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“Yeah, makes sense. You just shouldn’t rush it.”
“I’m not going to be lifting anything or running around at first. I’ll just ease into it. With Deacon back at work and Daisy doing her schoolwork virtually, I just sit around. I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.”
“Having a purpose will probably make you feel better too, in your own way. Even if I weren’t a single mom, I would still be working. I like working.”
“I can tell,” she said with a smile. “You’re like me.” She leaned forward and grabbed one of the cupcakes before she took a bite. “It was nice of you to bring these over. Daisy and I will share them.”
“They’re Lizzie’s favorite.”
“So, she’s graduating on Friday?” she asked. “She’s starting high school in the fall… Can you believe it?”
I shook my head dramatically. “I can’t believe I have a teenage daughter. I just can’t. Yesterday, she was crawling on the floor in diapers, and now she’s going into the last segment of her adolescent education.”
“How did she do in her math class?”
“B. She wanted an A, but she’s happy with it.”
She smiled. “Derek is very gifted in explaining things to people. He inherited his father’s intelligence but got his social abilities from Valerie and me. It’s given him a perfect composition.”
“Yeah, he is perfect.”
She watched me for a while, like she expected me to say something else. It reminded me of the way my own mother looked at me when she wanted to get something out of me. “Derek told me you guys worked it out. That’s great.”
“Yeah. We’re just…taking it slow.”
“He’s been really happy. We’ve loved seeing that.”
I noticed it too.
“We’re so happy he didn’t give up on his rocket program. He’s trying again, which is great. He’s got interns at his company, which is also wonderful. He’s talking to Kevin again… We feel like we got our son back.”
“Yeah…”
“Because of you.” She rested her hand on mine. “If he’d never met you, I’m not sure what would have happened. I like to believe everything happens for a reason, and I think the two of you met for a big reason.” She smiled before she pulled her hand away. “I know Derek’s behavior was inexcusable, but I think that’s behind you, and you don’t need to worry about that happening in the future. I think my son will be the man both you and Lizzie deserve. I think he’ll be worth it in the end, because he’s the best man that I know.”
“Yes, I consider myself to be very lucky.” I knew what was out there, and there wasn’t another Derek Hamilton or anyone of his caliber. I took a tour of the dating apps and was far more disappointed than I’d thought I would be. I knew finding the right man who was compatible with both Lizzie and me was just impossible. Not only was Derek perfect, but he had a perfect family, a family I got to be a part of.
“And he’s lucky too, Emerson. It’s not every day that you find someone who loves you for you—and I know you love Derek for all the right reasons. It’s not about his money or his connections. It’s about everything underneath.”
I never cared about money because I worked hard to have what we needed. As long as I could support my parents and my daughter, I was happy. It was much easier to generate your own wealth than to deal with an asshole just because he had a good job. But it was nice to know that Derek could fix any financial problem that came our way, that he could take care of us if I couldn’t. I didn’t have to stress about Lizzie’s college fund or anything else, because he could handle it. It was nice to be taken care of for a change. I’d spent my life taking care of my daughter and my parents.
“Can I ask what changed your mind?” she said quietly. “Because it seemed like you were set in your decision.”
I stared at the cupcakes for a few seconds before I answered. “It was what you said, actually.”
“What did I say?”
“You said that you believe you’ll end up happy no matter what your decisions are, because things just work out. So, if I didn’t take Derek back, I would find somebody else; he would find somebody else. But then I asked if you would be just as happy if you ended up with someone else besides Deacon…and your answer was no.”
Her eyes softened.
“I knew I would never be nearly as happy with someone else as I’ve been with Derek…not in a million years.”
When I mentioned Derek and I were going to dinner, Cleo offered to watch Lizzie. I was used to deferring to my parents as babysitters, but Cleo was so excited to spend time with her that I let her take her.
