The Do-Over(35)

Hanging up with her, I shot Wes a text from my phone. You just made someone’s day!

Oh great, she got it! I messengered it over so that she would have it today. Build up the excitement.

My heart melted. How thoughtful was this guy to think about the details to make my daughter happy? I hoped Keiko appreciated what she had, because guys like this were few and far between.

Wes…

Tara…

Giving you a virtual hug.

You can give me a real one when you see me.

Deal, I told him, wondering how I’d let him go if I were ever in his embrace.



I was on my first cup of coffee Saturday morning, when the doorbell buzzed. Dragging to the door, I looked out the peep hole to see a young man with flowers.

“I have a delivery for Scarlett Collins.”

“Scarlett,” I called. “Bring me my wallet.”

Reaching the door, she gasped. “Are those for me?” She took the arrangement of blue hydrangeas and white roses from the delivery boy.

“And this, too.” He handed her a small box wrapped in textured silver foil paper.

Heading back to the kitchen, I admired the flowers on the table. “They match your dress,” I noted. “Aren’t you going to read this?” I pulled the card.

Still holding the silver box, she looked from the box to the card back to the box, trying to decide which to open first.

I laughed, “Just choose one.”

Putting the card down, her curiosity as to what was in the box won out.

“Oh my God, this is like literally so exciting,” she exclaimed. And so, it was. In that moment, I thought, had Frank been home and taking her tonight, none of this would have been happening. At 7:30 P.M., he would show up. Beginning and end of story. There would have been none of this preamble to build the excitement and make Scarlett feel special.

Ah Wes, I bet you are the king of foreplay because you certainly know how to thrill a woman with anticipation.

Scarlett squealed the minute the lid came off the box. “How did he know? I’ve been like literally dying for this.” Out of the box she pulled a silver Michael Kors bracelet with a pave heart slider.

“That’s beautiful.” Again, Wes Bergman had rendered me speechless. He had taken this situation where my daughter, who was feeling not very special at the hands of her father, and transformed it into an opportunity to make it one of the most memorable weekends in her young life.

Keiko, go find someone your own age to play with because Wes is stealing my heart with his beautiful heart.

Finally, Scarlett was ready for the card.

Scarlett – Right now I wish I had the superpower to speed up time … just so I could meet you sooner. ~ Wes

“His name is Wes?” She was beaming when she looked up at me.

I nodded, extending my hand for the card. Smiling at his message, I couldn’t help but think that maybe he was a superhero. The White Knight.



“Can’t I come over?” Laynie had begged.

“No, I’ll take pictures and then I’ll meet you for dinner after they leave.”

“But I want to see him and I want to see Scarlett all dressed up,” she was actually whining.

“You’ll see pictures. I think the three of us in the room is going to be overwhelming enough for now.”

Coming out of her bedroom, I was entranced by my little girl; she looked perfect and beautiful. But more than anything, what I noted was that my daughter was happy and I could not thank Wes enough for making it so.

“Look at you,” was all I could say. “Scarlett, you look gorgeous.”

“I look like I’m sixteen, don’t I?”

“At least!” I laughed, taking in her fresh-faced beauty.

Playing nervously with her new bracelet, “I hope Wes and I have stuff to talk about. What if we have like literally nothing to talk about, Mom?”

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” I reassured her. “Wes is this totally cool guy who is really easy to talk to. When I first met him, he and I stayed up a whole night talking, we had so much to talk about. So, I think you’ll do okay.”

And there he was at the door.

“You ready?” I asked Scarlett before opening it.

Nodding, I could see her curiosity was trumping her nerves.

“Okay, here goes, let the mystery date begin!” I said, as I opened the door.

Laughing, as he had heard my introduction, there stood Wes Bergman at my front door looking like he was ready for a Tom Ford photoshoot in his white dinner jacket and black bowtie, crazy curls all askew and a florist’s box with a blue and white corsage in hand.

Catching my breath was more difficult than I expected as he leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

“You look so handsome.” My words were an understatement. Somewhere in my psyche I knew that this image of him was something that would be with me for the rest of my life.

“Thank you.” His eyes crinkled and then I watched that smile that always grabbed me and twirled my heart around the room take over his face as he laid eyes on Scarlett. “You are even more beautiful than your picture, Princess.”

The moment his eyes were on her and he called her Princess, I watched my daughter do a teen version of swooning. Her right shoulder came up and her chin dipped as she looked up at him through her lashes. Was I really watching this?