Page 71 of Chasing Sunsets

She sat on the bed and grabbed it.

He continued to stand, needing to finish packing, yet watched her instead. They’d come so far the last ten days, he hardly believed it. During the night they each vowed nothing would separate them again.

She untied the string and tore the paper. Inside was an old book. “A Christmas Carolby Charles Dickens.” She flipped the cover and picked up a white envelope addressed to them. As she opened it, he studied the book and read the copyright page to find it was a first edition from the year 1843.

“Zack & Sadie,”she read.“As you know, I’m a rare book specialist and found this gem in San Antonio at a garage sale on our day off. In appreciation for what you did to help Doreen and me, I want you to have it.

Thank you, my friends,

Ted.

P.S. It won’t bring a million at auction. Only half.”

Sadie’s head jerked up, shock in her lovely brown eyes. “Half? Half a million?”

After a stunned second, he shook his head and laughed. “We’re going to start going to garage sales.”

“Where there is love there is life.” ~ Ghandi

Epilogue

Sadie’s stomach churnedwith excitement and anxiety as Zack drove into an attractive older subdivision. Young boys threw basketballs at a hoop in a driveway, and a man mowed another lawn. It was almost five in the evening, the sun already setting on the chilly February day.

For the last five weeks, Zack had invited her to join him on this Sunday outing, but she’d refused—not sure she was ready. Today she’d said yes. By his reaction, she’d surprised him.

In the last six months, since taping of the show ended, she’d returned to life, to living, and to her job. After losing Dylan, she feared being around pregnant women might depress her. Going back to work only proved the opposite. Her patients, excited and apprehensive, gave her energy. She never thought she’d be so happy again.

She spoke to Kelly often, getting reports of her and Brett’s progress. Ruben and Tamara zoomed with them once a week, the men talking mostly about football. She exchanged texts and calls from the other women racers and knew Zack did the same with the men.

Zack pulled into a driveway in front of a home painted light green with white shutters. Huge, majestic oak trees shaded the yard and house. He turned to her. “You okay?”

“I’m not sure.” She didn’t know how to feel or how she’d react. He cut the engine, and she opened her door. He swiftly got out, made his way to the passenger side of the car, and clasped her hand. They started up a stone path leading to the porch.

The front door swung open. “Kack!” A little girl with straight black hair and green eyes sprinted toward them.

He released Sadie’s hand and hunched down. The child ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

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