“Yeah, I’m sorry. Communication services were spotty, and I didn’t get notice till it was way too late.” Tim doesn’t lie very often, but I was sure this was one of those times. I watched as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He dropped his eyes to the floor. I could tell he was ashamed for ignoring us. I always figured he got the messages and refused to attend. Now, I knew I was correct.
“I should have been there.” He told the floor. That was Tim-speak for: I’m a total jerk for missing my best friend’s wedding because I was butt-hurt from losing the love of my life.
About that time, my mother came in and let everyone know lunch was ready. We ate and joked as a family. Tim watched us all intently. It was good having him home. My soul was complete again. It felt like a huge piece of me was missing for the past six years, and now it wasn’t. I brushed a tear away as I pardoned myself to go to the restroom. I wondered whether Tim’s soul was as incomplete as mine was complete.
Tim slipped out the side door as lunch broke up, enjoying the California sunshine on his scarred face in the backyard. I slipped out behind him.
“Mind some company?”
Turning slowly, he responded quietly, “Brie, you are not company. You’re a part of me.” His face blushed with being caught with his guard down as he shared his true feelings.
Again, I launched myself into those massive arms, clutching that thick neck, “I’ve missed you so much, Timmy. Have you missed me at all?”
As was his style, he responded by crushing me. I felt no loss of strength in his grip. I just closed my eyes and nestled my face into his neck. I enjoyed his scent and the feel of his body against mine once again. I don’t know how long we were pressed together like that. We didn’t hear Mark’s approach.
“You aren’t trying to steal my wife, are you, Marine?”
Tim immediately released me, but I only dropped a few inches to the ground, refusing to let him go entirely.
“I, uh, I, no Mark.” It was so cute to watch a man of his size stutter and stumble on his words. Mark walked up to him, taking the big man into a hug of his own.
“She may be my wife, but she’ll always be our girl. You are the only man in this entire world that I trust her with. We both love you, man, and we need you in our lives. She needs you in her life.”
Tim and I both kind of stared at Mark. That was always an unspoken thought, but it felt bizarre to hear it come from my husband.
Stepping back from Tim, Mark faced me. “Brie, I think it’s time. Can you bring this goof to the driveway?” I smiled as I took his hand and led him around to the front of the house and the garage door.
The motor kicked in slowly, raising the door to a smiling Mark and his father. Tim’s eyes widened with awe as his completely restored Firebird came into view.
“Is that, is that the same Firebird?”
“Yes,” replied Mark’s father, “It came up for sale last year after the guy you sold it to finished the restoration and got bored with it. We bought it and held onto it for you.”
“What?” you could hear the excitement in his voice
Mark held up a key ring. It dangled in front of the astonished man. “We figured you’d need a set of wheels to get around town in, and we want you to have it back.”
“Tim, we all knew how much you loved your grandfather’s car and how much it killed you to sell it to help your mother. It’s rightly yours, and it belongs with you. Let’s say it’s our way of saying ‘Thank you for your service,’ and for coming back to our family.” I swear John’s, Mr. Davis’, eyes bulged as he was wrapped in a big bear hug, and as soon as Tim dropped him, Mark and I were scooped back up. I could feel Tim’s joy fiercely radiating onto all of us.
Tim walked around the car a few times, running his bulky fingers down each fender and then checking out the interior. He slipped into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The ‘Bird roared to life. That smile. Those eyes. It was good to see joy on Tim’s face again. Tim killed the engine. He inspected the key chain as he removed the keys, looking up at Mark with a quizzical expression.
“What’s this key to?”
“That, my friend, is the key to our condo.” Mark pointed to himself and me as he said it. “We want you to come live with us. We have three bedrooms, and one of them is calling you. I figure you can join a union in LA as easily as you can in San Diego. Plus, the beach will literally be right outside your front door. You can surf anytime you want.”
I’m not sure how to describe the look on Tim’s face. Was it fear? Confusion? Embarrassment?
“I can’t do that, Mark; you guys need your space. There’s no way I can afford to live in LA. I could end up with you for a really long time.”
I recalled when Mark and I had discussed this topic in detail.
“I’m so glad he is getting out, Mark. Do you think he’ll stay in San Diego after he does?” I lamented one evening as we ate dinner and discussed our friend’s welcome home party. “I’m not sure what other options he has.”
“It’s hard to say, Brie. The bugger hasn’t spoken to anyone, nor has he let anyone know what’s been going on in his life. I hope he stays local.” Mark took another bite of dinner.
Always the problem solver, I offered a solution. “Mom and Dad have that spare room; I wonder if they’d allow him to stay with them?”
“Hell, for that matter, he could stay here.”
“Are you serious?” I tried to contain my excitement. I didn’t want to come off as too eager. “I’m sure there are jobs he can get here in LA. Do you think that will put a strain on our relationship?” Deep down, that was one of my fears. Tim was the only other man I could ever see myself with, or at least the Tim I grew up with. I wondered if those latent feelings could resurface and create issues between all of us.
“Do you still have feelings for him? I mean more than just a friend.” Mark was locked onto me, staring into my eyes.
“I’ll always love him, Mark. To what degree I will is still unknown. I don’t know him anymore. He may be a completely different person than he was. Whether he is or not, you are my husband, not him. I’m committed to you and you to me. We are thoroughly committed to each other. I can’t see that changing.
“I just want Tim in a safe place where he can be whatever he wants to be.” I completed the thought as I maintained eye contact with my husband, “If we can provide that for him, even if it’s for a little while, we need to. I want to try. He’s our oldest, closest friend. Yes, it may change our relationship, which doesn’t bother me. I think any changes will improve what we have now.”
Chuckling and relaxing his glare, Mark took a sip of his drink before offering his thoughts.
“I know you love him, Brie. I do too. Our love for him, of course, is different, but he is family to me, and I will always do everything I can for my family.
“Besides, I’m traveling more, and a questionable element is moving in around us. I wouldn’t mind having a human pit bull here to watch over you.” Taking another bite of dinner, Mark pondered quietly for a moment. “I’m not concerned about our relationship, Brie. I know you would never do anything to put it in jeopardy. We’re in the perfect place to bring him home.”