41. Mason
Chapter forty-one
I step back from the ladder, admiring my new tyre swing.
“It’s perfect,” Callie calls from the front porch. She’s got Navie on her hip, and her mum beside her watching with a smile.
“Hey, Trouble.” I join them, taking the steps two at a time, before stealing Navie from her. “What did you think, Elena?”
“It’s beautiful, Mason.” Elena looks between Callie and me.
Everything has come together better than I could’ve imagined. Callie was right when she said that many happy memories could be made here, and they all started when she walked through this house with me.
“It’s all thanks to Callie,” I say, smiling as I lean in for a kiss.
Navie squeals in protest, her new favourite thing to do whenever I kiss Callie. My little girl gets jealous, and I love it. I lean down, pressing kisses to Navie’s soft cheek, and she laughs.
Callie sinks into her shoulders, brushing away the compliment. “I just did my best to help.”
“But you love it?” I ask, just to be sure.
“I do.” She smiles.
“Are you sleeping here yet?” Elena asks, wandering over to the windows that peer into the backyard.
“Tomorrow should be our first night. The new bed will be delivered sometime today, and then it’s just a matter of getting the rest of my clothes over and all of Callie and Navie’s things,” I say.
“Our things?” Callie sputters. “You want me to move in with you?”
“Have I not actually asked you that out loud?” I tip my head in thought. “Huh. Guess I just always pictured you here.”
“Ask now,” Elena coughs under her breath as she passes behind me.
I chuckle, wrapping an arm around Callie’s lower back. “Callie baby, will you please move in with me?”
“Are you sure it’s not too soon?” she whispers. “It’s me and Navie, and we’ve not been together that long.”
“It’s not too soon for me. I want you both with me all the time, but I can wait if it’s too soon for you.”
Callie chews her lip, staring at my chest as she thinks. Her fingers play with the button on my shirt until she looks up at me with her stunning blue eyes. “I’m ready.”
It feels like too many things are happening in my body at once. My stomach drops and simultaneously leaps, my toes tingle, my heart feels as though it could burst through the skin. “Really?”
Callie nods, and I lean down to kiss her, mindful that her mum is still here, so I keep it short… I’ll show her how happy I am later.
“You two have certainly inspired me to look for my own place when I get back home. I’d love to find something to make all my own.”
“That sounds like a great idea, Mum.” Callie places her hand on top of her mum’s, giving her a reassuring squeeze.
My phone chimes in my back pocket. An email notification fills the screen from the private investigator with the subject line: Case Complete.
“Oh shit!” I say, hurrying to unlock my phone.
“What?” Callie gasps.
“The private investigator just emailed me.”
Callie had already filled her mum in on the letters over the last few weeks that they’ve been reconnecting. Everyone we know is invested in the story at this point.
I take a deep breath before I start reading aloud.
“Dear Mr Heart, I’m happy to report that both identities of the subjects in question, Florence Hill and Greyson Williams, surname formerly unknown, have now been confirmed.
Please find attached a detailed report of their histories and current living relatives, should you wish to return the found artifacts to their family.
” I stop to catch Callie’s wide eyes. “Their living relatives …”
Callie waves her hands, urging me to continue, so I download the report, eyes scanning the highlighted tables, so I can give them both the cliffnotes.
“Florence Mary Hill was married to Greyson Edward Williams in 1899.” They got their happily ever after.
“They had three children. Two sons, Otto Eugene Williams and George Edward Williams, and a daughter, Alice Lillian Williams.” Callie leans into me as my eyes trail through the report, taking in each name and relationship listed.
The list goes from a great-grandson, to three great-great-grandchildren, and six more of the next generation of kids around mine and Callie’s age.
“They got their happily ever after,” Callie says on a choked breath, tears streaming down her cheeks.
I take her hand in mine, kissing her knuckles. “We both did.”