As she took the last few steps toward her rough-hewn dressing room, she imagined this family of hers around a vibrant table, laughing and passing plates of food, sharing secrets and the random bits of their days. It was a happiness that, even in her darkest moments, had never left her. And now, tonight, Tilley vowed that, like the character she had just played, she would look for those special, happy moments, always. She would find the silver lining. Her secrets were out. She was free.
She opened the door and, standing beside the table where hundreds of dancers and actors and singers who had taken this stage had signed their name, sitting underneath the mirror surrounded by large light bulbs—one of which was blinking, another of which was burned out—was George. Her George, she thought of him already.
She placed the lilies on the table, and George handed her a giant bouquet of roses, quite appropriate for the theater, Tilley thought.
“I am so sorry, my darling,” George said. “My flight was delayed, and I was a little late, but from what I did see, you lit up Cape Carolina in a way that everyone will be talking about for years to come. Nay, decades.”
Tilley smiled. She was too old for grudges. She was too happy to be mad. This was too new for her to have any expectations. “George,” she said. “If we are really going to give this thing a go, there are some things you should know.” She took a deep breath, prepared to tell him the truth about Robbie. Tilley was fond of George. She found him attractive and interesting. But she was finished with secrets.
George put his hand up. “Tilley, we are no spring chickens. I will have my secrets; you will have yours. We can share what we feel we must to make us happy, but I don’t need to know anything at all about you except that I find you positively intoxicating.”
Tilley was so swept up in the adrenaline of the stage, the pure joy of Robbie’s forgiveness, and the thrill of hearing a man she liked say these words to her, that she practically lost her head. Not like in the old days, not like she used to. No, this was something quite different. Throwing caution to the wind, she wrapped her arms around George and kissed him squarely on the mouth. A zip of electricity passed through her as he held her in his arms. It had been decades since Tilley had been kissed, years since George had done any kissing of his own. But it wasn’t awkward or strained.
“Tilley,” George said, “I’ve been thinking it’s high time I got some life back into my life.” Tilley smiled, as he was referring to a line from the play. “And I can’t imagine doing that with anyone but you.”
George took Tilley’s hand and spun her around like they were dancing.
“Let’s go get some life back into our lives, George,” Tilley said.
He put his arm around her, and Tilley knew that she had gotten a standing ovation only a few minutes earlier. But this moment, right now, walking out of the theater with her George, meant more to her than any standing ovation ever could.
MASONCheerleaders
This family dinner table had been the constant in my life. This table—and the people around it—were proof positive that I was loved unconditionally, that, whether I had just thrown the winning pitch for States or was trailing in hungover after a night of regret and bad decisions, my family had my back. They might not have always beenhappyabout my choices. But they were here. Always. No matter what. I wrapped my arm around Daisy’s waist as we walked through the door. Because she hadn’t always gotten that.
She smiled up at me. But then her face changed. “I wish she was here.”
I nodded. “I miss her too.” I cleared my throat. “But see, I think Maisy was a lesson for us.”
“A lesson?”
“Yeah. Because she taught me that being a father is something I really want. I didn’t know that before her. And I think I’d be pretty good at it.”
“Reallygood at it,” Daisy said.
I turned and squeezed her arms. “I know this feels impossible. But, Daisy, I swear I think there are only good things coming for us.”I cleared my throat. “It won’t be the same without Maisy, but maybe she was supposed to bring us together, you know? Maybe that was the big purpose of all this.”
Daisy smiled and, for the first time tonight, I felt like it was a real smile. “Maybe it was.”
“Daisy!” Amelia trilled, running through the house toward us. She wrapped her in a hug. “You’re back!”
She shook her head sadly. “No. I’m just here to tell you all goodbye.”
Amelia’s eyes widened as the rest of the family trailed into the dining room.
I shot her a look. “She’s kidding.”
“What woman could resist a declaration of love on a stage like that?” Daisy asked, grinning up at me.
“I sure couldn’t,” Amelia said.
I thought of my family, of Emily and Sarah and Drew and all the kids I was going to be leaving behind. Something inside began to ache. But I reminded myself, this wasn’t forever. And I’d have a whole new crop of kids to mold and shape. It shocked me how much I was going to miss being a part of the high school environment.
Daisy looked at me, and I winked at her. “Is it time?” I asked.
“I think so,” she said.
So, I turned and, facing into the dining room, said, “Family and family-adjacent people, we have an announcement.”
