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“Hi, you must be Charlotte,” she says sweetly as she approaches our table.
Don’t freak out too much. You’ll scare the baby.
Sitting down slowly, I answer, “Yes.”
She chuckles, and I’m certain that my excitement is plastered on my face.
Laura pulls out her phone and starts recording and grabbing a few photos.
“This is Binky. He is eight months old. He was brought to our refuge after he was found malnourished and abandoned. But he is thriving now,” she informs us as she lifts Binky and sets him down on my lap. She positions my hands where she wants them as the fluffy boy reaches for me and grabs my hands. “There you go. Aww, he likes you.”
Oh my God, he likes me!
Reed is beaming behind the zoo worker, and I can’t decide if I want to look at how happy Reed looks or at the most adorable creature I’ve ever seen sitting in my lap.
Laura takes this moment to announce to our guests, “Binky will be available for photos after Charlotte is done getting her one-on-one time if you want to meet him. In the meantime, enjoy the snack and dessert bar. Then we’ve got a few activities planned for the future Mr. and Mrs.”
I didn’t know my body could contain so much giddiness. My face literally hurts from smiling. Binky drops one of my hands, and I one thousand percent take this opportunity to do something that I have always wanted to do. With the tip of my finger, I boop his cute little nose.
When I look back up at Reed, someone else draws my attention—Harper.
Of course I invited her. We might not have known each other for very long, but the time we have known each other feels so impactful that it feels like it’s been forever. Her eyes are watery, and she is smiling so gently and sorrowfully, and I know she’s thinking about sweet Ella. Ella would have loved to meet Binky. She would have thought it was the coolest thing in the world. She nods at me and wipes her eyes dry. I smile back at her and dip my head. Harper deserves the respect of royalty; after all, if Ella was a princess, then Harper is a queen.
I’m so glad that I made it, that I survived long enough to enjoy this beautiful night.
Fear of hurting Reed made me walk away from him. I wanted to protect him and save him from the anguish that my father had gone through when my mom died. But that was wrong, and the fear of losing him will make sure that I never make that mistake again. Life is full of uncertainties. You never know what day is going to be your last. Or at what point you will have to say good-bye to the ones you love. Never take a day or moment for granted. You never know how many you might have left. If you are lucky enough to find your happily ever after, don’t ever let it go. Hold it close to your chest and love it with everything you have.
Forever.
Always.
