Page 122 of Love You Madly

“Yeah, it was,” I agree, standing with her. “Kids, huh?”

She nods, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Kids. They keep you on your toes, that’s for sure.”

As we sit back down together on the couch, the laughter fading into a comfortable silence, I can’t help but think that moments like this—unexpected, sweet, and more than a little chaotic—are exactly what I’ve been missing. And now, with Callie and our kids, I have everything I’ve ever wanted.

“I meant what I said, Callie. I love you madly. I’ve known it since before I met you. I think it was solidified when I lost that goddamn phone. My heart ached for you.”

“Ditto,” she says simply, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on my lips. She feels like home, like everything I’ve ever wanted and more than I ever could have hoped for.

“I never told you this before but when I was married to Sabrina, I started having these dreams about a woman that wasn’t her.” Explaining this to her is either going to make herthink I’m insane, or it’s going to solidify the fact that this–Callie and me–is meant to be.

Callie stares at me, unsure what to say, so I take a deep breath and continue explaining. “She had long brown hair and these brilliant green eyes.” Callie’s lips turn up in a smile. “She started showing up in my dreams the night before I married Sabrina. And I spent years dreaming about her until one day not too long ago, it all clicked. She was you, Callie. You are the literal girl of my dreams. When I say I knew I loved you before I met you, it’s not just some cheesy lyric from a Savage Garden song. It’s true.”

She looks at me, nearly speechless and I don’t think I’ve ever quite seen that from her. After a long moment, she speaks. “Owen, I love you too,” she says, placing a soft kiss on my lips.

“I started falling for you from the moment you asked me what my five favorite bands were, and I haven’t stopped falling since. I fall more in love with you every day, and I know that’s never going to stop. You are everything that I’ve been chasing after my whole life. I always knew that there had to be something more out there for me. And it’s you. It’s you and it’s Barrett. It’s all of us together. I love this little family we’re building. And I know it’s fast. I know it’s crazy. But I also know I’ve never felt this way before. I’ve always wanted to feel it but I never truly have.”

“So,” she continues, tears welling in her eyes, trying to break free, “if you’ll have me–if you’ll accept all of my crazy, all of my weird, all of me–then I can promise you that I will love you every second of every day. In this lifetime and the next. I’ll choose you every time. I just need you to promise that I’ll always be enough for you.”

Her words almost hurt as I can feel the pain from her past breaking her within the last few words. “Baby, I promise. I will never stop. You are enough. You’re it for me. Today. Tomorrow.Every day from here on out. You’re stuck with me,” I say, grabbing her cheeks and placing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I love you, Callie Madden. You will forever be my always.”

As we share this moment, the weight of past struggles fades, replaced by a peace I hadn’t known was possible. This is where I’m meant to be—with Callie, Barrett, and Sara, in a life we’re building together, one small, perfect moment at a time.

fifty-three

NEVER AGAIN - KELLY CLARKSON

CALLIE - AUGUST 6, 2013

The day is finally here.

The courthouse looms ahead, a solid, imposing structure that seems to absorb the early morning light, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement. It’s an old building with weathered stone steps that lead up to heavy double doors. I let out a slow, measured breath, feeling the moment's weight settle into my chest like an anchor. Today is the day I officially close the chapter on a part of my life that feels like it’s been dragging on forever.

For a second, I just sit there, staring at the courthouse, letting the reality of it all sink in. This is the place where my marriage, the one that was supposed to last forever, will be officially declared over. It’s strange how something so monumental can be reduced to a few pieces of paper and a couple of signatures.

Adam didn’t put up a fight when my attorney sent over the paperwork; he just didn’t want to pay for anattorney, so everything moved forward quickly. As much as I hate him, this divorce is still a reminder of everything he put me through and how little the life we shared seemed to matter to him.

But maybe that’s a good thing. The quicker it’s over, the quicker I can move on. Still, I can’t help but feel the sting of it, the finality. I want this—I know I do. But that doesn’t make it any easier. In this moment, I feel like a complete failure.

The air feels heavy as I finally step out of the car, my shoes making a dull thud against the pavement. I’m surprised by how calm I feel, like there’s a sense of inevitability about this, as if it was always going to end this way. My heart beats steadily, almost in sync with the rhythmic sound of my footsteps as I approach the courthouse. Each step brings me closer to that final moment, to the release I’ve been waiting for, yet it also makes the weight of what I’m about to do more tangible, more real.

I reach for the metal door handle and pull it open, the sound of the courthouse door creaking in my ears, a somber reminder that this is it. There’s no going back now. I’m about to walk into a room where my past and future will collide, where the life I thought I was going to have will officially end, and where the life I’ve been building can truly begin.

The courtroom is colder than I expected. The air conditioning hums quietly, a stark contrast to the tense silence that fills the room. I sit on the hard wooden bench, my back straight, hands folded tightly in my lap. The room is simple, almost sterile, with plain walls and a judge’s bench that seems too large for the small space. A few empty chairs are scattered around, making the room feel even lonelier.

My eyes flicker to the clock on the wall. Five minutes past the scheduled time. There’s no sign of Adam, not even a hint of his presence in the hallway outside. I swallow hard, trying to push down the anxiety gnawing at the edges of my composure.I thought I’d be prepared for this, but sitting here, waiting, it all feels too real, too raw.

The door at the back of the courtroom swings open, and I turn my head, my breath catching in my throat. But it’s not him. Just another attorney, shuffling papers as they make their way to the front. I exhale slowly, trying to keep my emotions in check. I don’t know why I expected him to be here. Deep down, I knew he wouldn’t show. It’s easier for him this way—just disappearing, letting everything happen without having to face me or what we’ve become.

The judge, a stern-looking woman with sharp eyes and a no-nonsense demeanor, enters the room and takes her seat. She glances over her glasses at me, then at the empty space where Adam should be. The silence stretches, heavy and uncomfortable. My attorney leans in, whispering something I can barely register. It’s procedural, just instructions on what will happen next. I nod mechanically, my focus drifting to the door one last time. Still nothing.

“Is the respondent present?” the judge asks, her voice carrying a note of finality.

My attorney stands, clearing his throat. “No, Your Honor. The respondent was notified of today’s proceedings but has not appeared.”

The judge nods, as if she expected this. “Very well. We will proceed in his absence.”

Her words hit me harder than I anticipated. There’s no more waiting, no more wondering. It’s happening, and there’s no stopping it. I feel a strange sense of abandonment wash over me, a mixture of relief and disappointment that he couldn’t even be bothered to show up for this.

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