“Mom, are you okay with us naming our daughter Sadie? I don’t want to make you upset…”
“Oh no, I’m really happy.” Mom nods emphatically. “I love it. I think it’s really sweet. Sadie would love it. You know what she was like… she would absolutely adore having a baby named after her. Especially her niece.”
“I know that you’re right.” I nod slowly. “Actually, Mom, there is something else I want to talk to you about before Jill comes back.” I lean to see that she isn’t back yet which is good because I don’t want the surprise to be ruined. “I have been thinking about asking Jill to marry me. What do you think?”
“About time,” Mom practically explodes. “My God, I have been waiting for you to ask her to marry you forever. This is the best news, Garrett. I’m so excited. When are you going to do it? Are you going to do it now? Ooh, I’m so excited…”
“I don’t know yet,” I chuckle back.
“Well, don’t take too long.” She rubs her hands together, clearly thrilled about this. “I can’t wait to start planning a wedding. It’s about time that this family had a positive event to look forward to.”
God, now isn’t that the truth? I can’t wait, but I think that I need to wait until the time is right. We have been through so much, it would be nice to do things right.
But Jill returns before I can give my mom a definitive answer, which simply leaves me stewing over it in my head. Thinking about the different ways that I could ask this woman to marry me, and I have to admit that I find myself a little excited. Every time Jill smiles at me, I get a little more excited about this huge next step in our relationship. Finally, something to look forward to.
Chapter 29 – Jill
Months Later – 2020
“I can’t believe that this is your last day at work,” Sam declares as he hands me a slice of cake. “And, when you come back you will have a baby!”
Thankfully, me and Sam are good friends now. We finally had a conversation about him asking me out for a drink, and I explained the history that me and Garrett have, and he took a step back. He was okay and we have developed a friendship ever since.
“I know, it’s wild, isn’t it?” I run my hands over my very swollen belly. “But I can’t stay any longer or I might end up giving birth in the middle of the office. I don’t want you guys to deliver my child.”
“Oh, definitely not.” He screws up his face in horror. “Sorry, but I can’t do that.”
We laugh and chat for a bit longer. Not just me and Sam but a bunch of other people from the accounting department. What started as a temp job at Aqua Emporium to help out my father, has become a permanent home for myself. I have friends here, I have a job that I love, it’s a home that I didn’t know I needed. At last.
But it isn’t just my home. It’s Garrett’s as well. He comes into the office to join the little party with me. His arm loops around my shoulder and he holds on to me tightly.
There are a few speeches made about me, mostly just silly ones that have me bent over laughing, and we all cheers to my child who should be here within the next couple of weeks. I will be back after my maternity leave, but for now I am about to start the next chapter of my life, and I can’t wait.
“Are you ready to go home?” Garrett asks me quietly as he takes my hand, but I shake my head no.
“Not yet. I just want to go and see Sadie first.” I chew down on my bottom lip. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Of course not.” He understands. Sometimes we go and see Sadie together, and sometimes we go alone. We have a great understanding about what we need when it comes to our grief. Grief that we are now managing. “You do whatever you need to. I’ll see you at home.”
He kisses me lightly on the lips before heading to his car and leaving me to go see my best friend. I have to admit that there is a heaviness to my chest as I drive to the cemetery. I always feel this way but as soon as I walk away after seeing her, I feel a lot better.
“God, it takes me forever to come and see you now, Sadie,” I tease as I finally get there. “I’m so fat that I can hardly make it out here. But since you’re so important to me, I waddle.” I let out a little laugh, trying to imagine her laughing with me. “Baby Sadie will be here soon so you will get to see her as well. I can’t wait for you to meet her…”