Page 94 of That One Heartbreak

“No, honey. None of us do.”

“So none of you will die, right?”

Kate glanced up, her eyes meeting Shana’s.

“Everybody dies eventually, honey. But none of us are planning to do it anytime soon.”

Addy nodded solemnly. “Okay. Can I go watch my cartoons now?”

“Sure.” Kate hugged her one last time, before Addy ran back into the living room, closely followed by Ethan. It was less than asecond later that she heard the television change over, and Addy let out a howl.

“Oh God,” Kate squeezed her eyes shut. “You can pull out of this if you want to. I wouldn’t blame you.”

“And miss out on this domestic bliss?” Shana asked her, grinning. “No way. Now get out of here. Have a good time. And I want all the gory details when you get back.”

James was sitting on the front step when Kate walked out, pulling the door closed behind her. She sat down next to him, marveling again at how tall he was. He’d gone up a size this year in clothes, and he was still growing. She felt tiny sitting next to him.

“Did you remember your toothbrush?” she asked him.

He rolled his eyes. “Of course. Did you remember yours?”

She bumped his arm with her shoulder. “Yes.”

“I’m okay about you and Marley, you know?”

She let out a long breath. She’d talked to him a few nights ago, when she’d told him that she and Marley would be driving him to camp, before asking him not to tell Addy and Ethan until she thought they were ready.

He’d nodded and she’d asked if he had any questions and he’d just shook his head.

“You know it doesn’t change anything, right?” she said to him. “You and Ethan will always be my number one guys.”

A smile pulled at his lips. “I’m kinda glad, to be honest. If I do go to college it’ll be easier to leave knowing you’ll have somebody to take care of you.”

His words made her heart do a little twist. “I can take care of myself,” she reminded him.

“Yeah, I know that. But it’s better if you don’t need to. Just like me. I know I’m growing up and leaving home, but it’s always easier knowing you’re here.” His eyes met hers. “I’m so glad you’re my mom.”

Now she was going to cry. “It’s the biggest privilege of my life,” she told him. “I’m so proud of you.”

She pulled him close, hugging his oversize body to hers. Her head fit perfectly in his shoulder.

“Uh, Mom?”

“Yes?”

“Marley’s here. We need to go.”

She looked up, and sure enough his truck was pulling into the driveway. James pulled out of her grasp and she wiped away the stray tear that had spilled over with the tip of her finger.

“Your dad would be proud of you, too,” she told him.

James nodded, his gaze catching hers. “He’d be proud of you, too, Mom,” he said softly. “For everything that you are.”

And wasn’t that just a way to start her crying all over again?

“Hey, Hartson, I didn’t know you were teaching this year.”

Marley turned to see one of the firefighters he knew from DC walking toward him. Craig was in full gear, his helmet in his hands. They’d arrived on campus twenty minutes ago, and he’d dropped Kate and James off at the induction center before parking his truck. He’d been walking over to join them when he’d heard his name being called.

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