Maybe I should’ve insisted he take me to his property while we were out there. But every time I asked, he refused. He said he’d never step foot on his homestead again. I know it haunts him, and selling it to someone else is likely his best chance at closure. Still, he’s tied to that land. It was his home with Mia, where she gave birth to Evie. A place of love, family, peace, and connection. I can only imagine how hard it is for him to finally let go. To say goodbye once and for all. To leave his past behind.
My phone vibrates, and I startle. “Adam?”
“I’m here.”
“Did Roxy and Justin make it okay?”
“Yes. They’re good. They made it to Bali.”
It sounds like he’s driving on the highway. I can hear the whirring sounds of tires and the thrum of an engine. “Are you driving somewhere?” My eyes sting, and my throat tightens.
“Yes. I don’t want to fly. I need Molly with me, so I’m driving the van. It’ll take two days to reach the West Coast.”
“You already left?” I’m stunned. Disbelief hits, then a wave of astonishment at how he could leave so suddenly without even saying goodbye.
“I know this is unexpected, and it might not make sense. I just… I need…” He trails off, and I gently step in.
“You need to go home.”
He doesn’t answer right away, the silence speaking for him. “Yes. For the closing. I want to get this done as soon as humanly possible. And then I’ll be back. I promise.”
Panic rises in my voice, desperate. “Why can’t I come? I can pack in ten minutes. Pick me up at my office. With two drivers, we’ll get there faster.” I know he’s likely already headed west, out of Georgia.
The silence stretches between us, heavy and uncomfortable, like a rubber band about to break as my desperation grows with each passing second.
“I’ve got Molly with me. She’ll keep me company.”
“Molly…” A quiet hurt settles in my chest as I realize he’s chosen his dog over me.
“Trust me, it’s better this way. You wouldn’t want to be with me right now. I know you don’t understand. But I need one last look. I need some time. I’m sorry I couldn’t do this with you at the wedding.”
“You’re right, I don’t understand. I don’t know why you’d go alone. Roxy isn’t even there for support. I won’t bug you. I’ll be there every step. I love you, Adam.”
I hear him sigh. “I know you’re disappointed. But I need to do this alone. And I’m sorry I haven’t talked much about my past. That’s on me.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not. I can hardly put into words how awful and painful this whole experience has been. I used to have a pretty normal life. We went to bed one night with our whole future ahead of us. Woke up the next day and everything I loved was obliterated by sunset.”
“Oh, Adam.”
“Imagine that memory playing in your head, every day, for life. Gosh, Keri. I wish you could’ve known them. Mia was one of the good ones. She was so caring. She was an amazing wife and mother, and a high school math teacher who made a difference. I miss her every day. I miss my amazing daughter, Evie. Precocious, yes, but also so sweet, loving, and funny.”
Tears spill onto my cheeks as I listen to Adam talk, his voice cracking with emotion. My chest aches, feeling both hope for his openness and anxiety for his vulnerable state. He’s never shared this much before. It’s a turning point for him. Still, worry gnaws at me about him driving thousands of miles alone, unfocused, with no one to care for him—no one like me.
“I prayed and hoped and wished every single day for a long time that it didn’t happen. That the fires didn’t take everything from me. But they did. I can’t undo it, and I can’t change it.”
“I know,” I whisper.
“I’ll never be the same. This unrelenting grief is love left with nowhere to go. I miss my family every day. But you know that.” He sniffles. “Please, don’t worry. I’ll be okay.”
“You’re a strong man, Adam. I know you can do it.”
“I hate that you have to see me at my lowest, especially after such highs.”
“As I said, I’m here for you. Whatever you need.”
“Thank you. Thank you for your patience and for listening. For understanding.”
