Being With Her Is All I Ask

Chapter VIII

I get up and try to start the day with a shower. I get dressed and come down to see Uncle Jerry was already downstairs.
"Hey Frankie"
"Uncle Jerry, it has been a long time."
We hug and you can also see the sadness in his eyes. "I wish we were meeting under better circumstances." I give him a weak smile and reply "I wish that too."
Teresa is in the kitchen preparing breakfast for everyone. The doorbell rings, I get up to answer the door and I'm ready. I haven't seen her in a couple of years surely, maybe, the feeling have disappeared and that I can act normal around her. As I open it, she jumps into my arms and I feel her heart against mine. Nope. No. There it is. It was never gone, just tucked away somewhere untouched for two years.
"Frankie, I'm so sorry I didn't call you. I didn't know how to..." at this point she's hyperventilating. "Angel, breathe please. It's ok. I know I'm not the only person affected by this and I know he meant a lot to you and Teresa. I'm just glad to see you." She rests her head on my chest and it feels like home.

Uncle Jerry prepares all the papers. We all sit in silence. "I, Jerry Davidson, here to carry out the last will of Daniel Clarence Fields in the presence of those in his will."
"Teresa, with the woman who gave me a second chance to love again. I am forever thankful for you. I leave you and Angel half my money that includes my savings. This is for you both to get by and Angel for your studies and travel."
"The rest of all my assets, belongings and money go to my only child Francesca Fields. I know when the day comes that you have to read this will be a day where you feel alone but you aren't and you don't have to be. I love you always and forever."

Teresa turns to me, your dad also left this letter for the both of you. Angel and I exchange a look. A look of confusion but as I reach out for it Teresa reads it out loud.

"Should the day come that one of us passes, this is our letter to you both. We could have married but we have chosen not to. We both realise that we are lucky. We got to experience true love twice in our lifetime. We know this came at a cost. The cost was our two beautiful children sacrificed their own happiness and love for. We are forever grateful for this and we know we have raised two fine young women. Should one of us pass we want you to know that we are rooting for you. If we don't get to see this whole thing through since we are old after all. We want you to be the ones to join our houses."

I didn't mean to but I laughed out loud. "Teresa, really, come on. You didn't really agree to that did you? I mean that's gotta be all dad."
She smiles "No, we came to this decision, the moment we found out about you too."
I look at Angel and tears roll down her eyes and she runs upstairs into my room. I bid Uncle Jerry good bye and chase after her. She locked herself in my room and I'm not quite sure why. "Angel, come on open up! I'm just as shocked as you are! The man wasn't telling us to get back together, they were just saying if we wanted to - that was them giving us their blessing! Come on, you know I don't like shouting!"
She opens the door and slumps to the bed. "Why would they do this to us?! It's like they're playing with our feelings. How can we get back to each other knowing one of them is devastated? Ugh."

"It's not like you want to right. Come on I've seen your pictures online with all these other girls and guys may I add"
At this point she starts smacking me. "I hate you! After two years and I still love you and drive me nuts"
I take her hits then I realise what she's said. "Wait. What?"
I grab her hands for her to stop hitting me.
"I love you Frankie and these past two years have been the hardest. I know I chose this but I didn't know what else to do."
I see those puppy eyes and I pull her in close to my chest and I know my dad and Teresa wanted this for us after all we did for them.
"I love you too, we will figure this out. Right now I want to focus on my dad and giving him the best send off he deserves."

I look at a picture of me and my dad during an Arsenal game that I have in my room. It's almost as if I saw him wink. I knew despite this heartache I'm going through now that he knew there was always going to be one person to look after me and he wasn't worried.