Love & Verses

As it got closer to Thanksgiving, it became incredibly hard to focus in class. We were doing rounds in the hospital, learning about neuro when my phone went off interrupting a world renown doctor.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, looking at my phone, seeing it was my mother.

Worry fell over me.

“Do you need to get that?” My professor asked, aware that my father had cancer.

I stepped out of the board room and answered my phone.

“Mom? I’m learning from a top surgeon, is everything okay?” I asked nervously.

“Oh Addie, I’m sorry, I should have just texted you, I didn’t mean to make you worry, honey, we just wanted to know if you could do me a favor this weekend, I know you have no school on Monday with Thanksgiving coming this week so we could really really use you,” she explained.

“What is it?” I sighed, knowing I didn’t have a choice.

“I need you to go to New York, I need you to pick up a list of stuff for your dad, we’re going to do this Thanksgiving big and right,” she explained. I began to laugh.

“Mom, you want me to fly to New York to get stuff for Thanksgiving?” I was shocked, my mother would never ask this of me.

“Yes, well Addie, we want those delicious New York desserts from Magnolia’s and we want fresh stuff from Dylan’s Candy Store,” she said, “it would mean a lot to us,” she said.

I took a deep breath. If this is what I could do, a way to help.

“Alright mom, book the flight and email me the list, I’ll do it,” I said before hanging up and heading back into the office.

My mom was up to some sort of big event.

[Anna]

“Great, she’s going to New York, Nathan will already be there,” I smiled to Cecilia.

“I placed an order for whatever they want to give us for pick up at 11am Monday, one for Nathan and one for Addison too,” Cecilia explained.

“Addison isn’t dumb, dear, she’s going to be guarded,” Adam warned us but I fanned him off.

“I do feel bad for using her in this but it’s for her own good and honey, you do love anything from Magnolia’s,” I rubbed my husbands back as he sat before us.

“Yes, that will be nice,” he laughed, “will she have a dress?” He asked us. Cecilia laughed

“Adam, we have it planned, a beautiful chiffon gown that will wait in her room. I booked the flight so she has no time but to throw her bags down and head straight to the bakery,” I explained.

“My dear, you are a wonderful planner,” he kissed my hand softly.

I promised my sick husband that I would let him see his daughter happy, if I had to scheme, so it shall be so.

[Addison]

Monday came quickly and I arrived to New York. I threw my bag down and got a taxi to make it to the bakery on time. I rushed in and was surprised when I saw a tall, familiar figure standing in line.

“Nathan?” I questioned.

He turned to look at me and was equally surprised.

“Addison, what the heck are you doing in New York? “ He asked me stunned.

“My mom, she needed stuff for Thanksgiving, what are you doing here?” I was confused.

“I have the Golden Goggles tomorrow, my mom wanted baked goods, I guess your mom didn’t know that I was coming?” He laughed, showing he was uncomfortable.

I felt like my mother was up to something.

I was about to speak up, when someone called Nathan’s name.

“Oh, hi Sara, uh, you remember Addison, Adds, you remember my agent, I didn’t think we would meet here,” I could tell Nathan was getting more confused by the moment as his agent walked in.

Nathan didn’t have an agent until close to the end of our relationship but I didn’t know her too well but I always found her too peppy but slightly intimidating.

“Yes well, this is important, hello Addison, Nathan you still don’t have a date to the Golden Goggles, do I need to hire a model to walk the carpet with you? I can’t let you walk alone,” she got straight to the point. I excused myself and went to the counter to call my order in.

“Well, I mean, sure I can go alone, I’m not going to walk with some model I don’t know,” I heard Nathan said. I couldn’t help but want to listen to the conversation.

“Adrian? Your order,” the woman from behind the counter called. Nathan came towards me and grabbed his bag.

“Well Nathan, you can’t go alone, you’re in the limelight, I need you to have a date,” Sara followed him to the counter.

“Addie, it was so great to see you,” Nathan said to me earnestly. Sara looked at me.

“Addison! Yes, you’re perfect. You’re in town, you look great with Nathan, you can be his date,” Sara smiled. I looked at Nathan than at her.

“No, I mean, I can’t,” I fumbled over my words.

“Yeah, Addie, you don’t have to go, it’s fine,” Nathan stopped me from having to reject him aloud.

“So I’ll just get you a model. I’ll talk to Lochte’s people, they’re good at this, you just have to take this girl out on a date, be seen at the red carpet,” Sara explained in front of me.

I wanted Nathan to move on and be happy but not with some rando model slut. The jealousy and care for Nathan boiled in me.

“Wait, you know, Nate, I mean, I don’t want you to go with a stranger and if you have to have a date and I’m here. I mean, if you want,” I was once again fumbling over my words.

“Addison, I would love for you to be my date, you would be my one and only choice but I’m not going to put you in that position,” Nathan said to me. My order was called out and I quickly grabbed it.

“It’s fine, I don’t want you to be alone on the carpet,” I awkwardly laughed. Nathan grinned widely and looked at Sara.

“Addison will be my date,” He told Sara.

“Great, glad to catch you, glad to see you, Addison, see you tonight at the awards,” Sara shook my hand and walked briskly out the bakery. I laughed a little and looked at Nathan.

“I totally don’t have anything to wear,” I said, Nathan opened the door and walked with me down the street.

“I have to go pick up my suit but if you need help picking out anything, let me know, and you know Adds, I am truly appreciative of this,” Nathan squeezed my arm and looked at me.

“Go get your suit, I got it,” I smiled looking at Nathan once more before heading back to the hotel.

Yes, Anna Wilson was definitely written all over this.

As if I didn’t know my mother had planned this, I got back to my hotel and found a beautiful pink laced gown. A sweetheart line, strapless with a black ribbon around the waist while the rest of the dress flowed out.

-oh you’re good, mom- I texted her. My mother replied that she had no idea what I was talking about but I knew she was lying.

But this time, I wasn’t mad, I was excited to dress up.

And slightly excited to go out with Nathan. But my feelings would be in check.

I took a shower and curled my hair loosely, pinning back the front loosely and putting on a light amount of make-up. I painted my lips slightly red and highlighted my cheeks a rosy pink. I slipped into my dress and put on some heels and heard my phone go off as I put on the finishing touches.

“Hello, Nathan,” I answered.

“Hi, I am outside your hotel,” he spoke into the phone.

“Room 703, come up,” I hung up.

I tucked my necklace with Nathan’s ring on it into my dress, unable to take it off. I put pearls on to hide the chain and put the finishing touches on my hair when I heard Nathan knock at my door.

“You can do this,” I whispered to myself, taking a deep breath and answering the door.

Seeing Nathan, I smiled widely. He looked beautiful. In a grey suit with a blue and red tie neatly worn around his neck, hair slightly messy.

“You look great,” I smiled. Nathan took me in and smiled.

“Addison, you look amazing,” he said. I grabbed my room key and phone before closing the door and walking out with Nathan to his town car.

“So you just have to take pictures with me, anything that makes you uncomfortable, tell me,” he said seriously. I just smiled and nodded feeling so nervous to be back with Nathan again in this setting without any strings.

“I can handle it,” I said as even as possible, not letting him know that I was internally freaking out.

We got to where the awards was being held and Nathan and I took a deep breath. I looked at him one last time before he opened the door and helped me out of the town car.

Here goes nothing.

Cameras flashed in my eyes, people screaming. I never went through the cameras with Nathan, we were broken up by then. But I was use to the swimming world knowing me and talking to me. But never like this. They all knew my name though, they knew we were together and they wanted to know the plan now.

“Pick a spot to look at, just beyond the cameras,” Nathan whispered in my ear. I smile and nodded as the cameras went on and people yelled.

We made it through the red carpet no problem, once we got inside all the swimmers attacked me.

“Addison Wilson!” I heard someone scream, I turned around and saw Natalie coming towards me, full speed.

“Oh Natalie, hi,” she pulled me in a firm hug and took a look at me.

“You look good, what are you doing here? I feel like I would know if you and Nathan were back together,” Natalie said, confused.

“No, I’m just here as a friend, I guess? Nathan needed a date,” I tried to explain. Natalie grinned.

“Well I’m glad you’re here, and look there’s Michael, Mike! Hey, look who’s here!” Natalie called over, causing a scene. Nathan was talking to Cullen Jones as Michael walked briskly my way and hugged me.

“Addison Wilson, welcome back to our world,” he grinned giving me a hug.

“Hello Michael, it’s good to see you,” I smiled. Nathan came our way with Cullen and Ryan Lochte.

“Addison, I believe you’ve met Ryan but this is Cullen, guys this is Addison,” Nathan introduced.

“Yes, I met you two briefly at trials and in 08 in Beijing,” I shook each of their hands. Ryan grinned at me with a slight smirk and twinkle in his eye, I was taken slightly aback.

“Yeah, good to have you back in the swimming scene,” Cullen grinned. Nathan stood closely next to me.

“Thank you, it’s great to be here tonight with Nate,” I smiled politely at each guy and linked arms with Nathan. Ryan looked at me, noticing that we got close.

“Addison, you guys should sit at mine and Nat’s table,” Michael spoke up, noticing the way Ryan looked at me.

“Yeah, Nate, let’s sit with them,” I looked at him and gripped his arm a little tighter, feeling more uncomfortable. Nathan looked at me confused.

“It was wonderful to see you guys again,” I smiled at Cullen and Ryan before walking away with Nathan.

As we sat, Natalie found her husband and Michael had his date also sitting with us.

“Gosh, Addie, Ryan Lochte was undressing you with his eyes,” Natalie said once we were all seated.

“Are you okay? I’m sorry, I should have said something,” Nathan said, upset with himself.

“It’s okay, Nate, I’m fine, he’s just, a creep,” I played with my pearl necklace and sat a little closer to Nathan.

“He wants what he can’t have, that’s all,” Michael shrugged.

I had never been to an award ceremony except for ones from college and high school. This was like a big deal thing. We sat for dinner break, we sat to listen, we clapped when clapping was necessary. We were about to hear the winner of male race of the year and I noticed Nathan get nervous.

I instinctively grabbed his hand as we awaited the results.

We heard the name “Nathan Adrian” being said in the microphone as our table went clapped loudly and congratulated Nathan. I stood with Nathan and pulled him into a firm hug before he went up to accept his honor.

“He beat out Lochte,” Natalie whispered at me with a smile plastered to her face.

“Do you like, hate him?” I questioned. Natalie rolled her eyes.

“He’s funny, a riot at practice, great guy, but the way he keeps looking at you, pisses me off,” Natalie whispered, rolling her eyes. Michael leaned in with us.

“Nathan is up there talking, forget Lochte,” he whispered. We pulled away and listened to Nathan address the crowd.

I watched him up there, so proud as he thanked everyone. Nathan lived his dream and he would continue to do so. I couldn’t help but feel great for him but upset at the same time that I wouldn’t be able to live the dream with him as his Mrs.

We all clapped as Nathan stepped down and walked back our way with his award.

I needed to keep my feelings in check. I desperately needed to.

At the end of the awards, I said my goodbyes and congratulations to Michael and Natalie. Nathan went to get our car and driver as I stood to wait for him.

“So you are single, yeah?” Ryan came up to me. I nervously played with my pearls again.

“Uh, kind of,” I said.

“So I can invite you out with me?” He smirked.

“You can but I won’t go,” I replied. Nathan came back around touched my shoulder.

“Adds, are you ready?” He asked me. I looked at him and nodded.

“Goodbye, Ryan Lochte,” I smiled, following Nathan to the car, feeling relief as I walked away.

When we got into the car, Nathan looked intently at me as I twisted my pearls around.

“Uhm, Addison?” Nathan said. I looked at him shyly.

“Yes, Nate?”

“Are you still wearing the ring I gave you?” He awkwardly asked pointing at my neck. I realized that my pearls were no longer covering my hidden necklace. Before I could answer, Nathan carefully went to my neck and untucked the diamond ring and held it in his enlarged hands.

“Addison?” He asked shocked.

Shit.