Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 94609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 378(@250wpm)___ 315(@300wpm)
“She taught me what love is, Michael. It’s all that Willow is—love. And I have a strong feeling she got that trait from you.”
He smirked slightly as his eyes flashed with tears. “I never wanted much from life. I’m a simple man. I don’t care about much of anything, but there was always one thing I always prayed for.”
“What was that?”
“For my daughters to be okay.” He grinned my way and nodded once. “Thank you for helping Willow be okay.”
“She saved my life,” I confessed.
“You saved hers.” He sniffled slightly and cleared his throat. “I’m not gonna sit here and get too emotional. I’ll save that for later, but I wanted to say to you that not only do I get to watch my daughter reach her happily ever after today, but I also get to welcome in a new son. So thank you, son, for becoming a part of our family.”
I felt a sting at the back of my eyes. I laughed slightly and shook my head. “Wow…”
“What is it?” Michael asked.
“Nothing, nothing… It’s just…” I released a slow breath and shrugged. “I always wanted a father.”
Michael’s eyes glassed over and he patted me on the back. “And I always wanted a son.” He pulled me into a hug and held on tight. For a moment, it felt as if PaPa were hugging me. Because my grandfather used to hug in the same way—as if the embrace were the most important thing in the world.
“I know you had your struggles, Theo,” Michael said. “And I’m sure there’s still some chapters of your storybook that are too hard to speak of out loud, but just know that whenever you need a father figure, I’ll be around. Forever.”
“Forever?” I choked out, nerves building up inside me. “Don’t promise forever if you don’t mean it,” I semi-joked.
He squeezed my shoulder. “Forever, son.”
I blinked away the tears and brushed the back of my hand beneath my nose. “Forever, Dad.”
Michael Kingsley didn’t know it, but in that moment, he healed parts of the broken little boy who lived within me.
The wedding reception had just about everyone who lived in both Westin Lake and Honey Creek. Not due to me, of course. If I had it my way, our elopement would’ve been good enough. I never grew to love people as much as my wife loved people, but I loved my wife. So we had a people-packed wedding reception.
Harry Jr. was now walking, and including him in our wedding ceremony was so special. It felt like the greatest gift having him there. He was the living proof of what love could create.
That night, a million tears of joy were shed as we danced beneath the stars.
After socializing for hours, I found a moment to stand on the dock, staring at the calm lake before me. My hands fiddled with the cuffs Willow had given me years ago during PaPa and Grandma’s vow renewal ceremony.
The house and front of the property were packed with color and life. They’d probably be in there for hours, drinking, dancing, and celebrating love.
“Hi there,” a voice said, making me turn around to find my wife in her beautiful silk wedding dress.
My wife.
Mine. All mine.
She held Harry Jr. in her arms, and they were both smiling from ear to ear. The moment Harry Jr. saw me, he held his arms out in my direction, and I took hold of him. He snuggled himself against me, resting his head against the crook of my neck, and closed his eyes as he yawned. At that moment, my heart burst from an unexplainable level of peace.
My son.
Mine. All mine.
“It’s getting pretty rowdy in there,” Willow said as she curved into my side, too. I bent down and kissed her forehead. This was it. This was my home. We didn’t need a lot of stuff. We might not have been the richest based on our income, but we were rich in love.
That was my favorite kind of wealth. With Willow and Harry Jr., I was the richest man alive.
Willow gently combed Harry Jr.’s curly sandy-brown hair behind his ears. She was always so gentle with him. It was a gift to witness the way they interacted.
I smiled. “Willow?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you for being to him what my mother couldn’t be to me.”
Her eyes glassed over, and I saw her emotions flood her cheeks. She took my free hand with my wedding band on it into her hold, and she kissed it softly. “Forever,” she whispered.
“Forever,” I promised.
I stared out at the water, and I swore, I almost felt PaPa’s hand resting on my shoulder. I hoped he was watching from above. I hoped he knew I’d made it past the darkness and discovered the light.
I hoped he knew I was happy. I hoped he knew I wouldn’t be half the man I’d been if it wasn’t for his love during all my hard times. Everything I knew about love, I’d learned from my grandparents. It was the greatest gift that I was now able to share that same love with my wife and my son.