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Yet, what he had with Ayesha, he could have never envisioned. And it was no less than a tragedy that not everyone would know love like this, even for a moment as brief as a kiss.
He leaned back on the bench and stared at the empty playground. It was closed for a holiday, but in his mind, he heard the screams, shouts, and giggles. All of them, every last one, belonged to Theo.
“I don’t know if you’re here.” He leaned forward again, unsure of what position to take to tell a dead man how much he loved his widow. “And I’m not here to talk about permission or anything like that. I know that one of the things you worried about, should anything happen to you, was if Ayesha would ever be happy again, and let me tell you…I’ve never wanted to keep a smile on a woman’s face more.”
He’d told Ayesha that he was flying back to the U.S. to tie up loose ends, but he’d needed to come here before he returned to Sweden. He’d felt compelled to come here. Curtis was the catalyst that had resulted in Ayesha being close to the team. Curtis was the reason he had an amazing wife and two incredible sons.
“I love the boys, and when I say that, I mean that they’re my sons,” he said. “Not my stepsons, not ‘Ayesha’s sons.’ They’re ours—hers, mine, and yours. With their permission, I’d like to adopt them, but it’ll be up to them if they want to take my name. I won’t force anything on them, but I wanted you to know how much I love them. As their father, I’ll make sure they’re well taken care of, and I’ll be there every step of the way to give them unforgettable childhoods, a strong moral compass, and the courage to step out into the world on their own when the time comes.”
A strong gust of wind blew.
“I do have a question, though. The decision you made to save the guys’ lives knowing that you had someone like Ayesha to come home to...how did you do that? I mean, the kind of man you had to be to make a sacrifice like that, knowing the kind of heart that waited for you back home, beat for you…” He sighed. “Curtis, you’re a noble, peaceful soul that I’ll revere for a lifetime because I know, in my heart, I couldn’t so bravely make the decision to leave them. I’m barely okay on this trip, knowing I have to be away for a couple of weeks. All I want to do these days is be with them. Then, on top of that, I have the men who are now my brothers because of you. How do you thank a man you’ll never meet who’s given you everything you’ve ever wanted?”
The air around him went from crisp to earthy with the fresh scent of pending rain. Clouds collected above the shadowy outline of the West Maui mountains. His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he smiled as he stared at the screen.
Ayesha
You’d hate me so much right now.
Joel
Impossible.
Why’s that?
Ayesha
My behavior.
So childish.
I’m even pouting.
Come baaaack.
I miss you.
Joel
I miss you too.
And if that’s the reason you’re pouting, I’ll allow it.
Ayesha
Three more days, right?
Joel
Yep. Then I’ll be home, and you’ll run into my arms like in the movies.
Ayesha
Highly unlikely.
I’d try, but the boys would knock me the eff out of the way.
He laughed.
