith is training at Fort McClarren right now. The base is restricted to the general public, so the only way you can get on site is with police escort."
It took them a little under an hour to get to the base that was just located outside town. From what Lizzy could tell there were a lot of new recruits that were all eager to be the best they could be for Uncle Sam. While Lizzy had her opinions about war and the politics behind them, she was aware of her surroundings and knew this was a time to keep those thoughts to herself. As the pulled up to the gate to enter the base, a guard stepped forward to block their entrance.
"Please identify yourself."The guard requested.
David didn''t hesitate to pull out his badge. "Detective David Sheppard, we''re here to speak with Sergeant Major Gary Smith."
The guard went back into the booth and called in the request. A few moments later he returned.
"Come on in, Detective." The guard said, "Take a left when this road ends and you''re looking for building B12."
David smiled, "B12, thank you."
Once the gate was up, David floored the car onto base and quickly found the building they were looking for. Once he stopped the car, he shut off the ignition and immediately turned to face Lizzy and Gale.
"You''re free to come along," David instructed, "But I do all the talking. I mean it. Until I say so not a single word out of either of you. Understood?" He paused for a moment, "Where''s the bear?"
Lizzy patted her purse, which was more the large enough to fit the teddy that started this whole mess. "He''s right here."
"Keep it there until we really need it." David said as he opened the door. "Let''s go and not one word."
As they got out of the car David took the lead and as he was walking up to the building he spoke to an officer that was walking out. "We''re looking for Sergeant Major Smith. Is he inside?"
"Who wants to know?" the officer sniped back.
David again flashed his badge. "Lose that chip of your shoulder pal and just answer my damn question. Where can I find Smith?"
"He should be back soon." the soldier replied. "He took his crew for a jog."
As the soldier said that, Lizzy immediately understood what he meant. She looked behind her and noticed in the distance there was twenty five men jogging towards their location, chanting something you only thought they did in the movies but it was quite real and in her face which was startling. When the brigade arrived to their location, she watched as the drill sergeant ordered them to halt and remain at attention. The man who was running that crew stuck out easily with a large hat and a whistle around his neck. He was also build like a house and looked like he could kick anyone''s ass... even David''s and up until this point Lizzy thought David was the toughest man she had ever seen. She then realized why David didn''t want her to come alone.
David however was ready to live up to his reputation and showed no fear as he walked up to Smith and flashed that badge of authority in the Drill Sergeant''s face. "Sergeant Major Smith?"
The big man smirked when he heard his name. "That''s me, and what the hell do you want?" Smith sniped back at David.
"I''m Detective Sheppard," David told him, "I need a moment of your time."
"My time is very valuable, Sheppard." Smith said with little regard or respect for the man talking to him. "Maybe you can come back when I''m done with these punks."
"Maybe I can toss you in cuffs and continue this conversation downtown!" David said as he went nose to nose with the big soldier. He had no intentions of hauling Gary anywhere, but usually just saying that would get people talking.
Lizzy didn''t want to say anything but David and Gary were two alpha males that were trying to make themselves look like the bigger man in front of everyone else in a very public setting. She decided to take it upon herself to interrupt and try to settle the guys down.
"I''m sorry Mr. Smith," David continued, "But I need to talk to you regarding Hayden Sheppard."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"I knew him, but that was a long time ago." Gary then turned his attention to David when something dawned on him. "You''re his brother. What the hell is this about?"
Lizzy couldn''t understand why David acted so aggressive, but that might have just been the way the man worked when on the job. She could tell he wasn''t too fond of her budding in but it was too late. "We came to talk to you about something that happened a long time between you and Hayden, who was my husband."
"If it''s between me and your husband." Gary repeated very coldly, "Then why isn''t his chicken shit ass here with you?"
"He''s dead." Lizzy answered.
"Figures." Gary said coldly.
"He was a fireman and he died in the line of duty." David said as he looked like he was about the clock the Sergeant in the head. "You show some respect for the dead, especially a real hero like my brother."
Before Gary could respond to that gripe, Lizzy stepped in again. "This is about Hermy!"
Just stating that name brought something out of Gary Smith. His face flushed and his knuckles turned white as he clenched both fists. He paused for a moment and took a deep breath before addressing the twenty plus soldiers that were still standing at attention.
"You pieces of snot droppings have sixty minutes to run back to your barracks and make it acceptable for inspection." he roared at them. "I want the floors to be so clean I can eat off them! The clock is running... move, move, MOVE!!!!"
Lizzy watched as the soldiers all started a mad dash for their barracks, which were likely no where near ready for inspection. Then Gary turned back to face Lizzy and he didn''t look very happy or impressed with her revelation.
"Do you know who took my Hermy?" he asked.
"Yeah." David said as he stepped in. "I did."
Lizzy had no idea what was going through David''s head, but he seemed eager to get something on with Gary every since his rash comment about Hayden''s death. His false confession to stealing Hermy was all he needed to say to get it started. Gary didn''t hesitate to run at David and swing the first punch, but since David saw it coming a mile away he stepped out of the way and tried to land a punch of his own. Gary however blocked it and returned with a body shot that not only knocked the wind out of the detective, but send him to his knees hurt and barely able to breathe. Gary was about to kick David while he was down, an apparent sign of how angry he was but Lizzy had had enough. She stepped in front of David, holding in her arms the mother of all human shields: his Hermy.
"Hermy!" Gary hushed as he stopped dead in his tracks. It had been almost twenty years since he had seen the bear and it was almost enough to make the tough soldier cry right there in the middle of the base.
"I''m not here to upset you." Lizzy said as she stepped closer. "We came here to return something that is rightfully yours."
She walked up and handed him a piece of paper. "Look at number thirteen. Hayden stole your Hermy a long time ago and was trying to find the courage to return it himself. Since he never got the chance to do that, I''m here to do it for him."
She held out the bear and offered it back to Gary. The big man was on the verge of crying, but he didn''t. He took the small bear from Lizzy and held it in his arms for the first time in two decades. What Lizzy didn''t realize was the truth behind Gary''s emotional attachment to this bear, and no one really did which is why his response was so shocking to everyone.
"My grandmother made this for me." Gary told her, "Sewed it together with her own hands. It was the only thing I remember her giving to me. She was a wonderful lady and she passed away when I was five. This was the last thing she ever gave me and I wanted to keep it so that I could pass it on to my own children one day." the man who had looked meaner than a junkyard dog, bulging with muscles and a buzz cut that made any man look fierce. And yet there Gary was, starting to soften right before her eyes. "Thank you very much for taking the time to bring him home. Your efforts are greatly appreciated."
"I did it for Hayden." Lizzy said as she pointed to the part of the list that was still in Gary''s hand. "It''s right there. Hayden wanted to return it, and I think he would have found the way if he had more time."
"I''m sorry to hear about his passing." Gary replied as he passed the list back to her. "It sounds like he made a good life for himself and made a real difference in this world."
"He did, and so did you." Lizzy said as she offered the Sergeant a hand. "It was a privilege to meet you and I''m sorry we didn''t get this back sooner."
"If there is anything I can do to repay you, don''t hesitate to ask." Gary asked, and before he knew it Lizzy was ready to take him up on that offer.
David was still struggling to get up and Gale was helping him now. Lizzy reached into her purse and pulled out the picture of Hayden and the mystery girl from high school. "Actually, can you tell me who this lady is?"
Gary took a quick look at the photo and grinned. "Of course I can. That''s Shannon Nichols. She and Hayden were high school sweethearts. Don''t be green about it, that was before your time, Miss." he said with a friendly wink.
"Alright." Lizzy said as she put the photo away. "Thank you for your time."
"No, thank you." Gary said as he smiled back.
Lizzy walked over and helped Gale take David back to the car. David needed a few moments to compose himself and while he did that Lizzy watched Gary walk his Hermy back into the officer''s barracks. He seemed content and at peace. While it looked weird to see the big man holding his teddy bear, Lizzy was happy to see that this issue Hayden was afraid to confront himself had been finally resolved. As they were driving out, Lizzy was the first to speak.
"Would anyone here like to tell me why the Shannon I had been asking about was Hayden''s high school sweetheart?" She demanded with a stern voice. "Anyone?"
Both David and Gale where quiet as they didn''t want to respond.
"Well you two had better talk soon," Lizzy added, "because I am going to find her and when I do it will be one conversation you do not want to miss."
"You don''t want to talk to her." David said, "It would just cause problems."
"I will be the judge of that!" Lizzy snapped back, "I want to know about these two and you guys are going tell me right now!"
David could tell this was going to be one long ride back downtown but he had no choice. She wanted the info and she was going to get it so he might as well be the one to break all the news to her. It was time she knew the truth.
14. Visit Shannon and Damon
Shannon and Hayden had always been close, even after high school but they split on mutual terms when she left to attend college and he went on to become a fireman. She didn''t want to be married to someone with such a dangerous profession and for a while Lizzy was thinking she was the smart one for not falling for someone like that but she still had no regrets. While in the car, David spilled the beans about what he knew concerning Shannon and Damon. It all started when David was working a case downtown because they had found a body in the ally and that resulted in him and four other detectives knocking on every door to ask if anyone saw anything. He came up to one door and David could have been knocked over with a feather when he realized it was Shannon who had answered it.
David had knocked on the door a few times, and waited patiently because he could her someone inside. He was slowly becoming more impatient with each knock. "Open the door, this is the police!"
A few seconds later, the door finally cracked open. A young, blonde haired woman answered the door.
"Can I help you?" she softly asked.
It was right then and there that David realized who it was.
"Shannon Nichol?" he said with complete surprise. "It''s me, David Sheppard!"
"Oh, hello." She said with less enthusiasm. "I didn''t realize it was you. I thought you said you were the police."
"I am the police." He said with a smile, holding up his badge. "There was a crime committed in the apartment down the hall. We''re just checking to see if anyone saw or heard anything going on a few hours ago."
"Is everything alright?" Shannon asked.
"I really can''t get into it." David answered. Yet as he said that, Shannon was looking over her shoulder. David wasn''t the kind of guy to panic, but considering the serious issue that was being investigated down the hall, he wasn''t in the mood to take any chances. Without any warning, he barged into the place and even had his hand on his gun when he did so. His cop instincts were telling him that Shannon was hiding something, and while he was right about that, what she was hiding had nothing to do with the crimes down the hall. Standing in the hallway behind his mother was a small boy, no more than three years old. He was the spitting image of his brother and without saying a word as he looked at Shannon for a moment and then walked out the door. It was a few days later at one of Dad''s barbecues that David took Hayden aside and confronted him. He told his brother about talking to Shannon and seeing the boy.
"What have you got to say for yourself?" he asked.
"What do you expect me to say?" Hayden asked.
"I don''t know." David said as he openly mocked him. "Gee, I''m sorry might be a good start in such situations."
"I don''t know what for." Hayden asked.
David was less than impressed to the point where he started a scuffle right there in the back yard with Hayden. It took several people to break the two of them apart.
Lizzy remembered the fight that David was referring to. She had no idea what it was about and Hayden has refused to talk about it saying it was between him and David. Turns out it had a lot to do with her and this Shannon and this boy. She looked back at David whose eyes were firmly on the road, as he had a hard time looking back at her.
"You okay, Liz?" he asked.
Lizzy paused for a moment. "Is that boy Hayden''s son?"
David took a deep breath. "I have no proof but my gut says yes."
It was more than what Lizzy was willing to take. "Take me there, now."
David was going to protest but then realized that look in her eye meant business and he changed lanes and the direction he was going in and started to drive towards their new destination. David pulled up to the building which he had no trouble finding since his job required him to be in this part of town often.
"Here we are." David said, "Now when we get up there..."
"No." Lizzy said as she interrupted him. "Both of you are staying down here. I want to speak with this woman alone."
Both of them wanted to protest, but couldn''t find the words to do it. After what had happened with Gary, David really didn''t have the strength or the breath left to put up another fight. "You''re looking for apartment five, zero, six."
"Thank you." Lizzy said as she got out of the car and walked into the building. She had considered buzzing in, but when someone came out to leave Lizzy decided to hold the door open and then used it to let herself in. Once inside it was a piece of cake to get up to the fifth floor and look for the apartment David told her to find. Lizzy paused for a moment and then knocked on the door and waited for a response.
"Who is it?" a voice called out.
"My name is... June. We have a friend in common." Lizzy said trying to sound as friendly as possible. "Hayden Sheppard."
There was a pause at the door and then Lizzy listened as multiple pad locks upturned and the door opened. "How do you know Hayden?"
"We were cousins." Lizzy replied. Lizzy had dropped the name June because Hayden had told her that was the cousin that he could tell almost anything to. They were very close since they grew up together. As she patiently waited for the door to open, Lizzy could hear someone running up and down the halls.
"Damon, try to settle down." The lady called. "We have company."
Lizzy patience paid off as she could hear the lock turn and then the door opened for her. Shannon was standing there and she was a little older but Liz could recognize her from the photo in Hayden''s yearbook.
"Hi there," Lizzy said, "Can I come in?"
"Of course." Shannon said as she stepped aside. "Have a seat in the living room. I''m just putting on a pot of tea. Would you like a cup?"
"Please." Lizzy said as she tried to be polite. As Shannon went to the kitchen, Lizzy strolled into the living room. Sitting on the floor and playing with some toys was a four year old boy. Like David had said before, the resemblance was striking that her husband could have called the boy his clone. He had brown curly hair and smile that Lizzy knew all too well. She gave the young man a smile.
"Hello there," Lizzy said to him, "How are you doing today?"
"I''m okay." the boy said as looked up from his toys. As she came into the living room, scanning pictures for any familiar faces. There were a lot of pictures of another woman but she passed it off as possibly a sister or close friend.
"How do you take your tea?" Shannon called from the kitchen.
"Two sugar and milk please." Lizzy answered as she kept looking around the room.
She was searching for anything that could verify what David had suspected without actually having to confront the other woman for a confession instead. As Lizzy looked around more she finally spotted something that might help. There was a five by three photo in the corner of the room and she walked over and picked it up. As Lizzy looked at the picture, it was more than she could take as her knees began to buckle. She could barely stand on her feet and took a seat on the couch and continued to stare and the small framed photo. It was a picture of the boy named Damon and behind him with his arms wrapped around the boy was Hayden. Seeing the two of the in the same picture made the resemblance between the two stand out even more. It''s no wonder David thought this kid was his nephew. She was looking at the picture so hard that she never noticed that Shannon had returned to the room with a cup of tea. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Lizzy gave him a big smile as she took the mug from her. "Thank you."
"You''re welcome." Shannon said as she quickly left the room. She assumed it was to get her own cup of tea.
Lizzy kept looking at the picture. She looked back at Damon who was also looking at her and held up the picture in front of him. "Do you know who the man in this picture is?" she quietly asked.
"Yes." the boy replied with a giggle. "That''s my Daddy."
Before Lizzy could respond, the boy''s mother came into the room. She had aged a bit since that picture Lizzy saw of her with Hayden, but she could easily tell it was the same Shannon that Hayden had been sweethearts with in high school. She had long blonde hair and was getting ready for what looked like a shift at a hospital. David had mentioned she was a nurse, so this was hardly surprising.
"I don''t have much time," Shannon started, "But I wanted to let you know how bad I feel about what happened to Hayden. I''m sorry for your loss."
"I''m the one who should be sorry." Lizzy replied, "I lied to you."
"About what June?" Shannon asked.
"My name isn''t June. It''s Elizabeth Sheppard." Lizzy waited to give Shannon time to clue in on what was going on.
"Oh my goodness!" Shannon said as she walked over and sat down on the couch beside hers. "I am very sorry about your loss. I had heard so much about you but I never had a chance to meet or share time with you."
"Why would you want to meet me?" Lizzy asked, "Aren''t you the other woman who had a lovechild with my husband?"
Shannon was not the one in for the shock of her life. She took her towel and held it to her face to hide the gaped mouth she had from hearing that statement. It took a moment for everything to sink it but she was a smart cookie so it didn''t take that long. "Hayden didn''t tell you?"
"Why would he tell me about your affair?" Lizzy asked, tears starting to roll down her face, upset at what she was learning.
Shannon could see the tears and knew what was going through her head. "I know how this looks, but it''s not what you think!" she paused for a moment to pass her guest a few tissues to dry her eyes. "Just stay here for a few moments and all will be explained."
"What good is waiting going to do to explain all of this?" Lizzy asked, ready to walk out the door and never return to see them again.
Before she had a chance to do that, the door slammed and someone called out.
"Anyone here, I''m home!"
Lizzy watched as a tall woman with short black hair strolled into the room. From the looks of it she was just getting back from her job and she casually tossed her stuff on one of the easy chairs. She looked into the living room.
"There you all are!" The woman called out.
"Mommy!" Damon called out. He hopped out off the floor and ran to the woman in the dark hair and gave her a big hug.
Lizzy was cleared confused. "You''re not his mother?"
"Yes, I am his mother." Shannon replied.
"We''re both his mother." the other woman said, "And who are you?"
Shannon stood up and walked to the woman that was hugging Damon.
"I''m so relieved you''re not late getting back to day." She took the other woman in her arms and embraced her with a deep, passionate kiss. She turned to Lizzy who now had a look of shock on her face. "This is Michelle, my wife. We got married in Canada a long time ago."
"You haven''t answered my question, Shannon." Michelle said, expecting to get an answer to her satisfaction.
Shannon blushed and then gave Michelle another kiss on the cheek. "This is Elizabeth, Hayden''s wife!"
Michelle put her hands to her mouth, and came over to the couch. "I am so sorry for your loss dear!" she said as she sat beside her and gave Lizzy a big hug. "We have been dying to meet you for ages!"
"You have?" Lizzy repeated.
Shannon stepped in. "Hayden never told her about us or Damon!"
"My goodness!" Michelle said as she turned to face Lizzy, "I can only imagine how this looked before I came home. You poor thing..."
"I''m starting to realize I''ve made a mistake." Lizzy confessed.
"Your husband didn''t have an affair." Michelle replied. "We wanted to have a baby and your husband supplied the means artificially. Our Damon here is the product of invetro fertilization. He did this for us, and we are so grateful for this amazing gift."
Damon came running over and he hopped up on Michelle''s lap.
"What are we going to have for supper tonight?" she asked the small boy.
Damon took a moment to think about it. "Clam chowder!"
Shannon gave him a hard stare. "Didn''t you have that last night?"
"How about some chicken nuggets and fries? That way we can invite Elizabeth here to stay for supper. She was a very close friend of your father." Michelle looked back to Lizzy, "You''re free to stay as long as you like. Eat with us and I will answer all your questions."
Lizzy pondered over the idea for a moment and then smiled. "How about we order a Pizza instead?"
"Yeah!" Damon cheered as he hopped of Michelle''s lap and darted into the other room.
Shannon watched as the boy bolted out and turned to Liz. "You don''t have to do that. We have plenty here for everyone."
"Maybe for three of us, but not for five. I have two more people in the car downstairs. One who might be very interested in seeing Damon." Lizzy said, "We''ll order a pizza and everyone can come up and talk."
"Who''s downstairs?" Shannon asked.
"My friend Gale, and his Uncle David." Lizzy replied.
Shortly after Lizzy sent a text message to David''s phone, there was a knock at the door. Shannon walked over to open it and immediately recognized who it was.
"Hello David." she said as she opened the door for him.
"Hello Shannon." David said as he walked inside.
"David," Lizzy started, "Where''s Gale?"
"She took off." David quietly answered. "I''m used to doing stakeouts all the time but she didn''t have the patience for it. She went back to the apartment."
Michelle walked into the room and immediately offered her hand, "David Sheppard, I presume?" My name is Michelle, Shannon''s wife. I hear you already met our son, Damon?"
"Wife?" David took a moment to clue in now that all the answers were present and accounted for. "Hayden was your donor, wasn''t he?"
"He was." Shannon said as she closed the door behind her.
"I see." David said as he then spotted the young man hiding behind one of his mothers. David smiled as he pulled out his badge. "There''s no need to be afraid, I''m a policeman." he said with a smile on his face as he crouched down.
Damon saw the badge and slowly stepped out. He walked up to his uncle and had a small smile on his face. "Do you have a gun?" he quickly asked.
"Damon!" Shannon scolded at the boy.
"No, it''s all right." David replied. "All kids his age ask that. It''s perfectly normal." He turned to face Damon to answer his question. "I actually have three of them, but I keep them hidden so people don''t get scared."
"Wow." Damon said as he tried to look around for them. He paused for a moment and looked David in the eyes. "Did you know my Dad too?"
David''s eyes began to water and this was the closest Lizzy had ever seen the big guy come to tears. "I knew your Dad very well. He was my brother."
"What does that make me?" Damon asked.
"My favorite nephew." David answered, "And that that makes me your Uncle Dave."
Damon smiled as he walked up and gave his new Uncle Dave a hug. After that he turned to face his Moms, "Mommy, I have an Uncle! Can he stay for supper too?"
"Of course he can. We''ll make sure there''s enough pizza for everyone." Michelle said as she gave a soft smile. "We''ve been waiting for a moment like this for a long time. We had no idea Hayden had kept our family a secret."
To Lizzy it made perfect sense. They had been fighting about having children for a good chunk of their marriage. It led to some of their worst fights of all time. She wanted to wait and make sure they were set to handle the financial hit while Hayden wanted to start early so that they would be an acceptable age gap between them and their kids like with his Dad and him. But Hayden was given another option, to go the artificial route for an old high school sweetheart and have the baby he wanted. If Hayden were around to see this day, there is a good chance Lizzy would have clocked him in the jaw for doing something like this. Since he wasn''t around to slap some sense into, Lizzy chose to let it go and appreciate the fact that if it wasn''t for Damon and his two moms, Hayden would have died without leaving a single child behind to carry on for him. Damon was the insurance policy in case the worst happened, which did happen a few years later. This was not a sad thing to get upset about, but a relief that he didn''t die with no one to pass on his name and good nature. Damon was a good kid, and with two moms that loved him a great deal. Michelle made it clear both she and Shannon wanted Damon to be a part of her life as well as Hayden''s, not a secret and they felt bad about how things came about. Lizzy had feared the worst but that all went away when the reality of the situation came to light. Hayden helped out a friend in need and at the same time took care of something he was dying to do for a long time, plant a seed while he still could. Lizzy was not angry at anyone there and spent a nice night eating pizza with her new found treasure and new friends.
Damon''s expanding family didn''t stop there either, as Lizzy had the honor of bringing everyone with her to a family barbecue two weekends later. Lizzy had Damon up in her arms when she walked into the backyard and over to where Hayden''s father was grilling some meat. When Mr. Sheppard turned to greet his new guest, he locked eyes the little boy who was a spitting image of his father and the old man stopped so suddenly that he almost dropped his tongs onto the ground. It was like he had been transported back in time and was looking as his own boy at that age. Mr. Sheppard for once in a long time was speechless and unable to say a single word.
Damon turned to Lizzy and whispered to her. "Is this him?"
"Yes, Damon." Lizzy answered with a big smile. "This is him."
The little boy grinned back at the old man and waved. "Hi Grandpa."
Mr. Sheppard didn''t know what to say, but had tears of joy running down his face as he put down what he had and walked over and gave the little boy the biggest hug he had ever given someone in a long, long time. It was almost as if Hayden had come back to him, and it was more than he could take as he laughed and smiled.
Damon returned the hug and then looked his grandpa. "Can I have a hotdog, please?"
15. Help Jared Lose A Few Pounds
Lizzy knew from the beginning that this was going to be a very difficult task. First off, Jared knew about the list and likely was aware that his name was there and she was eventually going to get to his item. It was only a matter of time. So when Lizzy finally came to the task that involved helping Jared losing some weight, she thought the best help she could get was from the only woman that he would ever listen to: his wife. They met over coffee and made up a plan of attack. Jared had already told his wife Cindy about the quest she was one to complete Hayden''s list. So when Lizzy came to her door and showed her the part of the list that had something to do with Jared, she was all for it. She knew that Hayden had put that there because he was worried about Jared''s health and wanted him to hang around a lot longer for him and for his family.
"Don''t get me wrong." Cindy said as she sipped her tea, "I love the man in any shape and size but he needs to lose a few just to make sure his heart keeps beating the distance."
"I know what you mean." Lizzy replied, "You never know when the next day could be the last."
"Awww dear." Cindy said with great respect. "You are living the nightmare none of us want to experience. For what it''s worth, you''ve been doing very well considering what happened. I think doing this list while a tad obsessive is a lot more healthy that what I''ve seen other widows do. You''re at least taking all the energy and doing something productive with it. I admire that."
"Thanks." Lizzy said as she had a deep appreciation for what she had said about the list. "So will you assist me in helping Jared lose a few pounds?"
"Yes, let''s get to it."
Jared was expecting Lizzy to eventually come his way, but was completely blindsided by his wife taking her side. So when he got home that night, he was shocked to see that Lizzy was there with Cindy and they had both taken the time to make supper for him. He strolled into the kitchen. "Hello there, ladies." he said trying to remain calm until he knew what was going on. "What seems to be going on here?"
"Well Lizzy came by for a visit." Cindy said with a big smile. "And since she was here to check up on you as well, I invited her to stay for supper and she was so nice to help me cook it as well. She''s such a good little helper."
"Yeah, she''s like that." Jared said as he hung his coat up and washed up for dinner. "Whatever you gals have got cooking, it sure smells fantastic." He took a seat and waited patiently for his meal to arrive. When it did he was pleasantly surprised to see it was one of his favorites: baked pork chops with mushroom rice. "This looks great, but I have to admit I was expecting to see a plate of steamed veggies."
"We know that''s what you expected, but that''s still what you got." Cindy said with a giggle as she sat down with her own serving and she gave the other one to Lizzy who was sitting on the opposite end of the table as her.
"I don''t understand." Jared said, somewhat confused.
"We didn''t substitute your meal." Lizzy said with a smile. "We merely substituted a few ingredients that are responsible for the high fat and sodium content."
"So it''s basically the same meal, just tweaked?" Jared concluded.
"You tell us." Cindy said as she motioned him to give it a try.
Jared pulled the meal closer to him and cut off a nice chunk from one of the pork chops and gave it a try. It still tasted pretty much the same, but he was willing to part with perfection to make it a little healthier.
"This is amazing." he then looked over to Lizzy, "Is this part of the list you''re working here: to help me lose weight?"
Lizzy smiled, "Yes it is."
"Is this all you''re going to do because I have no problem with this." Jared said as he took another hearty bite. The Chops were great and going to be devoured at a record pace.
"Not exactly." Lizzy replied, "I''ll be here tomorrow around 6am for our morning jog."
Jared nearly choked on his current bite. "I''m sorry, did you say morning jog?"
"Yes, she did dear." Cindy answered for him.
Jared looked over at his wife and suddenly realized that he was facing a war on two fronts here. It didn''t work out that well for Germany and he had a feeling this fight was going to have a similar end. Still, he carried on. "So you mean like run around the block a few times kind of jogging, right?"
"That''s right." Lizzy said, "We are going to burn some calories and slim you down!"
"Somehow I kind of saw this coming." Jared said as he suddenly lost his appetite.
"This isn''t a request, hun." Cindy said as she gave him ''that look'' that the person in charge usually gives his/her peons when they meant business and wanted results.
Jared looked at both women and realized that they were both dead serious about this so he relented. "I guess that means I''ll be heading to bed early so that I will have enough energy tomorrow for my jog."
Much to Jared''s disappointment, Lizzy had arrived for the morning jog on time and in her own jogging suit. She brought one with the same colors for Jared. "Throw these on, big guy and then we''ll get running!"
Jared looked back at her, but didn''t say anything because he knew who was really to blame for all this and at the moment he was untouchable. It was Hayden''s orders she was following and he made special note to give the Irish punk and kick in the ass when he joined him after his own passing, which might be this morning if he dies of exhaustion from jogging and trying to keep up with Hayden''s limber and in perfectly fit wife. Instead of fighting it and his wife, he took the suit from her and smiled. "I''ll be right back."
Jared took his sweet time, but he eventually came down in the matching costume that Lizzy had gotten for him. She had to admit while she looked amazing in her jogging suit, Jared''s made him look like a big marsh mellow. He didn''t seem very impressed with how it looked on him but was going with it anyway. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"All right then." Lizzy said as she walked over to the front yard and sat on the grass. "We should do some stretches first."
Jared came to the front yard and sat down and started to mimic whatever Lizzy was doing to warm up. She could tell he was going out of his way to try, and she and Cindy really appreciated what he was doing for the list. He knew Hayden wanted him to do this and he was making an effort for her and him. Yet as he was doing a stretch another reason why he should do this came upon him. There was a loud ripping sound that came from the part of the pant that covers his ass as it broke open. He stood up, embarrassed and unknown of what he should do next.
"Damn." he muttered, unsure of how bad the rip was.
"Don''t worry about that." Lizzy said as she stood up, "I''ll get you another one tomorrow and I''ll make sure that doesn''t happen with a better size."
She started to pick up her legs and before Jared knew it she was running circles around him. "Time to run!"
Lizzy bolted up the driveway and ran in one spot waiting for him to join her.
"What about my pants?" Jared cried.
"No excuses, let''s hit the pavement!" Lizzy barked at him.
Jared didn''t want to be the one person who refused to help Lizzy complete her list, so he sucked up the embarrassment and started to jog down the driveway and then onto the sidewalk. "Alright, let''s go."
As they hit the sidewalks, Lizzy slowed down to keep pace with Jared but could tell he was really making an effort of it. He started to sweat a lot quicker than she did and started to huff and puff like a smoker but he wasn''t one so that was likely a bad sign. By the time they reached the half way mark which was a local park, Jared was near exhaustion and was ready to stop. He crawled over to one of the park''s many benches and took a seat.
"Are you all right Jared?" Lizzy asked as she slowed to a stop and took a seat beside him.
"It feels like my chest is going to explode." Jared said as he sat back and gasped for breathe. "I appreciate what you''re trying to do here Liz, I really do. But I''m not the jogging type. Me and jogging just don''t mix."
"Then how else am I supposed to get you to lose a few pounds?" Lizzy then asked. She had no intention of giving up.
Jared huffed and puffed again before speaking. "Give me that copy of the list I know you have on you."
Lizzy paused for a moment and the relented. She passed the list over to Jared and gave him a moment to look it over. Jared started to read it over and finally he reached the one he was looking for.
"Here it is." Jared said, pointing to it. "It says ''help Jared lose a few pounds''. It doesn''t say force Jared to lose a few pounds. It tells you to merely help me lose them."
"What point are you getting to?" Lizzy asked, realizing that Jared might be trying to wiggle out of doing his daily jogs.
"It means you can''t force me to run like this everyday." Jared said, aware that he was arguing against semantics. "You can help me, but you can''t crack the whip. It''s against what the item says!"
"Then how do I help you lose a few pounds then?" Lizzy asked as she decided to give jogging the heave ho. It was never going to work with Jared... he was too out of shape and the idea of Jared dropping of a heart attack wasn''t going to help anyone.
"Well, I would rather use machines like treadmills before I do stuff like this." Jared said very honestly.
Lizzy pondered the idea. "So you want me to buy you a gym pass?"
"Not really Liz." Jared said as he sat back up. "I don''t like gyms. I look like a blimp and am too ashamed to even show my face there."
"Then what do you suggest?" Lizzy said trying to figure out how to get Jared in shape with out killing or embarrassing him.
"Well if it wasn''t too much of an inconvenience." Jared started with a twinkle in his eye. "You could use some of that settlement money and buy me one or two machines and I can work out in the comfort of my own home."
Lizzy thought about it. "How would I know you were using them?"
"You have Cindy in your pocket. She''ll make sure I use them." Jared replied, "Besides, this is for Hayden. I will run those machines into the ground to honor that man."
Lizzy could tell by the way that he said that last comment that he meant every word of it. He had just run two kilometers in ripped jogging pants for his best friend, and she was sure he would use the machines and honor him by losing the weight and helping Lizzy with her quest to finish the list.
"Alright," She conceded. "We''ll get you some machines. But I want results within the first few months."
"You''ve provided me with the stuff I need and the motivation I need to change." Jared said as he handed the list back to her. "That would qualify as ''helping'' me loose weight. I will do it, I promise."
"That works for me." Lizzy said as she took back the list, folded it up and put it back into her pocket. "But you also have to eat healthier too."
"Alright, I''ll do that too." Jared said as he groaned up from the bench to a standing position. "Can we walk back to the house? I think I''m all jogged out for today."
"Walking is still good for you." Lizzy said as she also got back up and they walked back to Jared''s house and sat with Cindy to explain to her their new compromise.
Cindy actually admitted she was worried about pushing Jared too fast too soon, and thought using machines would allow him to start off slow and then build up a good pace as he got into better shape. It was the safest way to take care of Jared so she volunteered to make her sewing room the new personal gym for her husband. She was determined to get Jared in shape and Lizzy was more than willing to buy the machines necessary for Jared to get there as well. Within the week the new machines were delivered and placed into the room that Cindy had cleared out for Jared. There was enough room in the new gym for a treadmill for walking and running, a rowing machine, an elliptical machine as well as an advanced weight system that would help him lean up or bulk his muscle which is helpful for any fireman.
Cindy added something to the mix by putting up a flat screen television on the wall so Jared could watch something while he was doing any cardio on the machines that sat before it. It would help time fly and let him last longer on the machines. Lizzy brought something else to put up on the wall for Jared. It was Hayden''s picture from the funeral. The massive painted picture of him in his dress uniform, up on the wall that was hard to miss going in and out of the gym. It was all the inspiration that Jared needed as he woke up early every morning and worked on every machine before breakfast and then did weights after breakfast before going to work. After several weeks everyone started to notice the difference as Jared''s stomach was losing multiple inches each month and his arms and back was looking more lean and fit.
Jared felt good about what he was doing for many reasons. He helped Lizzy finish a part of the list by keeping to his word while at the same time taking care of himself which was bound to help him stick around for years to come. Of course his main inspiration was Hayden, and he refused to give that painting back to Lizzy as it was the one thing that helped him keep going when he didn''t want to. It was all he needed to make the change, his fallen friend. The last time Lizzy went to visit Jared, he wasn''t home. Cindy answered the door and smiled when she realized who it was.
"You''re not going to believe this." Cindy said to her, "He''s gone out for a jog and said he would be back in an hour."
"Wow." Lizzy said, as she came in. Cindy showed her a before and after picture and she couldn''t believe how well he was doing.
"If you thought that was something, you have to see this." Cindy led her down the hallway to the gym room they had created and Jared had made some changes. Hayden''s picture was still where Lizzy had put it but Jared had put up more pictures of other fallen firemen that the city had lost over the last several years. He didn''t want to join them anytime soon and that was his true inspiration to work out, his own mortality. Jared loved life and wanted more of it, and he worked hard to ensure he would get more of it. He had done it for Hayden, his fallen brethren and most of all for himself.
16. Rescue A Mutt From The Needle
Lizzy was a little weary when she read the item that was next on the list. Sometimes the task given was crypt and required a little research or questioning people close to him what they knew to find out what some of them meant. That was not necessary this time out because what Hayden wanted was painfully clear this time out: a dog. She was not a dog person and she could remember the many, many fights that she and Hayden had about getting a dog. They were almost as bad as the ones they had about having kids. Hayden was raised in a dog home, one that had almost as many dogs as they had kids. Mr. Sheppard was the reason why his kids were all dog lovers as he was the man with the heart of gold. Mr. Sheppard was a savoir to many of the dogs that came to his home because he went out of his way to adopt dogs from broken and abusive homes and bring them to his home where they would be pampered, cared for and most of all loved with all their hearts by every member of the family.
This was one reason why Lizzy was so iffy about getting a dog in the first place. Hayden just didn''t want a dog; he wanted to adopt an abandoned or abused mutt from the pound and save it from a bad life. She was afraid that a dog with that kind of history would bite either her or their future children. Hayden kept telling her that bad owners make bad dogs and as long as they were good to their mutts, their kindness would be returned with love from the dog towards its family. He was raised to do that by his Dad and he wanted to do the same thing for poor dogs that are down on their luck at the local pound. From what she could see on the list, Hayden had no intention of giving up on getting a dog. He would have eventually gotten around to getting one, and she would have had to put up with them both or walk out. She was never given a chance to have to make that choice, but she loved him to much to let something like a mutt from the pound get between them.
Now there she was at item number sixteen, having to do the one thing she didn''t want to do. At least it was going to be on her terms rather than his. Had Hayden gotten a chance to pick the mutt without her, it would have been a big dog that could place it''s head on the kitchen table or give Damon pony rides. Since she had the chance to pick the dog instead, she could try to find one that wouldn''t damage the furniture, hog the bed or need to run at the park so often because their apartment was so small. She hadn''t backed away from any part of the list so far, so she wasn''t going to start now. Lizzy had every intention of going to the pound to pick up a nice dog for her place. When the day came to head down to the pound, she looked around for Anna but she was no where to be seen. She managed to catch Gale as she came out of the bathroom from her morning shower.
"Gale, where''s Anna?" she asked.
"She''s likely meeting that Crispin dude for breakfast." Gale said as she tried her hair with a spare towel. "Those two have been seeing each other often since he came here to finish that video game thingy for Hayden."
"I guess that mean''s it''s just us." Lizzy said with confidence.
"Are we hitting another part of the list today?" Gale asked.
"Yes we are." Lizzy answered with a hit of excitement. "We are going to complete item number sixteen: rescue a mutt from the needle. I have an appointment at eleven this morning at the city pound."
"Okay, sounds like fun." Gale said as she left to go get herself changed.
Once everyone was ready to go, Lizzy and Gale took the bus downtown to the street closest to where they were going and they walked the rest of the way to their destination. Lizzy stopped just outside it and couldn''t believe that she was finally giving in and getting a dog. Hayden would be laughing if he could see this but she still had to do it. One item not completed when this was all said and done was one too many. She and Gale walked in and once they were inside they could hear the barks and yelps of the dogs that were caged and wanted to be sprung loose. As they walked inside, someone from the pound walked up and greeted them with a firm handshake.
"Good afternoon!" the man stared, "My name is Marcus and I am going to help you find your new friend!"
"That''s great!" Gale said to show her excitement.
"Is it possible to narrow the field down with some specific requests?" Lizzy asked as they walked into his office.
"Of course!" Marcus said as he took a seat behind his desk. "I always recommend that people give me some hints to what kind of dog they want so that I can find a nice, long term match."
"Well, I''m not looking for a big dog." Lizzy admitted right off the bat. "I live in an apartment and it would be best if I had a small dog."
"Absolutely! Small dogs are much better for apartments." Marcus agreed as he typed furiously into the keyboard. "Now let''s trim this list down. What kind of color are you looking for?"
"Excuse me?" Gale asked, somewhat offended by the question.
"I really mean what breed." Marcus said, trying to back track. "Most people don''t know the names if each breed so I get to them to tell me their color and I can find the one they are looking for much, much faster. I meant nothing by it."
"It''s okay." Lizzy said as she put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "I was actually looking for a small dog that is quiet. Like a poodle."
"Hmmmm, I think I might have a match for you." Marcus said as he punched the keys for a little longer. "We have a poodle, a beautiful dog and pure breed too!"
"Okay, sounds like a winner." Gale said, trying to sound into the whole process.
"Here," Marcus said as he turned the monitor around, "Have a look at this little pooch."
Lizzy leaned over and took a look. It was an adorable little poodle and he was a light shade of grey. Lizzy liked the little poodle because this kind of dog didn''t shed, which would mean less fur for her to clean up around the house. She also liked the way this mutt looked and decided to take a look.
"Can we have a look at her?" Lizzy asked. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
"Well, you can look at him." Marcus corrected. "His name is Wyatt and he''s a scrappy little thing but is the most adorable poodle you''ll ever come across." He got out of his chair. "This way, I''ll take you to see him."
Lizzy followed Marcus and Gale as they walked past the many cages and couldn''t help but ask questions while on the way there.
"Why did they call him Wyatt? Seems like such an old name."
"You''ll see why." Marcus said with a chuckle.
When they arrived to the cage where Wyatt was being held, Lizzy could immediately tell why the small poodle was named after an old western gunfighter. The little grey poodle had a big mustache that looked like he was ready for the gunfights of the O.K. Corral. He was the cutest thing Lizzy had ever seen. She quickly turned to Marcus and said the words she never thought would come from her mouth in this of all places.
"I''ll take him." Lizzy told Marcus almost immediately.
"Excellent!" Marcus squealed with delight. He looked like he was about to do a moonwalk like celebration got stopped himself just short. He had someone fetch a pet carrier for her and transferred poor Wyatt from one cage to another. Wyatt whined a bit not sure about what was going on, but Marcus handed the cage to Lizzy and she did her best to sooth the poor dog and he responded to her very quickly. Marcus was a giddy as a school girl at the prom. "I think we have a solid match here. I''ve got a really good feeling about this."
After filling out a little paper work and even handing over a small fee to help the other doggies that didn''t get sprung, Lizzy was not the proud owner of a small mutt that she just rescued from the needle, at least maybe. Wyatt was actually rather quiet as they took the bus back to the apartment. When they got back home is when things really got interesting. She put the carrier on the floor and opened the door to let the dog out. Wyatt was scared and didn''t want to come out at first. They tried to bribe him with food, water and even chocolate chip cookies to coax him out, but nothing worked. A few hours later Wyatt did come out of the cage but only when no one was looking and bolted underneath one of the couches. Lizzy started to worry about it but there really was no need.
"Relax Lizzy." Gale assured her, "He just needs time to adjust to his new surroundings. This place is a lot different than the pound and he needs time to get used to it."
"Okay." Lizzy said as she took a deep breath. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Let''s call the real expert and see what he says." Gale suggested.
It was obvious who the real expert was. She picked up the phone and called Hayden''s Dad and told him everything that had happened that day, from adopting Wyatt from the pound to him being under the couch and not moving anywhere.
"I''m not used to having a dog like Hayden was." Lizzy said, "What am I supposed to do?"
"Nothing." Mr. Sheppard answered. "Leave some water and food in the kitchen but go about your normal routine. He''ll keep watching and when he''s ready to come out, he will."
Lizzy did as she was told, leaving some water and food out for the little guy in the kitchen and then made her own supper for her and Gale. It was something simple as she cooked up some sausages and put a small garden salad on the side with dressing. Both Gale and Lizzy went to the living room to watch television while eating their supper and about a half hour into eating there supper, Lizzy heard a small whimper. Wyatt had finally come out from underneath the couch and apparently liked the smell of what they were eating.
He was sitting on the floor beside where Lizzy was sitting and made another whimper. He wanted a sample of what Lizzy was eating. Rather than feed him there in the living room, Lizzy took the part of the sausage she didn''t want and used it to lead the small dog to the kitchen. As she walked to the kitchen, she could hear the little patter of Wyatt''s feet as he followed her to the kitchen and to where his food and water bowls were. She chopped up the sausage in to small pieces that Wyatt could handle and then spread it on top of his food bowl. As the little dog started to eat his food, Lizzy took a moment to smooth his back with a soft touch. After a few strokes she decided to not badger the poor thing while he ate. Lizzy walked back to the living room and sat back down and continued to watch TV with Gale. A few moments later Wyatt came back out and hopped onto the couch beside Lizzy and gave out another whimper. Lizzy reached out her hand and let the little dog sniff it and then after a few licks she knew it was okay to give him a really good petting. She scratched behind one of his ears and then his neck and the little guy loved it and showed it by crawling over and lying down on her lap, eager for more attention. She continued to smooth his back and then looked over at Gale who had a huge grin on her face.
"What?" she said.
"You can''t fool me." Gale said as she laughed. "You and this dog are bonding. By the end of the week, he''ll be family. Never thought I''d see the day you would have a dog of your own that you love this much."
"He is pretty cute, isn''t he?" Lizzy said with a smile.
"Now in order to complete this task, you have to admit the obvious." Gale said as she sat up in her chair. "You have to admit that Hayden was right all along."
"No." Lizzy said as she continued to pet her new dog. "Hayden would have picked a Marmaduke like dog, one that would take up this whole couch. The reason why this is working is because Wyatt isn''t a hog."
"He''s too small to cramp your style." Gale said with a laugh.
"It''s just one of many reasons why I like him very much." Lizzy said. "Odds are he''s not going to take up much room on the bed either." Lizzy looked over at Gale who was roaring hysterically. "What?"
"Your bed?" Gale repeated as she kept laughing.
It turns out Wyatt wasn''t a bed hog after all. It wasn''t that the little guy wanted more of the bed rather than the fact that he wanted to snuggle up with Lizzy for warmth. He was very quiet at night except with odd moment when he jumped off the best to nibble some of the kibble. She took Wyatt for three walks a day: once in the morning, another in the afternoon and then just a small chance to poop or pee before bedtime. Wyatt had the urge to chew the occasional shoe, but she used his bite marks as her constant reminder to put her shoes away when she got home because she should know better. She and Wyatt always had a decent understanding and never really got on each other''s nerves too much. T
Turns out both Hayden and Marcus were right time out and she was dead wrong. There was nothing wrong with saving a dog from the needle, as Hayden put it, but the key was to find the right dog that fit not only you but the environment that you dwell within. Wyatt was getting more and more brave the longer he lived there. Sitting on the couch and sleeping there for hours, but it wasn''t until a month after he arrived that he really got brave. He sat in and started to sleep in the one chair that he never saw anyone get into: the big ugly green chair. Lizzy came home one day from looking something up for another item on the list when she realized where Wyatt was sleeping. She smiled and sighed.
"I don''t really think he would mind." she whispered to Wyatt who likely didn''t hear her. "What Hayden had he always shared with his dogs; even his chair."
When she finished saying that, Wyatt opened his eyes and let out a cute little bark. He then bolted to the door to greet her home. She never hesitated to admit it; she was now a dog lover like her husband. A dog lover who was willing to take go down to the pound and save a poor pooch from the needle. But the truth was, over time Wyatt would be her savoir. Gale eventually moved back to New York to do her work and Anna shacked up with Crispin and eventually married him several months after the list was finished. So when it was all said and done it was her and Wyatt, and she was cool with that and so was he. The dog she thought she''d never get was the one that saved her in the long run rather than her rescuing him. She couldn''t help but admit to herself that Hayden was right, she was finally okay to be a dog owner and that little grey thing on his chair was proof of that and then some.
17. Have A Catch With Dad
It didn''t take a rocket scientist to figure out what Hayden had meant when he wrote down ''have a catch with Dad'' but she was afraid that would simply be too simple. It wasn''t that she didn''t know how to throw a baseball; she grew up with a house full of men. She played catch and baseball all the time and loved the game. She was just worried that there was something deeper to this and wanted to make sure she wasn''t biting off more than she could chew without knowing it. To prevent that, Lizzy decided to call a reliable source to get some inside intel. She picked up the phone and decided to badger her favorite whipping boy of the Sheppard family.
"Hello Liz." David said as he answered his cell. "I''m in the process of staking out a place where the bad guys are so if my line goes dead, don''t take it personally. Okay?"
"Understood." Lizzy replied, "I need some help with some information about Dad."
"Yours or mine?" David asked to narrow down the field.
"That would be yours." Lizzy confirmed with a laugh. "It says here on the list that Hayden wanted to have a catch with Dad."
"Awww crap." David cussed over the phone. "Does it really say that?"
"It does." Lizzy said, somewhat concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"I had forgotten all about it until you said it." David said as he shifted in his seat and got comfortable. "Hayden and Dad had a falling out about baseball when he was in his mid teens. Around the same time that Hermy disappeared so the guilt from that might have lead to the frustration that caused this incident with Dad. Hayden and Dad always had two or three catches a week, just tossing the ball around. Hayden had a killer arm, and he was actually considered to have potential to go pro. Well Dad tried to encourage him as much as he could to join baseball teams and what not, but Hayden refused. He just wanted to have his catch with Dad and that was it."
"So what happened then?" Lizzy asked.
"Hayden refused to have a catch with Dad and they had a huge fight." David replied, "Lots of four letter words, sharp digs at each other and we''re all surprised that fists were not tossed during the altercation."
"That doesn''t sound like Dad." Lizzy said.
"I know!" David concurred, "How do you think we felt? We were shocked!"
"So did you ever find out what it was about?" Lizzy asked, somewhat curious to what would cause that to happen.
"I have no idea." David answered, "And I knew better not to ask."
"So what should I do then?" Lizzy asked. She didn''t want to upset Hayden''s Dad but at the same time she wanted to respect Hayden''s requests.
"I have an idea." David answered with a sigh, "This might work..."
Lizzy spent the next twenty minutes listening to David detail what she should do and it was a good plan. So good, she was actually convinced it might work. So later that day she got into her car and drove out to Hayden''s old childhood home. When she knocked on the door for what was one of many times that summer, Mr. Sheppard was all smiles again as he realized who had come to visit.
"You know," he started with a wide grin. "If you keep coming over this often I might as well give you your own key."
"I already have one." Lizzy said quite honestly. "I just feel it''s more polite to announce yourself when you arrive so no one is startled."
"That''s my Liz." Mr. Sheppard said with a smile. "Always considerate."
"Well, you might not think so when you find out why I''m here." Lizzy said with an innocent smile. "I need to have a serious talk with you. Can we talk in the backyard?"
"Of course." Mr. Sheppard said as they both walked through the house and into the back porch. He seemed a little concerned by the tone that Lizzy had suddenly started talking with. "Is everything alright?"
"Everything is fine. I just wanted to let you in on a secret." Lizzy replied. "I''ve been doing a lot of cool and very kind things over the last several months, but they have not been my ideas. I stole all these suggestions from someone else."
"But you still did them. It doesn''t matter if your idea was originally thought by you or not. Your intention was to follow through with them and because of that a lot of people are for the better." Mr. Sheppard paused for a moment, "Whose ideas were they then?"
"Hayden''s." Lizzy said as she pulled out a copy of the list and handed it over to him.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Mr. Sheppard took the list from Lizzy and took a deep breathe when he realized what it was, that being the last thirty things his son wanted to do before he died. He read the entire list a few times and Lizzy could tell he has some questions.
"How many of these did he complete before he passed away?" he asked.
"Only the first four." Lizzy replied. "I''ve been doing the rest every since I found this list. Three months after Hayden had died."
Mr. Sheppard''s eyes were watering as he read the list over again and he giggled a little when he came across one of them, "How is ol'' Wyatt doing?"
"He''s awesome." Lizzy said with a smile. "I never wanted to own a dog, ever. I fought Hayden tooth and nail to never have any dogs, but now that I have Wyatt I can''t picture life without the little bugger."
"They have a habit of doing that." Mr. Sheppard said with a chuckle. "Which item are you on right now?"
"Number seventeen." Lizzy answered.
"I see." Mr. Sheppard said as he looked at the item and this time a tear fell down his check. "I don''t know if I can do this."
"Why not?" Lizzy said.
"I only have one glove in the shed. Hayden took his with him when he moved out." Mr. Sheppard said with a soft smile. "I have never said no to any of my children when they asked for a catch. Do you honestly think I was going to refuse my favorite daughter-in-law?"
"Then I suggest you get your glove." Lizzy said with a smile of her own. She reached behind her and pulled out something that was stuffed halfway into her jeans. "I have my own glove and I brought it with me."
Mr. Sheppard ran off to the shed and came back out with a ball and a glove. They made sure there was an acceptable amount of space between then, around twenty to twenty five feet. He tossed the ball over to Lizzy.
"Do we need to get a little closer for you?" he asked trying to be polite.
Lizzy responded by hurling the ball over her shoulder perfectly and with enough velocity that it slapped Mr. Sheppard''s hand when it came into his glove. "Nope, I''m okay."
"Owwww!" Mr. Sheppard said as he needed a moment to wave his hand around to get the throbbing sensation out of it. "Damn girl! You''ve got one hell of an arm!" He said with a shocked look on his face. "Forget throwing like a girl, you throw like Randy Johnson!" A few moments later Mr. Sheppard put the glove back on and they started to toss the ball back and forth. Lizzy used to do this all the time with her own Dad and brothers so this was second nature to her and she really enjoyed doing this for Mr. Sheppard and for Hayden. She didn''t want to push her luck and try to talk about the last time Mr. Sheppard had a catch with Hayden and left it to him to dictate where their talking would go. Her goal was just to have a catch with Dad, not talk to him about why it took so long to have another. A few more tosses in, Mr. Sheppard felt like talking.
"It''s nice to know Hayden still wanted to have a catch." He started, "I was afraid he was never going to ask again. We had a big fight a few months before and it was about baseball. He had a better arm than you did, and I was pulling some strings to get him a team scholarship from a school that one of my friends was a graduate of. It paid most of the bills and gave him a chance to try out for college ball, which could have led to a career in the majors."
"He was that good?" Lizzy asked.
"I think he was," Mr. Sheppard answered, "I wanted him to use his talent to have an easier life, but he didn''t want to do that. The night we had that big fight I''m sure one of my kids has likely told you already about was the night he told me he wasn''t going to college. He was going to apply to become a fireman and I just thought he was throwing his talent away. It''s not that I had anything against firemen but I wanted my son to life a good life, an easy life and he chose to make his own path. It took me a while to get over it but I did. Hayden was a good fireman, and he proved me wrong about his true talents."
"He did." Lizzy said as she came up and gave Hayden''s Dad a big hug. "It''s not wrong to encourage your children to be ambitious but when they make up their mind, we have a tendency to be stubborn until everything is carried out."
"I didn''t want him to toss away something that came so naturally to him for something that was so dangerous. Every time he went out to the firehouse, I was afraid it would be his last and one day that came true." He couldn''t stop crying now. "He could have had a better life, and I wasn''t strong enough to push him in the right direction."
"But it wasn''t your job to pick his path, merely to show him what options that he had." Lizzy said trying to console him. "He made his own choice. It was not your fault that he died in the fire, he made the decision to fight fires and help people in need. That was his calling and he''s the one to blame for it, no one else."
"I know." he said as he wiped a new tear from his face. "I just never had a chance to apologize for what I had said that night."
"You did." Lizzy corrected, "You said it to him everyday you showed support for his choices in life and when you bragged about what an awesome and courageous fireman your son was to anyone who could hear it. I remember you talking about how he was the best, and we both know he was, and every time he heard you say that... that was your apology. You were proud of your son and the decisions he made. Hayden had no regrets and there are hundreds of people he pulled out of burning buildings that are happy he turned down the chance to play baseball in college."
"I know. So many people were saved by that amazing kid of mine." Mr. Sheppard said as he beamed with pride. "He made the ultimate sacrifice for those who needed help in their time of crisis. That boy did me proud."
"He made us all proud and he knew it." Lizzy pointed back at the list, "He wanted to have one more catch and I''m glad that I was able to do it for him." She gave her father-in-law a big hug and he wrapped his arms around her and wouldn''t let go as if it was his son he was hugging for the very last time.
"I''m so sorry." he said out loud.
"I know." Lizzy said as she finally came out for air, "And so does Hayden." she looked over Mr. Sheppard''s shoulder for a few seconds. "Can we get a few more tosses before the sun goes down?"
Mr. Sheppard smiled, "I really hope this is the first of many catches." he said as he backed up thirty feet this time to go easy on his hand. The resumed tossing the ball around for another twenty minutes until the sun went down. Mr. Sheppard also got his wish as it was the first of many catches Lizzy came over to have with his Dad.
18. Go See One Of Jimmys Shows
She was more than halfway through the list and while that excited her, Lizzy still had some big items on the list that were vague and not going to be easy to decipher without getting help from someone who knew Hayden a bit more than she did. When the read the item that was next, the first question to answer was simple: who was Jimmy? Was he a performer, someone that he admired musically? It was a good guess since one of his earlier musical references was his Mom''s favorite Beatle. She walked over to the CD rack and started to look through it. When the moved in together, they had put together their music collection into one huge rack, a gesture of their lives coming together. She never put his music away since his passing, so all of Hayden''s favorite CDs were still up there. She scanned over the pile, and nothing was coming up. No artists named Jimmy, except for Hendrix and Lizzy was pretty sure he wasn''t talking about him. She was ready to give up and frustration was really getting to her. "Where the hell am I going to find Jimmy?"
"Last I heard, he was still in Vegas." A voice called out from the kitchen.
Lizzy turned to realize that Gale had the answer. "Were you planning to fill me in soon with this information or were you going to wait and see me make a bigger mess with the CD collection?"
"I was getting a snack, sorry." She said as she came over and sat down on the couch. "I''m about ninety percent sure the Jimmy that Hayden wanted to see a show of was Jimmy Blackjack. He went by a different name here though: James Sheppard."
Lizzy had never heard of him. "What''s the relation?"
"Hayden''s brother." Gale answered. "Older than Hayden, younger than David."
"I thought David was his only brother?" Lizzy said somewhat confused. "I never heard of this Jimmy. He wasn''t even at our wedding!"
"Jimmy hasn''t been home in over ten years, which is the reason why you''ve never met him. He had a big falling out with the entire family which resulted in his outcast." Gale looked uncomfortable talking about it, but realized that Lizzy needed all the details before she started looking for Jimmy.
"What could he have done that made them all so mad at him?" Lizzy asked.
"He came out of the closet." Gale replied.
"What?" Lizzy said out loud as a vital piece of the puzzle was finally revealed.
"Exactly." Gale said, noting her offense. "You and I are cool about that, this is the 21st Century but how do you think Hayden''s deeply Irish Catholic family responded to the news?"
"Not good, I guess." Lizzy assumed.
"That''s an understatement." Gale answered. "His father literally tossed him and everything he owned out of the house. His mother removed every family photo he was in off the walls and pretty much erased his existence from the house."
"That''s awful." Lizzy said as this clearly wasn''t the Sheppard family''s finest hour. In her eyes they had clearly overreacted, but they were raised differently and it was something they were not prepared to handle at the time. She wiped away a few tears and decided to get back on track.
"Times change," Gale said to her, "And so do people''s views. I didn''t see any animosity when Shannon and Michelle brought Damon to the barbecue. Did you?"
"No," Lizzy admitted, "People can change sometimes."
"Maybe it''s time then," Gale admitted, "To reconnect with Jimmy."
"I agree," Lizzy said, eager to keep moving forward. "What kind of show does Jimmy do that Hayden wanted to see?"
"Magic." Gale answered.
"Magic?" Lizzy repeated.
"Yes, and I mean like David Copperfield kind of magic." Gale said as she playfully waved her hands around, mockingly. "Last I heard Jimmy still had a show at a Casino and performs like four or five times a week."
"Wow, that''s kind of cool." Lizzy admitted as she paced around her mini balcony. "Is it possible that going to this show was Hayden''s way of mending the bridge with his outcast brother?"
"Very possible," Gale reluctantly said. "We''ll have to find him first. I''ll hit the phones and check to see if he''s still in Sin City."
Turns out when Gale made her inquiry, it was revealed that the man known to the strip as Jimmy Blackjack was no longer performing. He was replaced by some new music gigs that were slowly taking over the shows there in the city so Jimmy Blackjack quietly retired from the magic entertainment industry to pursue something more stable.
It took a lot of searching and investigating to find out what that was, but they eventually found the address of one James Sheppard who was working out of a real estate firm in Sacramento, California. He had left the bright lights in the big city close to four years ago, settling down in his own way. So while there were no more shows, Lizzy felt it was necessary to fly out to California and meet the in-law she never knew existed. The idea of not talking to anyone in Hayden''s family for reasons such as this was completely unacceptable. Based on the century she was living in, Lizzy considered such pettiness to be beneath her. After the barbecue with Damon, Lizzy hoped that it was the break they needed to fix the divide. It was worth a shot.
While it wasn''t her place to tell any members of Hayden''s family what to do, she herself decided that she was going to be one member of the family that would visit Jimmy and get to know him for who he was rather than what everyone else wanted him to be. So she booked an immediate flight to California, and flew out there by herself. This was one encounter she didn''t want to have company for out of a fear that Jimmy would feel overpowered or double teamed. When she arrived in California, the weather was living up to its reputation. The sun was out, it was very humid and if there was a beach within reach she could have sat out there for some rays and have some her time. But she was not there for that kind of trip, not yet at least. She was determined to keep on track for the real reason she was there and not get distracted. If she had time after talking to Jimmy, she would consider doing the sites after business was taken care of. She checked into a hotel that was very close to the address she had gotten, and unpacked. It was an hour after she finished settling into her room that she decided to make the trip, eager to meet up with Jimmy and meet the person no one even talked to her about. She hailed a cab and immediately hopped inside.
"Where to, lady?" the cabbie asked.
She gave him the address and it took about ten minutes to get out the area where her recently discovered brother-in-law was staying. Once at the location, she paid the cabbie and he took off even though she didn''t know how well she would be received. She had a little faith that Jimmy would be much like the rest of her in-laws, pleasant and eager to talk. She was dropped off in a really nice suburb of the city, and the house she was walking up to was pretty posh with the white picket fence and all the fixings. Lizzy was quite impressed as she walked up to the door and when she got there, she took a deep breath and knocked.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.
A few moments later, a young man only a few years older than Hayden came to answer. She could tell immediately it was Jimmy as his resemblance to Hayden was evident. Not identical, but similar features that clearly told her this was her brother-in-law. He looked at her and paused before finally asked.
"Can I help you?" the man asked.
"Yes." Lizzy quietly answered, "Are you Jimmy Sheppard?"
He paused there for a moment. "I haven''t used that name in a while."
"You still go by Jimmy Blackjack?" she retorted.
"Heavens no!" Jimmy roared with a loud giggle, "I don''t use that one anymore either. I''m sorry, who are you?"
"I''m Elizabeth Sheppard." Lizzy said as she held out a hand, "I''m proud to say that we are related by marriage."
Jimmy''s face immediately lit up with shock. "My goodness, which one of those studs did you hook up with dear?"
"Hayden." Lizzy quickly answered.
"Ahh, the big fireman!" Jimmy replied with a cheeky smile. "So how is the big lug doing these days?"
Lizzy put her hand up to her face. It was one thing to not talk to someone but it turns out no one wanted to pick up the phone to even tell him that his brother had died. She still loved them, but her opinion of the Sheppard family had a new low at that moment. She had begun to cry, something that Jimmy noticed immediately.
"Oh my goodness dear. Are you all right?" he softly asked.
"They didn''t tell you..." Lizzy said, stunned. "I can''t believe they didn''t tell you."
It was that moment when Jimmy realized that she had come alone. "My gosh, hun. What happened to Hayden?" He could tell it was something bad by the look on her face.
"Can we talk inside?" Lizzy asked in return.
"I need to know!" Jimmy loudly snapped back. Deep down inside she could tell that he seemed to already know but wanted her to confirm it out of the slimmest chances it was not the worst case scenario. One of his brothers had died and no one wanted to be the one to call California to inform his little brother. Then again, it did take Lizzy a while to find his location and number but it wouldn''t have been a difficult task for a cop like David could do. That little detail meant he was going to get an earful from Lizzy when she went home.
"He died several months ago." Lizzy answered as she walked up and gave him a hug.
Jimmy was crying as well. "How did it happen?"
"It was huge industrial fire." Lizzy answered, "He saved a lot of people and died a hero. I didn''t know you even existed. If I had, I would have made the call that day. I am so sorry no one told you. He was your brother and you deserved to know."
"Thank you. That means a lot to me." Jimmy said as he shared the embrace. Regardless of what someone does, family is family. Lizzy was appalled at how Jimmy had been treated and wanted to make sure this was not repeated by her. Before she could say anything another man came to the door to see what was going on. He likely heard Jimmy when he yelled out.
"I''m sorry, Gerry." He called back. "I''ll come back to table in a moment."
"Who''s here?" Gerry quietly asked.
"Oh, I''m sorry." Jimmy apologized as he wiped away a tear. "This is my Elizabeth... I guess she''s my sister!"
"Sister-in-law actually." Lizzy corrected.
"Hey, that''s pretty much the same!" Jimmy said. "Where are my manners? Would you like to join us for dinner? We just started."
"I''m not sure..." Lizzy started.
"No, it''s all right." Gerry said with a smile. "I would love a chance to speak with any member of Jimmy''s family. I''d be happy to set another plate."
"You are not interrupting anything." Jimmy said with a warm smile. "This is Gerry, my partner. We live here together."
"Well in that case, thank you, I''d love to join you for dinner." Lizzy said with as smile as she followed the two men into the house. "I just got off a plane a few hours ago, and I''m famished!"
"You picked a great night to show up, sis." Jimmy said as he closed the door behind him. "Gerry is an amazing cook and tonight he made Pad Thai."
"Oh, I love that dish." Lizzy responded with excitement. As she followed them in, she looked up at the walls and saw the pictures that were never displayed at the Sheppard house. Photographs of Jimmy with his brothers, with his Mom and Dad, but the photos only went up to a certain age. She slowly looked at them as she walked down the hall, as it was the evidence that backed up the story Gale had told her about the missing brother and how his existence was erased because of how he chose to life his life. They sat in the dining room and talked for hours, with Jimmy sharing some stories about Hayden that she had never heard before and it was so great to hear things about her husband from a fresh new source.
"So what made you want to come out here and see us?" Jimmy asked as they were finishing their meal.
"It wasn''t my idea actually." Lizzy decided to hold nothing back and told them about the list, and the things that Hayden himself wanted to do before he passed on. She pulled out the photocopy from her pocket and passed it to Jimmy. Jimmy scanned through and then saw one that popped out at him.
"See one of my shows." He said with a giggle. "How old is this list? I haven''t performed in forever."
"I guess Hayden didn''t know you had retired, but he knew you were performing." Lizzy said with a warm smile. "I figure he wanted to come down and see how well you were doing."
"This is so romantic!" Gerry said with a gushing smile. "You''re doing all these things for Hayden, but how are you going to see a show?"
"I guess Jimmy could come out of retirement for one night, right?" Lizzy said as she looked over at Jimmy.
Jimmy looked back at the two people staring at him, with the hopes he would do the right thing. Gerry had never seen him perform so he was just as excited about it as Lizzy. Given the situation and the new family member in the house, he agreed to come out of retirement for one night only, but only for an audience of two. Jimmy never did any tricks to big or spectacular since he was never on a formal stage, but each trick still managed to impress his small audience. He still didn''t disappoint as the few tricks he did do wowed both Lizzy and Gerry as they clapped and enjoyed every illusion performed. It was the best thing she had seen in a while, and was amazed that it was Hayden''s brother who was the person doing all these neat things.
After the show, Jimmy had some very unique things to tell while having tea and goodies. Some stories she had never heard of before but Lizzy could tell that despite his exile, he still loved his family very much; every one of them. Jimmy even called in sick the next day so that he could spend the whole day with his new sister. They had a great time, but Jimmy needed to get back to his life so Lizzy needed to head back home. He drove her to the airport, and gave her a big hug after helping her with her luggage. "It was such a pleasure to meet you, Elizabeth."
"The pleasure was mine." Lizzy said as she returned the hug. "Now you listen up. If you ever need a place to stay when you come home, you are always welcome to crash at my place. Are we clear on that?"
"Yes, and I really appreciate that." Jimmy answered.
After one more hug from her newly discovered brother, Lizzy went into the airport and flew back to the city and back to her life. She spoke with Gale about what had happened, but for an entire week, she never spoke to a single member of the Sheppard family. She was still upset with the discovery of Jimmy but wasn''t silent forever. Lizzy realized that if she was ever going to help Jimmy eventually come back home, she would have to be there to talk the Sheppard family into welcoming him home. It started a few months later by talking to Mr. Sheppard first, telling him that she went to visit Jimmy in California. Despite his feelings about his youngest son''s lifestyle, Mr. Sheppard still wanted to know if he was all right, doing well wherever he was. It was a start, and eventually Jimmy would come home thanks to Lizzy and her constant talks with them all. It was a homecoming that was long overdue, but it happened almost a year after she first met Jimmy. Lizzy was the first to give Jimmy a big hug as he stepped back into the home that he had long left behind. Everyone followed her lead and it made for a very warm and overdue reunion. Jimmy was most happy about the fact that his family not only took him back, but they accepted him for who he was and not what they wanted him to be. He could truly be himself at home for the first time in his life, which made it well worth the wait.
19. Take Liz To That Play She Likes
Lizzy looked down at the list, and while the task itself seemed easy it never really was that way. First of all she had to figure out what play Hayden was referring to, which wasn''t always the most obvious. Lizzy first had to determine whether or not it was a play she already seen and wanted to take him out to experience for the first time or did she rave about a show that she hadn''t attended and he noted it down to make it a surprise for her. The best way to figure it out would be to look around for hints. If he took a note of it, there is a chance it could still be in the apartment. She started to look through books on the shelves, into and date planners to see if there was anything written in them for going out. There was nothing. Whatever Hayden wanted to do, he was keeping it pretty close to his chest.
She was about to give up all hope when David was the one to give her advice that solved the problem. He explained to her that theatre tickets are purchased sometimes up to a year in advance and that the tickets are likely in the house. If she could find them, he recommended that she look through his credit card bills and bank records to see if he made any purchases. She went through his credit card bills, but there was nothing there bought through any of the local theatre houses. When Lizzy checked his bank accounts, that''s when she hit pay dirt.
About several months before he passed away, Hayden made a purchase from one of the better theatres in town, for over two hundred dollars. Gale told her that it was pretty normal for tickets close to the front row to sell for a little over a hundred each. Hayden must have gone all out to get her those tickets. Lizzy really wasn''t frazzled by the price itself since the tickets she bought for Hayden''s Mom where much, much more expensive. It was the fact that he made the effort to get them for her that warmed her heart so much. She decided to speak with the manager at the local theatre to get more details. She couldn''t find the stubs anywhere in the house, so she wanted to find out what purchase he made and the house themselves should have a record of what was bought and more importantly what show it they were for.
Lizzy and Gale took a cab down to the theatre and it looked amazing from the front and even better once in the main foyer. They met up with the manager who was waiting for them because they had set an appointment.
"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice." Lizzy said as she shook the manager''s hand.
"I wish it was under better circumstances." The manager replied as she took a piece of paper out of a file. "We found out what tickets your husband had purchased. Turns out they were for one of our best shows."
She handed the receipt over to Lizzy. Lizzy took a close look and realized that it was a play that she had been raving about, but had yet to see herself. A show she had been dying to see, and it turns out that Hayden had been listening a lot more than she gave him credit for.
Hayden sat in his green chair, reading an issue of sports illustrated while pretending to listen to her. "What the hell is the name of that freak show again?"
Lizzy came out from the kitchen and waved a dirty spoon at him. "You know what the name of the damn show is. I''ve been talking about it forever."
"I know you''re kidding but it really does seem like forever." Hayden chipped back as she walked back into the kitchen. "What the hell is it about anyway?"
"It''s got all the themes that anyone wants to see when they go to the theatre; love, overcoming challenges and finding inner peace with that love." Lizzy seemed to gush but it was all flying over Hayden''s simple head.
"In other words, it''s a complete snooze fest."
"Not exactly."
"Are there any shoot outs?"
"No."
"Make out scenes?"
"No."
"Duels to the death?"
"No."
"Snooze fest." Hayden concluded as he turned the page and kept reading.
"Not everything has to be like a Chuck Norris film." Lizzy called out.
"Hey, you can''t ask everything to be perfect." Hayden called back. But little did she know, Hayden had a special bookmark in his magazine. A cut out from the newspaper with information on where the show was taking place and how he could go about purchasing some tickets for her. She''d never see it coming, he thought to himself, the perfect birthday gift.
Lizzy came out from the kitchen, waving around the same spoon she was using to bake the cookies. "So are we going to see this show or not? It''s been touring across the country since its long run on Broadway. Please? Before it leaves town?"
"Just not my thing," Hayden said with a smile. "I''d rather die first..."
Hayden had played the role if ignorant husband so well, taken notice of it and bought the tickets to surprise her... on her birthday. She looked back at Gale when she realized the date, "The tickets were for a show that was three months ago."
"Yes, I''m very sorry about that." The manager confirmed, "Since you were unaware of the tickets existence, we would be happy to offer you a full refund."The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Can I just get new tickets to see the show later on?" Lizzy asked.
"I''m afraid we can''t do that." She answered, "The show ended its run here only a short time ago. We''ve already started a new show. I''m so very sorry about that."
Lizzy and Gale thanked the manager and then left the theatre. They decided to walk back some of the way since the weather was nice. Lizzy also needed some air after experiencing a few setbacks to completing this part of her list. With the show out of town, it would be difficult to see the show in the place that he wanted take her to. She was so distraught by what had happened, Lizzy decided to get a drink. They walked into a local bar and ordered a few glasses of wine, just to ease her nerves. As they were sitting and mingling to themselves, there was a heated conversation at the bar between two patrons. When it looked like they were going to slug it out, the bartender came back in and gave them some stern warnings and that seemed to settle them right down. As one of them left, the other showed his frustration by slapping his hand on the bar. Lizzy seemed curious so she left her table as Gale was also answering nature''s call and sat down on the stool beside him.
"Excuse me..." she softly started, "Are you alright?"
The man grinned, "Sorry lady, I''m a married man and..."
"No, I''m not hitting on you." Lizzy answered with a blush, "I''m just curious to what was upsetting you. It seems to be bugging you a great deal."
"If you must know." The man replied after downing what was left of his scotch, "I''m a little pissed off at the school board for making some very bad policy decisions regarding our children and their education."
"I don''t get it. Haven''t they increased the funding lately?" she asked him.
"Yes, but the wrong programs. No one gives a shit when the arts is given the royal shafting every year but heaven forbid the football team doesn''t have new helmets to crack their skulls with every season." The man ordered another drink, "It really sucks that when it comes to budget cuts, the arts happens to be the first thing that gets picked on. My daughter loves the arts, but her favorite programs are being cut and there''s nothing I can do."
"I''m very sorry to hear about it." Lizzy said, sorry to hear how crushed he was about his kid''s activities. "Couldn''t you get together with other parents and make your voices heard by the board?"
"We tried, but they fell upon deaf ears. For the first time in almost three decades her school will not be having play for us to watch this year. And it''s a shame really, because she is an amazing actress and drama is her favorite." He slapped his hand on the bar again. He got an ugly look from the bartender, but he seemed all right for now.
Lizzy paused for a moment and then an idea popped into her head. "Excuse me, can you tell me what school your daughter goes to?"
He looked confused. "Why should I tell you?"
It was a valid question, but Lizzy understood his caution. "Well I know someone who works with the school board. I''d like to do whatever I can to help out."
The man smiled, as he went into his wallet and pulled out a card. "I appreciate that. This is the drama teacher at her school, so he''s the guy that could point you in the right direction to what they need to do to help."
Lizzy took the card and smiled, "Thanks. I''ll do what I can."
"Thank you for hearing me out." The man said as he raised a glass. "And good luck for whatever you can do to help. Both myself and my daughter appreciate it."
Once she left the man to his drinks, Lizzy grabbed Gale by the arm and dragger her out of the bar. "I''ve come up with an idea. We need to get a cab."
She explained everything to Gale on her way over and she seemed onboard with the idea. When the arrived to the high school, they immediately went to the office and checked themselves in as visitors. They then asked of the drama teacher was available and luckily he was on break and in the staff lounge. Lizzy and Gale walked over to the lounge and knocked on the door.
"Excuse me I''m looking for Mr. Greene?" she called out.
One of the men raised his hand, "That''s me. Can I help you?"
"Can we have a moment of your time? We''d like to talk to you about the drama program." Lizzy called back to him. Upon hearing that he stood up and left the lounge. People watched him go but once the door was closed they went back to whatever was distracting them before the two women had arrived.
"I''m afraid there isn''t much of a program this year." Greene started.
"I''m aware of that." Lizzy said, "and that''s why we''re here."
"I''m not sure I understand." Mr. Greene said.
"We are not happy about the idea that there isn''t going to be a school play this year." Gale said, trying her best to show her disappointment.
"Yeah, but we can''t raise the funds to put anything on." Greene confirmed.
"How much exactly would it cost to run a production for the kids this year?" Lizzy said as she pulled out her very flashy cheque book from her purse.
"It really depends on the play, really." Greene replied, "You have to pay a ton for copyright and the ability to use any decent show. Then you have props, costumes, and a whole whack of other stuff."
Lizzy pulled out the receipt that had the name of the show Hayden purchased tickets for and handed it to him. "How much would it cost to do this musical?"
He looked at it, "This would be a huge production. We''re talking at least twenty to thirty thousand. That''s like double the budget we used to have before it was cut."
"I''ll tell you what." Lizzy said as she started to write up the cheque. "I''ll give you and your school a private donation of forty thousand, but only if you agree to do this play. Would that be a problem?"
"I can''t see why not." Greene honestly answered. "It''s not controversial and it''s modern, which the parents will like instead of using old classics to lower costs. Are you really sure you want to do this? It''s a lot of money."
"I''m sure." Lizzy said as she gave him the cheque. "Just be sure to save two seats for us on opening night. Use all profits to finance next year''s production."
Greene nodded and took the hint, "Yes, thank you! This is awesome!" He gave her and Gale a huge hug and couldn''t believe what had just happened. He ran into the staff room and told the other people what had just happened.
Days later it would be revealed that a private citizen make a huge donation to the drama club specifically to pay for that year''s production. To the kids it meant that their school play wasn''t being cancelled after all. Parents whose kids were active in the program were celebrating and excited about the show that Lizzy had requested. As the teacher had said it was still a very popular show and the kids were very excited about it as it wasn''t the norm to them as well. The cheque was more than enough to cover all costs and still have a lot more left for the next year''s play. It was several months later and much closer to the end of the school year when the production was finally ready.
Lizzy could''ve bought tickets to see the show in another city just like she had done with Hayden''s Mom and the Paul McCartney concert, but funding to save a drama program to do the show seemed more satisfying and she thought Hayden would be proud of it was well. Not only did she drag Gale to see the show, but she bought tickets for Anna and Crispin who at that point were inseparable.She also got seats for Jared and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Sheppard and for David and his wife as well. Since it was on the list, no one was able to refuse and they all went down to the local school to show their support. While the kids were not exactly Broadway stars, their hard work and endless rehearsals paid off as they never missed a line, kept the songs in decent pitch and managed to wow the crowd with their performances. When it was all said and done the entire gym stood up and gave the actors a standing ovation for a job well done. Lizzy couldn''t have picked a better way to fulfill this item from the list, and was happy to read weeks later that the citizens were so impressed by the shows that had run all week, that they pressured the school board and the local governments to fund the school''s drama programs more so they could see more wonderful shows like that. It was hard to argue against that and it was quickly approved. Lizzy cut out the article in the paper about it and made sure it found a place where she could cherish it for years to come. She hadn''t meant for this to happen, but was glad the list was helping more people than it was hurting. It was all the motivation she needed to keep working towards her eventual goal, which was to complete the list.
20. Walk By That Lake One More Time
Never was there a time that Lizzy had felt so alone since she started her quest to finish the things her husband wanted to do. Gale had to fly home because of a family emergency but promised to come back when everything settled down. Anna was still no where to be seen and the fact that her absence started with the arrival of Crispin to resolve item number twelve was not a coincidence. For the next week she tried her best to investigate the next item on the list, but every idea she could think of was a dead end. She was lounging on the couch and racking her brain over what seemed like an impossible task while Wyatt was parked on the green chair, watching her with an occasional whimper.
What lake what Hayden referring to?
There were a few within a few hours drive, several if she wanted to travel for more than one day to reach her destination. She called David as a last ditch effort but even he had no idea what Hayden was talking about. He talked about how Mr. Sheppard liked to pack up an SUV and travel to various campsites and while some were located on the shore of a lake, there were several he remembered going to and had no idea which Hayden could be referring to. Lizzy was pulling out hair trying to think this one through, but it sounded like her husband kept this one very, very close to his chest. If there was a story to be told, he apparently never told anyone about this one. Something happened to Hayden near a lake, and for some reason he never told a single person about it, not even his family.
Lizzy felt defeated, like this was the end of her quest. If she couldn''t figure out what this item was it seemed like there was no way she was ever going to be able to complete all of the tasks. Every since she first started her campaign to complete Hayden''s list, Lizzy had never felt so drained and so close to throwing in the towel and giving up. She spent three weeks at home, sulking about how everything was over when something came in the mail that changed it all. It was a postcard. On the face of the postcard was a picture of Lake Huron. When Lizzy turned over the card, she realized there was something written on the back:
# 20: walk by that lake one more time.
Lizzy''s heart was in her throat. Someone out there knew what lake that Hayden was talking about and had taken the time to mail this card to her and let her know. She jumped on the phone and called Hayden''s family again and asked them about trips they had taken to Lake Huron. David recalled going out to Lake Huron the first weekend of every August. They always went to the same camp ground, stayed at the exact same campsite that was near the beach and the water. They had done it every summer David said, that was until the summer of Hayden''s eighth birthday. Something had happened and his Dad was so upset that they had packed up two days early and left camp. They never went back to that campsite again. Lizzy couldn''t believe what she was hearing. Something had happened at that lake, but no one had any idea except Mr. Sheppard and the person who sent her the postcard. She was debating about what she should do next but the answer came to her in the form of another postcard. On it was another picture of Lake Huron, and this time written on the back was another message:
Visit the camp site. Find out why Hayden never came back.
That was all that she could take. Lizzy packed up her stuff, rented a minivan and decided to go camping, to an extent. She booked a hotel room that was only a few kilometers from the camp site, and from there she could do all the lake recon she wanted. While Hayden seemed like the kind of person that loved the great outdoors, to Lizzy room service was about as close to ''roughing it'' away from home she would want to be. After she checked into the hotel, she quickly drove up to the campsite and thanks to David''s instructions she found the exact campsite that the Sheppard''s used every summer. Much to her surprise, the Sheppard campsite was already in use. There was a small RV parked out front, but there was a still a small green tent that was pegged up with skill and an open fire that was burning within a controlled setting and a few coolers that were likely filled with soda, booze or both. The fact that someone was sending her postcards about this campsite and the Sheppard''s spot was taken clearly wasn''t a coincidence to her. She parked her van, and walked right up to the RV. She knocked on the door several times, sometimes almost punching the door. There was no answer. Whoever this RV belonged to, the person clearly wasn''t there at the moment. She was ready to scream, clearly frustrated by what was going on. She wanted answers, and didn''t want to wait another minute for them. She was about to toss something at the RV when her eyes locked onto a small folding chair that was located near the picnic table. She walked up to the chair and realized that sitting in the chair were was the answer she had been looking for, especially the identity of the person who had been mailing the letters. She picked the small stuffed bear up off the chair and smiled.
"Hello Hermy." she said, "We meet again."
"You know if he wasn''t a lifeless teddy bear." A voice came booming from behind. "I honestly think he would be flattered that you remember him."
Lizzy wasn''t afraid of that voice, since she had already figured out who it was. "If I''m not mistaken Sergeant Major Smith, don''t you have a crew of fresh recruits to whip into fighting shape at the base?"
"No Ma''am." Gary Smith said with a smile. "As of last week, I decided to cash in some long overdue leave. I got a loan of this RV from an officer that owed me a favor and decided to go camping. I love the outdoors. My family came out here every summer, as did a lot of families from our hometown, especially during the first weekend of August. That weekend was always a big event for our town. My spot used to be about a kilometer that way. This spot belonged to the Sheppard family, but I think you already knew that."
"You only looked over the list for a few seconds." Lizzy said to him.
"I have a photographic memory." He replied.
"Number twenty-four." Lizzy called out, picking a random number.
"Take Liz to the vines." Gary answered.
"Do you have any idea what that means?" Lizzy asked.
"Not a clue." Gary replied.
"Number seven." Lizzy called out.
"Have a picnic at that park." Gary raised his hand and paused for a moment. "What park was he referring to when he wrote that?"
"Central." Lizzy answered.
"Nice," Gary said, smiling. "Very nice."
"So you memorized the entire list?" Lizzy inquired, actually impressed.
"Not perfectly, but good enough to be of some use." Gary replied, "When I got back to the barracks, I recited the list from memory and put it to paper. I was sincerely touched by how you went out of your way to do something for me that day. So much that I wanted to return the favor and help you. As it turns out, I have the unique ability to help you resolve what happens to be one of the toughest tasks on your list."
"That being the lake I had no idea about." Lizzy supplied.
"Exactly. I happen to know that this is that lake." Gary said as he pointed towards Lake Huron. He was dressed very casually, wearing cargo pants but a plain grey t-shirt, probably as close to vacation as the soldier was going to get. "I applied for leave because I wanted to help you with your list, starting off with this lake. No one else knows why Hayden wanted to come back here."
"And you do?" Lizzy asked.
"As a matter of fact, I do." Gary boasted. "I was here when the incident happened."
"What incident?" Lizzy asked, eager to know more.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.
"The one that caused the Sheppard family to leave early and never come back." Gary casually walked over and took his Hermy back from Lizzy. He walked over to the RV and opened the door and tossed the bear inside. "There are a few clouds forming. I don''t want him to get wet."
"Of course." Lizzy agreed with a smile.
"Come this way," Gary said, gesturing towards the lake. "I want to take you to the exact spot where it happened."
She walked a few feet behind the Sergeant Major, and he was moving respectfully slow since he didn''t want Lizzy to fall behind and not be able to make it to their destination with him. After a few moments she realized he was walking her to the beach, the coast of Lake Huron. The lake was huge and made for a stunning sight, one that clearly took her breath away. Even though on a map it seemed like a small body of water compared to like the oceans, the lake still looked like it went on forever into the sunset. He passed by two life guard stations, and then eventually came to a stop and stood there, looking out at the lake. He was quiet and didn''t say anything to Lizzy as she walked up to where he was standing. After a few moments, he finally spoke.
"It happened right here." Gary told her.
"What did?" Lizzy asked.
"This almost became Hayden''s final resting place." Gary answered.
"That summer when the Sheppard family stopping coming here?" Lizzy asked.
"The very same." Gary confirmed. "It happened when Hayden was only eight. I had a few years on him, but I wasn''t too old either. I was only eleven but I hit a growth spurt and I was a lot bigger. I was swimming about fifty to sixty feet from the shore, just farting around when it all started. I heard a man screaming from the beach. It was Hayden''s father, calling out for him. He couldn''t find Hayden on the beach and was running up and down the coast, frantically looking for him. He was in a panicked state and for good reason."
"Where was Hayden?" Lizzy asked.
"He was under the water, drowning." Gary said as he took his shoes off, and walked a few feet into the water to get his toes wet. "This was where Hayden almost kicked the bucket. From what I tell based on where I found him, the tide had dragged him out and he was under for close three minutes. I didn''t know what was going on until I heard his father calling for him. I turned and could see his Dad running up and down the beach, screaming his name. I had stopped what I was doing to look around and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a few fingers come up and then go back underwater."
"That was Hayden?" Lizzy asked, hanging on his every word.
"It was." Gary confirmed, "I swam over to where he was and he was still under. He wasn''t tall enough to reach the surface and he didn''t have the strength or ability to swim to the surface. The water was only five and half feet, but he was still drowning."
Gary paused for a moment and skipped a stone into the lake.
"Even though I was pretty far out," Gary continued, "I was still tall enough to stand on the ground with my head still above the water. Barely, but tall enough. So when I found the little guy, all I had to do was reach down into the water, grab the little guy and lift him out. I gave him a few rough slaps on his back with my hand and the little guy was sucking air again. I can still remember the sound Hayden made when he gasping for his first breath. As I started to walk back to the shore, I bumped into one of Hayden''s sisters. She came over and took Hayden from me and brought him back to his father who immediately took him back to camp. That was the last time I saw him that summer."
"You saved his life," Lizzy couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "Did Hayden know it was you?"
"If he knew, he never told me or tried to talk about it." Gary explained, "Chances are he didn''t know because he was so confused, disorientated, and probably in the state of shock. I don''t even think his sister recognized me, and I never talked to any of them after it happened."
"You didn''t tell them?" Lizzy said, clearly surprised herself.
"No, I didn''t." Gary quickly replied. "I didn''t feel it was necessary. My Dad had told me not to go swimming that afternoon. I was out there against orders and chances are if I had listened to my old man, Hayden would not have made it out of the lake alive. Some will call it luck, others might call it fate. I was fortunate enough to be out there to reach in and pull him out of the water and back into our world. I don''t know which factor lead to it, but I was glad to be out there when he needed me."
"Does anyone else know about this?" Lizzy quickly asked.
"No one." Gary answered. "I never told a soul about what happened that day. You''re the first."
Lizzy couldn''t believe what she was hearing. It was clear to her that Hayden had wanted to come back to the lake for personal reasons. He apparently wanted to face that very lake that almost took his live over twenty years ago.
"That''s why he wanted to come back," Lizzy said to no one in particular. "To walk down the beach that nearly took his life."
"He was lucky to get out alive." Gary said as he kept walking in the shallow water. "Since that day Hayden had been living on burrowed time. Everything that happened after that day was his second chance. From the details I heard from you and his brother, he made the best of that and did very well with the time he was given."
"He did." Lizzy confirmed as she took off her sandals. She walked ankle deep into the water as well and started to stroll with Gary. "Why didn''t you tell anyone what you did? You saved a boy''s life. You deserved to be treated as a hero for what you did."
"Being there for him was reward enough." Gary replied as he looked back out. "I didn''t need anyone to tell me what I had done was right. I already knew."
For the next several minutes they strolled down the beach, not saying a word to one another. Just enjoying the view and each other''s company in a place that to Hayden was very scary for reasons no one knew but himself and the man that pulled him free from the water. She appreciated the fact that Gary had led her to the lake to find out what had really happened. Not even David or his own father had really known what had happened. Gary never told anyone and merely just passed Hayden to his sister who probably didn''t see anything either. Mr. Sheppard would never learn how close Hayden really was to death that afternoon, but he was still scared enough to pack up the family early and call it a vacation. And there she was at that lake Hayden wanted to see again, with the same guardian angel that helped him out the first time he needed it. This time out she was the one that needed help, unaware of any of the details or the lake that Hayden wanted to see. Despite his rough exterior, Gary had reached out to Lizzy in her time of need and revealed that tiny soft side the soldier had, the side that still longed for his teddy bear after all those years.
"Thanks for your help." Lizzy said, giving him a soft hug.
Gary cracked a cocky grin.
"Glad to be of service, Ma''am." He admitted as he continued to stroll down the shoreline. "Even though I''m supposed to be the tough guy, the romantic in me has a deep respect for what you''re doing."
"You mean the list?" Lizzy asked, already aware of what he was talking about.
"Affirmative," Gary said as he turned to respond. "I wish there was someone out there who thought of me enough to do that kind of stuff."
"Too much time in the corps to find someone?" Lizzy guessed.
"No, I walked down that aisle already." Gary admitted as he grabbed a new stone and tossed it into the lake. "It didn''t work out too well."
"Sorry to hear that." Lizzy said.
"Shit happens, and it''s ancient history." Gary said, as paused for a moment and then turned around. "How many items are left on that list?"
"Ten." Lizzy answered.
"You''re done well, so don''t give up now." Gary instructed, "You''re getting into the homestretch. This is when things will get really difficult, so you''ve got to dig deep and stay the course. Remember why you''re here and that will give you all the energy you need to carry on."
"My pep talk from the Sergeant Major?" Lizzy asked.
"Kind of." Gary honestly confessed.
Lizzy paused for a moment and then asked a new question. "How much leave did you apply for?"
"I''m on leave for a total of four weeks, and am in the middle of week two." Gary answered, "I haven''t taken any leave in almost a decade. You should have seen their faces when I asked. Is there something else on the list you needed help with?"
"Not really." Lizzy confessed, "But I could use some company."
"I did notice that Team Hayden has taken a few hits." Gary observed.
"You could say that." Lizzy confirmed.
"It happens." Gary said, " In the corps, we call this attrition. I''m game to help out. Now that we''ve taken a walk by that Lake, it''s safe to assume number twenty is taken care of. If memory serves me right the next item had something to do with a ball game, right?"
"You would be correct," Lizzy answered, "See a game at the last ballpark."
"Do you happen to know where this last ballpark is?" Gary quickly asked.
"As a matter of fact, I do." Lizzy slyly answered, before she turned away and started to walk down the beach in the opposite direction.
"Well?" Gary called out, "Aren''t you going to tell me?"
"Tomorrow." She called back. "After you have a chance to pack everything up and get ready to deploy. I''m going back to my hotel. I''ll return around ten in the morning."
"Alright." Gary conceded, "I''ll be ready to go, oh ten hundred."
Gary watched her walk away and laughed to himself, as he had begun to realize what he had gotten himself into.
21. Go See A Game At The Last Ballpark
Gary was up quite early and had tore down camp and packed everything into the RV trailer he brought with him, was ready to go by oh eight hundred. He was waiting for Lizzy to arrive and give him a briefing for the next mission. Gary really did respect what Lizzy was doing for the man she loved, and was more than happy to help out. Hayden really did make a difference in many people''s lives and even after his passing through the list, he continued to do so. Gary tossed Hermy into the front passenger seat, and continued to wait until he finally saw Lizzy''s minivan pull into the camp site. As she came to a stop, Gary who was dressed in black jeans and a Camo t-shirt raised his hands up hoping to get the Intel that kept him awake half the night.
"So where are we going?" He asked her.
"East." Lizzy playfully teased.
Gary knew this wasn''t going to be easy. "Can you at least tell me how you found out what the last park meant?"
"I got the information from a valuable source," Lizzy informed him, "From someone who knew both Hayden and baseball like the back of his hand."
"Hayden''s old man?" Gary guessed.
"How did you know?" Lizzy answered.
"He used to be my softball coach." Gary called back. "And you''re right, that man really does know a lot about baseball. How did he know about the last park?"
"Hayden told him," Lizzy answered, "Well, kind of."
It was the same night Lizzy had asked Mr. Sheppard to have a catch. They had been tossing the ball for twenty minutes after they had their moment, and she thought that was a safe buffer to ask him about the next baseball related item on the list. She caught the ball and paused for a moment.
"I need to ask you something else about Hayden." she called out.
"I''ll do what I can to help." Mr. Sheppard replied, "What is it about?"
"I think it''s about baseball." Lizzy honestly answered.
She was aware that the twenty-first item on the list was game related, and she thought it would be best to ask Mr. Sheppard about it to confirm or deny it. If it was something about baseball, he would know and be able to solve the whole mystery surrounding the last ballpark. Mr. Sheppard was like a baseball encyclopaedia when it came to the national pastime, and if anyone would know something about baseball concerning Hayden, it would be his father.
"Okay then," Mr. Sheppard said as he walked over and sat down at the picnic table in the corner of the backyard. "Fire away."
"There is an item of the list I think might have to do with baseball. It says something about seeing a game at the last ball park." Lizzy paused to give Mr. Sheppard a moment to digest what she had said. "I have no idea what that means. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?"
"I have more than a suggestion;" Mr. Sheppard replied, "I know exactly what that means."
"Is it baseball related?" she quickly asked.
"Oh yes. It''s baseball related." Mr. Sheppard confirmed, as he stood up. "Take a seat. I''ll be back in a moment. I need to get something from my study."
She sat down at the table and waited close to ten minutes before Mr. Sheppard came back with a shoe box. He set it down on the table and then sat down himself.
"In this box are letters." he informed her.
"From Hayden?" Lizzy asked.
"Yes, every one of them." Mr. Sheppard confirmed as he opened the box and took them out. "There are twenty-nine letters in there, each from a different park."
"Baseball parks?"
"That''s right," the old man confirmed, "Every professional park in the country. After he graduated from high school, he took the money that I had been saving in his college fund and took a tour across the country with one of his best friends. Their goal was to see one game in every baseball park in the nation. Each time he saw a game he would take a picture of him at the park and mail it to me with a small message about what they did in that particular city." Mr. Sheppard pulled out one of the letters, "This one was from the game he saw in San Francisco. He also got a chance to tour Alcatraz as well as see Barry Bonds hit one of his record breaking home-runs that season."
Lizzy was looking through the stack and looked back at Mr. Sheppard. "There are thirty teams in major league baseball, right?"
"That is correct." Mr. Sheppard confirmed.
"So if you only have twenty-nine letters," Lizzy said, "So that means he didn''t make to every park. He missed one."
"That''s also correct." Mr. Sheppard said with a smile. "That is the answer to your mystery."
Hayden''s Dad stood up and walked over to give her a kiss on her forehead.
"You can keep those." He told her, "Read them all and enjoy every story about his trip. When you find out which one of them is missing, you''ll know where the last ball park is."
Gary could hardly contain himself. "So you read every letter?"
"Yes, I did." Lizzy confirmed.
"So, which ballpark was missing?" Garry asked without hesitation.
"Boston." Lizzy answered.
"Boston?" Gary repeated, as he was in complete shock. "As in Fenway Park?"
"That would be the one." Lizzy confirmed, "The last ballpark."
"Of all the parks to miss out on," Gary said, "That''s the best one!"
"Well, it turns out they were saving the best for last." Lizzy explained, "Unfortunately for them, that weekend that he and his friend arrived to catch a game, the city had one of their worst storms of the year. The last two games that weekend were rained out and made up at the other team''s park later that season. Hayden''s road buddy had to start college and they never had a chance to go back and finish up their trip to visit every stadium. So in order to take care of this task, we need to go to Boston to catch a game at the last ballpark."
"This is awesome!" Gary roared with glee, as he pumped a fist. "I''ve always wanted to see a game there. I''m not a huge Red Sox fan, but that park is like the Vatican of baseball. Anyone who claims to be a baseball fan has to visit this park at least once in their lifetime."
"I know, which is why I''m a little excited about it as well." Lizzy agreed, "This will be a lot of fun."
"So when is the next game?" Gary asked.
"I already looked it up online." Lizzy replied as she pulled out a notebook and flipped it open. According to their schedule, the next game is Friday night but that one was sold out. I got tickets for the next day, Saturday afternoon. That''s three days from now against the Devil Rays of Tampa Bay."This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"That should be great." Gary admitted, "But they''re just called the Rays now."
"Oh, okay." Lizzy said as she scribbled out the first word, "So we have a few days to get there and hang out before the game starts."
"Well we already have an RV." Gary said as he displayed his trailer that was hooked up to a pretty hefty truck. "I think we should find a location near the park that allows people to camp out near the game.
"I was thinking that too." Lizzy said as she flipped to another page, "there''s a camping site just 50 miles outside of Boston. I already took the liberty to call up and book a spot for you. We can camp out overnight and the just shoot into the city during the day without having to worry about our stuff."
"That sounds like a plan." Gary said, "Is there anything else I should be aware of that you might have already taken care of?"
"Well, I called ahead and booked our tickets for the game." She confessed. "I just wanted to make sure that was out of the way and we didn''t have to rush in to get them. We can pick them up at the booth before the game starts."
"Okay, so there''s no hurry to get in." Gary said as he fold his arms and thought about it, "This means if we get in early, we have time to see some sites. Take a tour of the city."
Lizzy didn''t want to the city alone, but now that she had company, the idea was a little more passable. "Why not."
They took both vehicles and Gary followed Lizzy''s van cause he wanted to match her speed and let her go at a pace that was comfortable with her. It only took them a day and half of straight driving with one seven hour break to sleep to get to the city of their desire. Before they got any closer, they went to the campsite outside town where Lizzy had booked them a spot, and settled in. Only took Gary forty minutes to set up the trailer, secure it and have it all ready for them. He even took the time to set up what was a very impressive looking military like tent beside the trailer.
"There." he said out loud as he stood up. "Camp is all set."
"What is the tent for?" Lizzy asked.
"It''s where I''ll be sleeping." Gary said, "You can have the trailer."
"Are you sure?" Lizzy said, but Gary raised his hand to interrupt
"I''m the soldier here." He reminded her, "That means I''m used to sleeping on the ground. I''m actually more comfortable out here than in the trailer. You''ve also spent enough for the tickets and what not, so it''s the least I can do. You''re not going to enjoy the game with a sore back, are you?"
"I guess not." Lizzy admitted, and it saved her from having to book a hotel and camp site. She really had more than enough money, but it was a sweet gesture.
She hadn''t been camping in forever so the idea of spending a few nights at this came with Gary seemed like an interesting idea. She was also very flattered that he was polite enough to let her take the trailer. He was being a gentleman, which was out of character for a man with his reputation for being mean and controlling. But she knew the real Gary: the guy who would risk his own life to save another in need of help and the kind of man who valued his teddy bear not as a toy but as the last symbolic gift given to him by his late grandmother. She saw him in a different way their first encounter, which led Lizzy to believe the man she saw screaming and punching David in the gut was an act that was used to motivate soldiers to being the best they could be for Uncle Sam in the fastest time possible. It was an act that was long gone, as she got to see the real Gary away from the camp, someone that was far more interesting to speak with and get to know.
A few hours after settling in and finishing camp, they took Lizzy''s van to the city and decided to spend the rest of the day seeing the sites and popular tourist attractions. There were gardens, music halls and some fine restaurants to check out as well. Before she had a chance to pick one of the few that she had looked up online, it was Gary who surprised her with a suggestion for dinner.
"I called a grunt who I trained that is from Boston," Gary told her, "I asked him what he thought was the best place in town to get some quality grub. His Intel was very valuable and I intend to use it to enhance our experience here in the city."
He took her small and very cozy place that was family run and had a very personal atmosphere that Lizzy loved a great deal. She had never seen this place on any of the lists she looked at and was impressed that he would contact his own people to get the information he needed. She was sure the grunts all hated him for the hell he put them through for training them for weeks on end but she couldn''t be more wrong. Each grunt that graduated had nothing but the up most respect for their Sergeant Major and what he did for them. A phone call was all Gary had to do and anything he wanted, within reason of course, was his. It was something he didn''t abuse often, but gathering intel seemed like a very small request and the corporal was more than willing to help him out with inside info from someone who had lived in Boston all his life.
She sat quietly and looked at the menu. "Do you recommend anything?"
"I was told the pasta is amazing." Gary answered. "But believe it or not, I like to ask the staff what they like."
"Why is that?" Lizzy asked, already aware of the answer.
"They work here." Gary simply answered, "Who else would know what is the best or worst than the people who serve it everyday. They''re the ones who accept the compliments to the chef, and they''re the ones who have to carry it back if it sucks. They know everything, and they are the prefect people to talk to if you want accurate Intel about the menu."
"That''s the nicest thing you''ve said to me." Lizzy said with a smile.
"Why is that?" Gary asked as he was very confused.
"That''s what I do." Lizzy answered. "I''m a waitress. Or at least I was before I took this crazy trip."
When the waiter finally arrived, Gary did just as he said he was going to do and asked for what he thought she was best. Lizzy and Gary then ordered based on that recommendation and enjoyed a fine meal together that night. After their day of sightseeing was through, they went back to their camp and settled in for the night. Gary was getting ready to crash in the tent for the night and walked up to the camper.
"I''m all set for the night," Gary called out, "I was just checking to make sure you were alright before I hit the hay."
"I''m fine." Lizzy paused for a moment, "But could you pass him into the camper for me?" she softly asked and pointed towards the lawn chair by the tent.
"Are you sure he needs to shelter up in the trailer?" Gary said as he picked Hermy up off the chair, "I don''t anticipate any rain."
"Well, I need something to cuddle with." Lizzy answered, "And I''ve know him a little longer than I''ve known you."
Gary chuckled as he handed her the bear. "Good night." He said with a grin and went to his tent.
Night passed as fast as everyone hoped it would, and it was suddenly the big day: game day. The Red Sox game against the Rays was that night and both Lizzy and Gary were rather quiet throughout the day until it was time to go. Just after lunch, they packed up the van and went back to town. When they arrived and finally found a place to park, the area was swarming with red and black. Fans were funneling into the park to watch the game and Lizzy was getting more and more excited as they got closer to what was a cathedral of all sports. They went up to the ticket booth to pick up their prepaid tickets, and she handed a ticket over to Gary with a cute smirk on her face. "Here you go, Mr. Smith."
"Thank you." Gary took his seat and analyzed it for a moment. "We''re in the bleachers?"
"I asked her for the best available." Lizzy answered. "Everything else was sold."
"Well, it''s at least a seat." Garry conceded, "Beats standing up in the terrace."
They both made their way to their seats in the bleachers and it was sight to behold. Despite not being anywhere the best seats in the house, Lizzy was sure that almost every seat in this park was a good seat because it was hard to find an area of the stadium that didn''t have their own unique view of the field that made any game a joy to watch. Gary and her were seated in section 39 which was in between right and center field and had an amazing view of both bullpens where relief pitchers would warm up before going to the mound. Gary''s comments about the part were spot on: the park was everything he said it would be. She had heard of the stadium and its distinctive features, but Lizzy never could really appreciate them until she was there in person to see them herself. Something a real fan of baseball had to do at least once in their lifetime. Something Hayden wanted to do and he and his traveling buddy made this the last park for a reason, they had been saving the best for last. It was not meant to be that summer but she was there, taking it all in and enjoy a game on behalf of Hayden and his quest to see very ball park in the country. Lizzy was in her seat, excited and waiting for the first pitch. Gary had excused himself to go get a beer, but when he came back it was with an arm full of merchandise that he purchased from one of many gift areas located in the park.
"Here." He said as he passed her a hat, "I think this will look good you."
She took the hat from him and it was a red hat with a black B in the middle of it. It was a hat for the Sox and the fans sitting around them all agreed it looked good on her. Gary had a had of his own and a t-shirt that he put on when he was off getting something to drink. She looked back at him, "I didn''t realize I was a Sox fan."
"Well I''m not, but I''m not a Rays fan either." Gary confessed, "My Dad always told me that if you are in a stadium and your favorite team isn''t playing, then you always root for the home team by default."
"Well I guess that means we''re rooting for Boston." Lizzy conceded.
"That''s right so take your beer and your foam finger and root your heart out." Gary said as he passed her more stuff.
The game was everything she hoped it was going to be. The score changed several times as each team took a turn taking the lead and then giving it back later that inning. There were a few home runs in that night, but none of them managed to come anywhere near where they were sitting. Lizzy could tell Gary was having a great time, and she was glad that he was there to share it with him. When it was all said and done, the Sox had prevailed and taken the game. All the fans left the last ballpark happy and satisfied with the result. As they were driving back to the campsite, Gary who was in the passenger seat since he had one too many beers was eager to move on to the next mission.
"We have time for that," Lizzy replied. "We don''t even have to leave the camp ground to finish the next task."
"Well that''s a relief." Gary said as he slouched into the passenger seat and seemed like he was ready to doze off. "Doesn''t it have something to do with a book?"
"Yes, it does." Lizzy confirmed.
"Well, we''ll take care of that in the morning." Gary said before falling asleep.
Lizzy laughed and kept going to the site, which she shortly reached. Rather than try to pull the big marine to his tent, Lizzy chose to instead grab a blanket, recline the seat and let him sleep in the van for the rest of the night. She cracked the windows and closed the door and kissed her hand and pressed it to the window before retiring to the camper for the night. While the next task wasn''t going to be as exciting as the one she just finished, it was nice to have company for each one. She never liked the idea of doing any of them alone and was happy that some people were willing to help her out for similar reasons. She felt blessed to have those people like Gary, Gale and Anna to help her out. Even David as controlling as he was turned out to be very helpful, even though he would blow a gasket if he knew who she was hanging around with. She laughed at the thought before retiring to the camper and sleeping with her new favorite teddy bear.
22. Finish Reading That Book
Lizzy woke up around nine that morning, hopped out of bed and changed in the bathroom before emerging from the trailer. She wasn''t surprised to see that Gary was already awake, had a fire going and was cooking breakfast over that fire with confidence. Seems he was used to camping out, and had sausage, bacon and some eggs frying up and ready to be consumed.
"Good morning." Lizzy said to him as she walked by and grabbed a soda from the cooler. It was far too warm outside to want to drink anything hot like coffee that early.
"Good morning." Gary replied, concentrating on what he was doing. "I hope you don''t mind your eggs over easy."
"No, that will be fine." she answered, as she sat down in one of the lawn chairs. "The only kind of eggs I don''t like is poached."
"I''m not a fan of that either. Don''t like the texture." Gary said as he finished what he was doing and filled two plates with chow. In addition to the eggs, bacon and sausage, there was a small helping of potatoes that Gary had fried up earlier before she woke up.
"Thank you." Lizzy said as she took her plate. She walked over to one of the lawn chairs and sat down. She took a few bites and showed her appreciation with some hums that passed on her compliments to the chef.
"So about this book," Gary said as he was chewing on a sausage. "I was curious about it. You know what book he was talking about, right?"
"That''s correct and I''ll show it to you when we get to the bookstore later today." Lizzy answered with a cryptic smile.
Gary didn''t like being teased, but went with it anyway. "Well, regardless of what book it is, I assume this is a book Hayden wanted to finish by himself?"
"That is also correct." Lizzy confirmed.
"Have you read this book?" Gary then asked.
"I have." Lizzy answered.
"So, how are we going to complete this task if you''ve already read it?" he then inquired, eager to know what the plan was. This turned out to be one of those tasks that she never wanted to take on without some kind of plan in place. To Gary, failing to plan meant you were planning to fail and failure was not something in his ignorant vocabulary.
"Well, I was thinking about it." Lizzy said, "I was the person who asked Hayden to read the book. He was supposed to read it for me. Since I''ve already read the book, I can''t finish it for him. It has to be read by someone who has never read it before for us to complete this task. Since Hermy is a lifeless, inanimate object, that leaves only one person here who can. "
"Great," Gary said with a note of sarcasm that was about as thin as his the bacon he was chewing on. "I''ve got a bad feeling about this."
"It''s not that bad." Lizzy said as she chuckled.
"I''m sure that''s what you told Hayden too and he never finished it." Gary said as he tossed his empty plate into a large bowl that was filled with soapy water. "After you finish up, let''s hit the bookstore and grab a few books."
"A few books?" Lizzy said as she cocked an eyebrow. "We only need one."
"I''m changing the rules of this task." Gary said, "We''ll need two."
"Two books? And why is that?" Lizzy asked.
"Because misery loves company," Gary said, with a childish grin. "If I''m going to be forced to read something difficult, then so are you. I''m going to pick a book and you''ll have to read it just like I have to read the book Hayden was supposed to finish."
Lizzy thought about arguing but since he was being a good sport about finishing Hayden''s book, it made sense she had to endure something similar. It only took them a short while to make it to the bookstore she was looking for. It was one of those massive find any kind of book mega store that had been popping up everywhere. That kind of place that has a fancy coffee shops attached to it so that you could get something sweet to drink after you buy your new book, so that way you can sit with a coffee and browse your newly purchased piece of literature. So once in the store, Lizzy and Gary parted and went their separate ways, heading for different sections to choose a book that was likely going to be polar opposites. It didn''t take her long to find the book she was seeking. It was a very old book, but there were numerous newer editions. She had her choice of soft coves, but preferred to pick something of the hardcover variety, to help Gary with his future reading endeavor. She picked a copy that had an impressive nice leather bound exterior and felt that it would be a nice gift for the grunt that was going to hit the trenches within its fine framing. She was very happy with her selection and started to walk back towards the main foyer of the massive store when she spotted Gary heading back the same way. He had also found what he was looking for, as there was a similar looking hardcover book tucked under his arm, and he was grinning from ear to ear. She was curious to what he had selected, but he was keeping that to himself as he moved on to the counter and purchased the book with his own money so she couldn''t see it at the counter. Once they left the store, Lizzy wanted to ask or steal the book from him, but decided against it as they went back to the car. Once inside, she was the first to speak.
"So where do we go from here?" she quickly asked once they were in their seats.
"I was thinking of going out for lunch." Gary answered. "After that we should find a nice park and read our books for a few hours and then head back."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Lizzy concurred. She was a bit hungry, and she could try to pry the details of his book selection over a good lunch. Turns out Gary was very good at keeping Intel to himself, likely from his years of military training to take great pressure without breaking for the enemy. She wasn''t an adversary, but she tried her best to use her charm and wit to get something out of him, but to no avail. After their meal was done, they both took a short stroll to a park that was only a few blocks away. Once they were there, it was time to break out the books and make an exchange. She was very excited to see what kind of book Gary had selected for her, but was just as excited to give him his assigned reading. She reached into the bag and took out the leather bound novel and passed it go Gary.
"There you go. I hope you like it." She handed over the bag and watched as he opened it and removed the leather bound copy. She could tell by the semi-scowl that came upon his face that he did recognize the book, and she found the look he had on his face very fascinating. It was the exact look that Hayden had on his face when he first got his own copy.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Hayden looked at the book he was given and then looked back at her with a slight grimace in his face. "Are you serious?"
She looked back at him, shocked he was serious. "Of course I am. You said I could pick out any book I wanted for you to read and I picked this one."
"I was hoping you''d pick something remotely decent." Hayden replied. "I haven''t read anything by this person. I''m not sure how many books she''s written."
"Well she also wrote a book called ''Little Men''." Lizzy retorted.
"And little else from what I''ve heard about this author." Hayden shot back.
Lizzy gave him a cold stare. "You promised not to make a fuss about this."
"I know, I did." Hayden confirmed, "but I didn''t realize the book you were going to choose was going to be over a century old."
"Hey, this is one of my favorite books. I want you to read it." Lizzy looked at him with her brown eyes that she knew he could not resist.
"If this book sucks, " He started, "Then you will have to read four of my choice. Okay?"
"That''s a deal." Lizzy agreed, "But I''m not worried cause I know you''re going to love it!"
She was confident but could tell by the look on Hayden''s face that he wasn''t so sure about that. But for that day at least, he was a man of his word. He sat down in his big green chair and started to read the book. He read a few chapters that day but it was apparent to Lizzy that because it was on the list, he never got around to reading it all. He put it away a short time later and never got back to it, much to her disappointment.
Gary didn''t immediately read his book when they got back to camp, but instead started to collect wood for a campfire so that he could cook something for dinner. Once his ''chow'' was on and cooking, he took the book out and began to read the first chapter. He grinned over at Lizzy a few times when he caught her looking at him reading, and she smiled back before returning to her own book. The book that Gary had chosen for her was not fiction, but rather historical. It was the memoir of a general who served as a grunt during the Second World War and the Korean War. He eventually rose to the ranks during the war in Vietnam and was a considerable voice in the high ranks until his retirement a few decades years later. She did recognize the author, as the retired general was a frequent consultant on new channels whenever they wanted to speak to someone who had a clue to what goes on during combat. She had no idea why he wanted her to read this book, and sometimes assumed that he did it to pick something that was a polar opposite of what was bound to pick. Gary had to assume there was a reason why Hayden didn''t finish reading the book and he was right on the money with that assumption. So she had her own book to sludge through and also had no choice. Gary was reading a tough one for her and she promised to do the same to complete this portion of the list. Lizzy read through the first few chapters rather quickly as they didn''t have much to do with the military just yet. The writer was talking about life on his family farm, how he was raised and what anguish it caused his parents when he became one of thousands of young men his age to enlist and volunteer to fight the war. Like many before him, he had lied about his age and was a year under but the core didn''t care. They needed the numbers and were ready to sign up anyone who was healthy and could hold up a gun. The also book discussed some of the most , which gave Lizzy a moment to sit back and absorb the truly huge moments of her nation''s history that not only influenced their future but that of the world. She looked back at Gary who was reading his book, only taking breaks to check on their supper.
"Why this book?" she asked.
Gary looked like he wanted to keep it a secret, but decided not to keep her in suspense concerning his motives. "Read the dedication at the front."
She quickly flipped to the front of the book and looked for the book''s dedication. There at the beginning was a small message: To my grandson Gary. May your adventure in the core be as memorable and as safe as my own.
She looked back up at Gary, "This man is your grandfather?"
"On my mother''s side." Gary answered. "When I was kicked out of school and had nowhere to go, he was the one that helped me out. I looked up to him a great deal throughout my childhood. When I was tossed out, he pulled some strings to get me accepted to a private military school to finish out my graduate year. After a year at that school, I decided to go into the military and the rest is history."
"Wow," Lizzy said as she picked the book back up.
She had originally assumed that Gary had chosen this specific book based on his background, but to him it was far more personal. The hero of the story was a close member of his circle. She went back to the book with a new enthusiasm, eager to learn more about the man that meant so much to him. After they ate some of the chow he had cooking, Gary was a real trooper himself as he picked up his own book and continued to read through it. What was supposed to be only a short camp out for the ball game turned into a one week stay as they both spent the better part of that week relaxing and reading their respective books.
Gary stood up, closed his book and groaned. "That''s it for me. I''m finished."
"You''re giving up?" Lizzy whined, not sure what was going on.
"Of course not." Gary answered, "When the book says The End, I get the impression that my work here is done." He tossed the book on top of the cooler and then started to walk around. "I''ll be the first to admit, it was better than I thought it was going to be. The ending was a bit of a shocker, but I can see why some people have a hard time getting through it. It''s the kind of book you expect to read when you go to college, which is a little tougher to understand than some books you''d read today."
"Well, that is where I read it first." Lizzy confessed. "I did go to college for a few years before dropping out."
"Did you ever think of going back?" Gary quickly asked. "Right now would be the right time since you have the funds to make it all happen."
"I never really thought about it." Lizzy honestly answered. "I''ve just been so centered on finishing this list that I never thought of what I was going to do after it was done."
"You should," Gary said back to her. "Cause this list is almost done. I''d hate to see you falter at the end of it and fall into a pit of despair because there''s nothing left to do."
"I''m not that feeble." Lizzy said. "I can keep myself busy. This list has been more than about just doing something for Hayden."
"Alright, that''s good to hear." Gary replied as he went to the cooler to grab a beer. "Do you want one?"
"No thanks, I''ve been starting to stay away from that for a while now." Lizzy replied as she went back to her book.
She had been very hesitant to drink anything since she found out about Hayden and her brother''s alcoholism. It made her think about her own habits and while she didn''t think she had a problem, Lizzy had thought it was best to stop for a while to evaluate it a short time later. Lizzy was interested in reading the book Gary had given him, but the revelation about the author being Gary''s grandfather made her want to keep reading until there was nothing left. Through his own grandfather''s words, she got an understanding of what it was like to be a solider, and it must have been his example that Gary used when following in the old man''s footsteps. Regardless of when she would put down this book was irrelevant as Gary had completed the task. He had done so by enduring a book that Hayden himself had tried to take on before his passing. She started to regret picking such a complex book that was tough on even the best of readers. She merely wanted Hayden to learn a little more about her by finding out what kind of reader she was. In the end Lizzy found out more herself as Gary gave her the perspective to understand what Hayden had been going through. She kept reading but occasionally glanced at Gary as he worked hard to keep the camp fire going and do other camping chores. Soon their task would be over and they would move on. She didn''t know if she could ask for Gary to help her further, but thought it would be something to combat the next morning after time to think it over.
23. Enter A Poker Tournament
Gary had ten days left on his abruptly taken vacation. Since he had applied with little or no notice, he didn''t have the authority to extend it beyond the few weeks he was given. He had spent most of the time with Lizzy, much to the surprise of her friends back in the city. Despite his deadline to return to base, he was dedicated to help her out with one more task, one that he was positive she needed his help with. As Lizzy was reading the last few chapters of the book he assigned her, he came up to her holding a deck of cards in his hand.
"Do you know anything about poker?" He asked.
"Only that nothing beats four of a kind." Lizzy replied.
Gary took a deep breath. "This is going to take a little work."
"What?" Lizzy asked, unsure what she said wrong.
Gary put the deck down on the small table between their chairs. "I know the list says enter tournament, not win it... but I think if you''re going to do this, Hayden would want you to give your best effort."
"So what do you suggest I do?" Lizzy asked.
"You need to learn how to play the game, and how to play the players." Gary said as started to shuffle the deck. "These days the most popular tournament is Texas Hold''em. It''s a simple game but one that requires great skill and luck. So we should get started because the tournament I''m going to enter you into starts in less than a week."
"That''s not much time." Lizzy answered but she was aware there was no choice.
She watched with interest as Gary served up some mock hands and taught her how he would handle each hand as it came down. She learned which hands were worth keeping and what ones she should never bluff with unless she has the chips to back that bluff. He explained two ways when teaching her, how most pros deal with the hands as they come down and how he would handle them. She could tell there was a difference between the two philosophies. Gary didn''t like to toss away cards that had the same suit until he at least got to see the next three cards. He loved going after a flush, but would only take the chance if the pot wasn''t too high early on. Flushes and straights to him were the easier wins to get than just sitting back and waiting for pocket aces, but when those came along you were not to complain and go with the flow. It was a lot to take in, but she did her best to learn and work with it. They spent the next few days at the camp doing nothing but play poker, one hand after another. She soon began to win hands on her own without having to ask Gary for advice, which was a big step for her, but there was something else she was doing Gary had to nip in the bud.
"Stop doing that." he sharply snapped.
"Stop doing what?" Lizzy asked.
"You''re playing with your hair. Stop it." Gary said without looking up. "Every time you''ve got something good, you play with your hair. It''s your tell."
"If you''re so sure about that, why don''t you fold?" she asked.
Gary smiled and then quietly folded. "That''s a good ploy, fake your tell, which give the other players the impression you have something. I wouldn''t use it too often but it can help you with must win situations."
After a few days, they finally packed up the trailer and went home. Back to the city they had deserted for the last few weeks that happened to be the location for the next task. There was going to be a decent sized poker tournament the following week, so it gave Lizzy and Gary one more week to practice before going in to complete another task. Like Jared had told her earlier that year, she didn''t have to win as the task only required her to participate in one. She still planned to do her best, and at least make an effort for Hayden. One thing she didn''t want to do was enter this thing alone. Back at her apartment, as she practiced with Gary like they had for hours before that she finally asked him what had been on her mind for the last few days.
"If I pay your fee, can you enter the tournament with me?"
"Excuse me?" Gary asked as he was distracted by his cards.
"I just think I''d do better if I knew you were there somewhere in the building playing your own game." Lizzy said as she looked at her own cards.
Gary smiled. "I am flattered you want me there, but I think I can scrape up my own..."
"That''s not necessary." Lizzy insisted, "We''re here for Hayden, and you''ve been helping me a great deal. Just promise if you win, you''ll donate half to a charity of my choice." She hoped that would be enough to make him want to play.
Before Gary could respond, there was a loud knocking at the door. Lizzy walked over to the door and peeked through to see that it was David Sheppard and he didn''t look to happy. "Lizzy, are you there?"
"Is everything alright?" Lizzy asked him.
"I heard you were back in town and I wanted to catch up and see what you had been up to." He called back. He seemed genuinely concerned so she opened the door.
He only had to take a few steps in to see who was there. He took one look at Gary and then looked back at Lizzy before back at Gary again. "What are you doing here?"
"Is that any of your business?" Gary said, almost provoking the cop.
"He''s here to help." Lizzy said as she stepped between them again for the second time. "He helped me complete two tasks that no one else could have. We''re working on number twenty-three."
"The poker tournament?" David asked.
"That''s right." Gary said, folding his arms to look tough. "You play, pig?"
David knew he was trying to provoke him, but he knew there was a better way to get back at the marine. "Deal me in and find out."
"That would be my pleasure." Gary said as they all walked back to the dining room table. They split the chips three ways and started over again. Gary dealt the first hand, and seemed cold as ice as he scanned the table and then his own cards. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
"You first." He said as he motioned to Lizzy.
"All in." Lizzy said as she pushed all her chips in.
The two men laughed.
"Do you see what I''m dealing with here?" Gary asked.
"You can''t be serious," David said as he looked at his own cards.
"Well you don''t have to play if you don''t have the balls." Lizzy responded.
David looked back at her and then laughed, "I''m out."
Gary also tossed in his cards. "Me too."
Lizzy turned over her cards to reveal that she had nothing more than a two of hearts with the four of clubs. "Thanks for the early win. Now I have momentum on my side."
The two men seemed to finally lighten up as they laughed again and anted in for the next hand. "I wouldn''t recommend doing that at the tournament." Gary said.
"I hate to say it, but I agree." David concurred.
"Why not?" Lizzy asked, especially since it was good enough to fool them.
"Because at the tournament, you might be at the table with someone crazy enough to call you just to see what you got." Gary answered.
"We''ll see about that." Lizzy said with a grin as she re-stacked her new chips.
Despite the early aggression between the two men, David and Gary seemed to cool down with each hand dealt. They didn''t talk much, but kept to themselves and their cards which was good for Lizzy cause this was as close to a real practice as she was going to get before the tournament started. She really needed it because whatever nerves she had before the poker tournament tripled when she walked into the center where the event was being held. To Lizzy it was a shocking site. So many tables set up and ready to deal, each holding ten players, which made for over two hundred players. Gary had held true to his promise and was participating as well, but was sitting at another table. David agreed to go with her and watch her table for some positive encouragement. He wasn''t allowed to be right beside the table for obvious reasons but she could see him in the gallery near her table, and David waved when he saw her looking over. Lizzy was very nervous about playing, especially with so many people at the table, but she ordered a small drink to settle her nerves.
The dealer explained the rules just for the sake of the rules and for everyone watching and then dealt the first hand. The first few players tossed away their cards, obviously unsatisfied with the cards both the dealer and lady luck had dealt them. There were two players that didn''t feel like folding. One was a geeky looking fellow with sunglasses on so no one could see his eyes and where they were looking.
"Raise two hundred." He said as he tossed the chips into the center.
The other fellow who didn''t want to toss in looked like a biker with a huge ZZ Top like beard, and a bandana covering up his bald cranium.
"Raise five hundred." He barked without hesitation as he tossed more chips in.
Lizzy looked at them both for a moment before making her move. "All in."
Everyone watched in stunned silence as she slid all of her chips into the middle of the table. In order for anyone to call her, they would have to risk losing everything since everyone starts the tournament with the same amount. Not only were there a lot of shocked faces at the table, but none were as shocked as the look Lizzy could see on David''s face from the gallery, as this was specifically what he and Gary told her not to do when they were practicing. She looked down at the geek in the sunglasses and he was having nothing to do with her, tossing in his cards immediately apparently willing to eat his small bet. The biker however was pondering his next move. It wasn''t like he was the kind of guy to crazily just call to see what she had. He seemed to have something to go with, but was it strong enough to call Lizzy? A moment later everyone got their answer.
"I call." The big man said as he tossed in all his chips. After he did that he turned over his cards, which is what you do when all possible money is in the pot. He had an a King and a Jack, off hand. It was a good hand to start with and Lizzy could see David with his hands in his head.
Lizzy wasn''t as concerned as David was. Even if she lost on her first hand, she still completed the task because she participated in the tournament, even if she lost so fast. However, Lizzy was confident her day wasn''t over just yet. She turned over her cards to reveal to everyone watching what was worth betting it all on. She had two aces, and was in full control of the hand. Gary had took her aside and told her if she was ever lucky enough to get what was called trip aces, that being two aces right off the bat, that was the right time to bet it all. The odds that someone could have the same hand were slim, so if she happened to be lucky enough to get it, that was the time to really gamble. When the rest of the cards were dealt, another ace happened to pop up so while the biker had a pair of Kings and a pair of sixes it was not enough to beat the three of a kind that Lizzy possessed. The big man had made a colossal error in judgement on what he thought was a good hand and was now eliminated on the first hand. People were clapping as Lizzy collected the entire pot, which doubled her chip total and gave her an early lead.
Yet when the real games started, that lead slowly faded away. She made some rookie mistakes and the others pounced on it. When it was all said and done it was the geek who folded out of the first hand that eventually took all the chips and the table to move on in the tournament. He was an amazing player and as a result Lizzy was the seventh person to get eliminated from the table, which meant she was the fourth place finisher at table twenty-five. With her lack of experience, Lizzy was sure she was going to go first so she was really proud of the place where she finished. She was sure Hayden would have been proud of her too, especially for that gutsy first hand.
"Excuse me, Miss." Someone called, "Can I guy you a drink?"
Lizzy turned to see who was talking and it was the big biker that she had eliminated in the first hand. She couldn''t tell what kind of mood he was since his beard camouflaged his expressions very well, which would help at the tables she assumed. He was offering to buy her a drink so she took it as what she hoped was a friendly gesture.
"Of course." She said, smiling.
"Aright." The big man turned to the bartender and ordered her the same drink she had at that table, which she was impressed by since it was a while since she ordered it. "I have to tell you that was the most surprising exit I''ve had from a tournament in years."
"You play a lot?" Lizzy asked.
"A lot?" the big man said with a bellowing laugh, "Every week I''m at a different major tournament! I''m a professional. This is the first time in three years I didn''t make it past the first table. I think it''s the first time ever I was eliminated on the first hand."
"Wow, I''m sorry." Lizzy said as she started to apologize.
"Ahhh, don''t worry about it." He said with a huff, "I''ll make it all back next week in Cleveland. I learned a very valuable lesson here, and it will help me a better player in future tournaments. I just want to know one thing."
"What is that?"
"What is the name of the angel looking over your shoulder that made you lucky enough to get trip aces on the very first hand?"
Lizzy paused for a moment. "Hayden."
"Well, little lady, the next time you speak with this Hayden I hope you send him my way to spread a little of that luck. Alright?" he seemed to be a good sport as he raised his glass to toast to her lucky angel.
"I''ll do that." Lizzy said as she tapped his glass to toast to Hayden.
It was several minutes later when David arrived to speak to her about what happened. It took a lot longer for Gary to join them as he did a little better as his table than Lizzy did. He won that table and two others to make it really far in the tournament. The Sergeant ended up winning enough money to break even for everyone. Not spectacular, but no money was lost from an entire evening of poker, which to Lizzy seemed very fitting. Hayden was always one who believed in leaving while you were ahead and not sticking around to lose again. Gary was very impressed with how Lizzy had done, and she was pretty sure that Hayden would have been as well, lasting at her table with a bunch of pros as long as she did. There was no doubt in her mind that the item on the list had been satisfied and she decided to celebrate by taking both men out for an early breakfast at her favorite place. The games were over for the night, but the celebration had just begun.
24. Take Lizzy To The Vines
Gary only had a couple of days left as his leave from the base but he was determined to make the best of it. He spent a whole day doing research online and calling friends to help him look into it. He even called in a favor to a former recruit of his that was a private investigator to look into it for him as well. He was determined to finish one more item on the list before heading back to base. Lizzy was just out of bed and making up a pot of coffee when Gary got the call to his cell that had all the answers. Gary listened for a moment before finally jumping up in celebration, dancing around the living room like he had just scored the winning touchdown at the Superbowl.
"I got it!" he called out to her.
"Got what?" Lizzy asked as she patiently waited for the coffee machine to work.
"I know where the vines are!" Gary called back to her.
Lizzy came out of the kitchen with shocked look on her face. "I can''t believe it! How did you find this out?"
"Now don''t get mad." Gary said as he tried to soften his explanation. "I had a friend of mine who is a private detective fiddle with your computer. I had him track all internet traffic from here, but only for the few months leading up to Hayden''s death."
Lizzy seemed a little stunned, but it made sense. Hayden did use the computer to look for things so it seemed like the right place to look for answers.
"Alright." She said calmly. "What did you find?"
"We found out that he was looking at this website for a vineyard that offers retreats for couples in California. You do wine tasting, tours of the vineyard and how the wine is made, romantic dinners and all that stuff. It''s quite a nice place, but it''s called ''The Vines''. I''m pretty sure this is the place Hayden was referring to in the list."
"So why was he looking at this place?" Lizzy quickly asked.
"My friend found out by calling the place up. It turns out that Hayden was on the wait list for a specific weekend. He was trying to book something for the weekend of August 29th of next year." Gary pulled out a printed form and handed it to her. Hayden was still on the list but hadn''t moved in a quite a while as few people were willing to cancel their reservation for that weekend.
"That''s our anniversary." Lizzy said, "He was trying to book this for our sixth year."
"Yeah, this place is super booked when the vines are in season, and I called the place to book a weekend. The earliest they could get us was two months from now." Gary tossed the info on the desk. "So I can''t make the trip. It''s beyond my leave time."
"I''m sorry to hear that." Lizzy said with a frown. "I was hoping you''d be able to help me finish at least one more item before heading back to base."
"Well, just because we can''t book a spot at the vineyard doesn''t mean we can''t visit." Gary said as he walked back in with two cups of coffee. "We just book a local motel, then just take a regular tour and dinner at the vines without having to stay there."
"Sounds like a plan." Lizzy said as she took her coffee and sipped it. "So do you have any hotels lined up?"
"I managed to call around but only found one with a vacancy. There''s a small bed and breakfast that only has one room available with one queen sized bed." Gary paused for a moment to watch Lizzy''s reaction.
She didn''t seem too fond of the idea. "I don''t think I''m comfortable with that."
"Neither am I." Gary conceded. "I''ll take the couch, or if it''s took small the floor. I''m used to it, so I''ll be fine."
"Sounds like a plan." Lizzy said, somewhat relieved. Even having a guy lying on the floor was too close to a man she wanted to be right now. She never even considered getting that close to someone since Hayden had died. The fact that just this made her nervous proved to her that she was nowhere near ready to move on, at least romantically.
Gary could sense the tension and shrugged it off with a smile. "We''ll be able to tour the vines, get some dinner and then at the end of the weekend I''ll had back for base." He took a sip and sighed. "I wish I could do more to help, but..."
Lizzy held up a hand to stop him mid-sentence. "No. That''s all right. You''ve done more than enough to help out. I mean just helping me with the item about the lake was more than enough because you and Hayden were the only two who knew what had happened. You''ve been a great help and while you help will be missed after you head back to base, I''m going to have to move on alone if I have to."
"I''m sure some of your friends will come back to lend you a hand." Gary predicted. "But if they don''t, I know you have the will and the strength to do it."
"We''ll see." Lizzy said as she left the living room. She proceeded to her bedroom to pack for the weekend at the vines. She was a little nervous about the trip but had no reason to be. Gary had been nothing but a gentleman since they started their adventure at a campsite by the lake. Lizzy was determined to get the list finished so letting another man camp out on the floor near the bed while not something she was ready for, but was no different than her camping in a trailer while he was in a tent next door. She realized it was not a time to panic. Gary knew the limits and wouldn''t cross them. Gary had been very polite during their trip thus far, so Lizzy was confident she could trust him.
Lizzy never hesitated to pay for their flight, her second to California in a year. It was worth picking up the tab since Gary did the leg work to figure out the mystery for her. She went all out and booked first class for them, which made Gary a little uneasy. She could tell the soldier had never flown first before, and he was like a fish out of water. It was something she enjoyed watching as it kept her amused for the majority of their time in the air. When the landed, Lizzy had a rental waiting for them at the airport but it was Gary who took it upon himself to drive to their next location. He had maps printed and was all ready to navigate so she let the soldier do his thing as she relaxed and watched the scenes as they passed by. Lizzy didn''t mind giving up command of a mission as long as there was something else to distract her until it was time to get into things again. It was an hour or so later when Gary finally pulled into the parking lot of a well established hotel chain, and came to a stop.
"Here we are." Gary said as he shut down the vehicle. "We''ll stay here for the night. That will allow us tour and have dinner at the Vines which is only a few miles from here. Not exactly what Hayden had planned, but many couples use this front as their command post when visiting this place, sometimes just to be economical because their hotel is super expensive."
"This will do." Lizzy said as she got out of the car to stretch. "I don''t exactly want to wait another year to finish this part of the list."
After they checked into their hotel, they went to their room to dump their luggage. Lizzy was a little shocked by how small the room was, but Gary had told her he booked based on what was available and this was all he could find. Beggars can''t be choosers, Lizzy thought to herself as she dumped the suitcase onto the bed and went the bathroom to freshen up. They were going out for dinner, so she had a nice sundress and applied some make up to look a little better. Gary had used his time in the bedroom to do the same. His ensemble of jeans and a t-shirt had turned into grey kakis and a beige dress shirt. It was nothing too spectacular but enough to look good when going out for a tour of the vineyard and for dinner.
They returned to the car and never said anything to each other as they got in and began to drive towards their ultimate destination. It didn''t take very long before Lizzy could see where they were going. The vineyard was enormous and in season as she could see the grapes hanging from their vines. Lizzy was getting more excited as they got closer to the winery which was located deep into the vineyard. It was a very unique setup, as the winery had a large restaurant and what seemed like a massive bed and breakfast like hotel attached to it. The hotel didn''t like anything like it, as from a distance it just looked like a large southern mansion you''d expect from the old plantation days. The people who ran the business worked off that and with had a romantic location for people who were not only lovers of wine but lovers that wanted to do something different with their special someone. Lizzy kind of felt uneasy entering this place without Hayden because it was his idea to bring her there. She instead chose to remember that this was being all done for him, to do the things he wanted to. It was that attitude she wanted walking into the place, enjoy herself and get the feel of what Hayden wanted when he wrote it on the list.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.
Gary himself was a complete gentleman, opening doors for her as they took their tour. He kept a very respectable distance from her, and his hands were always tucked behind his back most of the time. Lizzy didn''t know what to think of it, but Gary had mentioned his marriage had ended on the ugly side. She was afraid to ask, thinking it might be too soon for him. It wasn''t until they went to the restaurant for lunch at the main house that Lizzy had a chance to talk to him about it.
"It''s been almost a year for me since Hayden died." Lizzy said to Gary while waiting for their food. "How long has it been since your marriage ended?"
"I''m not sure you want to know." Gary answered honesty as he chewed on a bread stick. "I don''t want to compare what happened to what you''re going through."
"I know there is a big difference between being divorced and being a widow." Lizzy said as she didn''t like Gary''s hesitation to talk. "But one reason why I am doing this is to help my grieving process. This is helping me get over the man I lost. What are you doing to get over the woman that you lost?"
"To be honest," Gary started, "I really haven''t done anything."
Lizzy knew how isolating Gary could be. "How many people have you talked to about this? I mean really opened up with?"
"Do lawyers count?" Gary said with a sarcastic grin.
"No." Lizzy confirmed, "They don''t. Talk to me Gary. What happened?"
"I''ll be the first to admit that I''m not the easiest guy to live with." Gary said as he put down his bread stick. "I have a temper, I can be very stubborn and for a while I was a very angry person. My job was hard and toss in some occasional drinking and I was a bad husband. A pretty bad husband."
"So what happened?" Lizzy asked.
"She laid down the law and gave me an ultimatum: clean up my act or our marriage would be over." Gary looked down at his shoes, hoping the subject would go away but it wouldn''t. "I did what she asked. I stopped drinking, I went to anger management classes and I even applied to work on base as a drill instructor so I wouldn''t be away from home as much. I worked very hard to save my marriage."
"So if you did everything she asked, what happened?" Lizzy asked.
Gary was very hesitant to give the answer. He shuffled in his seat for a moment and then deeply sighed before speaking. "I guess I didn''t do all these things fast enough for her liking. By the time my act was cleaned up, she had already found comfort in the arms of another man."
"She cheated on you?" Lizzy was shocked beyond words.
"Yes, she did." Gary answered. "I was so busy working on my own problems that I didn''t realize that she had been going to a hotel to meet with this man once every two or three weeks. I was devastated when I found out."
"I would have been too." Lizzy replied. She had never known the feeling of being betrayed by someone you love, so she could only imagine the kind of pain Gary had been put through at the hands of his ex-wife. "Why did she do that?"
"I honestly don''t know." Gary replied. "I never asked her. I found out what happened because she left her email account logged in when she left for the day. I read all their emails and found out what they had been doing and that was all I was willing to take. I never even talked to her or offered her a chance to explain herself. When she got home from work that day, I had already packed up everything I owned and had moved out. And like that it was all over, eight years of marriage right down the crapper."
"You didn''t even talk to her?" Lizzy asked.
"I eventually did, when in the process of ending our marriage." Gary answered, "But I never asked her to explain herself. I wanted closure, not excuses."
"You didn''t even want to know why?" Lizzy asked. She knew it was something she would want to know if someone had done that to her.
"It doesn''t matter why, because there is no excuse for that." Gary said. "There is no way to excuse cheating on the one you claim to love. None that will ever satisfy me, so I never bothered to ask. I didn''t want to hear her excuses, especially since I was doing my best to clean up my act and I was winning the battle against my own demons. It wasn''t the reward I expected to get for all the work had been doing for her."
Lizzy could only imagine what he was going through. "I''m so sorry."
"Don''t be." Gary said as he smiled. "I am learning from what happened. While I''ve been a bit of a workaholic on the base, I''ve tried to keep working on my anger and demons after what happened. I didn''t use the end of my marriage to sink back into bad habits. I decided to keep working not for her, but for myself."
Lizzy seemed proud of Gary''s attitude. "Good for you. I think that''s how everyone should life their lives. Not by the expectations of others, but for yourself."
"That''s what kept me out of trouble, but I''ve had a hard time moving on." Gary said, "I can''t seem to go on a date, go out with someone without get paranoid about what might be going on that I don''t know. I never wanted to be the jealous type, but what I went through has made me a little bitter, untrusting and closed off to everyone."
"You''re not closed off to me." Lizzy observed.
"I''m not, but it might have something to do with Hayden. We are both trying to survive the premature end to relationships we thought were with the loves of our life." Gary paused for a moment. "I guess that made me more comfortable with you, knowing that you''re not as ready to move on as I am even though I''ve had more time to build a bridge and get over it already."
"How much more time?" Lizzy asked, getting back to the subject at hand.
"Two years." Gary answered. "But there are small differences between our two stories. Hayden didn''t want to leave you and mine just didn''t want to be with me anymore."
"That''s not fair to say." Lizzy replied.
"Why not? It''s the truth. No one jumps into another person''s bed and conducts that kind of betrayal to someone they claim to love. She didn''t want me to change, she wanted me to fail so I could give her the excuse she wanted to abandon our marriage and make it my fault." Gary seemed very disturbed, almost on the verge of tears. "She stopped loving me long before I left. It''s just taking me a lot longer to get over it. I know that''s not fair to all the women out there who are probably capable of being honest and loyal, but it''s going to be very hard for me to trust someone like that again."
"I''m sorry, Gary." Lizzy said, almost crying herself. "I really didn''t mean to upset you. I can only imagine how painful that must have been."
"It hurt very much." Gary admitted, "but it''s nothing compared to what you''re going through. I at least know she''s happy, even if that happiness is attained without me. You never got to say goodbye on your terms and he was gone without any notice. It''s not fair how someone who loved you so much could be taken away from you. It''s not fair because you guys had something true, something beautiful. I looked around this place, and I see why Hayden wanted to bring you here. To celebrate your love, and enjoy some time together. I wish he was here with you instead of me and I''m sorry he''s not."
"Thank you." Lizzy said as she raised her glass. "Here''s to our bridge."
"What bridge?" Gary asked.
"The one we have to build... so we can get over it." She answered.
Gary laughed, "I guess that is worth drinking to."
After they shared their little toast, the food arrived and very little was said after that. After supper they returned back to the motel they had booked into earlier that night. Gary was a man of his word as he was very respectful and crashed on the floor with a blanket and a pillow like a good soldier. He clearly had worse conditions out on the field and slept like a baby in no time at all. Lizzy had a harder time getting to sleep that night. What Gary had told her was something painful that he didn''t talk about that often. She didn''t tell him, but she almost knew exactly how he had felt when he learned of his ex-wife''s betrayal. She had only a short time ago thought Hayden had an affair with his ex-girlfriend from high school. Thankfully for her, Hayden had been loyal as his ex was a lesbian looking for a child of artificial means. But that one moment when she thought Hayden had betrayed her, she felt the heartbreak that Gary has been living with for the past two years. His betrayal had not been in error, it was the real thing. He was in pain, unsure of when or if he would be able to give his heart to another again. She felt bad for him and understood his insecurity. She felt disgust for the woman who could do that to someone she claimed to love, especially since he had been doing so much to make things better for their marriage. He genuinely loved her but in the end it wasn''t enough. Lizzy''s love for Hayden wasn''t enough either. It couldn''t stop the flames from taking his life nor could it stop the negligence that lead to the towering inferno that started in the first place. Despite people''s best efforts, it takes more than love to make something last. Neither she nor Gary had what it took to make their love last. Lizzy didn''t know if she was ever going to fall in love again herself. Did she want to risk putting herself through the pain of being the last one standing? The idea of being widow left to pick up the pieces again didn''t really appeal to her and so did the idea of letting another man into her life. Could she love again? Lizzy honestly didn''t know, but was it fair to honest and hard working men like Gary to stop loving just out of a fear that they might leave again before she did? So many questions went through her head that night and while she tried to find an answer, all she managed to find in that hotel room was sleep.
25. Have another moment with the counselor
Lizzy had been home for two weeks and didn''t feel like doing anything that day. Like the day before she stayed home and did various chores and surfed the net and various television channels in an attempt to pass the time. With his vacation time all used up, Gary had gone back to base and she hadn''t heard from him since that weekend. Lizzy wasn''t upset that he hadn''t kept in touch. She had pried maybe a little too much into the ugly ending of his marriage, and he responded by doing what he did best; go back to base and lose himself in his work. Lizzy also chose to be happy Gary was there for her for as long as he was rather than mope around about the fact that he was back at base. She was back to where she was before Gary had sent her that postcard, this time with a few more items checked off the list. Gale was still in New York, tending to personal business and Anna was still off the grid. She didn''t relish the idea of taking on the next few tasks alone, but Gary had told her to take the attrition when it came and keep plugging away. She was after all in the home stretch.
She had no intention of backing out now, not when she only had a few items left to go. The only problem was for the next item on the list, she needed to show a little patience. She had contacted the office of a counselor that Hayden had mentioned he had to speak with because he was ordered to by the fire house. Like most firemen in his house, Hayden didn''t like to speak with the counselor or spend time of any kind in therapy. Men liked to be macho and bottle things up, preferably by drowning them with liquid from another bottle. But the house rules required him to sit down with a professional every two weeks so Hayden had to suck it up like the rest of his crew and get it over with. The counselor never really told her what he talked about but she could tell sometimes that it was about something he never really talked to her about and that was more evident on one specific day when he came home. Hayden just wasn''t himself. He was distracted but at the same time playful. He didn''t feel like he was talked out of his mind and seemed hopeful and positive for the first time in a while since he was asked to start seeing someone. According to the list, he wanted to have another moment. This mean there was one such moment that had already occurred earlier with this counselor. While she was incapable of helping Hayden have another of his moments, she felt that going to see the same counselor and talking to him or her might give her some insight to what that moment was and why it had the effect it did on him that day. Lizzy called the doctor''s office to set an appointment, using her husband''s name to get in. She claimed to be calling on Hayden''s behalf to get a new appointment with his former therapist. The secretary seemed all right with that and had booked her for the next week.
It seemed like the longest week of her life, but Lizzy had to be patient. Her chance to speak with the counselor seemed to creep up to her very slowly but the day soon arrived. Lizzy dressed up not too formally, but not to casual either. She took a taxi to the building where the doctor was located and after taking an elevator up to a high floor, strolled into the reception area. The lady at the desk flashed a smile her way.
"May I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"Yes, I have an appointment to see Dr. Greene. It''s listed under Sheppard." Lizzy answered. "It''s booked for Eleven-thirty."
"Ah yes, here we are. Please take a seat." She replied.
"Thank you." Lizzy said as she took a seat.
Several minutes later the desk buzzed and the lady again smiled. "You may go in."
Lizzy took a deep breath and walked into the office. After closing the door behind her, she got a look at what many people assumed was a standard office for a mental health professional. Book shelves with the works of his or her trade, a couch positioned well in front of a chair, both looking very comfortable and inviting. She walked in and a moment later someone came into the room from another door in the side of the office. The counselor was male, short and pudgy, but looked wise based on his age.
"Good afternoon." Lizzy called out.
This seemed to take the doctor by surprised, as he clearly was expecting someone else and not the person that was standing in my office.
"I''m sorry but there''s been a terrible mistake." He said as he walked over to his desk to check his files. "I was expecting someone named Hayden Sheppard."
"But that''s me." Lizzy informed him. "I''m Mrs. Hayden Sheppard. Hayden was my husband."
"Was your husband?" Dr. Greene''s face seemed to contract like he was biting on a lemon and he started to pace around the room. "Let me save you some trouble, the answer is no."
"Excuse me," Lizzy asked.
"You heard me!" he continued, "I am not testifying at any divorce hearing. You can''t even talk to me without Hayden''s permission!"
"I''m afraid I can''t get that for you." Lizzy replied. "I''m a widow."
Dr. Greene obviously had not heard news of Hayden''s passing and stopped what he was doing. He put down the files that he had been looking at with a small thump. The news of one of his patient''s dying hit like a sucker punch to the guy, and he sighed deeply. "How did it happen?"
"In the line of duty." Lizzy answered, "Saving many lives."
"Wow." Dr. Greene seemed to take the news rather hard as he took a seat behind his desk and take a few deep breaths. "I''m very sorry to hear that."
"Thank you," Lizzy replied.
The doctor finally walked over to his chair, and sat down. "I only met with Hayden a few times, but he was a good man. I liked him very much. He had his issues, but he was strong and working through them." he paused for a moment, unsure what he should do. "I''m not sure I''m allowed to talk about this."
"He''s not with us anymore, Doctor." Lizzy said as she walked over to the couch. "I just came here to talk about Hayden, maybe learn a little more about the man I loved that I didn''t know before."
Dr. Greene seemed very hesitant. "I''m not sure if you want to know what he might have been hiding from you. Hayden had a few demons."
"I''ve learned a great deal about my husband since his passing. Are you referring to battle with alcoholism?" she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was a little relieved that she knew about it already and didn''t have to hear it from him. "I know quite a bit about my husband and while I''ve learned more since his passing, it hasn''t tarnished what I think of him or how much I still love him today."
Dr. Greene huffed up from the chair behind his desk and walked over to the more comfy chair and took his usual spot. "What did you want to talk about then, Mrs. Sheppard?"
"There was one day in particular." Lizzy asked, "He had some sort of breakthrough. He was happier and more alive that day than I had said in years. He seemed to have what he called a moment with you. It was a good one and I was hoping you could share with me what he had said and done to come to that."
"What day had this session taken place?" The doctor asked her.
"It was in mid-march of last year, a few months before his death." Lizzy had answered. "If you could tell me..."
"I can." Dr. Greene said as he put down his notepad. "He only had one appointment that month, so it narrows the field down a bit. I remember this session well because it didn''t get off to a good start. He was angry because his house had lost someone."
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Hayden was so furious that day. He had at first refused to take a seat. Dr. Greene had never seen him that upset before as the young man looked angry enough to start tossing furniture around. Hayden''s hands were shaking like leafs, he was on the verge of crying and was taking the death of this young fireman really personally. The doctor had asked him if he knew the man well, and he hadn''t. That was the reason for his immense grief.
"What about his death is troubling you then, Hayden?" He quickly asked.
"He was only twenty-five." Hayden replied. "That''s it. Twenty-five years and poof, game over. No appeals, no rehearsals. Your time is up and it''s time to go. How is that fair?"
"What do you mean? What isn''t fair?" the doctor asked, hoping to keep him talking.
"I mean is it fair for this kid to die so young?" Hayden called back to him. "I understand we all know the risks of being a fireman, but it hurts to see a kid just die out so quickly before he had a chance to live. He never got to find the girl of his dreams and marry her. He never got the chance to watch a ball go off the green monster at Fenway Park or any other thing he wanted to do in his life. It all just ended for him right there in that building."
"Are you afraid of doing the same?" Dr. Greene asked Hayden, "Of leaving us all behind before you get a chance to accomplish all your life goals?"
"I don''t even know what my goals are!" Hayden called back, "I''m living my life but I have no idea what I want to do with it. Is this job going to be the only thing I ever accomplish or will I get the chance to do what I want?"
"That depends." The doctor cryptically answered, "What do you want to do with your life beside fight fires?"
The question seemed to stop Hayden''s pacing. He walked over to the couch and finally took his rightful place for the remainder of the session. "I honestly don''t know."
"Then I suggest you take the time to think about it, and look for the answer." The doctor prescribed. "Perhaps that can be your homework for our next session."
"What should I do when I find out what I want?" Hayden then asked.
"Maybe you should write it down," The doctor suggested, "Perhaps make a list."
"A list?" Hayden repeated.
"Yes. It''s very common for people to make a list of life goals." The doctor continued, "People outside of my profession call it a ''bucket list'', which is basically a list of things you want to do before your time on this world is up. I have such a list myself."
Hayden seemed intrigued. "Really? What did you put on it?"
The doctor paused for a moment, "A lot of it is personal, but I will tell you this one. There is a mountain I tried to climb when I was younger. One of the items on my list is to try to climb this mountain again and reach the top this time."
"Okay, I get it. Make personal goals and see them through." Hayden said with a smile for the first time she he arrived for his session. "Seems easy enough."
"Try not to set the bar too low." The doctor chimed in. "This is something you want to last your lifetime. Don''t make it too easy."
"Alright. I''ll do it!" Hayden said as he slapped his knee with commitment. "I''m going to make this list and it''s going to be good one!"
"I like this attitude." the doctor observed.
"I do too." Hayden confessed.
"That''s all the time we have right now Hayden." The doctor said as he put down his pad. "Set an appointment with Jess and I''ll see you soon."
"Alright doc. Take care... and thanks." Hayden walked out of the session. The fireman gave a grin and waved as he walked out to the door. The doctor didn''t have a chance to return the wave but felt good, knowing they had made progress that day. Little did he know that the moment that had just passed was the last time he would ever see Hayden Sheppard alive again.
Lizzy couldn''t help but smile as she heard him describe what happened during the session. She was almost ready to cry when she discovered that this session was pretty much the birth place of Hayden''s bucket list. Hayden had taken the doctor''s request to heart and took the time to list thirty things that he wanted to do before he died. While a few of them were indeed weak as Jared had put it, there were a lot of deep and very meaningful things he wanted to do before he checked out.
Dr. Greene could tell something was getting to her. "Are you all right Mrs. Sheppard?"
"I am. I got the answer I wanted." she answered with a small smile.
"How so?" the doctor asked.
"Here, take a look for yourself." Lizzy took out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to the doctor. Dr. Greene took a pair of reading glasses out of his pocket and started to carefully read the list.
"Thirty is a lot." He quickly admitted, "He really took this idea to heart."
"He did." Lizzy said with her own smile. "But he never got very far. Only the first four were crossed out when I found it."
"A shame really." He said as he looked over it more thoroughly. "It seems like there was quite a bit he wanted to do."
He continued to read it until he reached a certain point. He paused for a moment and then made a small sound that indicated he had figured something out.
"How long have you been working on this?" the doctor asked.
"I peg your pardon?" Lizzy asked back.
"This list: how long have you been working on it?" the doctor waved it around. "I can only assume the reason why you''re here is because you''re on number twenty-five."
Lizzy seemed to almost blush as she was caught red handed. "Well I started working on it a few months after Hayden passed away."
"That''s a long time ago." The doctor said as he was back into therapy mode, "Did you put your entire life on hold to do this? What about your job?"
"I''m alright in that department." Lizzy explained, "Because of the circumstances of Hayden''s passing, I settled out of court for a sum that was more than enough to cover the expenses of going through with this. I''ve enjoyed doing this because I have learned so much more about the man I loved."
"I see," Dr. Greene responded, "Have you been doing this adventure alone?"
"No, I''ve had help from friends and family." Lizzy answered. "This has brought me closer them and others like never before. It''s helped me come closer to letting go."
"I don''t mean to judge." The doctor said as he gave the list back to her, "and I admit I can see how some might find this quest romantic. Yet I can''t help but notice you''ve spent the last year and half doing the things someone else wanted to do before they died. What about the things you want to do with your life?"
"What do you mean?" Lizzy asked.
"When are you going to start focusing on your goals?" he asked. "What do you want to do with your life before you pass on?"
"I''m not exactly sure." Lizzy confessed. "I do realize doing Hayden''s list has been a distraction from my own life, but it''s helped me learn so much about him and help me grieve over his unexpected loss."
"There are only five more items left." The doctor observed, "What do you plan to do when you finish the list?"
"Maybe I''ll write my own." Lizzy suggested.
"That''s not a bad idea." The doctor confirmed. "Just don''t spend too much more time on Hayden''s. We''ve already learned too well that life can be short."
"I understand." Lizzy said as she checked her watch. "I think it''s time for me to go. Thank you so much for speaking with me today."
"It was my pleasure." Dr. Greene said as he stood up. "Once again I am very sorry for your loss Mrs. Sheppard." He took the time to hand her a card. "If you would like to set another appointment, feel free to make a call and set it with Jess."
"Thank you very much." Lizzy said as she took the card and shook his hand. "I will take what we talked about to heart and will think about it more."
"Thank you, that''s all I ask." The doctor said as he watched her leave his office. This time out, he waited for her to wave and took the time to wave back to her.
When Lizzy got back home, she sat down in the big green chair and took a moment to think hard about what the doctor had told her. Was she concentrating too much on Hayden''s list and not doing anything for herself? She was the one that outlived her spouse, shouldn''t she be the one doing things while she''s still alive? It was something to think about, but she couldn''t help but think about what Gary had told her earlier. She''s so close to finishing the list to stop now would be a travesty in itself. There would be time to think about what she wanted to do with her life, after she had finished the list for Hayden. She didn''t take her time for granted, but if she were ever to write up a list of things she wanted to do, completing this list for Hayden would be one of the top five on her to do list. She smiled at the thought before resting for the night. She was eager to get back up the next day and do what she wanted to do for now, learn more about the man she loved and what made him want to do these things. An adventure of discovery, and it was nothing to be ashamed of.
26. Volunteer More Time To The Kitchen
Lizzy had always thought this item on the list was going to be a slam dunk. She assumed it would be okay to just find any kitchen and volunteer to help out and use her expert serving skills to make a very valuable contribution. Yet the more she thought about it, the more complicated it became. Hayden wasn''t talking about any kitchen, he was referring to a kitchen that he already volunteered his time with. The twenty-sixth item on the list doesn''t say volunteer time, but volunteer more time which to her meant he had already been a volunteer in someone''s kitchen. The only question she had to answer now was whose kitchen was he referring to? Lizzy wanted to seek help like she had many times before, but at the same time was determined to take care of this one herself. There couldn''t be that many kitchens in the area that accepted help from volunteers, and it seemed like the right idea to start at the locations close to Hayden''s old firehouse and work her way out.
After checking with a few charity kitchens, Lizzy suddenly realized she was attacking this item the wrong way. Rather than look based on geography, she had to look at this how Hayden would have. He wouldn''t just start working in a kitchen for no reason at all. He had to have a very good reason to do anything, and something or someone convinced him to be at this kitchen. It was here when Lizzy came with the answer. She was confident it was the right one, and traveled to the neighborhood where Hayden grew up to prove it. She had called ahead to the church where Hayden attended to see if there was a kitchen that served to the needy, and there was. It was open three days a week, serving food to those less fortunate every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It was all she needed to know, for she finally had her answer. Hayden''s kitchen was more about doing something good for those less fortunate then himself; it was also about spending time with a good friend who also donated his time for charity. The next night the kitchen was open couldn''t come soon enough for Lizzy but when she got there, a huge smile came across her face as she walked in. Father Adam O''Reilly was there as well and didn''t hesitate to return the smile and wave to her. She walked up and gave the priest a big hug.
"It''s nice to see you again." She said, pleasantly surprised.
"It is." Adam confirmed. "Are you here to volunteer?"
"You mean like Hayden did?" Lizzy asked.
"Did he tell you about that?" Adam asked her back.
"No, I figured it out on my own." Lizzy answered. "I''ve learned a lot about Hayden that I didn''t know before since his passing."
"That is wonderful." Adam replied, "I was very worried about you. I hope that you remember that you''re always welcome to come by if you ever need to talk or vent."
"I appreciate that." Lizzy said as she looked around. "I would still like to help out if you need an extra pair of hands."
"Always." Adam said with a smile as he led her to the kitchen.
She did various tasks and never complained as she was there to do the stuff that Hayden did, and the best way to achieve that would be to do as much as she could to help out and one of them should be something he did. Washing dishes, serving meals, and even a little cooking was what she managed to get done in the few hours she was there. Jumping from job to job allowed the regulars who were there to take a full break in the middle of their work without being called back too quickly, which was greatly appreciated. When it was her turn to take a break, she had company as Father Adam appeared at her table with some soup and a warm cup of coffee for her.
"It''s the least I can do after all the hard work you''ve done tonight." He said.
"Thank you." Lizzy replied, as she was quite hungry.
"No, thank you." Adam replied, "It''s been a while since a Sheppard came down to help in the kitchen. I remember sitting at one of these tables during Hayden''s break to speak with him and catch up. It was something I always looked forward to."
"I think he looked forward to it as well." Lizzy said as she produced the list for Father Adam to look at. "He wanted to come back more often." Adam took the list from her and took a long moment to look at it. He smiled when he came across the one about helping out at the kitchen more often. "I think was Hayden was doing here was very admirable. I would like to come in maybe once a week and help out as much as I can."
"How many of these have you done?" Adam said as he was still looking at the list.
"When I found it, Hayden had only finished the first four." Lizzy answered.
"And you''ve done all the rest up to this one?" Adam said as he was clearly stunned. He looked at the list, "You gave Gary back his Hermy?"
"Yes, the Sergeant Major was very happy to see his long lost teddy bear again." Lizzy answered with a smile. Thinking of Gary seemed to do that to her lately.
"I have to say I am very impressed with your progress." Adam said as he gave her back the list. "How long have you been working on this."
"It''s been just over a year, about few months." She confessed. That was a long time to work on something like Hayden''s list, but she had learned so much and did so many great things with friends and family that it was worth it. She pointed out certain parts of the list and started to tell Adam what they meant and how going through with them gave her a better understanding of who Hayden was and made her love him that much more. Like the little lady in Carolina, the school play that she funded and saved and other things that not only helped her but brought more light into the lives of others. Father Adam seemed to be very pleased that the list brought more happiness and joy during her grieving then sadness. He was afraid that obsessing over Hayden''s missed things to do in life might make it harder to let go, but she was dealing with her pain in a very constructive and positive way that not only made her feel better, but brought joy to others. You couldn''t ask for better way.
"I am simply amazed." Adam said as he listened to some of her stories. "I am curious to how you managed to do all this Lizzy. I mean where did you find the time to go back to work?"
"Well, I haven''t." Lizzy confessed. "Before I decided to finish the list, I accepted a very large settlement with the company that owned the building that killed Hayden."
"I see." Adam replied, not pressing or judging. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Well, despite all I''ve done with this list... I''ve barely scratched the surface when it comes to the money they gave me. So I really don''t need to work for the next while if I don''t want to and that''s what has been funding my little adventure." Lizzy realized that not doing anything to move on with her own life was a little unhealthy, but she was so close the idea of quitting was just not going to happen.
"I''m just a little concerned about you." Adam said as he gave the list back to her. "What do you intend to do when it''s all over?"
"You''re not the first to ask that question." Lizzy responded.
"It''s a very valid question." Adam confirmed, "I''m proud of what you''ve done but you need to make plans for your future. What do you want to do for the rest of your life?"
"I''ve been thinking a lot about that." Lizzy honestly answered. "I was thinking about going back to school. One reason why I wasn''t able to finish college was a lack of funds, which is no longer an issue. I might go back at the beginning of the next school year."
"Wow, that''s ambitious." Adam said. "I''m just happy to hear you are making plans to move on after this is all done."
"I am but I want to finish this first." She waved the list around. "I know it sounds crazy but this has really been an adventure more than a chore."
"I''m very happy to hear that." Adam said as he was genuinely worried about her.
The young priest had been very worried about her since Hayden had passed away. Despite his own loss of a good friend, he was concerned that those around him wouldn''t take the time to talk and properly grieve, but Lizzy was using the list to do her thing and that made him feel confident that while weird and not the usual route to grieve, she was doing all right. Before he could say anything else, something caught his attention and caused him to smile. Lizzy turned around to see what he was smiling at, and much to her surprise was her best friend Anna. She hadn''t seen her in almost two months since she disappeared with Crispin, who was actually with her as they walked into the kitchen. Anna saw that Lizzy was there and she ran over and give her friend a big hug.
"Lizzy!" Anna called out. "It''s so great to see you!"
"It''s been a while." Lizzy said as she was out of her seat and returning the hug. She turned to Crispin who had a wide grin of his own. "But I can''t get too upset since you did help out with my online gaming issue."
"I was happy to help." Crispin replied, "But it looks like we are going to be able to help you again."
"Is that so?" Adam said as he was very curious. "What one might that be?"
"Number twenty-eight." Anna said as she squealed with excitement.
Lizzy tried to remember, but checked the list she had on her just to be sure. She read it over and then looked back up in shock. "Are you kidding me?"
"Yes!" Anna said as she whipped up her left hand to show off a very beautiful ring. "We''re getting married! This means you''ll be able to give a toast because there is no one else I''d rather have as my maid of honor!"
Lizzy was so caught up in the moment that she started to cry. She gave her friend another big hug and held on tight for quite a while. "I''d be my pleasure to be your maid."
"This is fantastic." Adam said as he surprised as well. "But is that the reason why you came here tonight?"
"Actually, no." Crispin answered.
"We were here to see you." Anna said to Adam. "Bumping into Lizzy was an unexpected but very pleasant surprise."
"My local church is in another state and we want stay local, so I was hoping that we could hold the ceremony here, with you." Crispin seemed a little nervous as he didn''t know how Adam was going to respond.
If anything was an indication, the smile that came across his face was a good sign. "It would be my pleasure to have you start your married life here in my home."
Everyone seemed super excited about this development, but Lizzy excused herself to get back to work in the kitchen. She went back to the dishes and was in the middle of working over some pots when Anna came back to the kitchen to see her. She looked a little concerned as she came in, "Are you all right Liz?" she asked.
"I''m all right." Lizzy said without taking her eyes off her work. "I''m in the middle of working on number twenty-six right now. This is the kitchen Hayden was referring to."
"I''m sorry for being away for so long Lizzy." Anna said, "I only just found out that Gail went back to New York, I feel bad thinking you were doing these things by yourself."
"It''s all right." Lizzy said as she stopped working for a moment. "I wasn''t alone for most of the items. I had help."
"Really, from who?" Anna asked, somewhat curious.
"From Gary." Lizzy answered.
"The guy from the military?" Anna''s face was a little shocked. "The same guy you had to return Hermy to?
"The very same." Lizzy said ass he got back to work. "He came out and helped me for a very important task that only he could do. After that we worked together to finish a few more after that."
"A few more?" Anna repeated as she was very interested. "Did anything happen over this time together?"
"No." Lizzy answered, "I''m not ready for something like that just yet. I think he knew that because he was a gentleman the whole time."
"But do you like him?" Anna asked, prying just a little bit.
Lizzy paused for a moment, cracked a small smile. "Maybe."
"That smile says more than a maybe there girl!" Anna said with a squeal. "How many items did you two actually do together?"
"Five." Lizzy answered. "He was on leave and I am not one to refuse help."
"I''m sure." Anna replied. "Big, strong army boys are hard to find."
"Hey, I wouldn''t be here at twenty-six if it wasn''t for him." Lizzy said as she defended Gary. "He was a great and I really appreciated his help."
"Does this mean I should add a plus one to your invite?" Anna asked.
Lizzy blushed for a moment, "No, I''m not ready to date yet. When the time is right, I''ll know before anyone else does."
"Alright Liz." Anna said, "I won''t push. I''m sorry."
"It''s okay," Lizzy said as she resumed washing the pot. "I''ll eventually get there, it''s just going to take some time."
She looked like she was on the verge of crying but it was more about the fact that Anna was getting married. She knew what it felt like to be excited about something like that. To have the ring on her finger to show off to all the girls, and know the person who gave it to you loves you almost as much as you love him.
"I''m very happy for you and Crispin, I really am." Lizzy paused for a moment and then stopped working. "Wait one second. How long are you planning to be engaged?"
"Oh that''s the best part!" Anna said with unbridled excitement. "We are not going to wait at all. We know this Church is free next week, and we''re getting married in ten days! So we have to get everything ready super quick. I would never make you wait months or years to finish that list waiting for us. How rude do you think I am?"
"I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to..." Lizzy felt a little embarrassed.
"No problem, Lizzy." Anna said, "I know you''re going to make the most awesome maid of honor ever. It''s going to be epic!"
Lizzy looked back at her. "Epic?"
"I kind of picked up a little bit of that crazy game lingo from Crispin." Anna confessed with a smile. "Something I guess we''ll both have to get used to."
They both had a loud giggle and Anna took her coat off and spent the rest of time the kitchen was open cleaning the dishes and catching up with her friend. Lizzy was happy to see her friend again, even if it was only for a few hours. Yet now that she was the maid of honor they would be spending a lot more time together, planning the event and making all the necessary preparations for the big event. While she didn''t like the idea of being taken away from the list to do all this stuff, but she can chalk it all up to being on the list, her chance to make toast at a wedding she was actually invited to.
27. Give A Toast At A Wedding
Ten days seems like a long time, but when you''re planning a big event and have a million things to do before that deadline, those days will just fly by without a shred of notice. Despite having to run around for almost everything, Lizzy was super excited about the wedding and couldn''t have been happier for her friend as she prepared to commit the rest of her life to a man she was confident her friend loved a great deal. For the longest time she had been working on something that was made by her late husband. To be working on something for her living friend brought pure joy to Lizzy''s heart for the first time in who know how long and it was just fine by her. It was almost like she was taking a break from the list, but was still doing work on it at the same time. She was getting lost in the decorations, the dresses, meals for the reception and all the other great things that usually drive people crazy when trying to plan a wedding. Lizzy was in the dress shop with Anna trying on dresses for both her and the bridesmaids. They were both beaming with excitement, as was Anna''s mother who was there and helping out as much as she could.
"Can you do me a favor?" Lizzy softly asked.
"I''ll try my best. What is it?" Anna asked back.
"I know you''re supposed to the best looking woman there, and I agree with that part. That''s why we''re going through all these dresses. But when you decide on what I and the other maids should wear, I know we can''t look better than you but don''t pick something that will make us the worst dressed there either."
"I''ll try my best." Anna said with a soft smile. "We wouldn''t want you to look bad when you make your toast during dinner."
"Help me out and I''ll go easy on you with my speech." Lizzy countered.
Anna flashed a devilish smile. "Deal."
It was all Lizzy needed to hear as she did her best work for her friend that week, planning everything she had time to put together. While time was limited, Lizzy made the best of it and tried to make each chore and event, something the bride and the groom to be could make a memory out of rather than a nightmare. Even something as sampling possible entr¨¦es for the reception was fun because Lizzy and a few others were there to chip in their two cents and make it something they could all enjoy together rather than feel the pressure to pick the perfect meal. Easing tension seemed to work as both Crispin and Anna were confident in their choices and didn''t feel nervous about the task at all. Lizzy watched from her seat and couldn''t help but think of her hurried mad dash to the altar. While she and Hayden had more time to work with, it all seemed to fly by so fast and at the time didn''t seem as fun as Anna was having with her fianc¨¦. It was over half a decade early, but she could remember going through all the motions with Hayden. Eating the food, trying on the dresses and even setting up all the tables for the reception one spoon and fork at a time, to her it was all an exhausting chore. For some reason, it never felt that way to Hayden.
It was the night before what could have been the most important day of his life. But if you looked at him, his face would never tell you that. Hayden was calm, cool and childishly playful as he went about his business, setting each plate with care as if the President himself was going to eat at that particular part of the table. Two spoons above the plate, two forks on the right and two knives on the left was what they needed to have at each setting to make sure there was enough cutlery to handle every course. Most men the night before their wedding would be out with the guys, drinking booze until their liver gave out or having a stripper dance on his lap. While a bachelor party sounded like fun, Hayden would have none of it. There was a reception that was less than twenty-four hours away and tables needed to be set. Decorations needed to be hung, and the booze for the real celebration needed to be packed into the bar. This was no time to party, and he knew it. Lizzy was frustrated by the chore. She wanted to spend the rest of her last night before the wedding just relaxing to a glass of Bailey''s, straight with two pieces of ice. Instead she was with her husband to be, doing work to make sure their night was perfect. She looked up at her husband to be who also took a moment to stop placing and he smiled back to her.
"Are you okay, babe?" he asked.
"Why are we doing this?" Lizzy asked, almost whining.
"To make sure it''s done right." Hayden answered as he winked at her. "And to make sure it''s done at all. The last thing I want to see is my Uncle Rex complaining because he doesn''t have a fork for the salad and the main course. That would not be a pretty site."
"I guess not." Lizzy said as she kept working. "Can we take a break soon?"
"I can''t see why not." Hayden said as he stood up. "We can always go to the bar above us and get a drink. Wet the whistle..."
Lizzy thought that was a great idea, and she followed him up to the stairs. Their reception hall was in the basement of the building and above it was a bar that was often full on Friday and Saturday nights. It was nice to take a break, Lizzy thought as she followed Hayden up. She wanted to take break from the preparations and spend some time with the man she loved, even if just for a few moments. When they got up to the small bar, it wasn''t full but had a small crowd to prevent the place from looking empty. Hayden stopped and pointed over to a table that was in the corner of the room.
"Take one of the tables over there," he suggested, "I''ll order for us."
Lizzy didn''t think much of it and went to find a table. She got a small one with stools and a small round surface. One that allowed you to get cozy and share space with someone you like. She looked around and realized that while it wasn''t the place she wanted to be in the night before her wedding, it beat being back downstairs working on anything. She was aware she had a lot more work to do, but didn''t want to think of it. She gave her husband to be a warm smile as he delivered her drink.
"Thank you, kind sir."
"Bailey''s straight, one the rocks." Hayden said as he passed her the small glass.
"Very good." Lizzy said, "I might go through with this thing after all."
Hayden sat there with what everyone assumed was a rye and coke. "Are you nervous at all about tomorrow?"
Lizzy paused for a moment. "Would you be upset if I said no?"
"No." Hayden answered. "But I woudln''t judge if you were. Most people have second thoughts leading up to the big day."
"Not me." Lizzy said as she took another sip of her drink. "I''d do it right now if you let me. I''m ready to start the rest of our lives as soon as possible."
"So am I." Hayden concurred as he leaned over and gave her a kiss. "I''m afraid to say you are so stuck with me." Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
"For how long again?" Lizzy jokingly asked.
"Till death do us part my love." Hayden answered.
Just as he said that, a special song came over the speakers of the bar. It was the first slow song that Hayden and Lizzy had ever danced to. Without asking, Hayden offered his hand and she knew what he wanted. They didn''t care if the dance floor was empty as they shuffled out to the floor and held each other, swaying to the song they both loved. Twenty-four hours later they would be married, dressed a little better then they were that night, and dancing again to another slow song as man and wife. Neither of them cried at their wedding. Both of them were eager to get on with the rest of their lives. Neither knew how long that would be, but at that exact moment it didn''t matter. They held each other as if it was their last, and continued to dance.
"Lizzy." Anna called out to her. "Are you all right?"
Lizzy had a tear watering in her eye, and she wiped it away before anyone could notice. "I''ll be okay, I got distracted."
She smiled and continued to help Anna with her decorations and place settings, working hard to keep the wedding on track. Everyone tried their best to get as much taken care of but the big day came upon them a lot faster than anyone wanted it to. Lizzy knew the real reason why it was such a short engagement and her friend took the heat for it too, never telling anyone it was to help Lizzy and the list. As promised Lizzy made a nice and very short speech that didn''t humiliate her friend and will actually be something that might make her shed a few tears of joy. The church was spruced up, looking as if three flower houses had been ransacked and stripped of their entire inventory just for this occasion. While it might seem like a waste to some, to the happy couple this was hopefully a once in a lifetime moment and no one understood that more than everyone involved who had walked up to the alter before her. No one wanted to ruin it that for anyone, which is why Lizzy did her best to not think of Hayden during these times and stay focused on helping her friend prepare.
Anna and Crispin were very easy going, and made the day easier for everyone trying to get it on the right track. Whatever mistake that happened big or small, they took it in stride and looked forward to telling it to someone at a later time for a good laugh on anniversaries. Finally it was the big moment. Lizzy found herself standing in the same church, this time holding the flowers as the maid of honour. She watched as her friend walked down towards them. She looked over at Crispin and saw the look on his face, and she knew this was the real thing: they truly loved each other. Even if it was a mistake, it was theirs to make, and no one had the place to say otherwise. When Anna finally arrived Lizzy took her flowers and held them for the entire ceremony which seemed to go a lot longer than she remembered. Lizzy bit her lip when Anna and Crispin went through their vows, especially the part when the pledged to love each other until death came between them.
While death seemed to come early for Hayden, Lizzy was fortunate to have a man that loved her until his final day. Before she knew it, Lizzy was signing forms as a witness and the event was over. After the wedding was over, there were pictures to be taken with the wedding party and when that was over they quickly travelled to the hall where the reception was being held. There was food, laughter, games for all the guests to play throughout the meal. The food was amazing, and the happy couple seemed to concur as they were starving from having eaten little while their nerves got to them. Then it was time for selected guests to make their speeches, and Lizzy knew it would be her turn very soon. She had scribbled some notes down, but was determined to speak from her heart, say what she truly felt and make a loving tribute to the happy couple. When she was called up, Lizzy took a deep breath as she put her notes on the podium and looked out to the hundred people staring back at her.
"I know the maid of honor and best man are supposed to say some funny things, embarrass the happy couple for a few good laughs but I''m not going to do that." Lizzy started, "I love these people too much to crack any jokes on their special day and want to use my moment to say something true and from my heart. When I got married myself, I thought all we needed to get through the tough times was each other. I was wrong, because it takes more than love and good intentions. It literally takes a community to make a marriage work and to support their love. I can tell from the people who are here to support Anna and Crispin that they are in good hands and have the support they need to make things work. I can testify that I will be there for Anna, to do whatever it takes to support her and make things work. I love her too much to not be there for her. I wish her all the happiness as well as a long and lasting marriage."
She raised her glass as did everyone else. Lizzy had completed the toast she needed to do, but more importantly she said something from the heart that made her friend cry and walk over to give her a big hug. Everyone took a sip to complete the toast and Lizzy returned to her seat, relieved that the moment was finally over. She had been on edge and nervous about it the entire week, but like the wedding it had all come up her way to fast. After she took a seat, the master of the ceremony took over from there and got everyone laughing again and getting things back on track. When all the talking was done, it was time for the bride and the groom to take their first dance. Lizzy watched as they floated around the floor, deep in love and celebrating the moment. She had been there before and couldn''t help but think of her first dance. While she was watching the couple dance, it was that moment when LIzzy thought she spotted something she never thought she would see at this wedding: a uniform. Not just any uniform but a military dress uniform. At first she denied it. Could have been a fireman or police officer in a formal wear, she thought to herself. Once the dance was over, she strolled to the other end of the reception hall to look around. She saw it again as she got closer to the bar but then lost track of it. Lizzy was confused and decided to get a drink to calm her nerves. As she was taking a sip, the uniform came to her and was front and center. The last man she ever expected to see there, standing before her.
"Hello Elizabeth." Gary said with a calm and cool demeanor. "If I may say so... you look amazing."
"Thank you." Lizzy said as she quickly polished off her drink. She had no idea what or how Gary made it to the wedding but there he was, dressed in his military best and looking the better than she had ever seen him. "What are you doing here?"
Gary answered the question by raising a small piece of paper. "I was invited. I was under the impression you knew. I guess the bride did this to surprise you."
"I guess she did." Lizzy said as she turned to face the bride and groom''s table. From a distance, Anna and Crispin were watching and waved when they realized she was looking at them. She waved back before turning back to face the soldier before her. She smiled at the fact that she was being set up by her friend. "I''m sorry you''re here because my friends think I need a date even if I''m not ready for one just yet."
"Lizzy, I completely understand." Gary said, "It''s been almost three years since my marriage ended, and I''m not ready either. I am not going to ask you to do something if you''re not ready. This is a wedding however; are you against having a dance?"
Lizzy was hesitant to accept but he was only asking to dance. She gave him a small grin and took his hand. "No, receptions are for dancing."
She walked him to the floor and they took a very respectful stance for the slow song that was playing. Gary held her hand in his, while his other hand was on her right rib cage about several inches above her hip. It stayed there the entire dance, and they seemed to enjoy this intimate moment as they looked into each others eyes, but said nothing. They danced with each other for a few moments, enjoying the moment and for the first time in a long time Lizzy felt comfortable enough to do that. The last time she had the kind of comfortable silence was with Hayden, and while she wasn''t ready to move on Lizzy realized that it was possible to feel that way again. She wasn''t ready to get that close to someone, but feeling that way just for a few moments was enough to let her know it was still possible. When the song was over, Lizzy leaned over and gave Gary a small kiss on his cheek.
"Thank you very much." Lizzy said, "I''m still not ready, but I will keep in touch."
"That''s all one can hope for" Gary said, "Good luck Lizzy. Only three more to go."
Lizzy knew Gary had most of the list memorized but the fact that he knew about the toast still impressed her a bit. She gave the soldier a big hug and then left the reception for the night. She had about all the wedding she could handle for that night. But as she left the hall, all she could think of was what Gary said to her. Only three left and her quest would be over. She pulled out a copy of it from her pocket and took a long look at the three that remained. Not a single one would be easy, but like Gary had told her at the beach: she had come this close, quitting was not an option. She folded it back up and hailed a cab. The next day she was going to get back on track and finish this thing before it finished her. While it had consumed over a year and half of her life, it wasn''t going to take much more from her. Not while she had a say in the matter.
28. Start My Own Little Crew
There really wasn''t any way to actually ''complete'' this task. Lizzy knew what it meant and just thinking about it hurt her in every way possible. Hayden talked about it with her all the time and it was actually the instigator of some of their biggest fights. She sat there on the window, looking out at the street and traffic while holding a cup of coffee. Wyatt tried to jump up on her lap and share the moment with her but there was no room. He whimpered off to the green chair and huffed down in frustration. Gale was in the kitchen, back from her emergency in the city to attend the wedding of their friend Anna. She was only going to be back for a few days and then go back home, but it was nice to have her around again. Gale came into the room with a few plates. The eggs were scrambled with a side of crispy bacon just the way she knew Lizzy liked it. Lizzy came down from the window ledge and came over to the table where Gale had placed their breakfast. "Thank you." She said as she sat down and started to eat.
"I''ve known you quite a while." Gale said as she sat down to join her, "and I know when you''re withholding something from me. You know what this new task is and I want you to explain it for me right now."
"You want to know what crew Hayden wanted to start." Lizzy said as she took another sip of her coffee. "It was a family."
"He wanted to start a family with you." Gale repeated, "After all the fights, Hayden had finally picked a time to start his crew with you."
"He wanted to do all these things first." Lizzy said as she pulled out the list from her pocket. "When speaking to the counselor, Hayden has been asked to make a list that would last a lifetime. So there''s not telling when he really intended to complete this task. I''m assuming he planned to do all these things over years, not months. So by the time this one came up, I would finally be ready to have a few rug rats of our own."
"So how do you complete this task?" Gale asked. "Have his kid?"
Lizzy looked up at Gale with a look that gave a lot away. Gale gave her one right back, "Please tell me this is not how you plan to complete this task. How is that even possible?"
"I was going to ask Shannon." Lizzy replied. "She had a baby with him by artificial means. I thought there might be some frozen samples left I could use."
"That is insane!" Gale said as she threw up her arms in frustration.
"I know it sounds weird, but he was my husband. If there is some leftover... stuff, why can''t I use it to make my crew." Lizzy seemed okay with the idea at first but it didn''t sound right when she said it out loud. It made her feel uneasy.
"I know it''s crazy because that''s no way to start a family!" Gale roared back to her friend. "How freaked out do you think this kid would be when he/she finds out dear old Daddy was dead BEFORE they were born. Trust me baby, you do not want to have this conversation with a frustrated and out of control teenager."
Lizzy couldn''t respond but instead nodded to indicate that she understood. "It doesn''t make me feel better. The reason why Hayden never had his crew is because I fought him every step of the way. I didn''t want to rush into it, I wanted to take my time and not get into kids too quickly."
"Why did you want to take your time?" Gale asked.
"It''s going to sound dumb." Lizzy said as she put down her mug. "I honest felt we had all the time in the world. We were young and there was no point rushing it. I assumed we would be together and alive for a long time to come. I''d never been so wrong!"
Gale could tell Lizzy was upset about the subject at hand. Her assumption that they would live long into their golden years cost Lizzy a chance to start a family with the man she loved, something she likely would never forgive herself for. But even if science offered her a second chance, she knew it was never going to be the same and had to make sure Lizzy was fully aware of that before she made her decision.
"Hun, I feel your pain." Gale said, "But what you''re suggesting is not the same as what it would have been like to have a baby with Hayden."
"What do you mean? Women are having babies all the time without fathers." Lizzy replied, somewhat shocked where Gale was going.
"Yeah, that might be true but you have no idea how messed up those kids are going to be when they find out that Dad wasn''t around ever, and that Mom did this all on her own for herself. That''s not something you want a kid to find out." Gale took a seat on the green chair and hoped that any of it was getting through to her.
"What about Damon?" Lizzy said, "He was born without a father."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"He still has two loving parents. He was still created through an act of love between two people who want to spend the rest of their lives together. His parental foundation is still stable and ready to carry the burden of raising him into his teens." Gale took a deep breath. "I don''t know who my father is, and I likely never will. My mother refused to say and took that secret with her to her grave. You know what it''s like to live without a parent present so why would you want to do that to your own child?"
"I''m not sure anymore." Lizzy said as she started to think about her own childhood and what it was like to be the only woman in her household. Sometimes when it came to things that women should only talk to other women about, she had to resort talking to teachers or care workers cause her Dad wasn''t a very reliable source of information. It wasn''t something she wanted to wish on any other child, and she slowly began to realize how selfish she was being in her attempt to get her own way.
"Are you alright?" Gale quickly asked.
"No." Lizzy said as she started to tear up. "How am I going to complete this task? This was all about starting a family."
"Don''t feel pressured to make a massive life changing decision. The last thing that should force you to make a decision this big is a small list!" Gale paused for a small moment to let that sink in. "There are a lot of kids out there who are lost. They are missing one or both parents and need guidance. They could use your help, and that''s how I got over my daddy issues."
"What exactly are you talking about?" Lizzy asked.
"There are kids out there like yourself who either come from abused homes, or just homes where like you an important piece of the puzzle is missing." Gale took a sip of her coffee. "It''s time you realized that you can wait to start your own crew, and reach out to the ones that are here and need your help."
"I don''t understand." Lizzy confessed. She was more confused than ever.
"It''s time to become a big sister." Gale said as she dropped pamphlet onto the table. It was an information guide to joining Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. "I saw one of these at the doctor''s office when I was getting something personal taken care of. I thought it might be an idea to take care of this task if you weren''t ready to have a kid for the cause."
"I''m not sure about this." Lizzy confessed.
"Lizzy, there are already lost kids out there who could use your help." Gale said as she opened up one of the pamphlets. "Let life decide when it''s time for your crew to start and instead put your energy towards helping kids who just like you needed someone to step in and be a mentor for a little while."
Lizzy picked up the flyer, and realized her friend was right. She was willing to make a dramatic change in her life, just to satisfy the list and that was very selfish. There were plenty of people out there who needed help, and Gale was ready to help her get involved. She had already done all the work prior to having this talk with Lizzy. She was afraid her friend was going to try to start her own single family with this item and was ready to stop her from making a very rash decision. She made a few phone calls to a local office and the next week, Lizzy and Gale volunteered to become big sisters. They had to go through very rigorous background and criminal checks, but didn''t seem like such a bother to Lizzy as she knew why they were doing it, which was to protect the people who trust them with their children. Lizzy also didn''t realize that the checks and questions also allowed her to be matched up with a kid in their local area that was going through a similar experience that she herself went through. She was a young woman who lost her mother early in life, in serious need of someone of her own gender to look up to in a house full testosterone. She took the challenge on like she did every other item on the list, with passion and her best food forward. At first, the young lady would barely acknowledge her existence, but after time and working together at the center, she slowly came around. Lizzy found the work with the young so refreshing, she volunteered more time and some of her immense settlement to the organization that really opened her eyes and saw even just her own city in a new light.
She would never admit it but Gale had been right. Raising a child was not the answer, and was a rash decision to make for what was the smallest of reasons. She was still young and there was time for her to possibly fall in love again and maybe start a crew of her own and as much as she wanted to do that with Hayden, there were some lines that even she couldn''t cross. Technically, he had a child with another woman that needed his help and that would have to do for now. Lizzy was content to help those less fortunate than herself and be the guiding light she herself would have appreciated having in her own life. It was tough for her to grow up in that kind of house hold so to be that one beacon that could answer all the questions and even just to be there to let her know that what was going on was through was perfectly normal was more than enough to appease her and the list to her satisfaction. Gale and Lizzy had their own crew of troubled teens and good kids that needed their help. It was all she needed to move on, and she was ready. But that didn''t mean it would ever end. Lizzy never stopped being a big sister, and was one for years and decades to come. In the distant future, she would mentor her own children by letting the come along with her to hang out with and volunteer together.
It was something that she used to instill a good worth ethic and moral compass when raising her own kids, so in the end she really did have her own crew, but it was much later than she had expected. The list was a distant memory when she thought about it that day, but in her own mind she had been pleased to have waited for the right moment, and most of all... the right man. She knew that if Gale had been around, she would have had one of those big grins that had "I told you so" written all over it. She was right to step in. It was wrong of her to take fate into her own hands, not when she had so much ahead of her to look forward to. It was unfortunate she was not meant to have a crew with Hayden, but she never forgot the man that now only made her happy, but led her to finally decide to have a crew of her own. It was always their biggest fight, and in the end she realized Hayden was right, something she would never admit to anyone else but herself.
29. Seek Forgiveness From The One I Hurt Most
It was starting to get cold in the city, which meant there was another holiday season on the horizon. Lizzy couldn''t believe it was going to be the second time since his passing that she would be alone for the holidays. Well, she never really was alone. The Sheppard family always had a place at their table for Lizzy, as did her own family. Even Shannon and her better half went out of their way to make a place for her to spend time with them and Damon. She really did appreciate the out pour of affection but it never made the holiday easier for her, at least not this early. She still missed the man who married her, and it would take more than a few seasons to get over him. Lizzy sat there by her window, watching the snow come down and back at the list that was in her hands. There were only two items left on the list. Funny thing was, she already had a plan in action to take care of the last one in a way that she knew would make Hayden proud. The problem was she had to take care of the second last first, which was as cryptic as ever. It was obvious Hayden had hurt someone, much more than the whole stolen teddy bear incident, and he wanted to seek that person''s forgiveness at one point or another. The problem facing Lizzy as how she was going to find out the name of this person and what Hayden had done to he, she or them.
At first Lizzy tried to find the answer simply by looking for it. She did online searches to see if he had any online blogs that she wasn''t aware of. No dice, she thought to herself, Hayden was the online journal kind of person. Ditto for writing them, as Lizzy spent three days looking through the house for some kind of journal that might have the answers she sought. No such thing existed, and thus she had no way to find out who he had hurt the most. Lizzy had considered talking to friends and family to see if they could come up with something that could help, but with the holidays coming up it wasn''t such a pleasant idea to make everyone thing of something negative about Hayden when they should be happy and merry with their friends and family. It didn''t seem very fair, and it was the last thing she wanted to do to the people she loved during the holidays. She wasn''t the only one that missed Hayden, and to try to bring up all this wasn''t what she wanted to do them. Lizzy was starting to think it was time to put the list on hold, maybe until after Christmas. She moved to the couch and petted Wyatt who jumped into her lap for his own nap, and watched the snow fall until she dozed of herself.
There wasn''t that much snow that winter, and Hayden didn''t care as long as there was a game to watch on TV. He sat down in his green chair, wearing his lucky football jersey that was so rugged it looked like it hadn''t been cleaned in years. It was possible but not something that Lizzy wanted to think about. He was sitting on the couch, antsy because it was halftime and that was usually when Lizzy would try to pick a conversation to pass the time. She usually asked something stupid but for some reason that day, Lizzy asked him something rather deep. "Do you have regrets?"
"Regrets?" Hayden asked as he put down his football. "You mean like decisions where I turned left when I should have turned right?"
"I don''t know; things you''ve done that you wish you could go back and change." Lizzy said, "Things you did before that you would never do today."
"Of course, but mistakes are just as important as our best moments." Hayden said as he sat up in his chair. "For example, I regret agreeing to go on a blind date that my sister set up because I was stood up. But I don''t regret being there, because I never would have met you and started the best adventure of my life. That mistake lead to the best thing that ever happened to me. Fate stepped in and made a bad thing right."
"I understand your stance on fate and destiny." Lizzy confirmed. It was a hot topic for them because Lizzy didn''t believe in fate. To steal a quote from one of her favorite movies, she was not comfortable with the idea that she wasn''t in control of her own life. Fate takes away control and the power to do your own thing. Free will doesn''t exist if your path is already lined up and that was the bunt of their atheist/religion debates. She didn''t want to open that can of worms today, so Lizzy decide to rephrase. "I mean are there things you done that you wish you could make amends for. Find someone and seek forgiveness?"
"Of course there are." Hayden answered, "But sometimes closure is something one can''t always have. Sometimes you have to provide your own closure and just move on."
"Have you tried to ever seek such forgiveness?" Lizzy asked.
Hayden looked back at her. "All the time."
"I don''t get it." Lizzy blunted confessed. "Can you give me an example?"
"No, I cannot." Hayden answered. "Confession of anything is a difficult thing to do. It''s hard to step up to anyone and bare your soul like that to anyone, and requires the right time, setting and person for it to occur."
"So you won''t confess anything to me?" Lizzy said, somewhat disappointed.
Hayden said with a playful grin. "No, I won''t be making any confessions today..."
"Why not?" Lizzy asked, somewhat disappointed.
"Because you''re not my Priest." He replied.
After Hayden hit her with that statement, the second half of the game started. Lizzy let the conversation go, as she was a little disturbed that there was someone out there who knew more secrets about her husband than she did.
Lizzy sat up on her couch and the answer came to her like a bolt of lightning. He did confess everything he did to someone, but it was in the privacy of his church. Hayden didn''t need to keep a journal. Every time he went to church, he would hit the booth and make his mistakes known to the one person that he trusted most. She couldn''t believe how simple the answer was. There was one man out there who knew the answer, was aware of the one person that Hayden hurt most and if she could get that information, she might be able to complete this task and the entire list! She was so excited that she couldn''t wait as she left the apartment and hailed the first cab she saw. She paid the man upfront and asked him to hurry up, which she later regretted. He peeled down every road as fast as he could until she reached the only place where Hayden would ever confess his sins: his church. Lizzy walked into suddenly realize that there was service going on, and she quickly took a seat at one of the benches near the very back of the room. She didn''t want to disturb anyone but suddenly realized moments later what was going on: Father Adam was performing a baptism. She felt bad for intruding, but stayed back and gave the family their space. She didn''t realize it but Father Adam already noticed she was there and approached her first after the ceremony was over.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Elizabeth," Adam said with a warm and very welcoming smile. "What brings you here today? Do you know anyone here for the baptism?"
"No, I don''t. I''m sorry for intruding." Lizzy said, somewhat embarrassed.
"If I didn''t want anyone to intrude, I would have locked the doors." Adam said, as he sat down in the pew in front of hers. "My doors are always open for anyone to come in whenever they please. So tell me, is this visit list related?"
She was kind of taken back by that statement, but then nodded. "It is."
"I was afraid this day would come." Adam said as he seemed to know more than he should have. "I assume you are here to seek assistance with number twenty-nine?"
"How did you know this?" Lizzy asked shocked beyond belief, "Do you have a photographic memory as well?"
"No." Father Adam softly answered, "I merely remember this one because I had a feeling you might need my help to figure it out. After all, who else would know the person Hayden hurt most than the Priest he confesses to."
"How often did Hayden confess?" Lizzy asked.
"Not too often, but often enough." The priest answered. She could tell by this answer that getting any information wasn''t going to be easy.
She paused for a moment before finally asking the question he knew was coming. "Are you going to help me? Can you tell me who Hayden hurt most so I can seek forgiveness?"
"Let me start by saying this much." Adam started, "I am not going to reveal anything Hayden has ever told me in the confines of confession. I made a vow never to reveal what I heard and I intend to keep it."
"A vow to God?" Lizzy asked.
"No, it was a vow to Hayden." Adam replied. "Even though Hayden is gone, my promise to him still means something to me. I will never break the bonds of his confessional."
"So what you''re telling me is that I''ll never finish this list?" Lizzy was almost on the verge of tears. She never expected this.
"I didn''t say that." Adam said with a warm smile. "Even though I cannot tell you what Hayden said to me in confidence, I still have the answer you seek."
"I don''t understand." Lizzy confessed.
"It is true Hayden confessed to me people he had hurt in his lifetime," Adam started to explain, "So yes, I know the person he hurt most. I also know that while he sought forgiveness from God, he never sought forgiveness from the person he hurt most. But since his last confession, he hurt someone else. He hurt this person so badly that all other offenses he had made pale in comparison. I can tell you who this person is because I came to this conclusion through personal observation and to tell you will not break anything I''ve been told in confession."
"You know who Hayden hurt most?" Lizzy asked.
"Yes, I do." Adam replied.
"Who was it?" Lizzy inquired.
Adam paused for a moment. "It was you, Lizzy."
"What did Hayden ever do to me?" Lizzy quickly asked.
"He died," Adam answered. "His passing has caused more suffering and heartache to you than any other person he ever hurt in his lifetime. In order to complete this part of your list, the forgiveness he requires is yours."
Lizzy looked at the Priest and could tell that whatever he said, he honestly believed. According to the man that took her husband''s confessions, the most hurtful thing he ever did was leave the wife he promised to love and cherish. While death was the only thing that made them part, it was a lot sooner than anyone had expected it to happen. Adam was sure that she was the one he had hurt most, which mean she would have to make the effort she was hoping to dump on someone else to complete this task. She was going to have to forgive Hayden for dying on her. She looked back up at the young priest.
"How do I forgive him?" She asked him.
"Forgiveness isn''t about helping others," Adam explained, "It''s about you letting go of the pain and moving on. It''s about not letting it stand in your way. It''s about closure."
"And that happens how?" Lizzy asked.
"As one of my favorite poets once said," Adam said, "Say it with your heart, your soul and believe it... then I''ll say Amen."
"That''s beautiful," Lizzy said, wiping a tear. "What poet wrote that?"
"Jon Bon Jovi," Adam replied, "From one of his solo albums. Very underrated if you ask me."
Lizzy couldn''t help but laugh, but she knew what had to be done. She stood up and gave Hayden''s friend a big hug. "Thank you for taking the time to help me."
"I will always be here should you ever need my help, Elizabeth." Adam said with a warm smile. "I hope we''ll still see you in the kitchen next week?"
"Of course." Lizzy said with a smile, "Happy holidays."
"Thank you." Adam said as he watched her leave the Church. At the last moment Lizzy turned back to see if he was still watching and he waved to her. She waved back to him and then parted.
When she got back to the apartment, she knew what she had to do. She walked over to the fireplace that she never knew and looked over at the remains of her husband. His urn had been there for a very long time, nestled between other things that mean something to her, but it was time for Hayden to go. She grabbed the urn and then called for Wyatt. When the little dog came out of the bedroom and scrambled to her feet, Lizzy responded to his arrival by grabbing his leash from the wall. "Time to go for a walk, little guy."
So she took Wyatt and Hayden for a decent walk. They strolled by many places that meant so much to them both. From the firehouse where he had worked for so long to the restaurant where she worked and had met Hayden for the first time, she walked past each place as if she were taking a tour of their short but loving life together. Her walk came to a brief stop when she made it to the river. Lizzy walked Wyatt over to a rail that came right up to the edge of the river and looked down at the urn that was still in her arms.
She then looked down at the little doggie. "Are you ready?"
The dog let out a little whimper and she took that as a sign to carry on. She held out the urn in front of her and spoke to it as if Hayden were somehow able to hear her.
"According to the man that wed us, I am the one you hurt most." Lizzy started. "That means in order for us to complete the twenty-ninth item on your list, you must earn my forgiveness. I will perfectly honest with you, if you had left me for another woman or cause we didn''t want to have kids yet... chances are I never would be able to forgive you. But you didn''t want to leave, not this soon. You wanted to be here with me for many, many more years but were taken away against your will. For that reason alone, I am willing to forgive you. Your intention was to be here with me for decades, to have a family and live happily ever after. Just because that never happened doesn''t mean you didn''t want it. You did want that life with me, and did till the day you died. I forgive you because if you have a choice, you''d still be here with me. Now it''s my turn to ask for your forgiveness. I''m about to move on with my life, without you. I don''t want you to think I came to this decision easily, but I don''t think you would have wanted me to waste any more time or years mourning your loss. You''d want me to live, to carry one and make a new life for myself. That is exactly what I plan to do. I''m going back to school, and I''m going to make a difference in this world. I''ve met a man who might bring some joy to my life. How much I''m not sure, but it''s something I am going to pursue, because there is a spark. Not the fireworks we had, but there is a chance that one day it might be that good. I have to give it a shot, cause if I don''t it might be one of the biggest regrets of my life. I don''t think you want to be the reason why I held back and refused to live my life. I never had a problem with you on my mantle, Hayden, but the time has come to let you go. So not only do I forgive you for checking out of our marriage early and commit you to your favorite waters. Wyatt and I will come back and visit you whenever we walk by here. It will always be our spot, our place to remember you. So with that..."
Lizzy opened the urn and Wyatt watched with curiosity as she poured the contents out and into the river before her. She stood there and watched the river, as if she was watching what was left of her late husband float down the river and out of her life. The wind was cool, but for some reason she felt very comfortable with the weather and enjoyed a nice walk home with her dog. She put the urn into her closet when she got home, placing it on the top shelf above the coats. Wyatt ran into the living room and took his usual spot on Hayden''s green chair right beside the couch where she would sit down herself. She couldn''t believe it was all over. She had completed the one task she never thought she would get to let alone complete. It was so quiet, she had to pick up the phone and make a call.
When the person she was calling for finally answered, she only had to say to words. "It''s done."
30. Make A Difference
When Gale and Anna had heard that the list was pretty much completed, they came down to visit her to celebrate. Lizzy had called them to let them know that the list had been completed, and both of them couldn''t control their excitement. They had booked a restaurant to party over drinks and fine food. What Lizzy didn''t know is that Anna and Gale made some phone calls of their own, and pretty much expanded the part from three to twenty guests and booked a private room for a little privacy. Lizzy was unaware of what was waiting for her, so she was stunned to walk into the private room and see her father, her brother Danny, the Sheppard family was there as well as Hayden''s Mom and Dad along with David took up one side of the table. Shannon was also there with Damon, as was Jared who had over the last while shed over forty pounds! Lizzy congratulated the big fireman and gave everyone she could reach a big hug before reaching the head of the table and taking a seat. The food was already pre-ordered so everyone just took a seat and ate up while talking amongst themselves about many things. When the main course was finished, it was Mr. Sheppard who took the time to stand up and purpose a toast.
"Here''s to Elizabeth Sheppard," She started with a smile, "And her ability to be stubborn in the face of a quest that not many would have the energy or love to complete."
Everyone toasted and tapped their glasses, drinking to her success. Lizzy felt the need to say something as she stood up to say something.
"It''s true the list is complete," she confirmed, "But I need to explain to everyone how that came to be. Two days ago, I donated most of my settlement to various charities. I left more than enough for myself to get my life back on track, but I used Hayden''s money to help those less fortunate than myself. As for me, early this morning I applied to go back to school. I''m going to finish the degree I started so many years ago and become a nurse. Through my money and my application to return to school, that is how I finished Hayden''s list. Through education and charitable donations, I''ve made a difference and will continue to do so until my time is up. That is not only a pledge to Hayden''s memory, but to myself and the people I love. I moving on with my life and starting a new chapter."
Everyone at the table applauded, most shocked at what she had done. With some proper investments and what not, she could have lived off the money she had gotten from her settlement and never worked again. That is not what Lizzy wanted to do with her life, as she was raised differently. She was going to go back to school, get a new life and a new career and carry on without Hayden but towards a promising future. For Lizzy, this is the only way she could truly move forward and she was looking forward to the new challenge. She was never one to shy away from anything, and would attack school and life with the same vigor she had before when starting a life with Hayden. She was sure he would approve of her actions and genuine effort to move forward, rather than spend the rest of her life looking back at what could have been.
After the meal was done, Anna and Crispin walked over to say good bye but both had weird looks on their faces, like they had something else to say. Anna was the first to speak: "We need to ask you something."
"Alright, shoot." Lizzy responded.
"We''re having a baby." Crispin spit out.
"Wow!" Lizzy said with shock, "That''s amazing!"
Anna gave her friend a big hug, "I don''t know about Gale, but I wanted to make sure every base was covered. We want you to join our little crew."
Lizzy was taken back but asked. "What do you mean?"
Anna shrugged. "Call me shallow but I was never really satisfied with the result of number twenty-eight. We would like you to join our crew, as the baby''s Godmother."
Lizzy was tearing up as she hugged her friend again. "I''d be honoured! Thank you!" she paused for a moment, "You didn''t procreate just to help me out here did you?"
"We''ve done enough for the list." Anna said with a laugh. "This event came about the old fashioned way."This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"Then I accept," Lizzy said as she gushed with Pride. "I will try to be the best Godmother I can be, maybe the best of all time."
"That''s okay," Crispin said, "We can live with the best you can be."
The happy couple left and Lizzy was there with Gale again, and she looked over at her friend. "Any other surprises for me?"
"Only one." Gale said as she stood to leave. She walked over and handed her a small piece of paper. "He emailed this to me when I asked him to come to dinner. He couldn''t get time off base and wanted to make sure you got it when you completed the entire list." With that she gave Lizzy a big hug and walked out of the room.
Lizzy sat there and looked at the letter and could tell by the way Gale had referred to ''the base'' that it was from Gary. She took a deep breath and then opened it to read what he had written to her.
Dear Elizabeth:
I had no doubt you could do it. This was not an easy thing to do, so you make sure to take a moment to look back and be proud of what you''ve done for the man you love. I have faith that he is looking down, grinning ear to ear and beaming with pride. You took what everyone passes off as a small chore and made an adventure out of it. You are young and have a lot of time ahead of you. I hope you use this experience to grow and move on to what can only be an exciting time in your life.
I know letting go can be hard, but I can testify that your courage and love was enough for me to make a lot of progress concerning my own future. It gave me the strength to find a little closure of my own, turn a new page and lay the foundation to a new path of what could be my new future. I have you to thank for that, and I will be forever grateful that you came into my life. I hope that we will meet again because the idea of being away from someone who inspires me to be more than I ever thought I could be isn''t the way I want things to be. You name the time and place and I''ll be there for you. I hope no matter what happens we will always remain good friends.
Chin up, sport, you are at the finish line and deserve to stop and smell the roses. I am very proud of you kid, and what you have accomplished. As we would say here in the corps, the mission was a complete success. No one will ever be able to take that away. Take care Elizabeth, and I hope to see you again sooner than later.
Sincerely,
Gary
Lizzy looked at the letter and as she read it again, she couldn''t help but cry. It had taken her so long to complete this list that she never really had an idea how many people she moved and inspired to do more while she was doing her own thing. She then noticed at the bottom of the letter was an address, an email address Gary had left so she could respond. When she got back to her apartment, the first thing she did was take Wyatt out to pee. While the little dog was out, sniffing around for the perfect spot to do his business she couldn''t help but take the letter out of her pocket and read it again. She used her time outside to think of the perfect response and it came to her just as she was walking Wyatt back into the building. She bolted to the computer and wrote down the address and composed a simple letter.
Dear Gary:
Do you like tacos?
Lizzy
Lizzy looked at the letter and thought it was perfect. Even though she was moving on towards a bright new future didn''t mean that everything had to change. She had the perfect first date for her and the Sergeant Major, and she wouldn''t want it any other way. She took another piece of paper out of her coat pocket and it was her copy of the list. She grabbed a pen from the table and used it to cross off the last item from the list. Even though she hadn''t technically completed the last task, she was going to school the following month and was going to resume a career that would help a lot of people. Barring some disaster, she had faith there was nothing that was going to stop her from finishing her degree and going out into the world to make a difference. It wasn''t faith that made her feel this way, but her own determination or stubbornness as someone at the party said that let her know it would be complete and there was nothing that was going to stop her.
Her quest was over and because of it Lizzy not only learned so much about the man she loved, but also about herself. She was ready to move on and if it wasn''t for Hayden and his list, it would have been a lot harder for her to get over what had happened. By making the list, he had saved her from wallowing in her own pity and allowing her to partake in an adventure that changed her forever. She was going to get a cup of tea, when the computer suddenly beeped. Gary had replied to her email and she excitedly logged on to see what he said. Lizzy took a quick look at the letter and laughed. It was certainly a night of firsts and she seemed finally ready to take that next step. She took the list and finally folded it up and tossed it into a drawer in her desk. All the tasks were complete and it was time for her to make her own adventure, live her own life. She was confident in herself that this was the right time and the right path. She giggled with delight as she wrote up another quick email and fired it back to base, eager to set something up and see where life would take her from here.
The End