Chapter 30
CHRIS
Istood at the edge of the crowd, watching the activity of the day.
The place was full. More so than I had expected when we opened the doors just a few hours ago.
Beth’s dream was becoming a reality for more than just her.
It was a dream the whole town could now experience.
I hadn’t expected that, and the joy was almost overwhelming as I stood off to the side, unnoticed but appreciative of how the whole thing was working out.
A flatbed truck backed into the loading bay of the new food hub and a couple of people started unloading crates and boxes of fresh produce.
They would be stocking the shelves inside, making sure that those who came through would be able to walk away with not just dignity, but enough food to help them through their week.
This wasn’t how I expected to see the first day of the new building, but I wasn’t disappointed.
There were no big speeches or celebrations.
This was a more important day than all of that. People were being fed.
I looked through the crowd, wanting to catch a glimpse of Beth as she moved around and kept the place running smoothly, but she had disappeared into the back office again, likely going over some of the last minute things with her sister before coming out and seeing the whole place in action.
There had been some concern that Beth would overexert herself by being here and trying to do everything.
I worried about it, too. But Lisa had stepped up in so many ways to help us through everything, including talking me off ledges when my worry was too much for me to process.
Beth had been very adamant that she needed to be here for the opening, though, and so we found ways for her to stay on her feet without exhausting herself or causing harm to her or the baby.
That was a word I was still trying to wrap my head around.
“Chris.” Lisa appeared at my side with a smile. “You’re needed inside for a minute.”
“What for?” I asked, ready to jump up and do whatever I could for the cause.
“It’s for the speech.” Lisa put a gentle hand on my forearm to calm me down. “You don’t need to rush off just yet. They still want to get the food distribution settled. But once that is done, you need to be ready. This place is opening today because of your hard work, and you deserve some credit.”
“I don’t want any credit,” I protested, though it was weak.
“I know,” she said. “But the whole board has decided that this wouldn’t be what it is without you. And they need you to say something.”
“Fine. Let them know I’ll be here. When do you want me to come in?”
“Just wait for Beth. She’ll come get you when it’s time. We can handle everything else until then.”
I nodded. I was happy to let my wife fetch me when needed.
That felt far more appropriate. Lisa disappeared back into the crowd, weaving her way through to a man I recognized as the chair of the new community board.
They had a quick exchange and the man moved inside, leaving Lisa to go check on Beth again, I assumed.
The minutes ticked by and I tried to keep my head down.
But so many people wanted to talk to me, to say thanks for what I had done to make all of this happen.
I was just glad to see that my efforts were worthwhile.
But all of this was only possible because Beth and I had come to terms with our differences.
This wasn’t about money or power. It was about family and the wellbeing of everyone in the town.
I was pulled out of my thoughts when someone approached me and put their arm around my shoulders.
My heart lifted at the familiar gesture as I looked over and saw Beth standing by my side with a warm smile.
It had taken time and effort, but we were starting to be comfortable around each other again.
Our marriage wasn’t back to the place I wanted, not yet, but the steps we had taken to find that place together again were leading us in the right direction.
“Ready for your moment in the spotlight?” she asked softly as we watched the trucks roll in.
“No.”
That made her laugh a little. “Lisa said you would say that.”
“She knows me too well.” I turned slightly to face my wife.
Her belly was showing now, a round curve under the simple dress she wore today.
There were days when it was easy to believe that we were really doing this together, starting our family in this way and rebuilding from the rubble that remained after our separation.
But there were other days that were harder, especially when I realized she hadn’t been able to tell me about the pregnancy.
“You can stay back here if you’d like. I can tell everyone you were needed elsewhere. There’s no reason for you to give a speech when all you want is to stay out of the limelight.”
“Only if you join me for a walk later.” I was going to take whatever opportunity I had to be alone with her.
“Where do you want to go?”
“The beach? I just want to be close to the water and have the quiet, if only for an hour or two.” We weren’t able to walk far, but even the small strip of beach across from town was enough for me right now.
“That sounds perfect.” Beth leaned closer into me. I wrapped my arm more fully around her shoulders. She was all I needed at this point in life. I didn’t need recognition or applause. I just needed her and our family. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“For what?” I was caught off guard.
“For loving me. Even after everything that happened.” She was sincere in a way I hadn’t seen for a while. The emotional connection between us was strengthening. And I hoped it would only get better from here. “You did everything you could to make my dream come true.”
“Thank you for allowing me to be part of it.” I kissed the top of her head as I felt my heart soar.
The trucks finished their unloading and we started seeing the lines move faster. The community members were gathering what they needed. And then I felt a small hand kick inside Beth’s stomach. She put a hand on her belly and smiled. I placed my hand over hers, feeling the strength of my child.
“It’s time to go in now,” she said as she shifted away from me. “Do you still want to pass?”
“No. It’s fine. It’s just a small moment in the grand scheme of it all, I suppose.” I felt more ready to go in. Besides, there were a couple things I needed to say. “I’ll follow you.”
Beth led the way, keeping close to me as we wove through the crowd.
There were so many smiles and waves. People wanted to say hello and see the inside of the building, but we were on a mission.
So Beth kept the conversation polite and quick until we came to the podium that had been set up in front of the freshly stocked shelves.
I kissed Beth’s hand and took my spot behind the podium as she sat down beside Lisa.
It felt a little surreal to have all this attention, especially since I didn’t feel like I deserved any of it, but the audience started to quiet down as I cleared my throat and started to talk.
This moment wasn’t for me. I was just the vessel.
“There are a lot of people who put in countless hours to make this day happen. But there is only one person who deserves credit for all of us standing here right now. Many of you knew Beth Parker, who would go onto become my wife. But few of you know that she came up with the idea for this place before she left, before I was in her life. And even then, she saw the struggles of this community, the way that farmers weren’t getting a fair deal, and how the families of this town had to make hard choices on how to make their dollars stretch. ”
I glanced at my wife, who had a tear running down her cheek as she watched me, her eyes sparkling with pride.
This was her day. I wanted it to be as special as possible.
“I’ve been told by the board that this day wouldn’t be possible without me.
And in some ways, they might be right, but without Beth’s vision and determination, this place never would have gotten started.
The same could be said for all of you who have come in to help, both on the board and on a daily basis.
You make this more than just a food pantry.
It is a symbol of what this town can do when the needs are made clear and we come together to meet those needs.
“It is with great humility that I accept the thanks of this community. I am honored to be a small part of a very big change. Let’s continue to do this for many years to come. Thank you.”
The applause started slowly, but I could see the genuine happiness on the faces all around the room, so it wasn’t long before everyone was on their feet, showing their support not just for the day, but for our continued success as a community.
I stepped away from the podium to stand by Beth again, holding her hand and lifting her to her feet as the clapping continued.
This was just the beginning, I knew it. There was so much more we could do.
But today, it was enough to appreciate the first step together.
It had been a long road to get here, full of hard lessons and personal sacrifice.
I wasn’t perfect, nor was I claiming that I would never make mistakes again, but I was a changed man, and all for the better.
As the crowd settled down, Beth took the podium with a few words of gratitude.
My wife was glowing, not just with her pregnancy, but with a true sense of belonging in this moment.
She was in her element, and I couldn’t help but feel like all the hardship had been worth it just to see her smile like that.
We took the time to let our community mingle and check out the new space before we slipped out the back door and headed to my truck. We had a beach to enjoy, even if it was only for a short while. As soon as we were alone, Beth started talking.
“How does it feel to have them thank you?”
“It’s strange. But I’m glad for all the hard work. I don’t need the gratitude, but I’ll take it if it makes the others feel good.”
“I was proud of you. You’ve become such an important part of this community, not just in what you built but in the people you’ve connected with.”
“It’s all because of you,” I said with a shake of my head. “I’d probably still be back in Seattle without you and that brilliant mind of yours. You always saw the value in helping others, and now we can see that play out in front of our eyes.”
Beth placed her hand on my thigh, but that didn’t stop me from driving.
We were in no rush. We could stay out for dinner, if we wanted.
But her touch made me feel lighter than I had all day.
It reminded me of the love I felt and the home we were making together.
“I’m glad we’re doing this,” she whispered.
“Me too, honey.” We rode in a peaceful silence for the last few blocks before coming to the edge of the highway.
I stopped there, pulling over in front of the sand.
The afternoon light sparkled across the water as we looked out at the horizon.
Beth reached her hand over and laced her fingers into mine, giving my hand a little squeeze.
There wasn’t more to be said in the moment, so I let the peace of our presence wrap itself around me.
I knew that this would always be an important place for us, for me, and for the community.
We were growing something special, and we would continue to put down roots as we built a home for our family here in the coming years.
There were so many unknowns, and I had never been more comfortable with that than I was right now.
Because if I had Beth with me, I knew I would always be home.
And that was worth all the effort I had put in, the exhaustion, the change in my whole perspective.
“Let’s head down to the beach. We deserve a moment to just be.” She unbuckled her seatbelt, and I did the same, excited about just relaxing in this moment with my wife, no pressure and no worries.
Beth kicked off her shoes when we reached the sandy bluff overlooking the beach.
I did the same. The tide was coming in, but the water wouldn’t reach us yet as we walked through the wet sand together.
As I reached over and slipped my hand into my wife’s again, I could feel that she was relaxed, happy, and truly here. That was enough for me.
We had been through so much. And I could never take back the things that I had done wrong, but I had learned that there was a path back.
That was more important. So I savored this walk, listening to the sound of the waves as we went along the shore, hand in hand.
Everything was coming together as it should be.
It wasn’t a storybook ending or a fairy tale dream.
But it was our ending. It was real and imperfect, and it was mine.
And it was more beautiful than anything money could have bought.