Thirty-Five
Jace
Mom hugs Nate goodbye right after Dad smothers him in his arms. They both turn to me next, giving me the same treatment, but as I start to walk down the steps to follow Nate to the car, a hand grabs my wrist. I turn around and Mom is smiling at me with watering eyes. “I . . . I didn’t want you to leave without telling you I love you and how proud of you I am.”
I squeeze her hand, feeling like my fingers are locking around my heart instead. “Mom—”
“No, I need you to hear this. I was wrong to send you away. I know now that I was. I only . . .” She sobs, wiping at her eyes. “I only wanted to do what I thought was the right thing, but all I did was push you away.”
“It’s okay, Mom. Really. I get it.”
“It’s not. You two clearly love each other, and I had no right to interfere with it then so I won’t now. I see how you look at him and he looks at you. I don’t think either of you could have found anyone more right than you are for one another. Sure, the way it happened is a bit unorthodox, but life has a funny way of doing that sometimes.”
“Thanks,” I say, swallowing down emotion as I drag her into my arms.
“I’m sorry you didn’t hear me say all these things when you needed it the most. I’m sorry I didn’t see what I needed to see sooner.” She pulls back from me, her eyes pointing down, and she takes my other hand.
“You’re saying them now and that’s what counts.”
“I want you both here every holiday, okay? And any other time you feel like coming home. I want you to call me every week and I want . . . I want to know my son more.”
“I want that too.”
Sniffling, she hugs me again and returns to where my dad is standing to wave at us from the porch as we drive off. Nate holds my hand, leaning his head on my shoulder as I turn up the music and begin my long drive back to Missouri with the man of my dreams in tow. He loaded the trunk and back seat with everything he felt he couldn’t live without, and plans on getting a Pod for the rest later. He hasn’t decided whether he’ll sell his house yet, but we both decided we’ll take it one day at a time. His boss is fine with him doing video calls only in the meantime.
We stop for food several times, and eight hours into our drive Nate switches places and pulls me into a kiss as he slides into the car. “I can’t wait to be back on the futon with you.”
I laugh, sweeping hair from his face. “You’re the only person who’d ever feel that way, that’s for sure.”
“And the only one who matters,” he says, sounding so sure of himself as he pulls back onto the road.
“You should want better than sleeping in that smelly old barn.”
“I want exactly what I’m getting.” He tangles his fingers in mine.
“And what’s that? A bad back and the possibility of waking up with a duck shitting on your chest in the morning?”
A soft chuckle escapes him and he shakes his head, bringing the back of my hand to his lips as he briefly looks into my eyes. “Fully getting to be a part of your world and everything that’s you. Bringing me home is your way for me to be a part of it all and I’m lucky I get to be the only one.”
“You call that luck and I call that karma you must owe somewhere.” I shoot him a cheeky smile and he elbows me in the arm, facing the road.
“No, me having to suffer through your bad jokes is probably karma.”
“And you planning all the ways you’re going to decorate the barn when we get settled is no doubt mine.”
We both laugh and I kiss his cheek, dragging his hand into my lap and knowing damn well that of the two of us, I’m the one who’s lucky. I’ll gladly have him turn my whole home orange if it means I get to be right there with him during it all. As long as it means I get to be with him.