Page 21 of #Beautiful

I jump at the voice and find Gretchen standing next to me. My first instinct is to tell her to go to hell, but then I realize just how bad she looks. Her skin seems loose, like it’s hanging off her body, dark bags under her eyes, and her skin is so big it’s like she borrowed it off the dad character on Family Guy. She looks like she’s wasting away.

“She is,” I say instead, keeping my emotions and tone in check as best I can.

“Listen, Declan,” she says turning to fully face me, “I’m sorry for the part I played in making Lena worse. I just started therapy myself, and I’m trying to get better. I know it might not happen, but I hope one day you can both forgive me.”

I’m quiet for a moment as I just stare at her, and then I can’t help but feel sympathy for her. Reaching out, I pull her into a hug, and her arms go around me and squeeze harder than her frail body looks capable of. “I get it now. That you guys are sick, that this is harder than anyone can imagine. And I hope you get better, too, just like I want Lena to. You are both beautiful women with a lot going for you, and I don’t want to see you or my girlfriend die early because of something like this.”

When Gretchen pulls back, there’s tears on her cheeks that she wipes away. “I wish you could get that through to Torrey. She won’t go to therapy, even though I am and keep trying to get her to. I told her I was coming to sign up for the support group and tried like hell to get her to come with me, but she refuses.”

Sighing, I put my arm around Gretchen’s shoulder, and she hugs my side. “Keep trying to persuade her. In the end, though, it has to be her choice. You can’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want to.”

“Gretchen?” Lena’s voice gets both our attentions, and she stops in front of us as Gretchen stands up, and I bring my arm back to my side. “What are you doing here?”

Gretchen stares at the floor and sniffles. “Lena . . . I’m so sorry, for everything.”

Lena’s eyes fill with tears, and she grabs her friend and yanks her into a hug. Gretchen cries into Lena’s shoulder, and my girlfriend, being the eternal mother hen she is, rubs Gretchen’s back and talks to her quietly. Eventually, they straighten, and Lena brings her gaze to me. “Do you mind waiting? I want to introduce Gretchen to Sheryl.”

Pushing off the wall, I lean down and kiss her softly. “Of course not, love. If Gretchen wants, when you’re done, she can come have lunch with us and see the Christmas lights.”

Gretchen glances between me and Lena, a smile spreading across her face as more tears fall. “I’d really like that.”

While Lena and Gretchen head over to talk to Sheryl, I pull my phone out and call Mr. Harrison. I was going to wait for this phone call, but watching her with Gretchen, trying to console her friend despite everything she’s going through really only makes me love her more. He picks up on the third ring.

“Declan,” he says in his deep and gravelly voice, “is everything okay?”

I swallow hard. “Yes, sir. I just wanted to ask you something.”

“Of course,” he says.

I swallow again. “I would have asked this in person, but with you being three thousand miles away, this is kinda the only way. I know that Lena and I have been through a lot, and I understand if you say no, but I love her, more than anything, and it would mean everything if I had your blessing to ask her to marry me.”

The longer he’s silent, the more the knots in my stomach tighten to the point I think I might be the one tossing my food before the end of the call. He sighs, and I hold my breath.

“Declan, you don’t need my permission to ask her, though it means a lot that you called and did. You have my blessing, just don’t rush it. I’d really like to see you and her both get more schooling done before tying the knot, if that makes sense.”

I get light-headed as I let out the whoosh of a breath. “Yes, sir. I’m okay with a long engagement. Whatever she wants. I just want to ask her, to make that move so she knows that everything I’m doing is with her and our future in mind.”

“I can respect that.” He asks me about how she’s doing, and we hang up after I fill him in on everything. As Lena and Gretchen make their way over to me, I slide my phone back in my pocket.

“Who was that, babe?” Lena says as she and Gretchen stop in front of me.

“Your dad,” I say, trying to hide the nerves from the call, “just wanted to see how things were.”

Lena smiles and rolls her eyes. “He could ask me. But he probably figures you aren’t likely to fib, even a little bit.”

I laugh as I push off the wall and take her hand in mine. “Yeah, because your dad is terrifying and could smash me with one hand.”

Gretchen chuckles, and Lena gently bumps her shoulder. “He’s not that scary. Just a big ole teddy bear.”

I scoff and roll my eyes as we head out of the building. “Yeah, more like a grizzly bear who’s cub you just shot by accident.”

Both the girls crack up as we get to the car. I open Lena’s door for her and then turn to open the back door for Gretchen. She stops and stares at me with wide eyes.

“I didn’t know guys still did that.”

Lena puts her hand on my back and kisses my arm since I’m sideways between them. “Yeah. He is the poster child for bringing chivalry back. One of the many amazing qualities he has.”

I roll my eyes again as the girls slide into their seats. “Yeah, yeah, perfect gentleman, blah, blah. Let’s go, I’m hungry, and there are lights to see, ladies.” I close their doors once they’re situated and head around the back of the car to my side, trying like hell to keep the smile off my face so that Lena doesn’t ask too many questions.

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