Chapter 24
LIV
The first couple of months of dating Caleb Stone go by in a flash. Between his tough schedule with the Stallions, my baking, and Daisy’s therapies, it seems like we’re busy just about every minute. But those things keeping us occupied are also making us happy.
When we find extra time, I love spending it with Daisy.
She’s becoming a good baker’s assistant, helping me add ingredients and stirring the batter, especially if she gets to lick the spatula at the end.
Sometimes we play music and dance while we bake.
And we’ve been working on her flashcards together too.
She’s so eager to learn, and it always makes my day.
Caleb and I have made a habit of enjoying a cup of tea together on his balcony every night after Daisy’s bedtime. It feels so good to be a team, cheering on each other’s wins and commiserating when one of us has a challenging week.
Going back up to my own place to sleep is usually the saddest part of my day. I can’t help but imagine what it would be like to be married and never have to leave.
But then I walk in the door to my own apartment and find my two best friends there, excited to tell me everything going on in their lives, and grilling me about how everything is going in mine.
It’s a good life, and I feel lucky every single day.
By Thanksgiving, the hockey season is in full swing and I’m amazed and impressed when Caleb decides that he’s hosting a dinner.
When he was in Philly, they always played on the holiday, so this is his first Thanksgiving off in a long time, and he wants to take advantage.
I offered to help about a million times, but he knows I had a ton of cupcake orders for the holiday. Turns out that the tiny turkey cupcakes I made are a huge hit. Now I’m making them for parties and gift baskets as well as the games, plus my standing order at the diner.
It was hard to say goodbye to the waitressing job, but as Caleb predicted, Robert told me he would happily have me back anytime. I’ve already filled in once or twice when someone called out. And the rest of the time I get to see everyone whenever I drop off cupcakes.
I always bring an extra as a gift for Mr. Russo. Last week I tucked an invitation to join us here for Thanksgiving into the box with it. I’m hoping he’ll come by.
I’m busy, but not too busy to make a few pies for the big day, and I bring them down an hour before the party is supposed to start. I know Caleb’s mom has Daisy for the day, but I figure with all the cooking, he won’t have had time to clean the place.
I’m happily surprised when I arrive and find that the apartment looks and smells heavenly. A couple of guys from the team are already here, dusting, vacuuming, and doing dishes.
“Hey, Cupcakes,” Sokolov says, looking up from his feather duster to grin at me. “What’s in the bag?”
“Pies,” I tell him. “Three different kinds.”
“I can see why he loves you,” Sokolov says, winking.
I laugh and head for the kitchen, where my gorgeous boyfriend is pulling the turkey out of the oven.
“Wow,” I say. “That looks incredible.”
And it really does, I’m not just encouraging him. But that’s not really a big surprise—Caleb Stone is a perfectionist, whether it’s on the ice, as a boyfriend, or in the kitchen.
“Not half as incredible as my girl,” Caleb says, his blue eyes flashing to me.
“Some of the guys are already here,” I say, placing the pies on the counter.
“They offered to help when I invited them,” he says with a shrug, like it’s no big deal.
But I know it means a lot to them. A lot of the guys on the team aren’t from around here, and some of them have no place to go for Thanksgiving.
That was one of the main reasons Caleb wanted to host something today, so that everyone would have somewhere they would feel welcome.
And that’s exactly the kind of thing Caleb Stone thinks of and does these days.
If I ever wonder if he’s still the ice prince from high school, I only have to look as far as the way he behaves every day to find evidence of the kindness that defines his life now.
He loves nothing more than to give me credit for his transformation, but I know it’s really Daisy who woke him up and changed him all the way to his core. I just gave him a little direction.
“What?” he asks, and I realize I’m just standing here smiling like a fool.
“I’m just happy,” I tell him.
“Me too,” he says, heading over to wrap his arms around me.
And that’s how we’re standing when Hailey and Tessa rush in with a big bowl of salad and a jug of apple cider from a local farm.
“You two,” Hailey says, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.
But I can see from her smile how happy she is for us.
“Your parents are outside,” Tessa tells me.
That has me letting go of Caleb and rushing out of the apartment to find them.
Mom and Dad told me that they’d be here today, but it seems like their old RV is always breaking down and they never get to where they think they will on time. It will be so great to see them now.
When I step outside, Mom is already heading up the sidewalk with a bouquet of flowers and Dad is following her, carrying a cardboard box.
“Hi,” I practically squeal, rushing to meet them.
Mom squeals too and pulls me close, while Dad puts the box down and wraps his arms around us both.
“Good to see you, chipmunk,” Mom says. “How’s your baking going?”
“It’s great, Mom,” I tell her. “How’s the RV?”
“Don’t get your dad started,” she says, shaking her head. “We can talk about vehicular troubles another day. For now, we just want to meet your new beau in person.”
“He seems like a very nice young man, Olivia,” my dad says with a serious look.
“He is,” I’m proud to say. He’s changed a lot and so have I. There’s no need to dwell on the past.
Two hours later, the apartment is full, dinner is finished, and we’re all relaxing around the tables and counters. Daisy is next to my mom, tracing turkey hands onto the back of the paper where Mom had Caleb jot down his stuffing recipe.
Daisy learned how to draw turkeys that way at preschool, along with a lot of other fun crafts.
Being with a group of children her age every day has her extra motivated to do things like walking longer distances, playing, and speaking.
She still uses sign language for things, but her speech therapist is very proud of how much Daisy is using spoken language these days too, even though it’s hard.
She even sings us the songs they learn at school.
I think the most meaningful part of all this is that Daisy spends her days in a regular preschool classroom and the teachers and children include her in everything.
Watching her face the challenges of keeping up with a smile on her beautiful face has been inspiring for me, maybe even healing, in ways I never could have imagined.
Her sheer bravery and force of will make me so proud of her that it hurts sometimes.
Meanwhile, I think Caleb can say that his Thanksgiving dinner was a huge success. We all said what we were thankful for and then ate until we were absolutely stuffed with delicious food while we shared stories and hopes for the coming year.
And as I look around the big table now, and the living room coffee table, and the kitchen counter, where friends and family are all squeezed in, I can’t help feeling a sense of peace.
Whatever is going on in the outside world, everyone in this apartment is on the same team.
Mr. Russo did come after all. He and Miss Edie are sitting on the love seat, sipping mugs of apple cider and chatting away like they’re already the best of friends.
The other two Hall sisters are making the rounds, as if they’re the real hostesses of this party.
And since it’s their house, I guess they are.
Even Caleb’s parents seem less stiff than usual today. His mom is deep in conversation with Tessa.
Meanwhile, his dad is talking passionately with Sokolov about hockey.
He’s been coming around about me, I think.
Once he realized that Caleb’s choice to stay here was all his own, he let down his guard a little.
I hope Mr. Stone finds other things to live for, beyond his son’s hockey career.
The world has so many wonderful things to offer and we only get one lifetime to enjoy them.
“Olivia,” Caleb says. “There’s something Daisy and I were hoping to ask you. Want to join us on the balcony?”
That’s a little weird, since we’re celebrating Thanksgiving with our families. I wonder why he doesn’t just wait until later, but I would never deny this man anything, so I nod and he asks Daisy to join us.
At first she protests, but he whispers something to her and she gets this big smile on her face and slides right off her chair.
The next thing I know, she’s got her little hand wrapped around mine and we’re heading out to the balcony.
Late fall has a bite to it now. There was frost on the windows this morning, and I know winter is right around the corner.
But the air is fresh from this morning’s light rain and the browns, reds, and grays of Hall House’s autumn lawn are brighter than usual. Daisy and I look out at it together—like two princesses surveying our kingdom.
“Olivia,” Caleb says.
When I turn back to him, he’s down on one knee.
Our friends and family are all staring at us through the French doors, expressions of joy on their faces.
Is this real?
“Olivia, I love you,” he says.
“I lovey,” Daisy adds, holding up her fingers in the I love you sign.
“You make our lives happier,” Caleb continues. “And you make us feel strong.”
“Strong,” Daisy says, holding her two fists up with a big grin on her face.
“You’re a team player,” Caleb says, as Daisy giggles and makes the sign for playing. “And we can’t imagine our lives without you. We know it hasn’t been very long, but we’re very sure about you.”
I’m trying so hard not to cry now, and Daisy is lolling against me a little, which only makes me feel more sentimental.
“You can say maybe later,” Caleb tells me softly. “Or you can even say no, if it’s really not what you want. But we just had to ask, because having you here with us every single day is all we could ever want. Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” I whisper, afraid my voice will break if I try to use it.
“Yes?” he asks, his eyes lighting up.
“Yes, please,” I tell him.
The next thing I know, he’s sliding a ring onto my finger and I’m laughing as Daisy hugs me and Caleb stands to pull us both into his embrace.
“Yes,” Daisy says happily as I pick her up and hold her on my hip so I can look right into her eyes. “Mama.”
And that right there is all it takes to have the tears pouring from my eyes and sliding down my cheeks.
“Sad?” she asks worriedly, pulling one hand down in front of her eyes and cheeks. “Mama sad?”
“I’m not even a little bit sad,” I promise her, smiling through my tears. “Sometimes when a grownup is very, very, very happy, they cry. And that’s what’s happening to me. I’m so happy I’m crying.”
That seems to satisfy Daisy because she smiles again and laughs a little too.
And then we’re all hugging each other all over again, and the doors are opening and all the people who care about us are spilling out to congratulate us.
Daisy wiggles to get down and runs to my mom again as the guys from the team come up and shake Caleb’s hand.
“You’re getting married?” Hailey asks, looking sort of amazed.
“Why not?” I ask her.
“I guess no reason,” she replies, shaking her head. “No reason at all. You guys are honestly perfect together.”
“If you want help organizing, we’re your girls,” Tessa says, grabbing my hand with excitement.
More and more people are coming up to hug us and shake Caleb’s hand and offer their help with flowers, with food, with whatever. It turns out that we’ve got quite a village rooting for us.
Miss Helene yells from the kitchen to see who wants coffee and dessert and everyone heeds her call, trailing back inside until it’s just the two of us standing out on the balcony.
Me and my fiancé.
“If it was too much pressure with everyone here, we can have a very long engagement,” he offers, pulling me close. “Years, if you want.”
I would protest, but I can see by his smiling eyes that he’s only teasing. Somehow, he knows how badly I wanted this.
And I know how badly he wants it from the haze of hunger in his beautiful eyes.
“What if it wasn’t enough pressure?” I ask, teasing him right back.
“Then I’d take you to the justice of the peace first thing Monday morning,” he says eagerly.
“How about something in between?” I offer. “A small wedding, with our friends and family, and Daisy can be the flower girl? And enough time for Tessa to plan it, since that’s her favorite thing?”
“That sounds perfect,” he tells me, his eyes never leaving mine.
He’s still holding my hands, his thumb rubbing the ring on my finger like he wants to be sure I’m really wearing it.
“This is forever, Olivia,” he says. “I want to do it right.”
And though we have plenty of challenges ahead of us, I know in my heart that the three of us really are going to live happily ever after.
He bends to kiss me and happiness floods my chest. I close my eyes and memorize this moment—the moment when our life together begins.
***
Thanks for reading The Ugly Stick!