Chapter 24
24
Lexi
I draft an email response to Nora, the woman who contacted me from the ALS Association. It takes me far longer than it should to write the four sentences that will send my professional life in a whole new direction, but this is no ordinary job or organization, so I take my time to get it right.
Hi, Nora,
Thank you for the time you gave me to consider your kind offer. As you know, the ALS Association was a lifesaver to my husband and me during his illness. While I believe aspects of the job would be difficult for me, it would be an honor to pay forward the many blessings we received from your organization for other patients and their families. Please let me know next steps when you have the chance.
Sincerely,
Lexi
I reread it at least six times before I press Send.
So… That happened.
I’ve officially tossed my hat in the ring for a job with the ALS Association. I can handle this. Right? I guess I’ll find out.
I text the widows to update them.
Sent the email to the ALS group telling them I’d like to be considered for the position. Gulp. We’ll see what happens.
They send congratulations and best wishes.
I’m proud of you, Lex, Wynter says in a private message to me. There are so many jobs that would be easier, but few that’ll make such a big difference for others.
Aw, thank you, Wynter. That means so much. I’m proud of you, too, for so many reasons, but especially for the courage you showed in having Jaden’s daughter. He’d be SO proud of you, too. Love you.
Quit making me cry. I’m lactating.
laughter emojis
“What’s so funny?” Tom asks when he comes into the kitchen, where I’m on my laptop while sipping coffee.
“I applied for the ALS job.”
“Okay… Where’s the funny?”
I read my exchange with Wynter to him, and he laughs, too.
“She’s a character, huh?”
“That’s one word to describe her. She’s the most hilarious person I’ve ever met. That message she sent me was so sweet. I’ve loved watching her mature over these last few years when she’s gone from being so bitter at losing her beloved Jaden to a whole new life with Adrian and their kids.”
“The more I hear about your widows, the more impressed I am by them.”
“They’re very special people. I’m looking forward to you getting to know them better at the party tonight.”
My cell phone rings with a number I don’t recognize. I take the call.
“Hi, Lexi, this is Nora. I got your email and figured I’d give you a call rather than typing a manifesto on next steps.”
“Oh, cool. Thanks for calling on a Saturday.”
“I’m trying to get my ducks in a row before my maternity leave starts, so there’s no time to waste.”
“Congrats on the babies.”
“I’m in full-on freak-out mode with six weeks to go, if I make it that far.”
The way she says that makes me laugh.
“I wanted to call you because I consulted with our director, Mina, and the board before I reached out to you. We all agree that the position is yours if you want it.”
“Oh wow. Well… Yes, I want it. I think.”
She laughs. “I get it, believe me. Well, I can’t possibly understand it from your point of view, but I get your hesitation.”
“A few years ago, I never could’ve handled something like this. But I’m stronger now, and I think I could be a resource for those who need it.”
“I’m sure of it. You’ve been an outstanding volunteer, and we’re thrilled to bring you into a more official role.”
She states the salary and goes over the benefits. “You’ll get three weeks’ paid vacation, all the federal holidays, a week at Christmas when we shut down and another week of sick leave.”
I’m still reeling from the salary, which is twice what I made at the data-entry job.
“Does all that sound good?”
“It sounds perfect.”
“When would you like to start?”
Thanks to Joy settling my debt, I decide I want a little more time off before I dive into my new role. “How about I come in and train with you next week and then officially start on November first?
“That’d be great. I’ll email you some details about next week and see you here on Monday around nine?”
“I’ll be there. Thank you for everything, Nora.”
“Thank you . I feel better knowing you’ll be taking over for me.”
We chat for a few more minutes before agreeing to continue the conversation on Monday.
Tom, who heard my side of the conversation, gives me a smile and a thumbs-up after I end the call. “Congratulations!”
“It’s twice the money I was making before, too!”
“Do what you love, and the money will follow.”
“Am I going to love this?” I’m still wary about the all-ALS-all-the-time aspect of this position.
“Maybe not every day, but I think you’ll love knowing you’re making a big difference for people who really need it.”
“I will. For sure. So much more rewarding than data entry.”
“That’s a fact.”
“We should do something to celebrate.”
“What do you have in mind?” he asks.
“Champagne lunch followed by a nap before the party tonight?”
He comes to me, puts his arms around me and kisses me. “What kind of nap are we talking?”
“The good kind.”
I’d forgotten what it’s like to be newly in love, insatiable for more of him in bed and out of bed. Our lunch outing was full of laughter and excitement for my new job. The relief of having my debt settled continues to be a natural high, the likes of which I’ve never known. Even falling in love—twice—can’t rival the massive feeling of liberation that comes from being free of that horrible weight.
Lying in his arms now, after making love again—I’ve lost track of how many times we’ve done it now—I’m as content as I could possibly be in the “after,” as widows often describe life following the loss of a spouse.
I’m in love again, and my future looks bright with promise.
“I’m going to want you to marry me, sweet Lexi. I hope you know that.”
“I’m down with that.”
“This isn’t a proposal. That’ll be epic. This is just a fishing expedition to make sure a proposal would be welcome.”
I look up at him, so handsome and relaxed and happy. I like that I make him so happy. “It would be.”
“And you’d say yes?”
I pretend to think about that long enough that he pokes my side and makes me laugh. “I’d say yes.”
“Don’t be mean to your future fiancé. It’s not nice.”
“I’m very sorry.”
“Lying is also discouraged.”
“I love this, Tom. Thank you for waiting for me to be ready for you.”
“Sometimes it was hard to be patient, because I felt so strongly that we could have something great. And PS, I was right about that.”
“Yes, you were, and I knew it, too. I’ve known it all along, in fact.”
“You could’ve told me that!”
“What fun would that have been?”
“I’m not sure how I feel about mean Lexi.”
Smiling, I move close enough to kiss him. “I wasn’t ready, and I wouldn’t have been doing either of us any favors by trying to be ready before I was.”
“I get it, sweetheart. I’m glad it worked out the way it did.”
“Just for the record, I could’ve done without the heart attack, however.”
“Same. I’ll always be sorry I did that to you.”
“No need to be sorry, since you survived.”
“I had the best possible reason to survive. Took until I was thirty-eight to really know what it means to be in love, and to be in love with you is the ultimate dream come true for me. I hope you know that.”
Smiling, I kiss him some more. One kiss becomes two, which becomes six, and then we’re straining against each other once again. Sometimes I still want to pinch myself that I’m rolling around naked in Tom Hammett’s bed. Every time he pushes his hard cock into me, I gasp from the sheer pleasure that overwhelms me. I’d forgotten what it was like to be carried away by desire, and now I’m addicted all over again.
It’s so good between us, so perfect, sort of like we both knew it would be way back when. But we had lives to lead before we found each other in this new chapter, and I’m incredibly thankful for what I have with him and how cherished he makes me feel all the time.
“God, Lex…” he whispers when he’s deep inside me. “I can’t get enough of you.”
I hold him tight against me. “Same.”
He pushes up so he can see me. “Love you.”
I bring him in for another kiss. “Love you, too.”
“Best words I ever heard from anyone.”
I’m high on life after the best week I’ve had in years when we arrive at Iris’s for the get-together with the new Wild Widows. I hope we don’t overwhelm them with our sheer numbers, but Iris said both were interested in including their kids in the group. So we’re taking our lead from them.
Tom is wearing a light blue polo shirt that makes his eyes look crazy blue, with khaki shorts in deference to the warmer-than-usual autumn we’re having in Northern Virginia. He’s handsome and relaxed after our afternoon in bed, and I can’t wait for him to really get to know my best friends. Other than the day they helped me move into his place, he hasn’t spent time with them. On the ride to Iris’s in his truck, we reviewed each of them and their stories.
“Christy is the one who founded the group with Iris, right?”
I love how he pays attention to the details that matter to me the way Jim did with my students. “Yep. The third founder isn’t active in our group since she remarried.”
“Do people tend to stick around after they connect with someone new?”
“So far, only Taylor has moved on. I hope the others will stay with us. They’re like family to me.”
“So you’d stay involved even if we got married?”
I look over at him. “I always want to be involved with them. They’re like the siblings I’ve never had. I hope you understand that even if I’m remarried, I’ll always be Jim’s widow.”
“Of course I do. I was just wondering.”
“Say what you want to say, Tom. It’s fine. I promise.”
“It’s just that I worry about it being so heavy sometimes.”
“That’s life, though, right? Sometimes it’s heavy. And like with the new job, I have wisdom now that I can share to make things easier for new widows. Not that anything can make it easy for them, but the support we’ve found in our group has been essential to each of us. I love them.”
“I know you do, honey. And I’ll always support whatever you want to do.”
For a second, he scared me by making me think he might not want me to continue to be part of the Wild Widows once we get married.
“Don’t be over there thinking I’d ever ask you to give up something that means so much to you. I wouldn’t. My only concern is for you taking on the grief of others.”
“I’ll be okay. I promise.”
He brings my hand to his lips for a kiss. “That’s all that matters to me.”
When we arrive at Iris’s, bringing the buffalo chicken dip and brownies I made to contribute, we’re greeted by a wild scene of screaming kids running through the house. I recognize Iris’s three—Tyler, Sophia and Laney—as well as Derek’s daughter, Maeve, Roni’s son, Dylan, Brielle’s son, Charlie, and a couple of others I don’t know being chased by Christy’s daughter, Josie.
“Josie, we paid you to watch them, not incite a riot,” her mother calls from the kitchen.
Josie, whose dark hair is in a ponytail, gives me a sheepish grin and a shrug as she runs by me.
“Welcome to the loony bin,” I tell Tom.
I get the usual feeling of homecoming that comes with every visit to Iris’s home, where I get to be with my people.
Holding Tom’s hand, I lead him to the kitchen, where Iris, Gage, Roni, Derek and Christy are with a few others I don’t know.
Iris lets out a shout. “Oh my God! It’s Tom Terrific at my house !”
When she comes toward us, I see that she’s wearing a blue T-shirt that says #TeamTomTerrific in white letters across the chest, and I lose it laughing.
“Stop it,” Tom mutters as Iris wraps him up in a big hug.
“Welcome to my home, to the Wild Widows family, to the craziest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.”
“Quoting Christmas Vacation might just get me to forgive you for the shirts.”
“I didn’t do it,” Iris says, full of innocence.
“Why do I feel like none of you are going to take credit for it?” I ask Iris as I hug her.
“They just showed up in a box at my front door one day. What was I to do but unpack and distribute them?” She gives Tom a big grin. “We already love you, so I hope you’ll take the ribbing in the spirit in which it’s intended and not run for your life from us.”
“I think I can handle it,” he says, “if it means I get to spend tonight and every night with Lexi.”
Iris fans her face. “And you wonder why we had shirts made.”
“You guys,” Christy says, “this is Trey.”
“I have to hug you,” I say.
He holds out his arms to me.
“It’s so good to finally meet you. We need #TeamTreyTerrific shirts, too.”
“Don’t give them any ideas,” Trey says as he shakes hands with Tom. “I take it you’re the terrific one?”
Tom grimaces. “You make a girl’s coffee every day for a year and your reputation gets ahead of you.”
“Well played, my friend.”
“Tell him what you did, Trey,” Christy says, beaming in a way I’ve seldom seen.
Her obvious happiness makes me feel emotional. I save Trey the embarrassment. “He’s the one who volunteered with teens to get a better handle on how to relate to Christy’s kids.”
“Oh,” Tom says, “that, too, was very well done. There should definitely be T-shirts.”
“And here I thought we might be friends, man.”
We all laugh as Joy comes in, carrying a massive pot that I hope is her jambalaya.
“Is that the magic stuff, Joy?”
“Would I bring anything else for you savages?”
“Yes!” I give her a fist bump. “You guys are in for a treat.”
“Lexi and Tom Terrific, this is Angela Radcliffe,” Roni says.
I hug Angela because that’s what we do. “Welcome. I’m so sorry you’re here.”
Angela laughs as she returns my hug. “I’m sorry to be here, too, but happy to meet you all. Roni has sung your praises, and from what I’ve seen so far, I’m going to love it.”
“It’s the worst club to join, but if you’ve got to be one of us, it’s a good group to get through it with.”
“That’s what Roni has told me.”
Iris has gone to the other room and leads a handsome man with four young kids following him into the kitchen. “Everyone, this is Luke Freeman and his kids, Nolan, Beckham, Clarissa and Phoebe.” All of them have light brown hair and brown or hazel eyes. The girls have adorable freckles left over from the summer. The kids are seven years old and younger. Dear God…
We go around and give him our first names as he makes a valiant effort not to look overwhelmed.
Christy’s son, Shawn, comes over to ask the boys if they want to play Xbox in the den.
They look relieved to take off with him.
“Josie, come see Clarissa and Phoebe,” Christy calls to her daughter.
Josie comes into the kitchen, all legs and coltish beauty. “Hey, guys, you want to come hang with us? I’m trying to keep the little kids from destroying the house.”
The sisters look at each other and decide to go with her.
“I’ll be right here,” Luke calls after them as they dash off to find some fun. “I know that was probably planned in advance, but I appreciate that you guys knew how to make them feel at home.”
“We’ve got you, pal,” Christy says.
His eyes fill, and he looks away, embarrassed.
Iris goes to him and hugs him.
“Thank you,” he says softly.
“I’m Angela, and I’m new, too. Three kids—seven and under.”
Luke shakes her hand. “Nice to meet you. I think.”
They smile in solidarity at being new to the group and having seven young kids between them.
Gage gets a beer for Luke and a glass of wine for Angela.
“Are those your kids, Angela?” Joy asks.
“Yes, that’s Jack and Ella. My youngest is at home with my mom.”
“Let’s go outside,” Iris says. “It’s so nice out, and Gage will light the fire.”