Chapter 31 – Kenna-Present
Chapter Thirty-One
FROM MISS TO MRS. AND MOM
KENNA-PRESENT
The air feels different today, like it’s holding a little more promise. The promise that makes your chest lift just a little when you inhale, like the world is finally offering something back instead of asking for more.
Maybe it’s because the day is almost over, knowing the hardest part is behind me.
Or maybe it’s because I’m picking Cohen up from school, and I know we’re about to have one of those conversations—the kind that always gets me, that makes me smile for reasons I can’t fully explain.
Conversations with Cohen feel like sunlight in words. Innocent. Sincere. Unfiltered joy.
He’s almost nine now. Nine. That realization alone hits me like a soft punch to the gut. How? How did that happen so fast? Some days I swear I can still feel the weight of his tiny newborn body curled up on my chest, all warmth and fragility and promise.
I see so much of Cole in him. His mischievous eyes, the way he crinkles his nose when he’s concentrating, even the stubborn line of his jaw when he’s determined to prove a point.
But then there are moments, too, where I see me.
The fierce loyalty. The need to understand everything.
The quiet way he observes a room before deciding how to engage.
I love that. I love that he’s us. A blend of history and hope.
I pull into the school parking lot, tucking into my usual spot, and watch the flood of children spilling out of the building. Backpacks bobbing, shoes slapping pavement, voices rising into a cacophony of giggles and shouts and half-spoken stories.
And there he is.
Cohen. My lovebug.
His face is lit up like he just won a prize, and he’s jogging toward the car like his little legs can’t move fast enough. I roll down the window just in time to hear his breathless, “Hi, Mom!” before he hops into the car, still full of kinetic energy.
“Hey, lovebug,” I say as he climbs in. “How was school today?”
“Good! We did a science experiment. We made a volcano erupt, and I was the one to pour the baking soda in! I made it go big!” He’s practically bouncing in his seat, his voice bubbling over with excitement.
“That’s awesome! You’re a science genius now, huh?” I laugh, loving how his cheeks flush with pride.
“I’m gonna be a scientist when I grow up! But first, I need to have the best birthday ever!” he declares, puffing out his chest with mock seriousness.
I glance over at him, heart aching and full all at once. He doesn’t realize it, but this is what joy looks like. Raw, unfiltered. And I get to be the one who witnesses it every day.
“Well, speaking of that, what do you want to do for your birthday this year? You know it’s coming up soon.”
He pauses, thinking hard, his brow furrowing as he crosses his arms over his chest. Then suddenly, light breaks across his face.
“I want my birthday on the boat! With pizza and swimming in the lake! Can we do that, Mom?”
For a second, I just stare at him. The boat. Of course.
He’s always loved being on the water. It makes him feel free. Unbound. Like the world expands when he’s out there. I think it reminds him of flying, even though he’s never actually said it.
I think of the boat Cole surprised me with just a few weeks ago—a gesture I still haven’t fully processed, not because of the size of the gift, but the meaning behind it.
A family thing. Our thing.
“That sounds like a great idea, Cohen,” I say slowly, letting my own excitement build. “We’ll see what we can do.”
He grins at me, a wide, excited smile. “It’s going to be awesome! And I also want a 3D printer! And a Nintendo Switch. Those are my two big wishes.”
I laugh, startled by his confidence. “Just two?”
“Well…and maybe a giant inflatable volcano,” he adds, grinning devilishly.
“Whoa, big dreams there,” I tease, glancing at him as I pull out of the school parking lot. “A 3D printer and a Switch? I’ll see what I can do, okay?”
“Okay! Thanks, Mom! You’re the best!”
I grin but say nothing, knowing this birthday might be even bigger than he expects. My heart tightens a little. It’s not just the party. It’s what we have to tell him tonight.
When we get home, I’m barely out of the car before my phone buzzes. I pull it out—of course. The sibling group chat is popping off.
Millie
Dinner tonight. Everyone at Mom and Dad’s at 6.
Lucie
Reuben says he’s bringing dessert so tell mom to chill.
Asher
Who’s bringing wine?
Reuben
I’m bringing wine too. Obviously.
Millie
Kenna? You coming? Bring Cohen.
Me
I can’t make it, but Cole’s coming over. Cohen has been talking about Cole coming over for days now
Millie replies almost immediately.
Millie
Just bring him! He’s part of the family now, right?
My stomach twists. Not in a bad way. Just…something tightens. It feels like more than dinner. It feels like a test I didn’t study for.
It’s been months since Cole came back. A months of rebuilding, re-learning each other. Months of tentative mornings and slow nights and relearning the sound of his laugh in the kitchen.
A month of Cohen watching us with those curious, hopeful eyes.
I owe him this. Both of them.
Cole arrives a little while later, looking relaxed in a t-shirt and jeans, his eyes lighting up when he sees Cohen.
I feel my heart skip a beat—just like it always does when he looks at our son.
We’ve been getting into the rhythm of this new life, this little family we’ve built, and it feels right. But still, I’m nervous.
I clear my throat as we stand in the living room, the weight of the moment pressing on my chest. “Hey, Cole, I was thinking…we could head to my parents’ house for family dinner tonight. They’d love to have you there, and I think it might be nice…for Cohen, you know?”
Cole grins, that familiar crooked smile of his that melts my insides every time. “I’d love to. I’ve been waiting for the right moment, and I think tonight’s perfect. Let’s tell Cohen I’m his father so no one else slips at dinner.”
He says this last part softly, a flicker of something crossing his face. I nod, feeling a twinge of nervous energy. “Let’s do it. Let’s tell him now.”
We find Cohen in his room, absorbed in his toys as usual. He doesn’t look up right away, so I clear my throat and sit beside him on his bed, pulling Cole down next to me. Cohen finally notices us and looks up, his face lighting up. “Hey Mom. Cole you’re here! Is dinner ready?”
I exchange a look with Cole. He nods, subtle but sure.
“We need to talk to you about something important,” I say gently, my voice soft, but steady.
Cohen’s brow furrows in that adorable way it does when he’s confused. “What is it? Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s good,” I say quickly, reaching out to hold his hand. “Cohen, I love you so much. You’re my heart, and I’m so proud of you. But there’s something I’ve been waiting to tell you.”
I glance at Cole, who’s watching us, a bit of nervous energy radiating from him. His hand reaches over to mine, and I squeeze it, silently giving him the strength to do this with me.
“Cohen,” I begin, looking down at our son, “Do you remember what I told you about your dad?”
He nods. “You said he was away for a while, but he’s coming home soon, and that he loves me.”
“That’s right,” I say, my voice trembling just a little. “Cohen, I want to tell you something that’s going to make you really happy. Your dad is here now. And he’s Cole.”
Silence,
Cohen’s eyes go wide, then wider, then suddenly there are tears and laughter and something like disbelief. “This is the BEST. DAY. EVER!” he shouts, launching himself into Cole’s arms with enough force to knock them both backward onto the bed.
Cole wraps his arms around him like it’s instinct, like he’s been doing it every day of his life.
“You’re right,” Cole chokes out. “It is.”
I feel the tears welling up in my own eyes. This moment—this dream I’ve held onto for so long—is happening right before me. It’s everything I ever wanted for Cohen, to have his dad, to feel loved and whole.
Cohen pulls back just a little and looks up at Cole, his eyes sparkling. “Can I call you Dad now? Are you coming to my birthday? Are you gonna marry Mom?”
Cole laughs, wiping a tear. “I’d be honored if you called me Dad. And yes, I’m coming to your birthday. I wouldn’t miss it. And your mom…”
He looks at me.
“If I thought she’d say yes, I’d ask her right now.”
I gasp, feeling my heart race as I look at him, my eyes already brimming with tears. “Cole…you should ask. Please.”
He kneels down in front of me, taking my hands in his before pulling a small box from his pocket.
“Sunshine, I’ve loved you for twelve years.
Every day without you felt like the longest, darkest stretch of my life.
But even in those hardest moments, you were the light that kept me going—the reason I never gave up.
When I finally came home, the first person I wanted to see, the only person I needed, was you.
What we have…it’s not some fleeting high school crush or a passing phase.
It’s something deeper, something unbreakable.
Our love has been tested, stretched, and it’s only grown stronger.
It’s forever. Kenna Claire Feely, will you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?
Will you marry me and let me spend the rest of my days loving you the way you deserve? ”
Tears are streaming down my face as I nod. “Yes! Yes, of course, I will!” I leap into his arms, kissing him passionately, feeling like the luckiest person alive.
Cohen’s eyes sparkle like he’s just witnessed magic, and honestly, I feel the same way.
Cole’s hand finds mine, warm and steady, and I squeeze it like I never want to let go.
He stands, pulling me into a tight hug, and I can feel every worry, every scar from the past months melt away. This—right here—is what healing looks like.
I look down at my hand and see a perfect oval cut diamond ring set in gold.