Holt's Holding part two (The Holt's Series) (35 page)

Thinking about Julia’s Wedding, that night I had been, so
debated, so lost.
 
I can’t believe it’s
been a full year and a half.
 

I had flown to Tahiti for Sam and Brady’s wedding 10 months
ago, but hadn’t seen them since.
 
I can’t
believe it’s been so long since I’ve seen him.
 
Brady and I
skyped
often, but being around
him, was something I missed.
 

Sitting here on the tarmac, waiting to take off I found
myself once more debated.
 
Was I ready to
go home?

I didn’t have an answer.
 
It felt like it was time.
 
I spent
most of my time using my connections to establish clinics for indigene’s tribes
of Peru.
 
I traveled to Brazil in between
the time helping and volunteering where ever there was need.
 
I felt that giving what I could would help me
find some clarity.
 
In many ways it
had.
 
Brady capitalized on my efforts
when the first story broke over a year ago.
 
I had met a journalist doing a piece on the amazon.
 
She and I spent a decent amount of time
together.
 
I had no idea that she would
in the end, write a piece on me.
 
Based
on her article, I was surprised that Charlie or Sebastian, never intruded on my
life during this time.
 

Wesley and I, exchanged emails from time to time.
 
I wasn’t surprised, when word came that he
was dating someone and very serious.
 
He
was a good man, and though he implied, I never truly held him, too actually
wait.
 
Nor did I, ask it of him.

In secret I had spent needed time with my son.
 
He was growing up to be such a
character.
 
His charm, legendary.
 
It was the dimples when he smiled that made
him irresistible.
 
He was a good focus to
help the loss of my daughter, the sister he would never meet.
 
Whatever had happened in my past, I at least
had him and his future was what would be my priority.
 
Always.

Blaring thru the headphone, control tower was giving us the
green light.

Looking over at my pilot Leny, I nodded.

“Ready to go home?”
 
He spoke into the head set.

“No” I laughed.
 
He
shook his head in response.
 
I had
officially earned my pilot’s license and this would be my first takeoff as Leny
was playing co-pilot for this trip.

“Take it nice and easy,” he offered.

Double-checking the instrument panels, I confidently took
the plane down the runway.

Nervously, I took the plane up and started leveling her off
at thirty thousand feet.

“Very good Lillian, it seems you’ve really mastered your
take off.”

“I had a good teacher” I smiled over.

Leny was more than just my pilot, he had become my
friend.
 
He was in his mid-thirties and
very gay, which made him perfect for me.
 
He and I spent the past year and a half flying all over South America.
 
He was a Venezuelan born immigrant to the
states.
 
Holdings had hired him four
years earlier and he and I met a few times but having him with me for the past
year and a half was amazing.
 
Many times,
he doubled as my security when it called for it.
 
I made sure he was more than compensated for
all that he did.
 
He deserved more but
wouldn’t take it. Instead, I made sure his family would be more than taken care
of.
 
I owed him at least if not
more.
 
He had become invaluable to
me.
 
I was certain that he had saved my
life on more than a few occasions.

“Are you ready for a shock?”

“What do you mean?” I looked back at him.

“You haven’t had the conveniences of modern life in a very
long time.
 
I’m sure it will be a shock
to your system.”
 
Again he laughed

“Doubtful, however I do miss running water.”
 
I laughed back. “What do you miss?” I asked

“It’s silly, but I miss the corner coffee shop,” he offered
apologetically. “I love my lattes,” he added.

“Hmm, coffee, yup definitely miss that.”

“Can I ask something more personal Lillian?” he looked over

“Of course Leny”

“You looked so sad when we started all this.
 
Now you’re different something seemed to heal
inside your soul.
 
What had you broken?”

Wow, talk about hitting the nail on the head.

“I suppose life had me caught up, in things I didn’t know
how to deal with.
 
I needed perspective
Leny.
 
I believe I have found it.
 
Broken, yeah, I think I was very much so.”

“And what have you learned?”

“Funny, I’ve learned more than I had set out for.
 
Mostly, I realized there was more to me.
 
I found acceptance.
 
In many ways, I found my heart if that makes
any sense?”

Silently, I learned that I never lost my heart, Nico was my
heart.

“If I may, I think you found more than just your heart
Lillian, what you have done for so many.” He shook his head. “I respect
you.
 
You are a woman of means, yet you
lived like you had none and you gave more than just your wealth.
 
You shared your heart with everyone you
helped and those you don’t even realize you have.”

“Thank you Leny.”

“What are you thanking me for?
 
It was all you and I got to witness it. I
should be thanking you for allowing me to be here with you.
 
I feel like I watched you become the woman
you were always meant to be Lillian.”

“Let’s hope that everyone sees what you do.” I smiled
knowing that my road is about to get bumpy.
 

I followed Wesley’s advice and learned so much.
 
The answers were indeed locked in the
past.
 
I had Brady file for an immediate
annulment from the farce of a marriage I had entered into with Charlie.
 
Thinking of it I really didn’t understand why
he had fought me so hard on it.
 
Knowing
the past, I had the upper hand and would play it now that I felt confident of
my resolve and my heart.
 
I would find an
end to this nonsense they had me pulled into.

They should have left me be as my ignorance was their best
hand, But thus the saying, ‘never play your hand to close to your heart’, for
it was them whom had done just that.

 
In two days’ time
their world is about to be rocked, as I hold a full house.

Confident, I knew how to play this hand.