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"I'm so happy he accepted," Michael replied. "He said no at first, out of concern for you."
I nodded. "I feel bad that he thought he had to turn you down because of me. Honestly, I didn't really want to leave Manhattan, but it was the only choice, given all the publicity from the trial. Drake lost pretty much everything he had built in Manhattan -- the foundation was closed, he pulled back from the corporation and he lost his privileges at NYP. So he only had us. I couldn't make him turn down your offer. It was his dream come true."
"It is," Michael said with a nod. "He should be busy operating. It's his calling, Kate."
"It is. I'm just happy to be along for the ride."
"You complete him," Michael said. "I know that sounds corny, but it's true. Because he has you and Sophia, and now the unit, he is complete. A very happy man."
Drake stuck his head in the door and saw me, his eyes widening. "Who's a very happy man?"
He smiled and came over to me. "I'm assuming my ears should be burning and that you meant me."
He kissed me, his hands on my shoulders from behind.
"We did," I replied, squeezing one of his hands. "Michael invited me to come watch you do your last surgery of the day. He's going to come by for supper."
"That's great," Drake said. "So this is why you wanted me to stop by before I left."
"It is."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go," Drake said, waving his arm to the door.
And so we did.
* * *
Later, after we had dinner and Michael had said goodbye, Drake and I stood on the patio outside the living room and watched the stars in the night sky. His arms were around me, and he rested his chin on my shoulder so we could watch the sky together. I felt a profound sense of peace at that moment.
Everything seemed to be falling into place.
In the house, Sophie was fast asleep in her room on the second floor, her bedroom next to ours. The western corner of the main floor had been set aside for my father and Elaine. They had a sitting room with patio doors out to a nice space for when they both wanted some fresh air and to watch the ocean. Their bedroom came equipped with a full bathroom with accessible shower and bath. We converted one of the sitting rooms into a bedroom for that purpose and so they would have their own place to retreat when they needed some peace and quiet.
They'd be arriving the following week and I was excited to see them and get them settled in.
"Did you check out the studio space in town?" Drake asked, squeezing me, pulling me closer. "Will it do?"
"It'll do perfectly," I said and smiled, thinking of the small studio in an old building in downtown. "When Sophie goes to her daycare, I can zip into town and spend the afternoon painting."
I turned around and faced him, my arms slipping around his shoulders. "You looked so happy in the OR this afternoon."
"I was so happy," he said and bent down to kiss me softly. "Thank you for agreeing to come to England."
"How could I say no after everything that's happened? You should be working. Michael said it's your calling and he's right. I'd be a selfish bitch to insist on staying in Manhattan given the fallout from the trials. I'm happy here. I'm happy that you're happy."
We kissed again and then I turned around, Drake's arms still around me, squeezing my waist, pulling me against his body. In the distance, the surf roared against the beach and above us, the stars sparkled in the night sky.
They say that home is where the heart is, and it was true. As long as I had Drake and Sophia with me, I would be home, no matter where in the world we were.
* * *
THE END
