Chapter 36
THIRTY-SIX
The cancer wasn’t back.
She’d waited for the news with her heart in her throat, but she hadn’t waited alone. Her friends came upstairs in quiet waves—two or three at a time—trading off chairs, bringing jokes, fuzzy socks, and tasty snacks. Somehow, none of them got kicked out. She suspected Stephanie had a quiet word with someone on the nursing staff.
When the doctor came in with the final report, it was just her, Waylon, and Steph. She would never forget the way Waylon sagged in his chair and covered his face, or how Steph pressed a hand to her chest and whispered, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
That night, Frankie lay in bed—sore, exhausted, and happier than she ever remembered being. She was still in remission. She was pregnant. And she was finally brave enough to believe both.
They didn’t want tell anyone right away. A post-chemo pregnancy was risky. But it had been over six months since her last treatment, and her doctors—after some thorough and repeated testing—were cautiously optimistic that everything was fine.
Right before Christmas, with the baby still a secret, they threw a housewarming party—more accurately, a penthouse-warming. They’d moved to the top-floor unit of Waylon’s building. Three bedrooms, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a balcony that overlooked the mountains beyond. The walls were still bare in places, but the furniture was warm and cozy, and the kitchen had already become the heart of the space.
Everyone came. Gina brought champagne. Elias brought ribs. Ellie sat with her feet up while Bear passed out her homemade fudge. The living room glowed in late-afternoon sunlight, laughter and warmth filling every corner. Frankie stood by the window, one hand resting on her still-flat stomach. Her heart thumped loud enough to drown out the voices around her. They were about to tell everyone the news.
Waylon came up beside her, his expression soft. “You ready?”
She nodded.
“Okay. But before you do that—I’ve got something to say.”
Her brow furrowed. “Oh?”
He turned toward the room. “Hey! Can I get everyone’s attention for a second?”
Conversations quieted. Heads turned.
Frankie felt a wave of heat sweep through her, nerves lighting up.
“Frankie and I have something to share,” Waylon said, his voice clear and steady. “But before we do… I need to take care of something first.”
And then—he dropped to one knee.
Her eyes welled with tears before he even said a word.
Waylon looked up at her, his voice thick. “You’re my Adventure Buddy, my Pixie, my home. I don’t know what’s coming next, but I want to face every adventure with you.”
Frankie’s heart slammed against her ribs.
Ben stepped forward and handed Waylon a small black box. Frankie heard Wren, Ellie, and Rochelle gasp when they saw it. Frankie knew exactly why—Ben had created their wedding rings, and they were stunning. Waylon thanked Ben, who only nodded and stepped back .
Waylon opened the box. Inside, two rings lay on black velvet.
Frankie gasped as she looked closely. One was carved with anchors, the other with tiny earbuds. From the expression on Waylon’s face, she knew it was the first time he’d seen the rings, too.
“So, will you marry me?”
“Yes. Of course, yes .” Frankie dropped to her knees, laughing through her tears as she threw her arms around him.
The living room erupted with cheers. Someone popped a cork. Waylon slipped the earbud ring onto her finger and pressed his forehead to hers.
“I’m all yours, Buddy,” she whispered.
“I’ll always have your back, Buddy,” he said.
She laughed again, kissed him hard, and then stood with him. Waylon lifted his hand and their friends quieted again. He looked down at Frankie and nodded.
“There’s one more thing,” she said, unable to stop grinning. “We’re going to have a baby.”
A beat of stunned silence.
Then the room exploded.
Laughter. Tears. Shouts of congratulations.
And in the center of it all, Waylon wrapped his arms around Frankie and held her like she was the most precious thing in the world. Frankie looked around the sunlit room—their friends, their family, their new home—and felt joy settle deep in her chest. They’d trusted fate, weathered storms, survived dark days.
Now came the light.