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“Give me a minute. I’ll call you back,” I state, hanging up. I stare down at the book.
A knock on the door peels my attention away from one of the last remaining reminders of Isa left in my house.
It’s Mrs. Potter.
“Adam?” she says as she looks at the book in my hands.
“Yes?” I stare at her, this woman who is the last remnant of a motherly figure I have.
She crosses the room and stands at my side, placing a hand on my shoulder. “It’s not too late,” she says softly.
“For what?” I ask, looking up at her.
“For love, Adam. For love,” she says as she squeezes my shoulder.
I shake my head. “No. She deserves better. I…” I trail off and try to center my thoughts. “She was right, Petunia. I was trying to control her because I’m in love with her and if something happened to her…I couldn’t live with it.” My admission shocks even me.
Mrs. Potter smiles. “I know you are, Adam. Love is scary. I know it’s even scarier now. You loved two people with all your heart, and you couldn’t protect them, and they left you. But, my sweet boy, you can’t be scared of losing those around you. Because you know what’s scarier than losing them?”
I shake my head.
“Never having felt their love at all,” she says. “Think of all the goodness Isa has brought into your life these past few weeks. You’ve changed. You’re happier. You’re that little boy I met so many years ago. And I know it’s been hard, losing your grandfather and then your parents, and of course, Stephanie, but don’t give up on love, my sweet child. Embrace it. You can’t push the ones you love away every time something scares you. Eventually, they won’t come back. You need to fight for the ones you love. Fight for Isa. She’s worth it…and so are you.”
“I…what if…I’m broken,” I manage.
“No, you’re hurt. But you aren’t broken. If you were broken, you’d have never felt love for Isa at all.”
My eyes widen. Is she right? Could she be right?
“You can still have happiness, Adam. You just have to go get it,” she says with another squeeze of my shoulder.
“But what if it’s too late?” I muse as I consider her words.
“If you believe that, then you didn’t learn anything from Isa. She didn’t give up. She came knocking on your door,” Mrs. Potter says with a smile.
My sad smile begins to morph into a genuine smile. She’s right. Isa didn’t give up, and neither should I.
I rise to my feet and wrap my arms around Mrs. Potter embracing her and lifting her off the ground. “You’re right! You are so right, Mrs. Potter,” I exclaim.
“Adam George Wellington! Put me down this instance!” she yelps, and I laugh as I gently set her down. I kiss her cheek, and she blushes and waves a hand at me.
“I have to go clean up the kitchen and make sure Bastian hasn’t burned it down,” she says as she scurries out of the room. I pick up the phone and call Cruz.
“I have an idea. Well, I had a flash of this idea before, but now, it’s happening. Tell them we’re doing a full restoration and I’m sending over details on what that means right now. Get that contractor we worked with on the project last spring to come look at the property tomorrow. I want to close today,” I state.
“Oh. Uh, OK,” Cruz says, lost for words which is a first.
I hang up and make a half dozen other calls. If I can pull this off, then just maybe…maybe Isa will forgive me.
* * *
I walk through the house. I’ve had three crews working here in round-the-clock shifts for nearly two weeks. I didn’t think it would be possible, but nothing good was ever easy. But this house…makes it look like it was easy.
“There are a few little things upstairs in the office spaces that need to be completed. But otherwise…I think it’s ready,” Cruz says as we stare at what I hope is going to be the new home for the Storyview Falls Library. That is if Isa agrees to it.
I’ve spent every waking moment making sure this place is perfect. The house was an enormous building. Nearly five thousand square feet including the attic, which I’ve turned into a private office just for Isa. God, I hope this works.
It’s pained me to keep my distance from her. I did try once to text her, but she didn’t reply to my text. I inquired with Bastian who asked Elisha and Elisha basically said I should go fuck myself. So that went well.
