Chapter 39 #2
“Turns out she was right. After her funeral, after that terrible day when I had the chance to say what I needed to say to both of you, I let it go. I forgave you. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I figured it out when I got back to Sydney and Marjorie was waiting for me.
I knew I’d forgiven you when I was so filled with love for her that there was no room left for bitterness. ”
He turned to Parker. “I was unfair to you, and I apologize.”
Parker nodded and wiped discreetly at the corner of his eye.
Gina put her arm around him. Her boys were busy coloring, oblivious to the drama playing out around them.
To Chip, Smitty said, “I was horribly unfair to you, and I apologize for that and for missing your wedding. My wife begged me to go. That I didn’t go will surely go down as one of the great regrets of my life.”
Chip did nothing to try to hide his tears as he nodded.
Elise reached out to both Chip and Smitty.
“I want my friends back,” Smitty said in a whisper as the emotion of the moment finally got to him and he broke down. He swiped a big hand over his face. “Nothing’s the same without you guys.”
Ted was the first one out of his chair.
Smitty lifted him off his feet into a bear hug.
Parker was next, followed by Chip.
Smitty put his hands on the shoulders of Parker and Chip. “If I can forgive him,” he said with a nod to Ted, “so can you. If he has with Caroline even half of what I have with Marjorie then he’s a lucky man, and we all need to be happy for him.”
Parker and Chip hugged Ted, who had given up on trying to hold it together.
Smitty turned next to Mitzi. “I also owe you an apology.”
Perplexed, she shook her head and mouthed the word “no.”
“For the last twenty years, you’ve been my mother, Mitz. You know that. But for all that time, I had a mother. I was dishonest with all of you about her and about my childhood.”
“John.” Sarah Beth held out her hand to her son. “Let me.”
“You don’t have to, Mom,” he said, returning to his seat and taking her hand.
“Yes, I do.”
Smitty sat down next to her.
She stood up and twisted her hands with nerves. “I’m so very grateful to know my John has had such exceptional people in his life for all these years. He’s a wonderful man, a self-made man in every way.”
Overwhelmed, Smitty hung his head, and Marjorie reached out to him.
“I’m ashamed to say he raised himself because I was so addicted to drugs I was unable to care for him.” She took a deep breath before she added softly, “I was unable to even give him the name of his father.”
This time, Caroline reached for Ted.
“His childhood, in what can only be called a ghetto, was a horror, and I’m entirely to blame for that.
He left for college, and I never saw him again until he and Marjorie showed up at my house last week.
I’ve been clean for twelve years, and I’ve hoped and prayed every day of those twelve years that he would find his way back to me.
” Her voice broke, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
“I’m so very proud of what you’ve made of yourself, John, the people you’ve surrounded yourself with, the life you’ve created with no help from me.
” To Marjorie, she said, “Thank you for convincing my boy to find his way home and for showing him that the truth will always set us free.”
With one hand, Ted dealt with his tears while Caroline clung to his other hand.
Smitty stood up to hug his mother. “Mom’s agreed to come home to Sydney with us so she can be with her grandchild when he or she arrives later this year.”
The group erupted into applause and congratulations.
“Wow,” Ted whispered to Caroline. “I just never had any idea. You think you know someone. Really know them.”
“It explains a lot.”
Ted nodded and with a deep breath he released her hand and stood up. “I’d like to propose a toast of my own. First, I’d like to welcome Marjorie, and while I’m at it—Gina and her boys—to our temporarily dysfunctional little family.”
The others chuckled.
Still addressing Marjorie, Ted continued. “I know this may sound presumptuous, but if everything had been normal, I might’ve been the best man at your wedding.”
Smitty nodded in agreement as new tears filled his eyes.
“That everything wasn’t normal is entirely my fault.
I owe you, Smitty, as well as Parker, Chip, and Elise, an apology for being cavalier with something far too valuable to ever be taken for granted.
It was only when I didn’t have it anymore that I could fully appreciate what I’d lost, and what I’d caused all of you to lose as well.
” He paused when emotion threatened to derail him.
“My friendship with you guys has been among the most important things in my life. I promise I’ll never be cavalier with it again.
Congratulations Smitty and Marjorie. I love you, and I wish you well. ”
The others applauded.
Ted sat down and glanced over at Caroline.
Her eyes bright with tears, she nodded her approval.
As the party began to break up around midnight, Ted watched Caroline hug his parents, his grandfather, Smitty, Marjorie, and the others. When she finally returned to him, she kissed his cheek. “I’m so glad for you that you’ve worked things out with the guys.”
“I’m glad for all of us.”
She nodded. “Well, it was good to see you, Ted. Take care of yourself.”
“That’s it?” He took hold of her arm. “See you later? Have a nice life?”
Her eyes narrowed, and she tugged her arm free. “What do you want me to say? I’m not the one who left.”
“Caroline . . .”
“Are you ready to come home, Ted?”
“Maybe.”
“You know where I am when you’re ready.” With one last kiss to his cheek she was gone.
Ted stood frozen, watching her go, his heart aching with regret and remorse.
And then all at once he realized he would never again be whole without her by his side.
No matter what, he had to find a way to win her back.
Elise was right—they’d all sacrificed too much to settle for anything less than happily ever after.
He dashed through the halls of the restaurant, down the stairs to the front door. “Caroline! Caroline! Wait!”