I cupped his cheeks. “I do hate myself you know for always doubting you and I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’ll take it.”
“I love you and Kayden so much. You’re my whole life,” he said.
“I love you so much Alex and I trust you.”
He chuckled and angled his mouth over mine to kiss me. “Let’s go get our son.”
Epilogue
Alex
* * *
Six months later
* * *
“I think we should swap,” my father said after I’d given him a tour of the James Turner and Son LLP offices in town.
Rather than set up offices in Cleveland which was a good two hour drive away from Woodfield, an opportunity had arisen when the only attorney in town decided to close shop and retire to tour the world with his wife.
The location of his office was ideal. It was walking distance to the court house and home. Sometimes I went weeks without using my car unless Charlotte, Kayden and I were going out of town.
Business had quickly picked up and my father’s name brought clients from as far as Cleveland which worked out perfectly for me. I’d even brought in two lawyers fresh from law school and together with a secretary, there were four of us at the office.
There was enough work to keep us busy and I got to live the lifestyle that I wanted. Most importantly I had time to be with my son and to help my wife with her pursuits. Charlotte had resurrected her dreams of opening her own sandwich shop.
She was working part time at the diner and spending the rest of the time looking for the perfect location and working on recipes. Meanwhile, Kayden and I were enjoying being her tasting guinea pigs.
“You should be in New York and I should be here,” my father said and I got the feeling that he was not teasing.
I laughed but he had it wrong. Woodfield was where I belonged. I felt part of a community and I felt as if I was really helping people. I also liked the fact that I was establishing friendships with my clients. I could imagine decades from now, doing the same jobs for their children.
I liked the sense of community and who knew maybe Kayden would want to be a lawyer too, here in Woodfield or in New York. Or he could want to be a chef. Whatever he wanted to be in the future, I would be his biggest supporter.
“I like the slow pace,” he said when we left my office and went back to the street.
“Afternoon Alex,” Jonathan from the hardware store said as he went past. I’d worked on his parent’s estate after his father passed on.
I exchanged greetings with a few more people as we walked back home.
“See what I mean. Everyone knows you and vice versa,” my father said. “You made a good choice son.”
Life for me had never been about belonging to the right clubs and having the right circle of friends. Good people were found in all walks of life.
My mother and Chaz were seated on rocking chairs on the porch watching Kayden ride his brand-new bicycle that was a gift from his grandparents. It was a good thing that they were far away and only visited once every two months otherwise, they would spoil him rotten.
“Dad, Grandpa, look!” he said.
“You’re looking good, son,” I said, and my dad echoed my sentiments.
Kayden had brought out a softer, more relaxed and loving side to my parents and dismantled some of the preconceptions that could have lingered in their minds. My dad even played soccer with him. My amazement made Chaz laugh but she hadn’t known the kind of serious man my father had been when Mary and I were growing up.
Chaz was smiling but I could see her eyes behind the dark glasses she had been prescribed after the surgery on her eyes. They were a continuation of her treatment to try and bring up her vision from eighty percent to ninety. She could now drive and do everything a normal sighted person could.
“You’re right on time for lemonade,” Chaz said, getting up.
My mother stood up too. “I’ll help you,” she said and followed Chaz into the house.
I was proud of my mother and Chaz. Despite the terrible beginning they’d had, they had managed to patch things up and forge a relationship that was quickly turning into a real friendship.
We spent the afternoon hanging out together and just being a family. My parents were in Woodfield for three days before they left on Sunday.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this but I’m going to miss your parents,” Chaz said as we stood on the porch waving goodbye to them as they drove off in a cab, headed to the airport.
“They grow on you,” I said to Chaz. “And they love you and Kayden.”