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“Is it terribly hard for you? I’d understand if it was.”
“Not like I thought it would be, but that’s mostly thanks to you and the kids. I can see how perfect you all are for him. He was quite determined to never fall in love again or risk more than he could afford to lose.”
“I know.”
“I hated that plan, and so did his family. His sister, Heather, and I have had so many conversations about how we wished we could change his mind about that. Turns out, all we needed was you.”
“That’s very sweet of you to say.”
“It’s true, Iris. I know Gage as well as I knew my daughter, and I don’t think he ever would’ve taken such a chance again if it hadn’t been with you and your kids.”
I’m not sure that’s true, but she probably knows him even better than I do. She knew the “before” Gage. I’ve only known the “after” Gage. “He’s very special to all of us.”
“I love to see him with the kids. Cutting their food and separating it the way they like and answering all their questions. He was like that with the girls, too. Attentive and loving.”
“He has regrets about how much time he spent at work when they were alive.”
“I know, and I hate that for him. He was building his business, which allowed Nat to work part time while the girls were young. She’d never want him to feel guilty about that. The girlsadoredhim.”
“What happened to them, to all of you, was so cruel. I encourage him not to compound the tragedy by being harsh on himself. We all do the best we can on any given day, and I have no doubt that Gage was an excellent husband and father.”
“He was. We loved him for our Natasha from the first day she brought him home.”
“He said you had an instantaneous friendship.”
“We did, and that’s gotten us through the losses.”
“It’s very special to be here with you and Stan.”
“We’re so glad to have you, honey.”
GAGE
The weekin Florida is nothing short of magical. We spend long days at the beach, take the kids for ice cream, watch amazing fireworks and celebrate the sale of my business on New Year’s Eve, swim in the pool until long after the kids’ usual bedtime and spend hours at the firepit with Mimi and Stan after the kids are in bed. I knew they would love Iris and vice versa, and it’s been a thrill to see them talking and laughing like old friends after the week together. Mimi took several photos of the five of us together to add to the collection we started at the harvest festival.
“I can’t believe how fast the week flew by,” Stan says on our last night as we linger at the firepit with drinks after the kids are in bed. “You’ll have to come back again soon.”
“We’d love to,” I tell him.
“And you should come visit us, too,” Iris says. “I have a lovely guest room at my house that you’re welcome to any time.”
“That’s very nice of you,” Mimi says. “We’d love to visit.”
“I should mention that Iris and I are talking about moving in together.”
“That’s wonderful,” Mimi says, her eyes sparkling with tears. “We’re so happy for you two. Are you moving to Iris’s house?”
“We thought that would be easier on the kids than starting over somewhere else.”
“I agree,” Mimi says. “They’ve had enough upheaval losing their dad.”
“That’s how we feel, too,” Iris says.
“I spend so much time there, it’s like I already live there anyway,” Gage says. “Her home felt like a home away from home for me long before our friendship turned romantic.”
Iris smiles at me and gives my hand a squeeze.
“Life goes on, doesn’t it?” Stan says. “Even when you think it can’t possibly.”
