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I didn’t do enough of that, and I’ve got to now or I’m going to wind up a miserable fucking bastard.

As the song goes on, I can’t disagree when the guy sings that if a man could be in two places at one time, he’d be with her. I’d be with Nia right now if she’d let me. And every day thereafter.

For the rest of our forevers.

It’s hours before my painting takes shape. Once I realize what this image needs to be, I can’t swipe my brush across the canvas fast enough. The good part? I’m centered. I see so clearly what I need to do and say. I may not win Nia back, but if I convey everything pouring from my soul, at least I’ll know I gave us my all.

And I’ll have empty decades in front of me to correct my fatal flaw: relying too much on logic and not listening enough to my heart.

When I’m finally done, my shoulder aches. I’m so tired my head feels stuffed with cotton. My eyes are gritty. But as I stand back and survey my work, a grin breaks across my face. I’m back—alert and present—but I’m changed, thanks to Nia. I’m reborn. I’m better for having loved her.

No matter what happens next, I’ll always be thankful to her for that.

I leave the canvas to climb back into bed for a couple of hours. When I wake at noon, I start dialing people, calling in favors, and even begging strangers until everything is in place.

Finally, evening unfurls when the delivery truck I hired pulls up in front of Nia’s cottage. I’m relieved to see her car here and the lights on.

“You got everything, man?” the driver asks as I lift the unwieldy rectangular bundle I brought for her, wrapped in plain brown paper.

“Yep. Thanks for letting me hitch a ride with you…what was your name again?”

“Garth. It’s no problem.”

“Here’s the five hundred bucks I promised you.” I withdraw the cash from my pocket. “I hope you don’t lose your job over this.”

“Nah. It’s the end of my shift, and it wasn’t even half a mile off my route. If anyone asks, I’ll say I took a wrong turn.” He glances down at the cash. “But, um…you could keep that if you’d look at my résumé.”

“Your résumé?”

“I know who you are, Mr. Cook. And I don’t want to drive a delivery truck for the rest of my life. I’m a coder. Self-taught, but I’m damn good. And I used to break into systems for fun, just to see if I could. So I can think like a hacker. I’ve written some pretty complicated viruses, too. Not that I ever unleashed them on anyone.”

He reminds me of myself a half dozen years ago. Normally, I don’t look at anyone without significant work experience, but my gut tells me I’d be passing up someone valuable.

“Take the money and email me your résumé, Garth. I’ll take a look as soon as I can.” With a grin, he hands me a pencil, and I jot my personal email address on the back of the envelope.

As I press the bundle of cash into his hands, his eyes widen. “Wow. Thanks! And hey, I hope this girl lets you in. You seem really into her. When I first heard your plan—before I knew who you were—I was thinking you’re a crazy bastard to be so hung up on one chick…”

“She’s worth it.”

Garth, who’s barely legal to drink, doesn’t get it yet.

“Sure. Good luck,” he says with a wave as I hop off the truck. “I’ll be in touch. You sure you don’t want me to come back and take you to your car?”

“I parked two blocks down the road, but thanks.”

As I nod at him, I position the package in front of my face and head up Nia’s walk. If she’s looking out the window, she’ll see nothing but a giant delivery. I never imagined I’d be making a plea to my wife not to leave me forever while wearing a brown uniform. But if that’s what it takes, I’ll do it.

My heart jerks and hammers as I ring her bell. It kicks up another notch when she opens the door between us. I can’t see her, but I sense her, smell her. It’s like coming home. Like my heart is awakening from a dark slumber. I have to exercise all my restraint not to grab her in my arms.

“Oh, my gosh,” she exclaims. “Is this for me?”

“Yes. I’ve got more, too.” I muffle my voice.

“Okay. It’s kinda big. You want to set it in the foyer?”

“Sure.”

By mutual agreement, now that I’m inside Nia’s cottage, I hear Garth drive off in a screech of tires.