Page 113 of Years in the Making

She tilts her head and mouths a quiet thank you.

Teddy is standing at the kitchen counter, sorting plates when I walk up behind him, wrap my arms around his chest, and rest my head against his back. “I’m so glad they all came, but I cannot wait until I get you all to myself,” he says quietly.

I answer with a soft “mmm” because since we’ve been home there has always been someone else here, and until his doctor gave him a solid progress report, I had refused to do anything more than kiss him. I’m as desperate as he is to be alone.

“Your sister wants to talk to you in the living room.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll finish this. You go talk.” I stepbeside him and bump him with my hip. He drops a kiss on my head before turning to leave the room.

I step outside and let Will and his dad know Zoe wants to see them, and then I sit with Will and Zoe’s wives, Stephanie and Jordan, and my parents on the deck so they have the house to themselves.

“What’s going on?” my mom asks, nosy as ever.

“Family meeting,” I say.

Will and Zoe’s wives look at one another before looking over at me, both with tears in their eyes.

“Seriously, what is happening?” Mom pleads, leaning to look through the deck door.

“I’m sure she’ll tell us later, ducky,” Dad says, patting Mom on the arm.

“I love that you call her ducky,” Stephanie coos. “Will calls me baby, and I kind of hate it.”

“Does he call anyone else baby?” Jordan asks.

Stephanie looks appalled by the question. “No.”

“Then embrace it. Sure, it may be a common endearment, but only one person is calling you that, and it happens to be the one you swore to love, honor, and cherish until the end.”

“What does Zoe call you when we aren’t around? I’ve only heard her say Jor.”

Jordan blushes and shakes her head. “That’s only for us,” she says as she absently rubs her very pregnant belly.

“Nellie?” Stephanie turns to me. “What does Teddy call you?”

“Other than ‘The One,’” Jordan adds with air quotes.

“He doesn’t call me ‘The One,’ I can tell you that.” I laugh.

“Maybe he doesn’t say it to you, but that’s how he has always referred to you. We never heard him say your name. We only found out what it was from Zoe.”

My parents both look like they’re about to melt into a puddle as they watch me blush.

Nellie, Nell, LG, and once in a while when he’s making me feel good, pretty girl. But I don’t feel like sharing with anyone right now. If he uses them in front of others then they can know, but they won’t sound right on my lips. However, if he uses pretty girl, we may have to have a very serious conversation and also never see any of them again.

Thankfully the Fletcher clan joins us before they ask me again. It’s clear to everyone that tears have been shed, and I watch my mom scrutinize every single person before her eyes land on me. I can tell she’s desperate to ask what happened.

Teddy sits beside me, and his hand immediately goes to my thigh. I look down to see the bracelet affixed to his wrist. When I look up, my eyes meet that serene smile I love most.

I do not doubt that this is who is supposed to be next to me until I cease to exist. Teddy told me George had called our relationship years in the making, like it was inevitable. And you know what they say about inevitabilities.

EPILOGUE

Teddy

Despite the mid-October chill in the air, I still insist that sitting on the deck is the best way to enjoy my late morning break. We’ve been living at Betty and Joshua’s for three weeks, and it finally feels like we’ve settled into a routine. The fence was installed our first week here, and since then, I’ve been working to gradually acclimate the dogs to their new reality. Lots of social time without barriers. So far, so good. Kevin and our senior rescue, Stanley, live in the house with us due to several factors, the main one being their physical limitations. We’re afraid Kevin would seem like prey, and Stanley just doesn’t have the mobility to keep up with the others.

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