After All - Romancing Manhattan

“There’s Gabby, swooping in to get her,” I say. Gabby’s seventeen and completely in love with her little sisters. “Oh, look at that. Lucy just tossed her hair and cocked her hip the way Gabby does.”

“She’s mimicking everything Gabby does. She insists she needs a phone, so she can text like Gabby.”

“A handful for certain,” I say with a soft laugh. “She’ll keep us all on our toes.”

“I’m not ready for Gabby to be a senior in high school.” Nora’s voice is wistful. “She grew up too fast.”

“Children have a habit of doing that to us.”

Finn, Quinn, and Carter are in the water, helping all the babies swim, keeping an eye on everyone.

Quinn and Sienna’s little boy, Charlie, is three and not afraid of the water in the least.

He’s exactly like his father, that one.

And London and Finn’s boy, Harrison, is just a few months younger than Charlie, so they like to get into trouble together.

Yes, this brood of mine will keep me busy for years to come, and I’m happy for it.

“I can’t believe this is my first time here,” Nora says. “I guess we always just go down to Florida, but this is lovely, too.”

“Oh yes. So Finn owned the house to the left, and London’s family owned the house on the right. This small guesthouse, where we’re sitting, is new. Rather than sell one of the properties, Finn and London decided to have the property lines changed, so it’s one big property. They had the trees and fence removed between them, built this little house for me, or other guests, and now it’s just one big space for us to use. It took two years to finish it all, so this is the first summer for family vacations to Martha’s Vineyard. I hope we come every summer.”

“So it’s a compound,” Nora says in surprise. She slips on her sunglasses and sits back in her chair. “I feel like a Kennedy.”

“I suppose compound is the right word for it.” I shift the baby to my shoulder and lightly tap her little back. “Go out there and play with them,” I urge my sweet daughter-in-law. “Or go sit with Sienna and London and relax.”

“Are you sure?”

“Eliza and I are happy as clams. I’ll come find you when she’s hungry.”

“Well, then I won’t turn it down.” She stands but rather than leave the porch, she leans in to kiss my cheek. “Thank you, Maggie. I sure do love you.”

“I love you, too, dear.”

She smiles and walks off the porch. She exchanges words with Carter, who winks at his wife, and then she’s off with the other moms.

If you’d have asked me when I was young how I pictured living out my golden years, this would have been close to what my answer would be.

Surrounded by my family. Covered in grandchildren.

But I would have had my darling husband by my side, and my daughter would be healthy and whole.

I miss them both deeply. I long for them.

But if things hadn’t happened the way they did, I wouldn’t have this sweet babe in my arms, or Nora, the daughter of my heart.

My boys chose wisely when it came to their girls. They’re wonderful parents, smart women, and they keep my boys on their toes.

As it should be.