Page 127 of I’m Already Gone

Jake lands with a soft thud right beside my head, narrowly missing both of us.

“What the hell was that?!” Ethan yells, but soon after, uncontrollable laughter bursts out of him.

Jake clutches his stomach, his shoulders shaking, tears streaming down his face as he wheezes, “You should’ve seen your faces! Freaking priceless!”

Though my time may be limited, I hold on to this moment with all my heart. This is a memory they will remember forever, long after I am gone.

Ethan

Marcus picks up on the third ring. “Ethan? Everything alright, man?”

“Yeah, everything’s good,” I reply, trying to keep my excitement in check.

“Glad to hear that, man. What’s up?” he asks.

“It’s about Lily,” I begin. “I want to ask her to remarry me.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“Yeah, I am.”

The line goes quiet for a few seconds, and then Marcus lets out a sudden, surprised bark of a laugh that breaks the tension. “Holy shit, man! That’s the best news I’ve heard since you told me you were having a second kid.”

“Yeah?” I ask, a smile spreading across my face.

“Honest to God, man. I think it’s a great idea.”

I know the timing is unconventional, maybe even a little crazy, but I can’t bear the thought of being known as Lily’s ex-husband for another moment. I want to claim her again, to let her know that she is and will always be it for me.

“So, what do you need from me?” he asks, a new energy in his voice.

“I need you to gather the rest of the troops, especially Sam. She’s going to want to help organize the wedding, no doubt.”

He laughs again, a full, booming sound. “You got it, man. Consider it done.”

“Jake, Maddy, Ollie? Can I talk to you outside for a minute?” I call to the kids, who are huddled around the kitchen table, deep in a board game. My heart is beating faster than it should.

They exchange confused glances, then slowly push back their chairs. I lead the way, my steps feeling unusually heavy, and lean against the railing.

“What’s going on? Is Mom okay?” Jake asks as he drops into a rocking chair.

“Yeah, yeah, she’s asleep.” I take a deep, shaky breath that does little to calm the frantic butterflies in my stomach.

“Dad, just say it,” Maddy encourages. She’s watching me intently with an unnerving gaze.

I manage a weak, lopsided smile. My gaze flits between each of their faces.

“I want to ask your mom to be my wife again.” I clear my throat, trying to regain some composure. “And I wanted to know what you thought about that.”

The silence that follows stretches, thick and heavy, for what feels like an eternity. My palms are sweating, and I can hear the blood rushing in my ears.

Then Maddy springs to her feet, a joyous shriek escaping her. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” She bounces off the ground, throwing herself at me. I instinctively catch her, a wave of immense relief washing over me.

Over Maddy’s shoulder, I glance up to see a slow, proud smile spreading across Jake’s face. Setting Maddy back on her feet, my arm around her shoulders, I turn to my eldest, my heart still pounding.

“Son? What do you think?”

He bobs his head a few times, a wide grin breaking through. “It’s about time,” he says, and the casualness of it makes me laugh.