Page 111 of Endgame

“Mrs. Hayes?”

Her eyes find mine as she adds more dish soap to her sponge before scrubbing. “Yes, sweetie?”

Over the years, time has begun to show on her beautiful face, and the wrinkles under her eyes are looking more pronounced. She’s still just as beautiful and reminds me of my best friend.

“There’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

I’m trying not to make it seem bad, but my nerves are going haywire.

“Of course. You can always talk to me, Dakota. What’s going on? Oh hell, are you pregnant? I could kill Callaway.” She’s babbling on, causing a loud shriek and giggle to escape my mouth all at once.

“What! No! Oh God…I set myself up for that one, didn’t I?”

“Heaven help me. I almost fainted.” She looks like she’s having difficulty breathing and calming herself down from that workup she gave herself.

I rest my hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her mind.

“I can assure you; I am not pregnant. But there is something I wanted to talk to you about, and it’s not bad, I promise.”

I send her a reassuring smile, which she returns with kindness.

“Well, let’s hear it then.”

Here goes nothing, Mama Hayes.

“I’m in love with your son.”

Forwardness is all I’ve ever known.

I can see tears immediately flood her eyes. I continue before she can react.

“I wasn’t looking for him if that’s what you’re wondering. He snuck up on me in the best way and gave me no choice but to fall for him. Callaway is slowly becoming my favorite person in the entire world. Don’t tell Navy that. I know how much you mean to him, and I felt like it was important for you to know. I know now that I can love him the way he deserves to be loved, and I hope that’s okay with you.”

She’s crying.

Delilah forgets the dishes, dropping them into the sink of hot water, and she wraps her arms tightly around my neck. Her hands begin rubbing the back of my head, a gesture I find most mothers do when nurturing their children.

She cares about me, and I feel it more than ever right now.

She whispers gently in my ear, “We’ve been waiting for you, sweet girl.”

A whimper leaves my lips before I draw back and catch her stare.

“Thank you for raising him to be such a wonderful man. I can’t wait to tell him how I feel.”

I don’t need her to clarify what she means by her comment.

Navy and I have talked at length about how much her family has always longed for Callaway to find someone who loves him wholeheartedly.

He deserves someone to choose him.

He deserves someone to give him all the things his heart could ever want.

I’m going to be that someone.

Her small hands find my cheeks. I watch as tears, once again, flood her bright blue eyes, looking so much like the man I love.

“Callaway’s heart has always been too big for this world. I’ve seen that since the day he became my son. I’ve also seen that in you, Dakota. You both have conquered the odds and let your hearts find each other. That’s all a mother could ever hope for.”

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