Chapter 17 Some Time Later
CINDY
“Hi Mom,” I knelt down next to her grave, holding my baby bundled up in a blanket in my arms. “Meet Finn Thomas Lee, your newest grandson.”
I continued the conversation in my head.
“It’s been a while, I know, and I have so much to tell you.
On a pretty fall day in October, I became Mrs. Cindy Hale-Lee.
Rosebud was our little beauty queen and flower girl dressed in a gown to match mine.
Ryan and I said our vows, which we wrote for each other, under a beautiful white gazebo with our family and friends all gathered to witness.
I know you and Dad were both there in spirit; I could feel you.
Even Trudy, who arrived on the arm of the handsome new doctor, a recent addition to town, was happy as could be. We all met him and like him and wish her the best. She and I have even become sort of friends again. I guess.
Marcie and Megan just had their babies last summer, and they’re both pregnant.
Again. That’s number two for Marcie, number four for Meg, in case you have trouble keeping track.
Kevin told Meg one of them had better get fixed soon, but she won’t hear of it, threatening not to stop until she beats your record, Mom.
Our family tree just keeps growing, but we’re all happy.
Gabby finished school and agreed with me that we’d call this her gap year. I let her work at the tattoo parlor, and in exchange she’s taking a couple of online college courses and exploring art school possibilities, so we’ll see how that turns out.
I’m worried a little about Daphne. She’s as quiet and introverted as ever.
But she has a solid friend group at school and is trying to figure out what college she might attend.
She just started working over at the Delfino horse stables, and seems to really enjoy it.
I stopped by one day with Finn and watched her with the horses.
There’s something about them that brings out her light.
I’ll keep you posted about her.
It turned out I didn’t have to sacrifice my career aspirations to live in a small town after all.
Thanks to Ryan bolstering my courage, I reached out to my contacts at the Stephenson company and stole the contract away from James.
Now I work for them from home, in Glendale Falls, in our family farmhouse, designing beautiful things.
It’s the best of both worlds, work I love in the home I love.
And Mom, you should see the farmhouse. We bought it back from the Kerrigan’s and Ryan and I have it fixed up real nice and will keep on taking good care of it.
Of course, my husband still does too much for everyone around town, but he has slowed down a little more these days to make me, Rose, and our little baby boy, Finn, his main priorities.
He’s a good father, too. The best. My favorites are Sunday mornings, when he lets me sleep in.
But with all the noise he makes in the kitchen whipping up pancakes with Rose, with Finn looking on, I hardly get any extra sleep.
But I don’t mind, because I’m in love with him, with my kids, with my life.
And that’s all that matters, right Mom?”
Finn woke up and started fussing. Looking into his sweet face, I couldn’t imagine any greater love than this—with Ryan and Finn and Rose—and I knew I’d do anything for their happiness.
I’d also worry about them for the rest of my life.
And that must have been how Mom felt, too, when she knew she was leaving this Earth.
As a mother now, I finally understood my mother perfectly.
“Well, Finn is fussing for a feeding, so I’d better get him inside. But I’ll stop by again soon with more updates. Love you, Mom. We all do, and we miss you, too.”