“Oh,wow,”Jenny said, her eyes on someone across the room, and her lips parted in wonder.
“Hi there,” Ransom said. “This is Hailey.”
Gael looked up with a polite smile that turned into an expression of surprise and delight.
“BeeBee Evans?” Gael breathed.
“Hey there,” Hailey said, smiling kindly. “Ransom told me you were a fan.”
“Yes,” Gael said, his eyes so earnest. “Yes, I loveRidley Hospital.But… I wanted you to marry Dr. Silverman.”
Erik smiled at the idea that the little boy was so into weddings, even for fictional people.
“I wanted that too,” Hailey replied. “But sometimes things happen for a reason. When I left the show, I came home to Trinity Falls and fell in love in real life.”
Ransom’s kids, Travis and Mae, ran up and tugged on Ransom and Hailey’s hands.
“There’s going to becake,” Mae sang out. “And Isaw it.”
“This is Travis,” Hailey said. “And this is Mae.”
“Do you want to dance with us?” Mae asked Gael. “Nobody’s dancing and my dad said someone should start it up.”
Erik tried to hide his smile.
“Can I, Mom?” Gael asked Jenny, then turned to Erik. “Can I, Dad?”
His tone went up slightly more on thatDad, as if he wasn’t sure whether it was really okay to say.
“Yes, you can, son,” Erik told him, wrapping a hand around the boy’s shoulder, and not caring that his ownwords had come out husky with emotion. “You sure can.”
Gael gave him a fierce hug and then headed into the crowd with his two small friends as Erik watched after him, his eyes burning with tears.
Erik looked to Jenny and saw there were tears in her eyes too.
“Congratulations again,” Hailey said softly, as she and Ransom moved away, probably guessing that this was an emotional moment.
“I can’t believe it,” Erik said to Jenny, his voice raw.
“He loves you,” she said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “He asked me this afternoon when I was getting ready if he could call youDad,and I told him I thought you would like it…”
“Iloveit,” he assured her. “I thought that would take time, a lot of time. He’s had so many ups and downs in his life.”
“You, Erik Anderson, are and always will be anup,” Jenny told him with a smile so sweet it almost hurt to look at her. “We’re so lucky.”
“We all are,” he told her. “Now, I know we’re not official yet, and I’ll need a little time to organize the Heroes Center before I can move, but I’ll be as quick as I can. Sam is ready to take the reins.”
“Erik,” Jenny said softly. “You would really give up everything you’ve built to come to Boston with us?”
“Of course,” he told her. “And I’m not givinganything up, I’m just passing the torch. I’m sure I can find something meaningful to do in Boston.”
The idea of walking away from the Center when things were just getting interesting stung. But he was doing it without a second thought because Jenny and Gael were worth that, and so much more.
“Well, I hope Sam won’t be disappointed,” Jenny said thoughtfully. “Because you’re not going anywhere. Gael and I are moving here.”
“What?” Erik said, certain he’d misunderstood.
“We love it here,” she said simply. “Plus, I work from home, and you’re already settled.”
