Emerson was emotional, her eyes watering slightly here and there. Her arm was hooked through mine, and sometimes she rested her cheek on my shoulder, squeezing me tightly like her parents weren’t there to watch.
Some people in the stands turned to look at me like they knew exactly who I was. I wore a ball cap and sunglasses to hide my appearance as much as possible because I didn’t want the day to be about my minor celebrity.
But word traveled fast in a crowd.
Her mom was a little cold at first, but she quickly warmed up when she saw how happy her daughter was.
How happy I made her.
When the ceremony was over, we moved with the crowd until we made it to the field and located Lizzie. She was talking to her friends, her robe unzipped to reveal the lime-green dress she wore underneath. When she saw her mom, her eyes lit up and she walked over to give her a hug, wearing heels on the grass and handling them well.
Emerson hugged her tightly and held on for a long time.
I pulled out my phone and snapped a picture since neither of them noticed. It was a candid picture, capturing the heart of the moment so well. I liked it so much that I made it the picture on my home screen.
Then her grandparents came over, and hugs were shared all around.
I became the photographer, taking their picture on my phone.
Emerson’s mother and father left the frame, and her father took my phone out of my hand. “Get in there, Derek.”
I smiled then joined them, standing on the other side of Lizzie, placing my arm around her shoulders. The three of us took a couple pictures.
“Can I have some with just Derek?” Lizzie asked.
Emerson smiled then stepped away.
My eyes softened as I stood there with her, looking down at her with pride.
When we were finished, Lizzie walked over to her mother. “Mom, do you have it?”
Emerson opened her purse and pulled out a small present in a gift bag. It was blue with blue tissue paper. Lizzie came over to me and held it out.
I stared at it blankly, unsure what was happening. “Is that for me?”
“Yeah.”
“I think I’m the one who’s supposed to give you presents, Liz.” I took the bag from her but didn’t open it.
She smiled. “Just open it, Derek.”
I gave her a suspicious look before I parted the handles, removed the tissue paper, and lifted the white mug. My eyes read the black print across the surface. World’s Best Teacher. I stared at it for a long time, and slowly, my eyes watered, picturing a memory I hadn’t witnessed—the two of them in the store at Christmastime—because I’d left. But she still wanted to give it to me, thought I still deserved it and I was still a part of this family. I got them back, I got this moment that I thought I’d lost, and that made me so grateful to be there that very second…to get another chance.
I lowered the mug and looked at her, knowing my eyes were wet and no amount of blinking would fix it. “Thanks, Liz.”
Her eyes were wet too as she moved into my chest and hugged me.
I hugged her back, and this time, I wasn’t sure if I could ever let go.
The next day, we drove up to my parents’ cabin.
The weather was beautiful, with lots of warmth and sunshine, and it allowed them to see this magical place during my favorite time of the year. The trees were green and visible without the piles of snow on top, there were pinecones on the ground, and the surface of the lake shimmered with the sunshine.
“This place looks totally different.” Lizzie looked at the lake from the patio, seeing the water move under the sunlight, the tall trees that hugged the cove. She pointed up into the sky. “Look, there’s an eagle.”
“I think it’s a hawk.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in real life before.”
“There’s a lot of wildlife out here.”
She looked down to the pier. “Is that your boat?”
“Yeah. My dad and I go fishing whenever we make trips out here. Ever fish?”
She shook her head.
“I can teach you if you want.”
“I don’t know… I feel bad catching them and eating them.”
“My father and I always throw them back.”
“Oh, okay. I can do that.”
“Cool. We’ll go in the morning. That’s when they’re most active.”
Emerson stepped out of the back door and joined us. “Wow, it’s really beautiful here, isn’t it?”
“Yeah.” Lizzie continued to look at the lake. “Derek and I are going fishing in the morning.”
“Really?” Emerson stood beside her and placed her arm around her shoulders. “You don’t strike me as the fishing type.”
She shrugged. “Derek does it with his dad, so I thought I’d try.”
“You’re welcome to come along,” I said. “The boat is big enough.”