50
JASON
Ican’t help but be nervous as the phone rings in my palm. The four of us are seated together on the couch in the living room to talk to Talia’s parents on the phone. I shouldn’t be, but I am. Lou and Ella have been nothing but supportive of me throughout the years, and I’m thankful for them, thankful my daughter has them and the connection to her mother.
I swipe my finger across the screen, smiling when their wrinkled faces appear. “Hi, Lou, Ella,” I greet.
“Grandma Ella, Grandpa Lou!” Lennie wastes no time calling their names, swiping the phone from my hand.
“Hi pumpkin,” Ella chimes, her voice cheery. “How are you doing?”
“Grandma, this is Presley,” Lennie states, turning the phone to Presley as she sits next to her mother.
“Well hello, Presley.” Ella smiles sweetly. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Hi,” Presley says, a moment of shyness appearing.
I take the phone from Lennie, setting it on the coffeetable in front of us so they can see all of us. “There,” I state. “That way they can see all of us, Lenners.”
“This is Fallon,” Lennie says, leaning over to hug her. My heart warms at the sight. Lennie has been so excited to introduce Fallon and Presley to her other set of grandparents. It makes me happy. I’m glad we’ve been able to keep the connection there so she knows and loves them, even though they are across the country, and Lennie doesn’t really know her mom.
Recently, she’s been asking more questions about her, and I’ve answered them as honestly as I can. It hurts bringing her up, and trying to explain it to a five-year-old, but I’m doing the best I can.
“It’s nice to meet you,” Fallon says with a wave.
“Y-you too,” Lou says.
They chat, and it’s mostly Lennie and Presley talking about how excited they are for school to start next week. In a way, it’s weird to see these two parts of my life collide into something new, something I never anticipated.
I never would have guessed I’d be introducing the woman I love and her daughter to Lou and Ella, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I love the way my life has turned out, and if someday, Talia is able to get clean, and stay clean, then maybe she can be a part of it too.
I hope she can. Then she can see how beautiful life is, how beautiful the daughter we made is, and how incredible she is.
We talk for a while longer, and Ella makes sure to get Fallon and Presley’s birthdays written down so she can get cards and send them in the mail when the time comes. We even make a tentative plan to fly out and visit them over Thanksgiving this year. It’s been over a year since we’ve seen them last, so it’s time. It’s hard for them to travel, and Iknow I need to be better about making an effort to get out to California and visit more. Lennie deserves to have a strong relationship with them, not only over the phone.
When we hang up, Lennie and Presley talk about how much they love Lou and Ella.
I wrap my arm around Fallon’s shoulder, pulling her in for a kiss. “How was that?” I ask.
She nods. “It was good, I think. They’re so sweet. I was so worried they would think I was replacing Talia, but I don’t think they thought that.”
“Not at all.” I shake my head. “They’ve been encouraging me to find someone else to share my life with since day one. They’ve never wanted me to be alone. I was too stubborn to do it. Though I suppose maybe I was waiting for you, sunshine.”
“I must have been waiting too,” Fallon says. “I love you, Jase.”
“I love you more, sunshine.”
51
FALLON
“Mom, when do we get to move into our new house?” Presley asks. She and Lennie are in the back seats of my car as we head over to Jason’s parents house for Sunday Brunch. The plan was to ride over together, but apparently there was a leak at the brewery last night that Jason wanted to take a look at before they opened for the day.
I laugh under my breath. “Not for a while, honey. We have a lot to do before we can move. It will be a few months, probably more. You need to be patient.”
“I don’t want to be patient, Fallon,” Lennie states. She crosses her arms over her chest, and looks out the window. “I want you guys to live with us now.”
“We are living with you now, sweetie, but it’s going to be a while before we find a new house. That’s all.”
