“I’m sorry to just come up to you like this, but is your name Julie?”
The girl smiled, but she was still a little wary of me. She was very pretty. I certainly had to give Jeremy his due. He had very good taste. Her hair was straight and silky, her blue eyes were dark, but radiant. She had freckles, but they were just lightly touching her face, almost kissing her cheeks. She was going to be rather beautiful when she got older.
“Y-yes,” she said with a slight stammer. “I’m Julie.”
Holding out my hand, I smiled. “My name’s Tyler O’Shea. I’m a very good friend, and guardian, of Jeremy.” I saw the hint of recognition in her eyes as she took my hand. “I take that look to mean you know who I’m talking about?”
She nodded with a shy smile. “Yes, but I don’t understand what you’re doing here.”
Placing my hand in my pocket, I pulled out a card so she knew I was telling the truth about who I was. “I’m sorry,” I said, trying to alleviate the pressure. “I promise I haven’t been stalking you.” I inwardly rolled my eyes at the irony. “I was just having lunch with my parents over there in that restaurant.” I pointed and, at that moment, my parents came out and gave me a wave. I waved back and turned towards Julie again. “When I saw you, I couldn’t quite believe my eyes. Jeremy told me you met outside this McDonalds, and I knew it couldn’t be a coincidence when I saw you. I’ve heard so much about you, I feel I practically know you already.”
She smiled shyly again and placed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Jeremy talks about me?” she asked, diverting her eyes to the ground.
I couldn’t help the smile. It seemed Julie was just as taken with Jeremy as I was. “All the time,” I said, smiling.
Julie looked up, saw my genuine smile and gave me a beaming one back. It was then she looked at my card. “It says you work for the Daily London?”
I nodded. “Yes, that’s right. It is how Jeremy and I first met. I run a column called From Afar. Basically, it helps people with secret crushes let the crush know how they feel. Jeremy contacted me about you.”
With a gasp, Julie’s eyes widened. “He did? I would really like to see it.”
I couldn’t believe my luck here. I can, hopefully, see Jeremy’s last wish come true. “Would you like to come inside for a milkshake?” I offered, gesturing towards the McDonalds.
Julie bit her lip and looked around. She was conflicted. “I’m meeting a couple friends for lunch.”
I nodded. “Okay, but I promise it won’t take long.” I didn’t want to pressure the girl but, at the same time, I wanted to speak with her more. Preferably off the street.
Finally, she caved, giving me her sweet smile. “Okay, my friends are always late anyway. It will teach them a lesson.”
Laughing, I motioned for Julie to walk in front of me and opened the door. She ordered a strawberry milkshake and I ordered a coffee, and we sat down by the window. “Here would be good so you can see when your friends arrive.”
Julie nodded and looked at me for a few seconds. “You’re very pretty,” she acknowledged.
I blushed a little. “Why, thanks. So are you. I can see why Jeremy is so smitten.”
“So what did he say about me?” she asked in her eager teenage voice. I had to smile, remembering those days myself. The days when I was in love with Dean.
Taking out my phone, I searched for the original article and handed her the phone. Julie sat there for a while, reading and smiling. You could tell this all made her happy.
“He wants to kiss me?” she asked, her eyes wide with both anxiety and excitement.
I nodded. “Yes, he likes you very much. The problem is that he’s been quite sick and in the hospital, so he hasn’t been around.”
Clasping a hand over her mouth, Julie gasped. “Oh no. Is he okay? I was wondering why I hadn’t seen him in a while.”
Patting her hand gently, I smiled. “He’s fine. Every day, he fights, and every day, he grows stronger. He’s the most caring, funny, and loyal boy I’ve ever met.”
“Is he still in the hospital?” I nodded. “What’s wrong with him?”
“He’s been fighting Leukaemia virtually his whole life. It’s been very hard for him, but with the right care and the right people, I’m sure he will pull through. It is what I’m driving towards every day.”
She smiled at that. “You care for him very much.”
I nodded. “I do. It was never about the story, Julie. I don’t care about the story. I care about getting Jeremy better, and I think one of the people who could help along the way is you.”