Chapter 27 #2
Out of the hospital with a grin plastered on her face at the news she'd overheard. Clearly, the hospital hadn't wanted her walking too much, since Ivy was the designated pusher of her wheelchair.
Ivy wheeled her over to join us. My mother's face was still thin, but there was color in her cheeks I hadn't seen in months. Her blue sparkled with life and delight.
"Sounds like it's a day for good news," Ivy said, grinning while I tried to understand why mom was out of the hospital. Sure, her treatments had been going well, but no one had told me she was allowed to leave freely now. The last time I'd visited, she'd still been feeling weak.
"Well, I want to add to the good news then, since today will be a day of celebration. I'm officially in remission," my mom said as she threw her arms up, her smile so wide it seemed to illuminate her from within.
Remission.
The word hit me so deep it took my breath away. The world rocked beneath me as my heart stuttered, disbelieving the word.
She wasn't going to leave us.
My knees nearly gave out as I lurched out of my chair and rushed to her. I wrapped my arms around her frail frame, holding her as tight as I dared without feeling like I was going to break her. "Mom," I whispered, voice cracking. "Oh my God."
She smelled like honey and home, and I didn't care that I was crying in front of everyone. I buried my face in her shoulder and let the tears come—months of fear, of waiting, of not knowing if I'd lose her. It all poured out of me in silent, shuddering sobs.
Her hand stroked my hair, just like when I was little. "I told you I'd fight," she murmured. "I told you I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
I pulled back just enough to see her face, to search her eyes. "When did you find out? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Yesterday," she said, wiping a tear from my cheek. "I wanted to surprise you. Ivy helped arrange everything."
I turned to look at my best friend, who was dabbing at her own eyes. "You knew?"
Ivy shrugged, her smile watery. "Someone had to get her here. And you know I love a good dramatic entrance."
I didn't know how long we stayed like that, but when I finally pulled back, everyone had gathered around us. Even Meredith looked misty-eyed, her hand pressed to her chest as Leo stood protectively behind her.
"I'm so happy for you both, congratulations," my mother said, reaching out to squeeze Meredith's hand. "I hope I didn't take away from your excitement. I guess we both wanted to use this get together to share great news."
"Oh, please, this has only made this day even more special," Meredith said with a relieved smile. "A day of life all around."
My mother covered Meredith's hand with her own. "Thank you, dear. I can't wait to meet this little one."
Grayson appeared with champagne flutes for everyone, and sparkling cider for Meredith and Mom. "To Meredith, Leo, and Anna," he said, raising his glass, his green eyes warm, "for a new life on the way, and for surviving a hard battle."
We all clinked glasses, and Mom's eyes sparkled as she looked around the table.
"You know, when Grayson first came to that hospital room and revealed getting my new treatment sorted, I never imagined I'd end up with such a big, beautiful family.
To be accepted…" Her lip trembled, but she grinned through it, shaking her head to keep from sobbing.
I instantly grabbed her hand, and she held mine as tight as she could, her smile so full of love and relief. "Thank you, all of you."
"Of course, you're family, Anna," Meredith said as she touched her shoulder. "All of you are, no question. That includes you too, Ivy," she added with a wink, making Ivy roll her eyes. But my best friend looked happy to hear she was included.
"And now another baby on the way!" My mother covered Meredith's hand on her shoulder and patted it. "I hope you know I'm claiming grandmother privileges for this one from day one. If that's okay."
Meredith laughed, wiping a tear from her eye. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Mom's gaze shifted to Jackson and me, her eyebrow arching in that knowing way. "You two better catch up. At this rate, you're falling behind. We got babies all around. Now, boys, I need one of you to find Ivy and respectable man. We need babies everywhere."
"Mom!" I gasped as Ivy snorted.
"Respectable, he's going to need to be more than that," Ivy muttered.
The table erupted in laughter as Jackson choked on his champagne and I felt my face flush hot enough to fry an egg.
But when I looked at him, the softness in his eyes made my heart skip.
There was something there—a question, a possibility, a future we hadn't dared discuss yet.
Were kids in our cards? I had no idea, I'd not thought about it much.
Sofia raised her glass again. "To family—the ones we're born with, the ones we choose, the ones we find, and the ones yet to come."
As everyone cheered, I felt Jackson's hand find mine, his fingers intertwining with mine in a silent promise.
For the first time in my life, I felt like I belonged somewhere completely.
My mother was going to live. My siblings had welcomed me.
And the man beside me looked at me like I was his whole world.
I was right where I was supposed to be.
The afternoon stretched into evening, fairy lights twinkling to life in the trees as the sun began its descent.
We moved from the table to the comfortable seating area near the outdoor fireplace, where Grayson built a small fire despite the warmth of the evening.
Mom was settled into a plush chair, a light blanket over her legs despite her protests that she wasn't that cold.
The vineyard staff hadn't taken her word for it, which she was clearly grateful for as a breeze whipped up.
"I'm not an invalid anymore," she insisted, but the fatigue in her eyes told a different story. Remission didn't mean instant recovery. She still had a long road ahead.
"Humor me," I said, tucking the blanket around her. "Doctor's orders are still to take it easy I would imagine."
Jackson appeared at my side with a fresh glass of sparkling water for her. "Mrs. Peters, I've been meaning to ask you something."
My mother looked up at him, her eyes twinkling. "If it's about my daughter's hand in marriage, I expect at least dinner first, young man."
I nearly choked. "Mom!"
Jackson laughed, the sound rich and warm. "Actually, I wanted to ask about Elena as a child. Was she always this stubborn?"
"Worse," my mother said without hesitation. "When she was four, she decided she wanted to be a witch. Made me buy her a broom and witch hat, along with a cauldron. She was making all sorts of potions, and had this wicked little laugh. Refused to go anywhere without her broom and hat."
"Mom!" I protested again, mortified as Jackson's shoulders shook with laughter.
"What? It's true. You were determined. Still are." She reached for my hand, squeezing it. "That's how I knew you'd be okay, no matter what happened to me. My Elena doesn't give up."
The simple pride in her voice made my throat tight.
I'd spent so many months terrified of losing her, of having to move on without her in my life.
Now, looking around at the people gathered here—Ivy sprawled on a lounger arguing playfully with Grayson about some obscure film, Meredith and Leo sitting close together whispering, Sofia bouncing a sleepy Marcello—I realized I would never truly be alone again.
"I get it from you," I said softly.
Jackson's hand found the small of my back, and I relaxed at the warmth. "Definitely," he agreed. "The Peters women are a force of nature."
My mother's eyes drifted closed, a small smile on her lips. "I think I'll rest my eyes for just a moment," she murmured.
I adjusted her blanket, watching as her breathing evened out. The lines of pain that had been etched into her face for so long seemed softer now, less pronounced. Remission. The word still felt like a miracle.
"She's going to be okay," Jackson said quietly, leading me a few steps away to give her peace.
"I know," I whispered, leaning into his solid warmth. "I just can't believe it's real."
He pressed a kiss to my temple. "Believe it. You both deserve this."
I turned in his arms, looking up at him. "What did I do to deserve you?"
His dark eyes searched mine, serious now. "You know, when I first met you, I thought you were hiding something. Turns out, you were hiding everything." His thumb traced my cheekbone. "But even then, I couldn't stay away."
"Even when you found out I was lying about who I was?" I asked, the guilt still fresh despite everything that had happened since.
"Especially then," he said, his voice low. "Because I saw the real you—the woman who would do anything to save her mother. How could I not fall for that kind of loyalty?"
My heart swelled in my chest, and I rose on my tiptoes to press my lips to his. He tasted like champagne and promises, his arms tightening around me as he deepened the kiss.
When we broke apart, I caught Ivy watching us with a smug smile. She raised her glass in a silent toast before turning back to her conversation with Grayson.
"Your friend is never going to let you live this down, is she?" Jackson asked, amusement coloring his voice.
I laughed softly. "Never. She's been telling me to 'tap that' since the first day you walked into the office."
"Smart woman," he murmured against my hair.
I looked back at my sleeping mother, then around at the family I'd never expected to have. "This feels perfect."
"It does." He pulled back, looking me like I was something sacred. “I never thought I’d find a reason to want mornings again, to wake up looking forward to every day,” he said. “But then you showed up.”
My breath caught at the tender words, the truth and sincerity obvious in every note. He wasn’t the kind of man who said things just to say them. Every word was earned, carved from pain and silence.
His eyes searched mine, that smile making me weak, and my heart so incredibly full.
“You make me want to live, Elena,” he said, stroking my cheek. “Not just survive. Live.”
I moved to cup his face, holding his gaze steady. I wanted this. This family, this life. I wanted him. “Then let’s live,” I whispered. “Together.”
He kissed me like a promise—slow, gentle, and full of everything we hadn’t said yet. And for once, I didn’t feel like a girl chasing ghosts. I felt like a woman who’d finally come home.