A Wife's Revenge Ch. 03

The Social Worker called Bret's employer, and they were on board with all of this. His 'smooth talking skills' with customers and his new sales for the past 18 months were in demand. As soon as he'd be able to make phone calls, even from his bed, he'll be 'back at work'.

After the conference everyone came back. John quickly excused himself, telling Bret that he'd be in touch about his father. Then it was Gracja, Ricky and me visiting with Bret. When asked by Gracja, Bret gave a run down on the post hospital plans, including the nursing home and longer recuperation.

That's when I noticed it. Gracja was asking very detailed questions of Bret. He appeared to be amused at first, but it looked like he too was starting to hear something else. The conversation started jumping around and visited lots of different areas, including church. It appears that they both went to the same parish and they liked the same Assistant Priest, Fr. Roberto.

It was nearing 4 PM and Bret was starting fade again. At that point, Gracja and I excused ourselves. Bret asked me to come back later. There were things he needed to say. "No problem Bret. You get some rest and a real meal that they said you could have. I'll be by after dinner." Then Gracja said, "Thank you once again Bret Przyisabylski. Thank you for my son."

As we were walking down the corridor to the elevators, I turned to her and asked, "Gracja? Would you have dinner with me? My treat for the both of you." Ricky had barely been able to keep his young boy fidgeting under control in the hospital room, but he was starting to lose it now. He popped up with "McDonalds? Mom, can we go to McDonalds?" I nodded yes and Gracja realized with a smile that she was outnumbered, and agreed.

She had an old car and took us to one near the hospital. After we all ordered, Ricky asked permission to go to the play area. With a yes he immediately disappeared. Gracja and I were chatting about parenthood, Chicago and things when I asked her if I could ask her a serious question. "I know that I'm the ex-wife, but I could tell that you're interested in Bret."

Her face flushed slightly and she nodded yes. "That's ok, but you've just met him."

"No, that's really not true. I was there every day for baseball practice for those couple of weeks. He was a wonderful coach. Patient and kind to all the kids, even the screwing off ones. He cared about the kids and built them up.

"I've been a single parent for all of Ricky's life. The first test in going out with someone was how well they could handle my son. He comes first. Period. I go on a date every couple of months and most guys don't pass this test. Most of them wanted me to ditch the kid. Sorry, my son is my life, we're a team.

"Now I see Bret Przyisabylski take a tree for my kid. He could have died. Did you hear him talk about the stupid thing Ricky did? No, not a word of blame. Did you see Bret try to engage with Ricky while we were talking and Ricky was fidgeting like mad? Yes."

I shook my head in agreement. "In these past couple of days, Bret has said nothing bad, not even anything that could be negative about your son and what happened."

"Lucy, Bret's hurting and is going to need some care. The least I can do for him is to help him in his convalescing. Is there a chance? He appears to be so independent."

We spoke for the next hour while Ricky was burning off tons of young boy energy. By the time we were finished, we exchanged phone numbers and email addresses. She knows that Bret lost himself and that's why the marriage died. But that now he may have found himself again. Only time would tell, only time would tell.

Getting back to Bret's room, I saw him looking out the window with tears down his cheeks. He wiped them away as I made a noise. "Didn't hear you come in Lucy, I was lost in thought."

"Want to share Bret? You don't have to."

"I just got a second chance in life. Not with you, but with the wreck of my father. With you I finally got some closure. After all the shit I did to you, you were such a better person that I ever was."

I started to smile and with a laugh in my voice, "Bull shit Bret, Bull shit. I don't think I'd ever take a tree for anybody but my family. No Bret, you are becoming the Bret I once knew. The big question is can you remain that Bret this time?"

He wiped more tears from his eyes and looked out the window. I let him have his silence. It was over 5 minutes later when he turned to me. "The day after my knee replacement surgery, they started to make me use it again. It hurt like hell and I was swearing up a blue streak until an older PT came in and sat me down. She told me that without the exercises, right now, I'd lose a range of motion. That would hobble me the rest of my life.

"I feel that what I turned into those years ago is going to hobble me the rest of my life."

"Bret, was that daughter the last person you've been with? He nodded yes. "So, for the past two years you've been sitting on the sidelines?" He nodded yes again. "You've beenhealing, haven't you?" He nodded yes. "So when are you going to get back into life?" He nodded no.

"I've got months of recovery ahead. I'm looking at a week in a nursing home for PT and then I have to figure out how I'm going to continue working and more PT. I'll figure out a way, but I feel lost.

"The worst part is having you here." I was a bit shocked. "NO. I didn't mean it that way. What I meant was that you showed me who I lost again. I know that you're going to make Dave a wonderful wife and he'll be a great husband." Then he smiled, "If not, I know that you can fry him like you almost fried me." We both laughed.

"Sorry Lucy, I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I dug the hole, I shouldn't complain about falling in it and getting dirty."

"Bret, do you really think that you're alone?" He nodded yes. "There was just somebody here that's in heavy debt to you. Unfortunately, she is a strong woman and has a kid. And she doesn't take crap from anybody. She's survivor too. Why don't you think about letting her in, just a little bit? She wants to pay off her debt to you. You took a tree for her kid. Don't you think that's worth something in her eyes?" His face brightened. We continued talking about his future, then mine. There was no our future mentioned.

By the end of the evening, we were able to get back to a level of comfort with one another. Acceptance and distance at the same time if that makes any sense to anybody but us. As I got up to say goodbye, Bret made a request. "Can I have Dave's email and address?"

"Why Dave's?"

"If I'm ever going to send you anything, I want him to be able to see it first. I want nothing possibly getting in the way of you two. Nothing. OK?"

As I passed him Dave's card, I held Bret's hand a final time. "Sorry for the way I treated you Lucy. And think you for being who you are. Take care."

"It was nice to have closure with you Bret. I wish you the best. You have a future to get to. Let Dave know how your recovery is going. Keep him posted." With that, I walked out of his room.

Two months later, I became an O'Neil to a packed crowd. There were so many people there that I was never going to meet again. Lots of smiling and nodding. Two weeeks later when Dave and I opened our wedding gifts and cards, I found one postmarked San Jose. It was a beautiful card and a very generous gift from Bret and Gracja and Ricky. Although there were still two different return addresses, all three of them signed the card. A picture of the accident tree and the three of them showed Bret hugging Ricky with Gracja at his side. There were a pair of crutches on the edge of the picture.

Dave was looking at the card when I realized something. I ran to the weddinglist and discovered that a certain G. Soebieski of Hollister California has been invited. Same name and address as one of the return addresses. Looking at Dave and pointing to the name, I gave him my 'What is this all about' face.

He reached over and hugged me dearly. "I invited them. Thought that he wouldn't make it, but I invited him anyway. I knew he was still in therapies and I knew that Ricky was still in school." That's when he kissed me. "Face it, he's redeemed himself so far. She's been good for him, and he for her and Ricky."

It was over a year later when we received their wedding invitation. Dave already bought the tickets. My sisters and their husbands are going too. It's an extended family thing.