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I smile at her, swallowing tears.
It's been a long few months.
"Of course, Mom. I wouldn't be anywhere else."
She reaches out and takes my hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm proud of you, you know. You've been so strong through all of this."
I feel my heart swell with love and appreciation for her; I don't feel strong at all. "Thanks, Mom. You're the strong one, though. You've been fighting this with everything you've got."
She nods, her eyes closing briefly as she takes a deep breath. "I miss the kids," she whispers. "I'm so glad I'll get to spend time with them once my immune system recovers."
"Me too," I smile.
"Jesse," she says suddenly, "are you going to have a family?"
I freeze at her question, unsure of how to respond. It's not something I've thought about much since...
...since I left Piper.
"I don't know, Mom," I say finally. "I haven't really thought about it."
She looks at me with a knowing look, one that tells me she knows exactly what I'm thinking. "Don't let fear hold you back, Jesse. Life is too short to be afraid."
I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat once again. I don't think my mom was the only one who felt this kind of relief after ringing the bell. "Thanks, Mom. I'll keep that in mind."
A knock sounds at the door, and I get up to answer it. I find Eli on the other side, a big smile on his face as he peeks around me into the house. I'm about to welcome him in when I hear mom's voice from behind me.
"Is that Eli Ford? Come on in, darlin'!"
Her voice is weak, but it feels good to hear her happy and hopeful. I step aside and let Eli walk in, a bag of takeout in his hands.
"Sadie made chicken soup," he says. "She said it's your favorite--wanted me to bring it by."
"Oh, bless her," mom says. "I could eat a whole pot of Sadie's soup right now."
Eli grins, walking over to give her a gentle hug. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Teresa."
"Call me mom," she says, smiling up at him. "You've been such a big help to us, Eli. I don't know what I would have done without you and Jesse."
"Your son has turned out to be a damn good nurse," Eli says with a glance over at me. "And I've got your back...mom."
Sometimes I think she likes her son-in-law more than she likes any of heractualsons.
As Eli and I sit down to eat with my mom, I can't help but feel grateful for the support he's given us during this difficult time. He's been a true friend, always there when we needed him and never once complaining about the endless hours he's spent running errands or helping out around the house. Even with a new baby at home, he's done what Sadie couldn't when she was busy with Lily.
As we eat, my thoughts turn back to Piper and the life I left behind when I came back to Fern Hollow. It's been six months since I last saw her, and I can't help but wonder if she's moved on. Part of me wants to call her, to hear her voice again and see how she's doing. But the other part of me is scared, scared of what might happen if I open that door again.
I know I need to make a decision soon, to either move on with my life or try to rebuild what I had with Piper.
"So...what now?" Eli asks, looking over at mom. "Planning any exciting trips?"
"Oh,no!" mom laughs. "I plan on spending every possible second with my sweet grandbabies. Lily was born right before I was diagnosed, and I'm...I miss her."
She starts to tear up, and Eli shakes his head and reaches out to pat her shoulder. "Lily can't wait to see you either," he says. I can see the love and care in Eli's eyes as he speaks to my mom, and I know that he would do anything to make her happy. I'm grateful for his presence in our lives, but I also know that I need to make a decision about my own life soon.
As we finish eating, I help my mom back to the easy chair by the fire. She looks tired, but content. I sit down on the couch across from her, feeling the heaviness of my own thoughts weighing down on me.
"Jesse," she says suddenly, breaking me out of my thoughts. "I know you're worried about moving on. But life is too short to be afraid."
