Page 84 of Mended Hearts

She holds it out, and the idea of trashing it crosses my mind, but I decide to open it to appease her curiosity. I begin reading and instantly regret opening it. This must be some sort of sick joke or a scam. I read it again closely, analyzing all the details, credentials, signatures, and embellishments that make it appear to be official.

“Well?” Echo stands up and makes her way to me.

“Umm.” I swallow. “I’ve been nominated,” I say with disbelief.

“Nominated for what?”

I look up, my eyes meeting hers. “A Purple Heart award.”

“HEAR YE, HEAR ye,” Dax’s friend and former copilot, Peterson, says, walking up with a solo cup in hand as we all sit around the bonfire in Dax and Lynsie’s backyard.

I shake my head and laugh. We all do. Even Zack laughs a bit at himself, knowing he’s a clown. I can only imagine the type of hell he stirred up when he was a youngster. As he stands, I remember the story Dax told me about the suicide birds that almost took them out. He said how Peterson isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the more you fight to not like him, the more likely he’llwin you over. Dax also mentioned how Peterson doesn’t really have any family, so he made it his mission to take him in. And because of that, I’m willing to do the same.

“All right, guys. Simmer down.” He motions with his hands. His face turns somber as we all sit around the bonfire and quiet down. All of our parents are here: mine and Dax’s, Lincoln’s, Lynsie’s, and Echo’s. It’s such a surreal feeling to be able to have us all together. It’s a feeling I never knew existed. I had always thought that if Echo and I were to ever exist as one, we’d be on our own little planet together. But here we are, the center of our own personal universe.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I wrap my arm around my girl and pull her into me. Then I place my right hand on her belly. “Have you thought of a name for our princess yet, momma?”

The moment I laid eyes on this woman, I never thought it’d be possible for her to look more beautiful, but then she told me she loved me for the first time. Then she told me she was still in love with me after thirteen years apart. Then she agreed to be my wife. But now, she’s carrying our daughter, and I couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight to see. She just keeps proving me wrong.

She looks over and nods, biting her lip to contain her grin. “Yes. I’m really liking Desa Rose.” I thought nothing would compare to the way she looked as she walked up to home plate to become my wife, and then this little bundle of joy happened. And the bigger and bigger she grows, the more beautiful she becomes.

She doesn’t agree. But it’s not up for debate.

“Then Desa Rose it is.” I grab her hand and bring it to my lips, loving that she wants to keep with the D R initials.

“Three years ago, we lost an amazing man. Lincoln was truly a mentor, and he put up with my ass. It might not seem like it,but that day forever changed my life. Not to mention the second time when Dax saved my ass.” Peterson continues, “I don’t have much in terms of family, and I’ve never been good at making friends.” He pauses.

I want to yell out something smartass-ish, but he’s actually being serious, and I don’t want to ruin the mood. Tonight is about Lincoln, and even though I didn’t know him as well as I should have, everyone here loved him, and knowing the hearts that these people I’m surrounded by have, tells me how great he was.

“I just want to thank you guys for always welcoming me with open arms. It truly means a lot.” Peterson takes a seat next to Dax, who wraps his arm around him and pulls him in for a side hug.

Dax hands his cup over to Lynsie before standing and runs his hands down the front of his shorts before reaching into his pocket to pull out a piece of folded paper. “I kind of feel like this is my memorial to him. I know I can talk to him wherever I am, and he’ll hear me. I know he’d love us all being gathered around in his memory. He’d probably think we were crazy and say we should find something better to do, but deep down he’d love the idea of all his loved ones being together, and knowing he was the one to unite us is what would make him happy.” He sniffles and wipes at his face.

I do the same.

“I wrote another poem for my best friend. And instead of only sharing it with him, I want to share it with him and his loved ones.”

He clears his throat and then begins.

“Lincoln, man, it’s been three years.

So much has happened since, but there will always be tears.

They’re happy ones now, remembering what we all had.

I will always be the best I can be to make you proud.

But when it comes to being the best, I can only hope it’s at being a dad.

Blu Skye’s a beauty, that’s a given.

She’s the best sissy ever to her baby brother, always so loving.

Jett Fox is what we named him, bringing your stuffed airplane to existence.

The things we come up with to keep your memory consistent.

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