| Subject: Priority Mail 200 |
Author:
Nikita507
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Date Posted: Saturday, March 12, 06:50:22pm
In reply to:
Nikita507
's message, "Priority Mail 199+" on Friday, March 11, 07:22:56pm
Rhoda held Nat’s hand as they moved through the couple inches of snow that had dusted the area the previous day. He was off on this Monday and Rhoda planned on taking every moment that she wasn’t in the clinic up with being with Nat. She had an hour until she had to be back and this walk in the park during lunch was what she needed.
“Has it been quiet today?” Nat asked and Rhoda shook her head slightly. “Every sniffle before the holidays makes people come in… they are afraid of being sick for the holiday… but they brought in extra staff.”
“And no calls from those worried about Nikita?” Nat inquired and Rhoda rolled her eyes. Yesterday she had fielded calls all day of people who was not agreeing with Michael’s desire to not stop Nikita from baking. Rhoda knew that it was a lot of cookies that she was planning on baking, but she believed that Michael knew best in this situation.
“No one has called,” Rhoda revealed as Nat stopped and wiped off the bench. He then pulled down a plastic sheet and then the blanket that he was carrying. “She could end up giving everyone a sugar coma.”
“Only if they eat all those cookies at once,” Rhoda chuckled as she shook her head. “They mean well… but Michael knows what Nikita seems to need and they shouldn’t second guess him.”
“And you know all about second guessing,” Nat commented as Rhoda settled down on the bench. She blushed and nodded her head up and down. “Yeah, I do.”
Nat sat down beside her hand took her hand. He liked these moments. He knew that they were lucky to have found each other again at this time. “We are lucky, Rhoda.”
“Yeah,” Rhoda agreed as she nodded her head up and down. “And we’re stronger this time… we have friends… We’ve been invited to Christmas Dinner…”
“They might be celebrating an engagement,” Nat stated and Rhoda shook her head. “Nikita isn’t ready for that.”
“But they are functioning as a family,” Nat countered. He looked at Rhoda as she shook her head from side to side. She had clear feelings about this.
“It would be official. I don’t think Nikita thinks she deserves that… and if you know that Michael is… I’d strongly suggest that he didn’t do it right now,” Rhoda warned as it just didn’t seem as if Nikita needed anything more to happen on this holiday.
“I don’t know any of Michael’s plans. It is highly unlikely that he would share with me. I think he is upset with… well” Nat drifted off as he could still see the looks that Michael gave him when they stood near each other while they were planning and then bringing Veronica home. It was clear that Michael was upset with Nat’s decision to go to Nikita.
“You didn’t have a choice,” Rhoda whispered as she shook her head from side to side. “Looking back can be dangerous.”
Nat rubbed her hand and looked around the park and then back to Rhoda. “Why did you go into the sisterhood?”
Rhoda felt her pulse stop for a second before speeding up. She hadn’t really ever gone over the reasons with Nat and now it seemed silly almost like a move that a girl suffering from unrequited puppy love would have done. “We were friends, Nat…. and from the first day I met you, you talked about all of the women that you dated…”
“I was a young rookie cop that had to be that for the other young rookie cops,” Nat shook his head in embarrassment. “I was so stupid.”
“Stupid until you started to go steady with Jennifer,” Rhoda dropped her head and pulled her hand away. “And then on your visits to the ER with the latest stupid bad guy…. You asked me about what a woman would like in an engagement…”
“Rhoda…”
“I didn’t realize that I really liked you at that time… I was young and stupid… and I didn’t want to be around to watch you get engaged and married…” Rhoda shook her head. “I was religious and it seemed right. It was right at the time.”
“I never asked Jennifer,” Nat interrupted Rhoda as he turned to face Rhoda. “You just disappeared one day… and the other nurses told me what you did… I knew that I was wrong…”
“What?”
“The thought of not being able to see you anymore… well, I liked you a lot Rhoda… I didn’t think you would ever want to be with a dumb, young, naïve rookie cop who tried to pretend that he knew everything…” Nat shook his head from side to side. “You just disappeared.”
“I had too,” Rhoda shook her head as she looked up at the sky. She inhaled and then took Nat’s hand. “That’s the past… and we are just lucky now.”
“We’ve wasted a lot of time,” Nat spoke as he reached out with his other hand and rubbed Rhoda’s neck. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. It easily grew into a deeper kiss and Nat pulled away. “Years… wasted.”
“We both had to grow up,” Rhoda commented as she chuckled nervously. “I needed to be a mother of sorts… and I sort of feel like a mother to Nikita.”
“You are not old enough to be Nikita’s mother,” Nat reprimanded her and she grinned. “Well… like a mother. She needs one.”
“I don’t want to waste any more time,” Nat leaned in closer. He kissed Rhoda again and she pulled away. “Nat…”
“We are lucky and fortunately that things happened… that Nikita and Michael happened… and I don’t want to lose the fact that we could be on borrowed time… or we could be just not aware of what we have,” Nat whispered as he leaned his forehead to touch Rhoda’s. He looked at her face and could see the tears on her face. “I’m going to do something… that I have never told before…”
“What?” Rhoda asked and Nat pulled away. He stood up and then sunk down to one knee. He held up the box and looked at Rhoda. “I’ve never asked anyone this question… and today, I ask you… Rhoda, will you marry me?”
The sun split through the clouds and down onto Nat who looked up at Rhoda and opened the box. The diamond sparkled in the light and shattered in billions of pieces as the tears filled Rhoda’s eyes. She started to nod her head as she covered her mouth, unable to speak. Nat, seeing her reaction, took her hand tenderly and eased it so he could slip the ring onto her finger.
“Yes!” Rhoda finally declared as she fell forward into Nat’s arms. He laughed as he held her and then they kissed in the snow. Nat leaned back and laughed as he pulled away from Rhoda. “I don’t want to wait a long time…”
“Me either,” Rhoda shook her head. “I want to make up for those stupid stupid years… that we can’t get back… but we shouldn’t wait.”
“I’ve had too many reminders that life can be short… and that it can change on a dime…” Nat pointed out as he smoothed Rhoda’s hair back and smiled at her. “We can have a license in time for New Year’s Eve.”
Rhoda gasped and then nodded her head up and down. “Yes… yes…”
“Do you know someone who could marry us on short notice?” Nat chuckled and Rhoda nodded her head. “I think I have that under control.”
“You aren’t upset about not having a big wedding? What if you can’t find a dress?”
“I will wear a paper bag if I have too to become Rhoda McCarty.”
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