Rachel just gave me a gift I didn’t know to ask for. Now, with her in my arms, the scent of the two of us lingering in the air, I’m whole. There’s still a gaping hole where my parents used to be, but for now, this has got to be enough.
It will be more than enough.
Chapter 43
Rachel
Two months later
“Here, let me get that for you.”
I stop struggling in vain against the heavy box I’m trying to lift and step aside, letting Karan handle it for me. It’s a box of books, and it’s one of the last remaining boxes in the condo before we truly empty the place out.
I watch, entranced at the sight of his forearms bulging as he grips the heavy box and lifts it without breaking a sweat. My bear of a husband. I love him so much that it sometimes still scares me.
In the background, the sounds of Cayce, Corey, Gwen, and Heather running across the empty condo echo through the rooms. They’ve never had this much fun in this place, despite all their toys being at the new house already. It’s crazy how much a child can make out of nothing—in this case, a whole lot of space.
The condo sold at a price I hadn’t dared dream of. What was more difficult was finding a house just as quickly. There were tons of homes for sale along the South Shore, but they’d get snatched up so fast we barely had time to think.
But in the end, we found it. The place we hope will be our forever home. I hadn’t ever dreamed of owning a house—a house, with a yard, imagine that—and when I walked inside, everything immediately felt right.
It’s a small bungalow with a brick facade, a finished basement, three bedrooms, and a simple backyard complete with a patio, located in the heart of beautiful Chambly. It’s nearly half the price of what we sold the condo for. Living off the island will be a change of pace, but not necessarily an unwelcome one.
I’ve already got a job lined up when we’re done with the move. And we’re a five-minute drive away from the coworking space Karan will use to start his own indie game studio.
“The only boxes left are book boxes,” I tell Karan, letting a harsh breath go through my nose. “I can’t let you do all the work.”
“You can, and you will.” Karan winks at me before heading towards the door.
“He’s not doing all the work,” Will chimes as he walks into the living room and proceeds to pick up another box. “Besides, you and Sophie said you were fixing dinner, right?”
“I still can’t believe you don’t want to just do beer and pizza, like normal people,” Sophie exclaims when she joins us in the room, little Julian in her arms like usual.
“With a kitchen like that?”
I picture the wide counter spaces, huge island counter, and top-of-the-line stovetop and oven waiting for me in our new house. The old couple who owned the place included them in the price of the house because they’re headed to a retirement home.
“No way we’re ordering food. I’m christening that kitchen first thing when we get there.”
“I think you’re grossly overestimating the energy you’ll have when we get to that point,” Sophie laughs.
I’m about to retort something when my phone rings. I grab it from my pocket and freeze when I see the name flash across the screen.
Martine.
“You good?” Sophie asks, inching closer to me.
I can’t breathe.
The past two months have been nothing short of harrowing. Although I managed to convince Karan to make the big move and chase his dreams, he’s been understandably melancholic for large stretches of time. We’re undertaking the most exciting project of our lives, and his parents, the people he looks up to the most, aren’t in our lives to witness it.
A thousand questions battle for attention in my head.
Why is she calling?
Why is she callingme?
Should I expect more insults? Or begging?
