Reaching across the gearshift, I grasp her hand and link our fingers. “I'm going to live long enough to see them graduate, Jennifer. To walk my daughter down the aisle. To meet my grandkids. That's the life I choose.”
She's crying now, happy tears. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I take a deep breath. “And I’m grateful. Grateful my body forced me to stop before it was too late, and beyond grateful I ended up here, meeting you.” I turn to face her as we pull up to our cabin. “Several weeks ago, I was dying. Now I'm learning how to live.”
“We're learning,” she corrects. “Together.”
“Together.”
We exit the vehicle and stand gazing up at the cabin and the lake in the background.
“What do you think happens next?” Jennifer asks.
“We officially re-open the resort in a month. We make it amazing. We build a home together and we figure out this partnership thing.” I pull her close. “We live. We really, truly live.”
She sighs. “Sounds perfect.”
“It will be. We'll make sure of it.”
I cup her face and gaze at the woman I adore and think about everything. The collapse that forced me here. The doctor's ultimatum. Jennifer finding my pills. The health scare that nearly killed me and Jennifer walking away when I couldn't choose.
Every painful moment led to this. To us. To this life that's better than anything I could have planned or controlled.
“Seth?” Jennifer whispers against my mouth.
“Yes?”
“Thank you for choosing me.”
“Thank you for making me choose.” I kiss her as the sun begins to lower. “Best decision I ever made.”
When we pull apart, we head into the cabin, hand in hand, ready for whatever comes next.
Ready for our life.
EPILOGUE
SIX YEARS LATER
JENNIFER
“Mama, look what I built!”
I look up from the resort booking system to see my four-year-old son Owen standing in the doorway of my home office, holding up a precarious tower of blocks, his light blue eyes- so much like his father's- shining with pride.
“That's amazing, honey. Is it taller than you?”
“Almost!” He runs off before I can say anything else, the tower of blocks tumbling to the floor as he goes.
I save my work and stand, stretching. I've been at the computer for two hours, finalizing the schedule for next month's wellness retreat. Two hours is the most I’ll do at a stretch, and if I should happen to forget, my husband is right there reminding me that there are no workaholics allowed in our house.
With a smile, I go off in search of my family.
I find Seth on the living room floor with Owen and our two-month-old Emma. Seth's doing tummy time with Emma while Owen crashes his truck into the tower of blocks he apparently rebuilt, making explosion noises.
I lean against the doorframe, watching my husband with our children. He's in jeans and a rumpled T-shirt, his dark hair goingsilver at the temples, and he looks absolutely exhausted and happy.
