She heads to her room for her laptop. I do the same.
“Can I connect to your wi-fi?”
“The wi-fi password is YetisArereal#1. The y and the first a are uppercase.”
I burst into laughter, remembering the first time we met and how I had to explain to her they’re part of the Himalayan folklore. “You’re kidding me?”
“Nope. You can argue as much as you want, Mr. Wikipedia, but that’s my truth.” She challenges me with her gaze. “They. Are. Real. My password confirms it.”
“I don’t care if you have a pet unicorn. Just give me the real password so I can connect,” I dismiss her challenge.
“I already told you. You can be skeptical and remain in the dark.”
When I type it into my computer, it approves it. I glare at her. “But they aren’t real.”
“For a well-traveled man, your mind is too limited.” She laughs. “Plus, my passwords can’t be hacked by boring people like you.”
“Let me guess. Your computer’s password is: Iminlovewithaleprechaun69?”
I’m enjoying her laughter. We’re not making sense, but at least she’s relaxing. After we compose ourselves, she tells me more about her idea. We argue the pros and cons. I google a few things for preliminary research. I plan on getting in touch with Gil to see if he can help me with some of his connections.
We spend most of the night brainstorming names for the company, the mission statement, and the places where we could set it up.
It’s around two in the morning when I realize she’s fallen asleep. I shut down our computers. Carefully, I pick her up from the couch, set her on top of her bed, and cover her with the folded blanket that’s on top of the comforter.
“Sweet dreams,” I whisper, kissing the top of her head.
As I pick up my laptop, I notice the screen of her phone is illuminated. I grab it and read part of Dan’s text to her. “Sleep well. Try to be here around seven. Your—”
That’s all I can read. I wonder if her Dad is all right or if that’s the time they’ll be taking him to prep him for surgery. But what if it’s something else? Dan would’ve called if it was an emergency. My first interview isn’t until nine. I’ll wake up early, drive with her to the hospital, and wait until I know her dad is okay.
What is it about her that pulls me to her? It’s like destiny keeps bringing us together for one reason or another. I look at my computer and wonder if this trip wasn’t about the job but the business idea. I’ll talk to her about it tomorrow. I’m invested, but this is her brainchild. I can’t just take it away.
Chapter Thirteen
Eros
The text wasn’t an emergency. Otto wants to see her before they prep him for the surgery. When we arrive at the hospital, Otto and Dan are hugging. The scene is tender and heartbreaking too. The sadness weighing on Dan is palpable.
“Do you mind if I have a word with Liv?” I’m pretty sure he’s talking to Dan, but he definitely doesn’t want me there.
Instead of waiting for Liv, I head to the coffee shop across the street. I order two lattes and a tea. The three times Liv and I have been at a coffee shop, she asked for tea or smoothies. I buy a few pastries and head back with the drinks and food.
“Are they still talking?” I ask Dan.
He nods a couple of times.
“Here, I brought a latte for you.” I extend the cup holder.
He grabs a coffee and stares at the tray. “Liv prefers tea.”
I smile, feeling good about my choice. “No worries, that’s what I brought her.”
“Thank you for looking after Liv last night,” he mumbles. “I wish I could split myself in two. She’s afraid of losing her dad.”
“You’re afraid of losing both,” I guess.
He looks at me and sighs. “There’s no reason for her to stick around if he’s gone.”
“Otto isn’t going to die, but if he does, she wouldn’t leave you. You’re her dad too. She adores you as much as she loves her other two parents,” I assure him. “This isn’t something she’s told me. It is what I’ve observed.”
He stares at the floor and takes a sip of his coffee. “We never talked about it. I fell in love with her the moment I met her. I never regretted leaving Otto because I wanted her to have a happy family. When he came back to me, I didn’t know what my role was. I never asked, afraid he’d say you’re nothing to her. I just tried to be a part of her life. I love her as if she’s mine. She’s so loving and happy. Also, she’s a part of him.”
“Concentrate on Otto’s recovery. Then you three might want to talk about your family,” I suggest.
He’s about to speak when Liv comes out. Her eyes are red and swollen. She’s so broken.
“Dan, he wants to talk to you.” She sniffs.
He hugs her. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. I promise. Nothing is going to happen to him.” After kissing the top of her head, he enters the room and closes the door behind him.
“Everything is going to be fine,” I assure her.
“Dad gave me instructions in case he doesn’t make it.” She sniffs.
I set the cups and pastries on a chair and take her into my arms. I press her against my body, trying to create a cocoon to protect her from this moment.
She’s gasping for air. “Why do I feel like I can’t breathe?”
“Take in some air and count to six before you exhale,” I order, cupping her face. I connect our gazes. “You are okay. Otto is going to be fine. In about six hours, he’ll come out of surgery good as new. Do you believe me?”
She closes her eyes and nods once. I press a gentle kiss on each eyelid, then her nose, and I brush my lips against hers. I can’t help myself. I slant my mouth on hers and kiss her. I’m not sure what I want to accomplish with this kiss. I want to take away her pain, give her my oxygen, or make her forget for a moment that life is unfair. The sound of the door handle moving makes me stop immediately.
Olivia’s attention goes to her shoes. Her breathing is shallow, but the tears are gone. I release her.
“Liv,” Dan’s voice is a low whisper. “He’s going to be okay. He promised me he’d be okay.”
“I don’t know what we’ll do if we lose him.” She sniffs. “I can’t lose either one of my parents. You three are all I have.”
Dan hugs her, closes his eyes, and kisses the top of her head. “We’ll be around for years. Otto is going to be fine.”
I squeeze his shoulder lightly. “Of course, he will, and then you’ll be fighting with him because he’s going to demand his bacon, and you’ll be giving him cantaloupe with ricotta cheese instead.”
There’s no way I can leave them by themselves while Otto is in surgery. I excuse myself and go outside the hospital to make a couple of calls. It’s easy to switch my flight.
When I try to reschedule the interview, I’m told that it’s impossible. They have stronger candidates for the position whose salary matches what they are offering. In other words, they weren’t planning on paying me what I asked for. I should take another look at Liv’s idea. I could try to approach Gil and see if he could lend me the money.