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Swallowing again, trying to not say anything about the party, thinking this is the real reason he’s been staying away. “Why would he do that?”
“I think he’s avoiding it all right now. Billy feels like a failure in everything he does. So this is just one more thing for him to feel that he can fail at. I hate that for him.”
“I hate it too.” I whisper, knowing I’ve made it worse by my reaction last night. “I only told him last night. And actually, I wasn’t the one who broke the news to him. I’m sure you know what his response was.”
She nods. “He asked you once again, didn’t he?”
I let another tear fall. “That’s all he does. It doesn’t mean anything. He just wants to wear me down.”
“No, Adley,” Janet says firmly. “My son has been in love with you for years. You’re what changed his mind about love and marriage. I never thought he’d pick just one girl, but I couldn’t be happier with his choice, but now it’s your turn. You know what needs to be done. You know how it is here. I know you’re afraid to be burned, but he’s just as wild as you. He’ll let you fly, Adley. He’ll never tell you no, he’ll never stifle your dreams. You know that! He believes in you, even if you don’t believe in you, but you need to show him the same. Believe he can handle it. Have faith in the man you always knew he could be.”
My tears fall fast. I’ve never been a crier, but it seems it’s all I do these days. “I know who he is. I always knew there was more. Mrs. Casanova, I really screwed it up and-”
“Honey. First of all, call me Janet. Or mom.” When I wipe my tears, she smiles. “After getting to know Chelsea, I know your background. I understand where you’re coming from. I’ll tell you, like I told all the others, I never imagined being married either. I liked to party, I still do, and Frank was a settle down guy. I was never that ‘take home girl’. I may have wanted to be, but I didn’t know how to get there, and I fought it at every turn.”
I do know a bit of their story, and I see a lot of her in Billy. Their love is there. The genuine person they are shines through.
“This new grandchild of mine? This is the one I’ve been waiting for. And I’m not putting any pressure on you, I just need you to know. I've prayed for this baby for so long. Without knowing how he or she would come to be, I’ve been waiting. When I met you all those years ago, I had a feeling, but I had to wait. And that waiting was hard, but I’m glad I did. I’m glad we made it through. Don’t bail Adley. He’s good. He’s so, so good and I know you know it.”
She leans from her chair and hugs me as I reply tearily, “I’m not bailing. I want you to know that. I just can’t see past today.”
“And that’s okay. You’re here. You’ll both take it one day at a time. That’s all that matters.”
“He wants more, though. And he deserves that.”
“You both do. It’s okay, it’s going to happen as it should. I’m not worried, Adley. You’re going to find what works and it’s going to fall into place.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Casa-” I stop and clear my throat. “Janet.” She’s got a twinkle in her eye and a small grin. “The girls told me you were amazing. Guess I just needed my own trauma to figure it out.”
She lets out a loud boisterous laugh. “Trauma and Casanova go hand in hand, sweetheart.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
BILLY
I’m goingto be a dad.
Me, the guy who was never going to have any of this, who was never going to find a girl who loved me, who was never going to settle down.
The guy who was never going to beat my addiction and find happiness.
But here I am.
And I still can’t believe it.
After talking with Adley, I knew I needed to make a statement, that I needed to prove to her to that I hadn’t been asking haphazardly. There has always been a means to the end, and that whether she wants to believe it or not, I was here. I was waiting for her.
Sure, it wasn’t the most romantic way to go about it, but it also fell into place with everything we’ve been through. Short, and thrown about, and just a little bit chaotic.
But at the same time, I want her to know I knew it was always her.And I have been waiting.
Leaving her sitting outside, I went and dug into my drawer and pulled out the ring, the same ring I had bought years earlier when I knew she was it. We weren’t even together at the time, but I knew I wouldn’t be happy until she had my last name.
Adley Casanova. The two just go together.
I waited for her to go to bed and then I left it with a note, and when I came home hours later, the glass and the note were there, but the box with the ring was gone.
I have no idea what that means.
