Beautiful to Me. (16 page)

              Craig got Ava all hyped up on cotton candy, so she was jumping around like a crazy little ant. After the stadium was nearly cleared out, we began our walk of my shame. I couldn’t think straight. Craig practically dragged me as he held Ava in his arms.

             
Once we made it to the area we were allowed to wait, Ava was asking 50 questions and I didn’t want to get too specific at the moment. Craig was trying to calm me down and was holding Ava for me on his shoulders making her squeal and laugh, giving me a calming effect wash over me. And then he and two other players exited their locker room, and began walking down the tunnel towards us. There were others with similar badges scattered around in the same area we were in and I was sort of hiding behind some people at the moment. That was until Craig pushed me through the two people in front of us, and Ava screamed. “Mommy, there is your special friend!” I nearly passed out when Dominic jerked his head as soon as he heard Ava, and seen me. He froze dead in his tracks.

I smiled, well I hoped whatever expression I was giving was a smile because I couldn
’t feel my face. My heart was beating so fast I thought I was going to have a stroke.

             
“Ivy? Is that you?” Dominic yelled out at me and squinted and began to slowly walk over to the roped off area we were standing. I nodded and Ava screamed.

             
Dominic quickly shot his eyes up to Ava, and then to Craig who was holding her. He walked over towards us, smiled at some other fans who were begging for his autograph. I smiled when I first heard someone ask for that. I think he was as surprised as I was. He took the little boys marker and football and signed it, ruffling up the little boys hair, shaking the parents hands.

             
Our side of loyal fans cleared out and the four of us stood there staring at each other like we were behind glass and we were looking at an animal at the zoo.

             
“That was you in the stands?” He asked. I nodded. Still afraid to use my voice. Craig cleared his throat, snapping me out of my daze.

             
“Good Lord, I am so sorry. Craig, this is Dominic. Dominic this is Craig. They both looked at each other. Dominic swallowed and held his hand out to Craig.

             
“Hey man, you were incredible out there. I was really happy to see you play your first game today.” Craig said as they finished shaking hands.

             
“Thanks. That is very nice of you to say. And who might this be?” Dominic asked as he looked up at his daughter he had no idea existed.

             
“My name is Ava. And my mommy told me you were her special friend, so we came to say hello today.” Ava proudly explained making me close my eyes, and silently I chuckled.

             
“Isn’t that right Mommy?” She asked me.

             
“You are correct sweet pea. Ava, this is Mr. Cavalier.” I introduced her to him. Ava melted my heart.

             
“It’s very nice to meet you.” She said as she offered Dominic her hand, smiling at him.

             
Dominic looked like he was confused or shell shocked. Craig had dark hair like Ava and myself, so he could be thinking Craig was her father. I notice Dominic looked at my hands to see if I was wearing a ring. I twitched my lips trying to keep my smile and laugh at bay.

             
“It’s very nice to meet you, Ava.” He said slowly. Finally breaking his stare up at his little girl he took my hand and pulled me to him and hugged me. He kissed my cheek and Let out a long sigh. “Ivy, it’s so so good to see you.” He whispered in my ear, melting my insides.

             
“Same here.” I said back into his neck before we parted.

             
“So… Are you and your family visiting the area?” He asked carefully.

             
I slowly nodded yes. “Nope. We live here.” I said, surprising him.

             
“Ah, Iv… Ava and I are just going to go take a little walk.” Craig offered.

             
“I hope to meet you again.” Ava said to him as she waved at Dominic, bouncing and laughing with Craig as he carried her off, making her giggle with his weird noises and voices he made.

             
Dominic was still holding my hand. Causing me to look down at our hands.

             
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know I was still holding your hand.” Dominic said, laughing as he pulled his hand away.

             
I immediately felt an emptiness I had not felt since I left him in high school with Dominic withdrawing his hand from mine.

             
“Husband?” He asked looking back over to Craig and Ava.

             
“No, no… Just a really amazing friend.” I confirmed, making Dominic smile.

             
“Your daughter I assume?” He asked cautiously once again.

             
“Yes. Ava is… my daughter.” I swallowed. I nearly said our daughter.

             
“Can I take you all out to dinner?” He asked, looking concerned I was some sort of dream or something.

             
“Ah, well…” I said looking back over to Craig. “Craig, dinner?” I asked not sure what I wanted.

             
“You know what, I was  just telling Ava, I was going to beg you to let us go have hot fudge sundae’s… How about I take Ava out for ice cream, meet you back at the house later?” He said with a smile.

             
Ava was clapping for ice cream, and I narrowed my eyes to slits glaring at Craig, making the two of them laugh at me.

             
“Ok… Ava, you be good for Uncle Craig. Uncle Craig, bed time is at 8 PM! And Ava, please give Uncle Craig a break and pick three books out at bed time and not ten.” I said to her and Craig picked up Ava off his shoulders and handed her to me to say good bye.

             
“Ok, Mommy. But just this once. You know I need to hear all my princess stories and Uncle Craig reads them the bestest!” She said with a dreamy smile

             
“Yes, he is the bestest, that’s for sure sweet pea.” I said, giving Craig the evil eye as I hugged Ava, and planted smooches all over her face before handing her back to Craig.

             
“I hope we meet again Ava.” Dominic said to her.

             
“Don’t worry, we will. I can tell.” She offered.

             
“Ok, then.. We are off for ice cream Love.” Ava clapped and Craig leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek and whispered in my ear. “Just relax, and please make sure he knows I am not your husband. The hand shake nearly broke my hand.” He said, kissing me again. I laughed really hard. Craig pulled back and gave me a wink.

             
“Nice to meet you Dominic.” Craig said, holding his hand out. I think Craig winced when they shook hands and I chuckled again.

             
Dominic and I watched as Craig galloped into the sunset with Ava. Ava yelling, “fasser, fasser Uncle Craig.”

             
“Wow. How old is your daughter?” Dominic asked.

             
“Ava, she’s five.” I said as I nodded. Not sure what to do.

             
“Well, here.” Dominic said as he unhooked the rope and held it open for me to walk through to his side of the walk way.

             
I walked through and waited for Dominic to hook the rope again.

             
We began to walk side by side. Both of us, dressed in jeans. Thank God. Both of us stealing looks back and forth to one another. Dominic still was holding a huge duffle bag over his shoulder as we walked towards the reserved parking area for the players.

             
“I can’t believe you are here. I ah…” He laughed, scratching his head. “I don’t know what to say, or where to begin. I feel like we are back in high school.” He said as we walked slowly.

             
“How are your parents? Your brothers?” I asked as I stuffed my hands in my jeans, nervous I would reach for his hand.

             
Dominic laughed. “They are all doing very well. I have a bunch of nieces and nephews. Michael and David are both married. Joseph and I are both bachelors. Mom and Dad retired. They live in Florida. They wanted to come but Dad ended up needing stay off his legs still after having knee surgery last week.” He shrugged.

             
We reached Dominic’s car. “Impressive.” I said as I looked back over to Dominic with a raised eye brow.

             
“Well, I have a thing for cars. It’s an Aston Martin.”

“
Yeah, my father has one.” I told him, making Dominic look at me in surprise. “Really?”

             
“Really.” I seconded that comment, laughing.

             
Dominic  opened my door, and a few moments later, we began to drive off.

We ended up at some hole in the wall diner. One of those 24/7 places. It felt like old times. I couldn
’t of been more happy to not have to worry about how I was dressed. Especially being as nervous as I was.

We both ordered, Dominic told the waitress we would be there for a long while since we had a lot to catch up on, and gave her a hundred dollar bill before we even ordered. I started to laugh when she just about fell to the floor to kiss his feet.

              We both ordered coffee to start. Letting the waitress know we would order in a little bit, she said we could sit there for 24 hours and not care, just flag her when we were ready or needed a refill before leaving us.

             
“Where do we begin? I have a million questions.” Dominic started our conversation.

             
“Ok, let’s start where we left off.” I suggested.

Dominic

Dreams
DO
Come True.

I went into complete shock when I first seen Ivy standing there. I could of sworn I heard her in the stands third quarter. When I looked up towards the area, I didn
’t see her. I thought maybe it was a hopeful dream I was having.

Now here we are, in some off the wall diner, and I am nervous as hell when she tells me to start our conversation where we last left off.

              “Ok, I felt so bad you wouldn’t let me at least explain what happened the last day you seen me. Lena…” I tried to begin.             

             
“Look, it’s not important what I thought or what happened with you two.”

             
“Oh, it really does matter.” I said, looking very intent on making a point. So I sat back and waited.

             
“I
never
cheating on you. Never! Lena seen me at practice. She skipped over on some mission apparently and started crying about some idiot she was seeing from another school. He was supposedly being abusive and she said he hit her. All of a sudden she doubled over and started wailing hysterically. I leaned over and rubbed her back. I felt bad for her. I had known her nearly my entire childhood. I wanted to seem like a supportive friend. I crouched down to tell her to get out of the relationship, that she was only hurting herself by staying. Next think I know, she leans in and whispers in my ear that she had feelings for me. I jerked her forward for her to see how crazy I thought she was and told her without a single doubt she had a zero percent chance of her and I ever getting together. Right after that, she literally threw herself at me and kissed me. She knocked me on my ass from the force she used to tackle me. So conveniently she looks up and address’s you.” I explained suddenly realizing Ivy’s eyes filling with tears, and finally they began to silently fall onto her cheeks. I reached over the table and brushed her cheeks gently with the back of my hand, running my knuckles across her soft skin making Ivy shiver.

             
“I’m so sorry for doing that to you. I was so upset that my mother sprung on the news of us leaving minutes before I found Lena all over you. I ran from home to find you. I didn’t want to wait to see you that night at the pizza place. Then Lena had this smug victorious look on her face. I figured she was better suited for you to begin with.” Ivy explains, which made absolutely no sense to me that she would think that.

             
“I loved you Ivy. How would you think I would ever hurt you?” I chuckled at what I was about to say. I looked down at my mug of coffee, running my finger around the rim of the mug. “I never forgot about you Ivy. I never got over you. That still hasn’t changed.” I softly admitted to her. Looking up at her, “I never stopped loving you Ivy.”