Chapter 35 #2
“I wasn’t happy with myself about that either, sir. I’m lucky that Isabelle has a forgiving heart and was willing to accept my apology for being an arse.”
He harrumphs and crosses his arms over his big belly.
“I do hope you’re remembering your manners, Joe Asher.”
An older woman leans against an open doorway. Silver blonde curls are gathered on top of her head, little spirals falling around her face, and familiar blue eyes. I can see Isabelle in her features, but I’ve seen her somewhere else as well.
Jennie shares the same whimsical style as her daughter—light blue jeans paired with fluffy, hot pink flip-flops and big purple daisy earrings dangling from her ears.
“Hello, Gage,” she says gently once she reaches me and pulls me in for a hug.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs Asher. Thank you for having me over.”
“It’s Jennie. Please. And we were thrilled when Izzy asked if you could join family breakfast. We’ve heard so much about you.” Jennie moves to stand with her husband, instantly tucking herself under his arm.
Isabelle rejoins me at my side, staring up at me with a smile.
A clatter erupts in the room next door, followed by a young guy’s voice. “Everything’s fine.”
“I leave them for two minutes.” Jennie sighs. “Come on, time to introduce you to the rest of the family.”
Isabelle’s parents lead the way, and Joe shoots a narrowed glare over his shoulder when his wife can’t see.
“Dad.” Isabelle’s warning makes his eyes flare at being caught, and he quickens his steps ahead of us.
When we make it to the kitchen, two guys are hovering over the stove. While two women, both with blonde curls, sit at the island bench.
One swivels around in her chair, holding a toddler on her lap. Her hair is in little pigtails, with pink ribbons tied around them, wild ringlets sticking up in every direction.
“Is this the famous Gage?” the woman with the baby asks.
“Yes.” Isabelle wraps her hands around my bicep. “This is Gage. Grim, these are my sisters, Madeline and Chelsea. And this little munchkin,” she steps away to tickle the baby’s stomach, earning her squeals of delight, “is Wren.”
“The one over there flipping pancakes is my husband, Evan.” Chelsea points to a guy with dark hair.
He waves at me with a spatula in his hand. “I’d shake your hand, but the boss is watching. I can’t leave my station.” Jennie smacks his back playfully.
“And this is Madeline’s husband, Jacob.”
She points to a guy I recognise with red hair, hovering over a toaster.
“Jacob Caine.” I nod. He’s a footy player for the Heart City Hurricanes, one of our state's football teams.
“Gage Heart. It’s nice to finally meet you. Isabelle’s told us nothing but good things.”
“Debatable.” Her dad coughs under his breath.
Jacob looks over at Joe, back at me, then surveys the room. “Is it happening? Am I no longer the least favourite?”
“We love you all equally,” Jennie says.
“I get bonus points for producing the first grandchild, though, right?” Jacob leans down to her.
Madeline raises a hand. “Ah, I produced the first grandchild.”
“Yeah, but my involvement made it way more enjoyable.” He bobs his eyebrows at his wife, the amusement dying on his face when he sees Joe’s unimpressed scowl. “It’s comments like that that keep me on the bottom, isn’t it?”
Isabelle looks over at me. I can tell she’s wondering if now’s the right time to bring up our news. I think I’m going to pass out.
“Hold that thought, Jake.” Isabelle joins me again, wrapping one hand around my lower back while the other rests over my heart. “We have some news of our own.”
“Oh my goodness.” Jennie’s hands fly to her cheeks as she looks between us.
“Gage and I have not only been blessed to find each other, but we had a scan the other day, which confirmed we’re expecting.”
God, she couldn’t be more perfect.
Jennie, Madeline, and Chelsea rush over to us at once, trading hugs and kisses on the cheek. Isabelle’s mum squeezes me just that little bit tighter before she lets go, pulling back with a hand to my cheek.
“Congrats, man.” Jacob reaches around Jennie to shake my hand.
“Thanks.” I nod. “It was a surprise, but as Iz said, a blessing.”
“It’s like nothing you could ever prepare yourself for.
” He slaps my shoulder before he turns, grinning as he scoops his daughter up and blows a raspberry against her cheek.
Wren laughs and nuzzles into her dad, and it fills me with something unfamiliar.
A weightless kind of anticipation, but a good kind.
“I’m happy for you both.” Evan smiles as he comes to stand behind Chelsea. “We love being Aunt and Uncle, so another baby to dote on is very exciting.”
Chelsea leans back against her husband’s chest with a content smile as she nods her agreement.
“This is such wonderful news,” Jennie says, reaching for one of Isabelle’s hands. “I don’t want to assume, but inviting Gage over this morning, does this mean you’ll be raising the baby as a couple?”
Isabelle slides a hand around my back, carefully avoiding the crutch still wedged under my arm and snuggles into me. “I’m pretty confident he likes me enough to keep me around.”
I drop a kiss on her head, making her look up at me. I take her in, her blue eyes like the colour of sapphires, her dimples that pop when she smiles, the freckles on the bridge of her nose.
“We couldn’t be happier for you both. Isn’t that right, Joe?”
Isabelle’s dad has been notably silent since our announcement. I take a deep breath, readying myself for what reaction might be waiting, but when I look up, all I see is a man fighting back tears.
“My little girl,” he whispers.
Isabelle told me her dad isn’t her birth father, but he came into her life when she was young.
He’s the only dad she’s ever known, and the one who has earned the title.
Watching as Joe hugs Isabelle as if she’s his own flesh and blood makes me consider the power of love.
The way it grows from unexpected places at a rate you can’t control or define.
It’s something to appreciate if you’re lucky enough to feel it, and even more if it’s bestowed upon you.
Love can’t be narrowed down to one thing.
It’s commitment, trust, passion. It’s vulnerable, intimate, and dedicated.
I suppose that’s why people call some connections the love of a lifetime.
It’s something so profound and enduring that you know nothing else will compare.
It’s exciting to feel like you’ve found it, and terrifying to imagine losing it.
But after everything I’ve been through, I know living without Isabelle’s love would be a far greater loss.
“Let’s get this food on the table before it goes cold, shall we?” Jennie asks, wiping under her eye.
Everyone starts gathering plates of food and leading them through an open doorway on the other side of the kitchen.
“Can I do anything?” I ask Isabelle’s mum. I’m not sure what I can manage with my crutches, but I hate not being helpful.
Jennie waits until everyone disappears from the room before turning to me.
“I saw you the other night. At group therapy.” She tilts her head, waiting.
“Yes, ma’am.” I nod. Recalling she was the woman who spoke of finding love after she had every reason not to put her faith in another person like that.
“I’ve seen you around Life Vine plenty of times. I know what you do for the organisation. But that’s the first time I’ve seen you at that particular meeting.”
“My healing has always been led by other things in the past.” Grief. Guilt.
“And now?”
Now, it’s still there. I still grieve for my friend, but the ache of missing him doesn’t feel as colossal as it used to. So unbearable.
“Now I’ve found something stronger than my pain.
Someone I want to be better for. Someone who showed me that life can hurt and feel unfair, but if I move through with my eyes and heart shut, I’m gonna miss all the good things.
I don’t want to miss the good things. Especially when the best one is her. ”