Page 122 of Play the Last Card

“Mom,” Scott grumbles behind me. “You should have called first.”

“It’s fine,” I say as Jason tucks me under his arm. Annabel presses a kiss to my cheek in greeting before moving to wrap her son up in a hug.

Scott hugs her back just as fiercely.

“I wish you’d told us you were coming,” I say, looking from Annabel to Jason. “Scott decided hehasto paint the guest room so there’s only my old bedroom to sleep in.”

“That’s okay, love.” Jason squeezes me to his side. “We’re just happy to be here.”

“I’ll take your bags up. Grab a drink and some food.” Scott moves to grab his parents’ bags and head upstairs but Annabel stops him.

“No! Presents first. I found the funniest pair of socks for you.” She starts unloading the bags she is carrying onto the kitchen island. “And I found something I thought you might want to see.”

Jason lets go of me and I move to stand next to Annabel, examining all of the beautifully wrapped parcels she spreads over the island. She pulls out an old shoe box and sets it carefully on the bench.

In the corner of my eye, I see Jason move over and clap his son on the shoulder. Scott turns to his dad and hugs him. My heart thuds against my chest. They love each other so deeply. Thinking about how Jason and Annabel chose to adopt Scott, chose to love him, makes my eyes sting with tears. I’ll be forever grateful to them for raising the patient, kind man that loves me just as deeply as he loves his parents.

“So, did you hear?” Jason asks his son.

“Yep.” Scott holds up three fingers. “Signed for a further three years.”

Jason smiles so brightly; I can’t help my own blooming. He fist pumps the air, crying out, “Yes! Knew it.”

“So, you’re staying?” Annabel is watching for her place beside me.

“I’m staying,” Scott says, his eyes finding me. “We’re staying. That’s the plan.”

“Oh well then.” Annabel taps my hand gently. “We’ll have to come out here more often. Don’t want to miss any … milestones.”

Scott groans, shooting a playful smile at his mother while shaking his head. My cheeks heat. We haven’t talked about our future much, but when one of us brings it up Scott doesn’t speak in ‘what-ifs’. He talks in definitives. With certainty. After all we went through—all that I put him through—a future with Scott Harvey is the only plan I need.

God, I hope our kids get his eyes.

“What’s with the old shoe box, Mom?” Scott asks from across the island.

Annabel pushes the box to the center of the four of us and peels the lid off. Inside is what must be hundreds of pictures of Scott as a kid.

“Oh my god,” I laugh as I pick up one from the top. Scott is young but his bright green eyes are just as they are today. They must have only just brought him home from Boston because he’s nothing but skin and bones. He sits in the middle of a bathtub, surrounded by bubbles. Jason leans over the tub, a beard made of bubbles on his face, trying to make the younger version of Scott laugh.

The next one is just as cute—napping on a picnic blanket with Annabel.

His first day at school, getting older in each one I pick up.

His life, from the moment they found him, is documented in pictures.

“These are gorgeous, Annabel. Thank you for bringing them with you.” I smile even with the tightness in my chest making it a little hard to breathe. I think—I know—it’s jealousy.

I want this. I want memories with my parents.

I take a breath, inflating the invisible balloon in my chest until it’s close to popping. Then, I exhale, letting go of the negative feelings that started to creep in. Just as Dr. Karla taught me.

“They are.” She shuffles a few photos in the box until she finds one particular picture. “But this is why I wanted to bring it with me.”

She passes me the photo of Scott, dressed in a football jersey much too big for him. No older than six or seven. He’s standing with the game ball held up in front of him, the brightest smile on his boyish face.

And next to him, an arm around his shoulder and a smile just a big, is my dad.

“I don’t … how do you have this?” I ask, looking up at Annabel. The photo falls through my shaking fingers.

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