So Little Time to Love

Alan went around and opened the door for Lori who got out, stood up, and turned around. "Hi," she said quietly as the smile faded from Lexi's face. Dennis nodded, smiled and said 'hello' back to her.

"Grandpa?" Lexi said looking at him then back at this 'girl' not that much older than herself.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he said pretending he didn't know why she was looking at him like that.

"What's going on?" she said with a very...interesting look on her face.

Understanding the situation immediately, Dennis said, "Grab one of Grandpa's suitcases and take it upstairs, okay, Lex?"

She did so without saying a word. As she took it inside the house her mother said, "Is your grandfather out there?"

Lexi didn't speak. She just drug the heavy suitcase up the stairs and to the room her grandpa usually stayed in.

Dennis came in next and smiled. "Where's my dad?" she asked as he also headed upstairs without speaking.

"Knock, knock!" she heard her father say.

"Dad? Hi!" Aimee said as they hugged. "It's so good to see you. You look great, by the way," she told him.

"You, too. You've lost some weight since the last time I was here."

Anger flashed inside her but she let it flow right through her. "So, where's this lady friend of yours?" she asked.

"Outside. She insisted I say hello to everyone before coming in."

"Well, you have so please ask her to come in. It's chilly out there."

"Lori? Come on in, honey."

Honey? Aimee couldn't believe her ears. Honey? This had to be some kind of cruel, sick joke. Who could possibly be 'honey' to his father after just....

When she walked in, Aimee stopped breathing. Her eyes got big and her jaw went slack. This new 'woman' was...a girl. A very pretty, very...young...girl.

"Oh, my God," Aimee said in a whisper.

"Aimee? This is Lori. Lori? This is my doctor-daughter, Aimee Thompson."

Lori walked over toward her well aware of the look she was getting and why as she stuck her hand out and said, "It's such a pleasure to meet you."

Robotically, Aimee's right hand raised and pumped Lori's two or three times before she could say, "Um...it's um...nice to meet you, too." She looked at her dad who was smiling at her as though everything was perfectly normal and that bothered her as much as the age of this...child her father had brought home in place of her mother.

"Can I help you with anything?" Lori offered politely.

"Um...um...no...um...let's just um...get you upstairs," Aimee said looking away quickly. "Dad? Come on. Let's get you to your rooms."

"Rooms?" he said as he followed her. "Rooms as in plural?"

Aimee didn't reply. She just kept on trucking. At the top of the stairs she said, "Dad, this is your room, of course." She could see his suitcases laying on the bed.

"And um...Lori? You'll be down the hall in this room."

"Isn't that your storage room?" her father asked knowing it had been filled with stuff that needed to go in the attic or be given away for years.

"Oh, um...no...we can clear some of the stuff out of the way. It'll be fine," she said.

Alan walked with Lori as they looked in. It was crammed with boxes and piles of...stuff.

"This will be just fine," Lori said. Alan started to complain and Lori shook her head and mouthed, "It's okay."

Aimee pushed and stacked then re-stacked before declaring victory. She had a narrow path to the bed opened up and the bed itself was finally clear. "You're all set!" she told Lori without looking at her.

"Thank you, Aimee," she said as the older woman brushed by her without acknowledging her. She glared at her father then walked passed him, too.

Dennis was waiting for her downstairs. "You okay?" he asked knowing the answer.

"What in God's name does he think he's doing?" she asked almost hissing the words.

He knew she needed to vent. He also knew full well this was precisely the wrong time to try and say anything to mitigate her anger.

"How old do you think she is?" she asked rhetorically not caring to know the answer. Aimee probably wouldn't have liked her were she over 60. This just gave her a justifiable reason to be outraged. "She's barely older than Lexi, for...."

Aimee saw Lexi standing just outside the kitchen listening. "Mom? What's going on?" she asked.

"I have no idea, honey. Ask your father." With that, she headed into the living room or off to the study.

"Dad?"

"I don't really know, Lex. Maybe we should just wait for your grandfather to say something."

"Don't you think it's kinda...weird?"

He did but he didn't want to say that so instead he told her, "Um...it's unusual but not unheard of. May-December romances have been around as long as people."

"May-December?" she asked not understanding the term.

"Right. You know, when there's a...a difference in people's ages."

"You mean like 50 years?" Lexi said still trying to understand the concept.

"It doesn't have to be that big, honey. People use the term anytime they feel like the difference is um...significant."

"Well, isn't this significant?" she asked glancing toward the second story of the house.

"Yeah. I'd say you're right, kiddo." He saw Alan and Lori coming downstairs and said quietly, "Just be polite, okay?"

Lexi nodded then smiled back when her grandfather smiled at her. "So tell me all about school and sports and...boys!"

She looked over at her dad who said, "Boys? Maybe I should leave if Lexi's gonna talk about boys. I haven't fired my shotgun in years so...."

"Daaad!" she said as Dennis found a valid excuse to leave.

Lexi spent the next few minutes catching her grandpa up on all 'the haps' since he last visited.

"Very nice. This Jonathan sounds like a great guy," her grandpa said and promised not to mention Lexi was 'going out' with him even though 'going out' didn't mean actually going out.

"So what about you guys, Grandpa? How long have you been going out?"

"Lori? Would you like to give my beautiful granddaughter the down-and-dirty version?"

By the time she was done explaining, Lexi decided she liked her grandfather's new girlfriend and she no longer cared about the whole May-December thing.

"Cool!" was all she said when Lori finished telling Lexi the story about how the met and how much she liked her grandfather.

Aimee came back in only because the food had to get prepared and cooked. "I'm happy to help if you'd like," Lori offered again.

Dennis came back in holding a football and said, "Are we gonna go throw the pigskin around this year or what?"

"Come on, Grandpa! Let's go play," Lexi said taking his hand.

"Oh, okay. Lori? Come on, let's go toss the football around. This is another family tradition."

"Well, okay," she said.

"Dad? I need some help in the kitchen so if you don't mind, I'd like Lori to stay here with me."

Alan knew exactly what kind of 'help' his daughter needed. He glanced at Lori who nodded imperceptibly. "Um, sure. Yeah, that sounds good. It'll give you two a chance to get acquainted," he said as he headed outside.

The door no sooner shut than Aimee let fly. "What in the HELL do you think you're doing?"

"I'm sorry?" Lori said taken aback by Aimee's sudden flash of anger.

"Don't play naive with me. You know damn well what I'm talking about! My father is SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OLD, for God's sake. Are you even 30? No, don't answer that. I don't want to know. I'm sorry, but this is just...sick. You're sick. What have you done? Huh? Are you after my father's money? What other possible motivation could a...a girl your age have for...." She couldn't bring herself to say 'dating'. "For...being with a man his age? And please, dear God, don't even tell me you're sleeping with him." She stared at her then asked, "Are you?"

Reeling from Aimee's diatribe Lori began slowly backing up. "I'm just gonna um...go outside and see what everyone's doing, okay?" Without waiting for an answer she walked backwards through the door hitting the jamb on the way out.

"Lori! Come on! Let's do boys against the girls!" Lexi called as she came out.

Within seconds, she'd nearly forgotten about the kitchen incident and was having more fun than she'd had in a very long time. Several minutes later, Lexi told her to run out for a pass and when she did, she started coughing and wheezing.

"Do you need your inhaler?" Alan asked.

She reached into her pocket and took two quick shots. "Hey. It's cold out here and you're sweating. What's going on?" he asked her.

"Nothing. I...I just need to rest for a minute or two."

"Lori? Are you okay?" Lexi called out.

"I'm fine, Lexi. I just need a little break." She'd hadn't been outside for even ten minutes when she went over and sat down on the steps and told them to keep playing. Fortunately, they were all already tired of playing, and Dennis and Lexi went back inside.

"I'm worried about you, honey," Alan said.

Lori smiled and said, "You've never called me that before. It sounds nice."

"Is there anything you need to tell me?" he asked.

"Like what?" she replied putting on her best smile. "Like...I'm suddenly very horny?" She was hoping that would sidetrack him and get him off the worry train and it did just that.

"You may have to sneak down to my room tonight since we're obviously being kept apart."

"Don't lock your door," she said before she kissed him. "I'm gonna go see if I can help Aimee out."

"Did she say anything before you came out?" he asked knowing she had.

"No, not really," Lori lied knowing the truth would only upset him. "We're fine. Really."

Aimee barely spoke the rest of the day making Thanksgiving dinner very strained. Alan and Dennis did their best to keep the conversation going by getting Lexi and Lori to chime in as much as possible. Making matters worse, Aimee spent most of the evening in the study under the pretense she was way behind on paperwork. The one time she came out to get a second glass of wine only added insult to injury as she heard her daughter talking with Lori.

"I love them! They're one of my favorite groups. I didn't think someone as old as you would even know who they are!" Lexi was saying.

Aimee walked by and said, "Her age? She's barely older than you," then kept on going.

Around 10 o'clock Aimee told Lexi to go upstairs and get to bed and she was surprised when she did so without argument. "She's a really great kid," Lori said to Aimee.

"Yeah, takes one to know one, right?" Aimee said caustically before going back to the study.

Dennis went to check on her around 10:30. "You okay?" he asked as he closed the study door.

"Are you kidding?" she asked. "You can't be serious."

"They really seem to like each other, honey. Maybe we should...."

"Oh, my God! I can't believe you're taking her...." Aimee stopped talking. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Dennis asked.

"It sounded like a muffled scream." Aimee was standing up when they both heard it this time. "Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me!" she said as she stormed out of the study.

Dennis followed her upstairs mostly to keep her from doing something crazy as she stopped outside her dad's room. They heard quiet laughter and then soft moaning.

"Aimee...don't!" Dennis said as he saw her getting ready to knock.

Rap, rap, rap. "Dad? Are you okay?" she called out.

Again, they both heard voices then whispers then the sounds of someone getting out of bed. The door opened and Lori came out with a blanket wrapped around her. She looked sheepishly at Aimee, ducked her head, then headed toward her room.

Aimee's jaw was wide open when her dad came to the door. "What can I say? We're in love? This is what people do who are in...."

Aimee threw her hands up and said, "Don't say it again! My God, has the world gone stark-raving mad?" She stared at her father then said, "Or is it just you!"

She stormed off back downstairs leaving Dennis and Alan looking at one another. "Seriously, Alan? You guys couldn't wait two days? Lexi just went to bed. What if she heard you? I mean, we heard you. Jesus! Aimee's right. You've lost your mind!" He also turned around and headed back downstairs.

Dennis joined her again in the study. He sat down by his wife and said, "You were right."

"I was?" she asked as she slowly turned to look at him.

"Well, maybe it would be better to say I was wrong. You know, about giving her a chance. I mean, they must have been really going at it. Did you see how sweaty she was?"

Aimee was going to lay into her husband too, when the doctor in her spoke up. "When you guys were outside did she play football with you?"

"Well, yeah. For a couple of minutes maybe. She ran a few yards then had to use her inhaler. She must have asthma or something pretty bad."

"Yeah. Asthma or...something," Aimee said her voice trailing off at the end.

The next morning she was up early and waited for Lori to come downstairs. When she did, Lori took one quick look at her but didn't speak. "Have you told him?" Aimee asked as Lori looked at the coffee in the pot. "Go ahead. Have a cup. Have you told my dad?"

"About?" she said as she poured.

"Lori? How old are you. Exactly?"

"I'm 26. Why?"

"Do you know the average age people live to who have your condition?"

"Yes," she said quietly. "Thirty is ancient."

"The average age is 29. So...have you told my father you have cystic fibrosis?"

"Not yet. I...just want you to know I really do lo...care about your father. This is real to me and I know it is to him, too." Aimee started to speak but Lori grew bold and kept talking. "I have no interest in his money. I have no idea how much he has or doesn't have and I don't care. I do however, care about him. Very much. I...I just wanted you to know that, okay?"

She looked at Lori and said, "Either you tell him or I will. He just lost my mom, and if he really loves you...if you really love him...."

They heard Alan's voice call out a cheery, "Good morning, ladies!" as he came downstairs.

"Why so gloomy?" he asked as he kissed Lori on the top of the head. "Still mad about last night, Aimee?" She hadn't seen her father smile like that in a very long time.

"No. Not anymore, Dad," she said quietly before walking out.

"Tell me what?" Alan said as he got himself a cup of coffee.

"We need to talk, Alan," Lori said quietly as he sat across from her at the kitchen island.

It took her less than two minutes to explain what he'd been seeing. The sweating, the wheezing, the inhaler. The occasional need to hit her in the back to break up the 'junk' in her lungs.

"So you have maybe five years?" he asked still in willing disbelief.

"Maybe. That's very optimistic. Probably less. Three is more realistic," she told him.

He didn't respond. He didn't even move. She put her hand on his shoulder and he flinched. She lowered her hand and placed it in her lap. They sat in complete silence for several minutes before Lori got up.

Perhaps ten minutes later he heard her coming downstairs. He heard her struggling for breath as she carried a suitcase in each hand. Alan wanted to get up and help her, but his body wouldn't move.

She set them down for a moment and said, "I'm going to the airport to wait for a stand-by flight. Aimee can drive you when you're ready to leave." He didn't speak so after catching her breath she picked the suitcases back up and told him, "Goodbye, Alan. I...really do love you."

He was still sitting there an hour later when Aimee came back in. "I'm so sorry, Dad." She sat next to him then asked, "Did Lori go upstairs?"

His shook his head. "She left."

"She left? Where did she go?"

"The airport. She's going back to Phoenix." He turned his head ever-so slightly and said, "I guess you must be very happy."

For the first time in...decades...she felt empathy for her father. She reached over and put her hand on his and said, "Do you love her, Dad?"

"I thought I did. But she lied to me, Aimee."

"Did she? Or did she just not tell you everything?" She squeezed his hand and said, "If you love her, then you have to go after her. There are no guarantees in life, Dad. You taught me that. Yes, you will only have a few years with her but if you really, truly love her, how can you not want to spend every possible day you can with her?"

Aimee had never seen her father cry although her mother told her he had the day she told him she had cancer. He didn't cry at her funeral or even when they laid her to rest a few hours later. But tears freely fell from his eyes as he sat there staring into his cup of now-cold coffee.

"Go get her, Dad. Come on, I'll drive you so you can come back with her." He raised his head up and Aimee pulled it onto her shoulder. "Sometimes you make me crazy, but most of the time I love you, Daddy," she said calling him by a name she hadn't used since she was Lexi's age. She kissed the top of his head then said, "Now go upstairs and get dressed and let's go get the woman you love."

He was back downstairs in two minutes with a determined look on his face. "Let's go!" he said as he saw Aimee standing there in her coat with her car keys in hand.

"Just drop me off up there and go park okay, honey?" he said. She pulled up to the terminal and her dad nearly jumped out of the car. She saw him run inside as she put on her blinker and carefully made her way back into the heavy, post-Thanksgiving traffic.

Inside, Alan went immediately to one of the phones used to page passengers and before the other person could finish speaking blurted out, "Please page Lori Russell and ask her to meet her fiancee at the United ticket counter."

There was no reply. Just a click. A few moments later Alan heard the sound of PA system firing up then, "Passenger Lori Russell please report to the United ticket counter. Your fiancee is waiting for you. Lori Russell to the United Airlines ticket counter."

He paced back and forth nervously while looking in all directions for her. He had no idea where she'd gone or whether she was even there. He saw two young girls walking by and noticed one of them hand rings on nearly every finger. He walked over to them and said to that particular girl, "Young lady? How much do you want for one of those rings?"

"Excuse me?" she said looking at Alan like he was from Mars.

"How much for one of your rings? Fifty bucks?"

"You want one of my rings?"

"It's an emergency. I'll give you a hundred for the one on your ring finger," he said as the girl's hand appeared to be close to Lori's size.

"A hundred bucks? For this ring?"

"Yes. A hundred dollars."

She looked at her friend and said, "Hell, yeah!" She pulled it off then held out her hand.

Alan pulled out his wallet and counted out twenties until he hit $100. The girl handed him the ring and walked off saying, "That old dude is like totally fucked up in the head!"

He felt fucked up in the head. His head was spinning. His heart was pounding. He was sweating this time.

He turned toward the entrance doors and started watching for Aimee who should have found a spot by now. As he craned his neck left and right several times, he heard the sweetest voice ever say from behind, "Are you looking for me by any chance?"

He spun around and when he saw her the tears began to fall again. "Lori!" He grabbed her and hugged her so hard he realized he might be hurting you.

"I heard someone say my fiancee was looking for me, but that can't be. I don't have a fiancee. I don't even have a boyfriend anymore. Do I?"

He was staring into her beautiful eyes as he blinked his own as fast as he could. "I am so sorry. So, so sorry." He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt then said, "Lori. I love you so much. I love you more than anything and...if you'll still have me...."

He reached for the cheap emerald ring and got down on one knee. "Alan? What are you doing?" she said.

His hands were shaking and she felt hers begin to tremble, too. Just as he hit the floor, Aimee walked in, saw him, and stopped. Lori saw her and Aimee held up a hand to indicate Lori should stay right there.