48 Marley
Marley
Three months later
“Happy birthday to you!”
Marley bounced Beckham up and down on her lap as the two dozen people crowded around the table joyously finished their song.
Beckham, who had just recently learned to clap, smacked his hands together and giggled.
Marley and Marshall leaned forward to blow out the one candle on the giant cake Lily had brought with her, and the guests cheered.
It was a beautiful fall day. The leaves on the trees dotting Marley’s backyard were a riot of color, and the air had just the slightest nip of cold in it.
The guests had come in jeans and cozy sweaters, toting brightly wrapped gifts for Beckham and bottles of wine to congratulate Marley and Marshall on the adoption becoming official.
Marley’s heart was so full it could burst.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming!” Marshall announced. “This has been a trial of a year. We’ve lost people we love, and there’s nothing that can erase the pain of that.”
He paused and looked at his parents, who had flown in that morning from Boston, and then Hazel, who stood holding Thomas with her arm draped over Olivia’s shoulder, Ben having passed out inside on the couch.
Marley glanced at Suzy and Lily and Sean.
Lily had her arm around Suzy, who was quietly crying.
She seemed to always be quietly crying these days, but Marley knew she was seeing a therapist and hoped that one day she’d accept the fact that what had happened to Juliet had been an accident.
Wintour trotted around the guests’ legs in a bejeweled party hat, looking for crumbs.
“But we honor them today by celebrating the life of this beautiful boy,” Marley said, reaching over to gently cup Beckham’s head. “Life does go on. So let’s raise a glass.”
They all did. Everyone except for Hazel, who had her hands full.
Or maybe because it was still difficult for her to celebrate Beckham.
Josh had ordered a DNA test even before they had scattered Juliet’s ashes.
Beckham had, in fact, turned out to be Lincoln’s child.
Without blinking, it seemed, Josh had waived parental rights and disappeared to Singapore to head up Blue Dragon’s A&R department there.
Marley and Marshall’s adoption of his nephew had gone quickly and smoothly, due not in small part to Marshall’s connections in the state’s family welfare department.
It had taken Hazel a while to accept any invitation from Marley, and this was the first time she’d shown up at their place.
Marley took it as a good sign that she’d brought the kids.
In her mind, Hazel had saved Marshall’s life that day, and she now had a friend for life in Marley.
“To Lincoln.”
“To Lincoln!” the group responded.
“And to Juliet.”
“To Juliet,” Marley whispered in Beckham’s ear as the rest of the group mimicked Marshall.
“And to this little guy, whom they brought into this world.” Marshall looked up at the bright-blue autumn sky, and Marley did the same. “We promise to look out for him and love him and cherish him. Forever,” he said. Then he lifted his glass higher. “Cheers.”
The guests clinked glasses, and there were some murmured “Cheers” and applause. It was muted, the joy tempered by the sadness.
“Let’s eat cake!” Marley called out, her throat full.
Marshall tugged the candle out and pushed the cake toward Beckham.
The boy clasped his little hands in front of him as his eyes went wide.
Marley dipped a finger in the icing and brought it to her mouth, making a little mmmmm sound as Beckham watched with interest. Then Marshall did the same.
Finally, Beckham reached out and slammed his palm into the cake, then shoved his whole fist in his mouth.
Cameras were raised, and everyone laughed.
From the corner of her eye, Marley saw Lily and Suzy chatting with Hazel.
While Lily had, in fact, inherited everything from Lincoln and taken a controlling stake in Home Team Hotels, she had given Hazel the Villa, and Hazel had turned around and sold it for $20 million plus.
When Marley had asked her why she’d done such a thing for her mortal enemy, Lily had lifted her shoulders and said, “Lincoln loved her, and it cost me nothing.”
It was a lovely thing for her to do, but as far as Marley knew, the whole transaction had been done through lawyers. This was the first time she’d ever seen the two women actually speak to each other.
I guess miracles really can happen, Marley thought as she cuddled Beckham closer.
The whole day felt like a new beginning.
We can’t change the past. All we can do is move forward.
“Family photo!” Marley’s mother called, lifting her phone at the other end of the table.
Marshall pulled a chair around and sat down next to Marley. They held hands under the table as they smiled for the camera. It wasn’t what Marley expected, and it wasn’t how she would have wanted to come by it, but it was real. Their little family.