My answer is quick. “No. I wouldn’t have been okay.”
“Exactly. Because the woman I know and love will always aim for the top of the mountain, never settling for anything less.”
“I would have hated myself if I settled,” I say, affirming everything he’s been trying to drill into my head for the past week.
“I know, honey. You’re not a settler. Just like you’re not irresponsible, or overly hopeful, or reckless.” He pokes my chest, right where my heart is. “You’re Mallory Edwards. There’s no amount of bad luck that can bring you down because every situation has the opportunity of turning itself around. What do we call that?”
I roll my eyes, unable to keep my lips from reacting to his silliness. I never should have taught him this saying. “Fortunate misfortune.”
“Exactly,” he says, and I mimic his goofy grin.
It’s been hard to accept that betting on myself didn’t pay off. I wanted that internship more than anything and wasn’t going to let anything get in my way, but it didn’t work out.
In the words of Mama, shit happens.
There are so many good things in my life. Here I am, snuggled up with the man I love, attending the school of my dreams, and working toward being the person my dad needed on his medical team. I’m more comfortable with my diabetes management, constantly working to accept the bad days as easily as the good days. I’ve got one more year of soccer with my favorite ladies, and I plan on making every second count.
With Cade out of town for the last week, Kenneth and I have had the place to ourselves. Our days are spent under the warm sun and our nights filled with stolen kisses and captivating touches. It feels oddly domestic,Kenneth and I here at Lake Anita, doing everything and nothing together, but it feels right.
Things may not have worked out how I would’ve liked, but I’m thankful and grateful for the things I do have.
I kiss Kenneth slowly, reminding myself of these facts one more time before I stand and head into the kitchen to find the takeout menu. I’ve got pad Thai and spring rolls on the brain.
“Hey, can you open my backpack and take out the white envelope?”
He does as I ask, waving it in the air. “What is this?”
I pause outside the kitchen, wiggling my hips. “That’s how we’re paying for dinner. Courtesy of Dr. Martin for writing and reviewing those donation letters.”
Kenneth does a goofy little dance that matches mine. We love free food. I would say it’s a college-kid thing, but I think free food will make me happy no matter how old I am.
“Can I open it?” he asks.
“Sure!” I grab the menu from the drawer and scan it even though I already know what he wants, yellow curry with lamb. Pulling open my group message with the girls, I call out, “Also, Shay, Adri, and Jo are coming over to eat with us so—”
“Holy shit,” Kenneth chokes out, cutting me off.
“Wow. Must be a lot,” I laugh, dialing the number for Thai Garden to make our order. “How much money did he give me?”
One thing I don’t like about the house at Lake Anita is that I can’t see the living room from the kitchen, making it impossible to gauge Kenneth’s reaction. The longer he stays silent, the more I worry. For ten seconds, the only response is the wind rattling the chimes on the porch.
I step away from the counter and head back to him. “You’re scaring me. What is it?”
“It’s…” He pauses. “Come here, Ed. It’s not money. It’s a letter.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Mallory Edwards,
Type All will be up and running this summer. Clear Lake will be a safe place for kids living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. I aim to create a safe community for these kids, restore confidence in their abilities to care for themselves, and create a place people want to come back to summer after summer. That being said, I would like to extend an internship opportunity to you. Your life experience, tied with your passion for people, makes you special. I would love to have you on my team.
“What the…” I mumble, trailing off to reread from the beginning.
Kenneth waves a hand in front of my face, waking me from my trance. “What is it?”
I open my mouth to answer but nothing comes out, so I hand him the letter and start pacing. The worry lines in his forehead soften with every dart of his eyes. I’d bet anything Kenneth only reads until he sees the wordinternship, because at that moment his head shoots up, that pretty smile of his lighting his face.
In an instant, his hands grip the back of my knees and he lifts me up and starts spinning us in circles. I should stop him before we fall onto the coffee table and ruin the Lake Anita puzzle we’ve been working onfor the last two days, but I don’t because I’m too busy screaming to care about anything except what’s on that paper.
