Heirloom

Dad seemed to think for a few seconds but finally broached an uncomfortable subject and told me, "Bobbie works for my company now. She's the office manager and you'll have to see her every day."

I guess I had a stunned look on my face. It was one thing to talk to her on a web cam and another to have to see her every day. I couldn't resist and said, "Did Ethan decide to bring his girlfriend into the business?"

"That's not fair J.T.; you already know that Bobbie stopped dating Ethan right after you left. She continued to call Mary Kate and me; she was worried about you and wanted to know if you were okay," Dad explained. "When Shirley, my office manager, retired I hired Bobbie to replace her. I needed someone I could trust and she fit the bill."

"I don't know if I can do this Pop, I just don't know," I said and turned to leave.

"And where do you think you're going little brother? Get back here right now," she ordered me.

Mary Kate had stepped between me and the door, put her hands on her hips, and said, "You're not going anywhere John. I paddled your butt when you were younger and I can do it again if I have to. What happened between the two of you is your business, but you're family needs you now and I won't let you run off again."

The absurdity of her physically trying to stop me was funnier than hell; Mary Kate is 5' 10" compared to my 6' 4". It was hilarious and I started laughing in spite of myself; I couldn't help it. I guess it was a release of the stress of hearing about Bobbie but the laughter almost turned into tears. Finally I gained control and nodded at Mary Kate. My sister had made her point.

I decided to stay at my dad's house; there was no need to get my own apartment because I planned to go back to San Diego as soon as Dad was able to take over. The clothes I had brought from San Diego and my things still at the ranch would let me get by until I was able to go back to California. I had a couple of days to get some rest but after the week end I would start at my dad's company.

Monday morning bright and early I was at the supply yard sitting in the parking lot trying to get up nerve enough to go into the office. I don't know how long I would have sat there if Mary Kate hadn't come to get me. She smiled, patted me on the shoulder, and nodded toward the door. As I got out of my truck she hugged me and I followed her into the building.

The warehouse is a huge building with the offices and business areas on the second floor. The entire side wall of the office complex was glass because Dad liked to watch the activity on the floor of the warehouse. I kept glancing up at the offices to see if I could spot Bobbie.

Mary Kate took me around the building so I could say hello to the people that were working for my dad before I left and was introduced to the newer employees. I told them all that I appreciated them helping my dad and that I would try not to screw up things too bad. Then came the moment that I had been dreading and looking forward to; I had to see Bobbie again.

To get to my dad's office I had to pass by Bobbie. She was sitting at her desk and looked up as I passed her door. Her first reaction was to stand up to greet me, but I smiled and nodded at her and continued on to Dad's, I mean my, office. Mary Kate followed me and closed the door; for the moment I was safe.

"You're going to have to talk to Bobbie sometime J.T." Mary Kate said and then she suggested, "Wouldn't it be better to do it now while I'm still here, maybe it will make things a little less awkward."

"I guess you're right. Give me a few minutes to brace myself and then ask her to come in," I replied.

I knew that if I was going to run the place until my dad got back that I would have to come to grips with Bobbie being here. It was one thing to talk to Dad and Mary Kate about it in the hospital room and a different matter when I came face to face with the reality of seeing Bobbie in person.

"I'll get you a cup of coffee and tell her to come to see you in about five minutes, okay?"

I nodded and Mary Kate left the office. A few minutes later she returned with a huge mug of coffee. Taking the mug I thanked her and took a drink. Surprise, surprise, surprise; the coffee had a healthy dose of Irish whiskey in it. Nothing like a touch of the drink to give you false courage, I thought and took a larger drink. Five minutes later Bobbie knocked on the door frame and came into the office.

"Hello J.T. It's nice to see you," she said.

I nodded at her again but couldn't keep myself from smiling at her. I stared at Bobbie for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and said, "It's nice to see you in person Bobbie; the web cam just isn't the same. I'll need your help in running the place until Dad can come back."

Bobbie blushed and stammered a second looked at the floor then said, "Okay. I'm glad you're back; I've missed you."

That was about the extent of our first meeting. I think both of us felt a little shy and reserved.

Monday evening I went to see my dad and Ethan. Dad was still bitching at the nurses except for one no nonsense head nurse. Sally Johnson was the one in charge of the eight room section that my father was in and every time Dad started to bitch at her Sally would tell him to shut up and quit being such a baby. She told him she had people to take care of who were really sick and couldn't be bothered with some over aged, feeling sorry for himself, delinquent.

I think Dad ragged on her just to get her to stay in his room longer. He was always in a good mood after she left. I watched Sally come out of Dad's room a couple of times and saw her smiling where he couldn't see it. Maybe Cupid was walking the halls of the hospital. If so, I was all for it, Dad had been alone for too long.

After visiting Dad I went to check in on Ethan before going home. For the first time he was alert and awake when I came into his room. He smiled when he saw me and I walked over and took his hand in both of mine. I was relieved to see that he was finally awake. We didn't say anything at first, just looked at each other and nodded our heads like a couple of bobble head dolls.

I had tears in my eyes and had to wipe them before I said anything to Ethan, his eyes were watery too and I handed him the box of tissues. Just like with my dad, Ethan and I seemed embarrassed about our feelings for each other.

"When are you going to stop gold bricking and get back to work?" I asked in greeting.

"Why would I want to go back to work? I've got three meals and a bed and pretty nurses to take care of me. Now who would want to leave all that?"

I pointed to the IV, the chest tube, and the cast on his arm and said, "Yeah, I can see you've got it made."

"I'm good J.T., really. The arm is healing and so are the bones in my hand and this chest tube will come out tomorrow. I'll be okay," Ethan was trying to reassure me. He was the injured one and he was worried about me; typical Ethan.

I visited with Dad and Ethan every day after work for that first week. Dad and I would talk about the business and Ethan and I just talked. On Sunday evening Dad suggested that I just call instead of coming to the hospital every day. Both of them were out of danger and it sure made it easier on me. I had never realized how much it took to manage the building supply business. I was almost as tired after a day in the office as I had been after a day of framing.

By the end of that first week I found it easier to be around and talk to Bobbie. We had too many years as friends for us not to enjoy time together. Bobbie was a very good at her job; without her the business could have been in big trouble.

I hadn't talked about my feelings or the reason I went to for San Diego; for right now it was enough that we began to get comfortable with each other again.

It was during a Saturday evening visit with Dad and Ethan after my second week running the company that it occurred to me that Dad should have been released from the hospital by now. He seemed in good shape but he was guarded every time I asked about him coming home. Ethan I could understand still being in the hospital because of the punctured lung, but Dad should have gone home by now.

Bobbie's parents, James and Molly, were visiting my father also. James had retired last year and he and Molly had moved to a small town on a lake about two hundred miles from us. The special effort they made to visit was a very nice considering the four hundred mile round trip they had to make. I waited for them to leave before I questioned Dad about why he was still in the hospital. As they said good bye Mr. Cassidy motioned for me to follow him into the hall way.

He reassured me about my dad and then said, "Damn I'm glad your home J.T., maybe Bobbie will get back to being her old self."

I was puzzled and didn't understand what he meant. He saw the question in my eyes and continued.

"Ever since you left for California, she's been moping around like someone stole her dog or something. This has been going on for six months or more. But when we saw her this morning she was all bright eyed and bushy tailed; the old Bobbie is back and the only change around here is you coming home. Glad you're back boy." He slapped me on the shoulder and walked down the hall to the elevators.

Now what was that all about, I thought as I went back into Dad's room? I was sitting by Dad's bed with Mary Kate when Nurse Johnson came in to say good night to him; her shift was over and she was going home. Maybe Dad won't tell me what's going on I thought, but Sally would.

"Nurse Johnson, when can I expect to get this old man out of here and back home?"

She looked at Dad and he sort of shrugged. "William's going to be in here for a while if he follows his doctor's suggestion."

I noticed she called him William instead of Mr. Chance. As I looked at Dad I raised my eyebrows questioning what she meant. "What's go on Pop? What suggestion?"

Dad glared daggers at Sally, sighed, and said, "No need to put it off any longer I guess," Dad mumbled to himself. "About you going back to California; I'm asking you to put your plans on hold for awhile."

"What? Why?"

Dad studied my face before he answered. He explained that he needed me to stay for a while longer and help with the business because of three things. Mary Kate had gotten a job offer from a fashion design company in New York and would be leaving in two months, she could put it off for a month but she had to go; Ethan wouldn't be in any condition to run the business for quite a while and with both Mary Kate and Ethan unavailable it just left me to help him.

"Hire someone to help or promote one of the men from the yard until you get better," I argued.

"There's one other reason J. T. The doctors ran some tests just after I was admitted and found a problem with my heart. They told me that I need bypass surgery and the sooner the better. I guess the accident was actually a good thing. Anyway that's why I need you to stay."

I was shocked, scared, and worried; Dad had always been the rock that all of us leaned on. My hurt feelings and childish running away stopped here; my dad needed me and I wouldn't leave again. I would just have to learn how to co-exist with Bobbie; at least until Dad was okay.

Dad assured me that he would be okay after the procedure and could get back to leading a normal life. Mary Kate backed him up but did say that he would have to eat a little healthier and when they started wrangling back and forth I laughed and went to visit Ethan.

Ethan was looking much better; the drain tube in his chest was gone as was the IV in his arm. His color was closer to normal and he seemed stronger. I told him about Dad's procedure, which he already knew about, and laughed as I told him about Mary Kate confronting me and reading Dad the riot act about living healthier.

"I bet Nurse Johnson is giving him hell too. After he stopped laughing about Mary Kate confronting me and Dad being ordered around by Sally he said, "J.T., I think Dad's in love; he's found someone that won't put up with his bullshit." Ethan asked "By the way, how's work going?"

"It's okay. The guys in the yard and warehouse don't really need my supervision; they know what needs to be done better than I do. Mary Kate has about got me up to speed on the computer, Bobbie's been a big help with inventory control, and I actually think I'm beginning to know how to do more than just drink coffee," I answered.

"Speaking of Bobbie, how are you doing there?"

"We're working together pretty well, I think." I was dodging his real question.

"Don't give me that crap. You know what I meant. Have you told her that you love her yet?" Ethan just kept digging at me. "Mary Kate told me all about it. She said the reason you left was because Bobbie and I were dating. Is that right?"

"I eh...Well eh...I mean..." Finally I quit stuttering and said, "I went to San Diego to work and to do something on my own. That's the only reason." I tried to stare Ethan down.

"Bullshit, little brother. Look, if I had known that you thought of Bobbie as more than a fishing buddy I wouldn't have dated her, I'm sorry John."

Ethan you've known her for years, what peaked your interest in her after all this time?"

Ethan paused to put his thought together and answered, "I knew Bobbie had a little crush on me for a long time; I mean I am the good looking brother." He laughed and continued.

"When a young girl of 14 has a crush on you and you're 18, she's too young for you. Now when she is 18 and you're 22, a relationship is possible but still a little shady. But when the girl is 22 and you're 26, if there is a mutual attraction, there are no legal or moral obstacles to stop you from exploring a relationship. That's what happened to me." Ethan couldn't really look me in the eye.

I could see that Ethan was really bothered by his little fling with Bobbie. My dad, Mary Kate, and Ethan all seemed to know how I felt about Bobbie and they apparently weren't going to let me off the hook until I talked to Bobbie.

"How could you know Ethan? I didn't know myself until Bobbie told me she was interested in you. That's when I realized that she was more than just my buddy. I couldn't take being around her after you two started together so I went to San Diego," I told him. It felt good to finally talk about the whole mess.

"One last thing J.T., The week you left Bobbie broke it off with me. She said that she cared for me very much but not in that way. I didn't know why she changed, but after that we were and are just good friends. It wasn't until Mary Kate started bringing her in on the web chats that I figured it out," Ethan told me.

"Figured out what? What are you talking about, Ethan?"

"You're as dumb as a stump aren't you? Bobbie loves you too. Let's see; you love her, she loves you, and so now what's our next step here?" He laughed at the stunned look on my face.

"Look the whole family loves Bobbie, she's one of us. You can't let her get away; I mean she won't wait forever. Somebody with more sense than you have is going to snatch her up if you aren't careful. Bobbie's like an heirloom of this family and you don't give heirlooms away."

"An heirloom? What the hell are you talking about?"

Ethan laughed and said, "An heirloom is something of special value handed on from one generation or person to another and that's what Bobbie is. Something of special value. Dad's too old, Mary Kate is the wrong sex, and Bobbie doesn't love me so that leaves you. You have to do something to keep her in the family. Isn't it lucky that you love her?" He was still laughing as he talked.

"You're nuts Ethan. I think they're giving you too much happy juice in here."

We tabled the subject of Bobbie and me and discussed the business for a little while. As visiting hours ended I went back to the ranch. I was on the deck at the back of the house with a small glass of Jack Daniels thinking about Bobbie and how everybody in my family knew about my feelings for her. I wondered if Bobbie knew.

About an hour and another drink later, Mary Kate came out to join me with her own drink and sat down next to me. "How are you holding up little one?"

"I'm okay, but a little confused. Did you or anyone else in the family tell Bobbie why I left? Have you asked her how she feels about me?"

"No, we didn't think it was our place to do either of those things; that's something you should have done and something you still should do," Mary Kate chastised me a little. Then with a laugh she continued, "This isn't like grade school with the 'do you think she likes me' silliness."

"I'm afraid if I tell her I love her, I'll lose her friendship," I admitted.

"And how's that working for you J.T.?" Mary Kate said with frustration. She wasn't happy with my reasoning. "You don't want to chance losing Bobbie's friendship so you run off to San Diego. Not only do you not have her friendship but you are separated from your family and your home. Smooth move John." She stood up and continued.

"If you tell Bobbie that you love her, there are three things that can happen and only one of them is bad. Worst case scenario is that she doesn't want your love or your friendship and she decides to move on; I think pigs will fly before that happens. Another result could be that she tells you she just wants to be your friend and you guys can go back to being buddies; maybe not the best thing in your mind but it's better than what you have now. But what I think will happen is that she will tell you that she loves you too and you guys can start a life together." She finished her drink and set the glass down.

"Think about it John and do something, even if it's wrong. Right now you've got nothing. I'm going to bed; clean up the glasses before you turn in." With that Mary Kate left me to think things out for myself.

I sat on the deck for another hour going over my thoughts and those of Mary Kate. Finally I knew what I was going to do and went to bed, but not before I washed the glasses as ordered. The next morning I got to the office early and waited for Bobbie. I was going to clarify and rectify my situation this morning.

Bobbie came in, said hello and went into her office. I grabbed two cups of coffee and followed her. "Cream and light sugar, right?" I set a cup on her desk and sat down across from her.

She smiled and picked up the cup saying, "You remembered, thank you."

"Bobbie I need to talk to you. I know it's been a little tense around her between us and it's my fault; I apologize."

"It only natural, you've been worried about your dad and Ethan. No apology necessary," she said with a little smile.

"It's more than that. There's something I need to tell you that I should have told you a long time ago. My only excuse is that I didn't know how you would react and I didn't want to lose your friendship." I was stalling.

"What could you possibly say that would stop us from being friends?"

"Well, you see I...." I heard a noise behind me and turned. It was Mary Kate standing at the office door. She smiled, gave me a thumbs up, and closed the door.

"Bobbie, when I broke up with Amber I realized why I never got close to any of the girls I dated." I stopped for a sip of coffee and gathered my courage and continued. "The reason I couldn't get close to them is that I was and am in love with you." I hesitated for a few seconds and waited for her response.

Her only reaction was a small smile and a nod of her head.

"I had planned to tell you how I felt about you that night that you asked for my help with a problem but you told me about Ethan before I had a chance. You sounded so excited about him; I didn't want to put pressure on you and make you choose between us, so I didn't say anything."

I had been looking at the floor or the desk front but now looked at Bobbie. She made a motion with her hand for me to continue. At least she hadn't jumped up and run from the office.