Fortuity (Transcend 3)

I grunt a laugh because he’s trying to tell me that she planned on charging him interest. That’s funny and I wouldn’t expect less of my smarty pants little girl. However, the whole situation doesn’t feel so funny. I liked it when I thought he came on his own free will. And I know Gracelyn found it quite amazing.

“Well … now you’ve told someone. Why?”

“It doesn’t feel right to keep the money. I’m going to give it all back.”

I wrap my arm around him and kiss the side of his head. “You’re a good kid. Morgan is going to expect that interest on the money, but I’ll pay it for you if you give me the money and let me be the one to return it to her. Deal?”

“Is she going to be in trouble?”

“I doubt it.” I stand. “Go wash up. It’s under your mattress?”

He nods.

“I’ll get it.”

“Thanks for not being mad.”

I turn. “We’re good. Us guys have to stick together.”

The pain vanishes from his face, and he smiles.

Sure enough, there are thirty-one hundred dollar bills under his mattress bound with a rubber band. I take them and sneak down the hall to Morgan’s room as Gabe talks to Gracelyn about what we should have for dinner.

I knock on her door.

“Come in.”

“Hey. Whatcha doing?”

She shows me her folders. “Going through some stuff from last school year. Did you show Gabe how to change a tire?”

“I did. And he gave me something to give you.”

“What?” She swivels in her desk chair.

“This.” I toss the money on her bed.

Her eyes open to double their capacity as her jaw drops.

I wait for her. She stares at the money for a good ten seconds. “Don’t be mad,” she whispers.

“Why, Morgan? Why would you give him every penny you own? Eight years of money your grandparents saved for you. Help me understand.”

She lifts her shoulders as her gaze sweeps across my face briefly before fixing to something out her window. “I wanted them to move here. I wanted to be a big sister.”

I sit on the end of her bed. “That must have been a big disappointment when I told you she wasn’t pregnant.”

“Yeah, but …”

“You wanted the money back, didn’t you?”

She shakes her head and looks at me with slightly narrowed eyes like my question is crazy. “No. I wanted the baby, but …”

“But?”

She sighs and looks at me with a soft smile. “I read a story about love. The character in the book said you can’t buy a happily ever after … you can’t buy love. But I could. For three thousand dollars I bought you and Gracelyn a happily-ever-after.”

Oh … my … fucking … heart …

This girl.

I open my mouth to respond, but I choke and close it. She stands and steps between my legs, pressing her hands to my cheeks. “Are you going to cry? You don’t cry.”

I blink to keep my emotions in check. “Sometimes I cry.” Covering her hands with mine, I smile. “It’s complicated.”

EPILOGUE

Eighteen months later.

“Daaad! Yes! Woot! Woot!” Morgan jumps up and down. “That’s two! He’s scored two times!”

We cheer Nate on as he plays a game in his men’s hockey league. I’m concerned … he’s not a young guy anymore. But damn … I sure like to watch him play because he’s so good.

For an old guy.

Gabe shoves his face with popcorn and watches half the time while playing a game on his phone the other half.

“Hey! Foul!” I stand when an asshole from the other team checks my husband into the boards.

Nate shoves him back. Then two other guys join in as the ref and a few sensible teammates try to break it up. Once it’s broken up, Nate looks up at me. I blow him a kiss.

After the game, we grab pizza and head home because it’s late and it’s already past their bedtime.

“No dillydallying. School tomorrow,” I say after we eat.

“Fine.” Gabe and Morgan grumble in unison as they take Joby and Fritzy (Morgan’s cat) to their rooms.

Nate starts to help me clean up.

“I’ve got it. You need a shower.”

“I stink?”

I hold up my fingers an inch apart.

“Fine.” He mimics the kids and skulks toward our bedroom.

A few minutes later, I pick up pet toys, fold a few blankets, and stare at the photos on the walls. The photos from our backyard wedding always bring joy to my heart—Morgan in a pink dress as my maid of honor and Gabe in a gray suit and pink tie as Nate’s best man. We were surrounded by family and close friends, including Mr. Hans. The kids devoured cake as music serenaded us under strings of outdoor lights stretched like a spiderweb over the celebration.

“XO” by Keywest played when Nate took my hand and pulled me into his arms for our first dance.

“Elvis …”

I grinned.

“Lover …”