Page 45 of Echoes of Eternity

“Yes.” She touched his hand and shook her head. “But I get it. You’re on this weird journey with losing your father. Like you said, I can’t go on it with you, but I believe we can get through this together, Ryan. Do you believe that?”

“In a way, yes.”

Lifting her eyebrows, she shook her head. “But . . . ?”

“But I feel like there’s some stuff, like with the grill and specifically with Linda, that I need to do to honor my father. I can’t base my decisions on how everyone around me feels.”

“Right. If you did that, you would’ve never left your dead-end job at the City of San Diego to start your own business doing websites.”

“Exactly.” Ryan nodded. “Everyone was telling me it was wrong to quit that job.”

“I agree. And my parents hated you when we were dating, so if I had listened to them . . .”

Ryan smiled. “Yeah. We wouldn’t have the life and three wonderful children we have together.”

He took her hand in his and looked at the house. “Let’s move forward from this. Can we do that?”

“Absolutely.”

As they stood hand in hand, Emily felt a mixture of emotions swirling within the depths of her soul. She loved her husband deeply, and their marriage had weathered many storms, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of uncertainty for the future. All that had transpired had stirred questions of whether or not they’d last.

“Ryan,” Emily began to say, her voice soft, but firm, “I want to move forward together, but I need something.”

‘What, Em?”

“Trust.” She lifted her eyebrows as she continued. “I need to know that you will be honest with me no matter what moving forward. No more hiding. And the long hours at the grill aren’t good for us either.”

“I promise.”

“Think before you answer, Ryan. It’s serious.”

He nodded. “I am, and I promise to consult you before I make any other decisions. And cut down on time at the grill.”

Relief washed over her. “Thank you. That means the world to me.”

As they stood for a moment in silence, the weight of the conversation thick in the air, Emily felt hope in the midst of her uncertainty. She had to trust her husband, and she felt somewhat confident that she could.

With a newfound resolve between the both of them, they turned and started toward the front door of the house. She was ready to tackle whatever obstacles life handed them next.

CHAPTER 12

Amonth had passed since Ryan had committed to Emily not to keep any more secrets from her and cut hours at the grill. He was out of his sling, and a new normal was settling in all around the Fitzgerald family. Emily had been enjoying the summer with her three children, but primarily, the boys. Elizabeth was often in her room and in her own world as a teenager. Playtime in the pool was almost a daily occurrence. Cedarwood Creek was becoming a home with each passing day, and she was finding herself a little more okay in every way.

On the morning of the Fourth of July, Emily was preparing to spend the day down at the Cedarwood Creek Grill. Ryan had come up with the idea to cook and give out free burgers and hot dogs to the citizens of the town. Emily loved the idea so much that she volunteered to help him. As she layered on sunscreen for Jack and Conner, Ryan walked into the kitchen.

“Do you know where I placed my keys? I need to go set up.”

“Coffee table in the living room, under the magazines.”

Stopping mid-stride, he smiled as he shook his head and looked at her. “How do you do that?”

“What?” She stood upright and looked over at him.

“Know where almost everything is at all times.”

Laughing, she shook her head. “Yet somehow, I can never find my ChapStick. Crazy, huh?”

He laughed and came over to her. Pulling her in with a hand against the small of her back, he kissed her. “I love you. Thanks for coming to the grill and hanging out with me today.”

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