“I’m going to say around the time we decided to get married and pop out babies. Re-married and more babies in my case,” I told her.
Benji was over in the shop with Murphy. Ever since they had become parents, it was like Murphy finally accepted Benji into the fold. Especially after that dinner we had when Benji promptly fell asleep, face-first, into his plate. Murphy took pity on the poor man and befriended him. He told me he ‘knew how tough fatherhood could be at first,’and ‘what kind of man would he be if he didn’t lend some advice.’
Their friendship had only grown since then, especially since Murphy found out Benji was incapable of being anything but a good guy. They bonded over fatherhood, and Murphy was trying to teach Benji about being handier in the real world, not just in the operating room or hospital.
“It’s the nights like these that make it all worth it, don’t you think?” Wynn whispered to me.
“It’s a beautiful life, Wynn, and it’s only just beginning.”
Her smile was radiant as she nodded and agreed with me.
“I’d have to agree with my wife.”
Murphy and Benji must have snuck up behind us while we were enjoying the sunset.
“Youalwaysagree with her, even when she’s wrong,” Wynn pointed out, but Murphy just grinned and bent down low enough so only I could hear him and whispered, “always.”
Always.
Chapter 6
June 2025
Odette
“They grow up so fast.” My mother-in-law’s voice caught me off guard as I watched Lux run after her brother, getting lost in the willow trees and the flowers that only seemed to multiply every year.
“It’s absolutely insane how much I love them,” I said, unable to hide my tears at how close I came to not having this at all—at how close Lennon came to just being a dream.
“You worked hard to get here; you deserve the happiness that comes with it.”
She handed me a glass of what I thought was lemonade, but upon first sip, it tasted like gasoline. “My god! What did you put in here?”
“Don’t be so dramatic. It’s just a shot or two.”
“Susan,”I scolded while still choking on the drink.
“Okay, fine...probably closer to two shots.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at her. “Are we celebrating?”
“If that’s what you have to tell yourself, dear.”
Still chuckling to myself, I took another sip of her deadly concoction and tried not to gag.
I heard the roaring of Murphy's tools going in his shop and knew that he and his dad were currently cutting some lumber for a commissioned dining room table he was in the process of working on. The entire scene laid before me was the one thing I’d worked so hard for.
Kids in the yard, in-laws over to enjoy a summer evening. Wynn and Benjiwere on their way with their rugrat in tow, almost the exact same scene from a year ago, just one year older. I was one sip away from being tipsy, or maybe I was just riding the high of my life. I couldn’t help but look over at my mother-in-law and smile.
“I might work hard, but he’s worked harder. He picks us and this lifeevery day,even on the days I can’t.”
She didn’t need to add more words, she knew what I meant.
“Always.”
Chapter 7
July 2026
