Lucas and Victoria looked at each other. They hadn't gotten that far. "I need to go back to San Francisco tomorrow." Victoria said. "I have board meetings, contracts to sign.
I can't just disappear." "And I need to get Mia home." "Back to school, back to routine." "So, we start with calls." Victoria said.
"Video chats, we talk every day, build from there." "And visits." Lucas added. "I can bring Mia to San Francisco, or you can come to Denver." "How often?"
"As often as we can manage." It sounded impossible, but so had getting through the last 7 years, and they'd managed that. "What about telling Mia?" Margaret asked. "When do you introduce Victoria as someone who's going to be in her life?"
Lucas hadn't thought about that. "I don't know. Not right away. We need to make sure this is real first. Make sure it's stable."
Victoria nodded. "I agree. We don't tell her anything until we're certain this is going to work." "And if it doesn't?" Eleanor asked.
"Then we deal with it." Victoria said. "But I'd rather try and fail than never try at all." Margaret smiled. "I raised a smart boy."
"Looks like Eleanor raised a smart girl, too." The conversation shifted after that. Logistics, plans, the drive home tomorrow. Margaret was feeling well enough to travel if they took it slow. Richard had already called ahead to their family doctor.
Everything was falling into place, but Lucas couldn't shake the feeling that they were standing on the edge of something massive. One step forward, and everything would change, for better or worse. Later, after everyone had gone to bed, Lucas found himself wide awake. Victoria was beside him, the pillow wall long since abandoned. She was turned toward him, eyes open.
"Can't sleep?" she whispered. "Too much in my head." "Same." They lay there in the darkness, close but not touching.
"Are we insane?" Victoria asked, "for doing this?" "Probably." "What if it doesn't work?" "What if it does?"
She smiled faintly. "You keep saying that." "Because it's true." "We could spend all our time worrying about failure, or we could just see what happens." "I'm not good at just seeing what happens.
I'm a planner. I need structure, strategy, clear objectives." "How's that working out for you?" Victoria laughed softly. "Touché."
Lucas reached out, taking her hand. She laced her fingers through his. "Tell me something," she said. "Something I don't know. Something from the last 7 years."
He thought about it. "When Mia was 6 months old, she got sick, really sick. Fever of 104, couldn't keep anything down. I was terrified. Took her to the ER at 2:00 in the morning.
"What happened?" "Turned out to be a bad virus. They gave her fluids, watched her for a few hours, sent us home. But sitting there in that hospital room, holding her while she cried, I realized I'd never been that scared in my life." He paused.
"And the only person I wanted to call was you." Victoria's grip on his hand tightened. "But I couldn't," Lucas continued, "because we weren't in each other's lives anymore. So I sat there alone and dealt with it. And I've been dealing with everything alone ever since."
"I'm sorry." "Don't be. I'm not telling you to make you feel guilty. I'm telling you because I don't want to do that anymore. Deal with things alone."
"Neither do I," Victoria whispered. They were quiet for a moment, then Victoria said, "I almost called you 3 years ago. I was at this tech conference in New York and I saw someone who looked like you from behind. Same hair, same build. For a second I was so sure it was you that I actually started walking over.
What happened? He turned around and it wasn't you. Just some stranger. But I stood there in the middle of this crowded hotel lobby and cried. Because I missed you so much I'd convinced myself a random man was you.
Lucas pulled her closer. She came willingly tucking her head under his chin. "We've wasted so much time." she said. "Then let's not waste any more."
They fell asleep like that. Tangled together holding on tight like they were afraid the other might disappear. Morning came too fast. Lucas woke to pale sunlight streaming through the windows and the sound of people moving around downstairs. Victoria was already up packing her things.
"Hey." he said groggily. "Hey." She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. "I should get on the road soon.
Beat the traffic." Lucas sat up. "You're really leaving before everyone else?" "I have to. I've already pushed back two meetings.
If I don't get back today my board is going to lose their minds." He wanted to argue, to ask her to stay just a few more hours, but he knew better. "Okay." Victoria zipped her suitcase closed. "This doesn't change anything."
"What we talked about?" "We're still doing this." "I know." "I just need to make sure you know because I'm getting in my car and driving away and it's going to feel like 7 years ago all over again, but it's not. This time I'm coming back."
Lucas crossed the room and pulled her into a kiss. She melted into him hands fisting in his shirt. "You better." he said when they broke apart. "I will."
"I promise." Downstairs everyone was gathered to say goodbye. Margaret still wrapped in blankets but looking stronger. Richard with his arm around her. Eleanor with a worried expression that she was trying to hide.
Mia sleepy-eyed and confused about why Victoria was leaving so early. "Do you have to go?" Mia asked. Victoria crouched down to her level. "I do, sweetie.
I have work stuff." "But you'll come back, right?" Victoria glanced at Lucas. He nodded slightly. "Yeah."
Victoria said, "I'll come back." Mia hugged her. Victoria held on for a long moment, then stood. "Drive safe." Eleanor said, pulling her daughter into an embrace.
"And call me when you get home." "I will, Mom." Victoria shook hands with Richard, hugged Margaret carefully, then turned to Lucas. "Walk me out?" "Of course."