Page 91 of Can We Try?

“Who?” she asks. Her mouth drops open when the four of us walk into the living room, arms loaded with boxes. “What are you guys doing here?” She places the picture frame she was holding down and moves to pass out hugs.

“We thought we could lend our muscles.”

“Thank you.” Maggie smiles at each of them. “It means so much to me that you’re all here.”

“Forrest and Briar would be here if they could,” Maddox tells her. “Emerson is working, and so are Monroe and Brogan. Perks of owning your own business.”

“Right. Where do you want us?” Legend asks.

“Let’s start making boxes, and Maggie can tell us what needs to be packed and what gets donated.”

“On it,” all three of my best friends say as we get to work.

We work for a solid hour, making good progress, when I hear Maggie gasp. I drop the roll of tape and turn to her to see she’s not in pain, not physically. She’s holding a blue gift bag in her hands.

She reads the outside of the card, “It says, Maggie, Lachlan, and baby Sean.”

“Hey, we’re going to run and grab some lunch. We’ll bring you all something back,” Roman tells us before leaving quietly out the front door, no doubt sensing this might be something my girl wants privacy for.

“Are you going to open it?” I ask her.

“It’s not the baby shower yet.”

“I think this is a special circumstance. Go on, open it.”

We both navigate to the couch. First, she runs her thumb over the writing on the card, then she turns it over and carefully opens it. She reads the outside, then opens and quickly closes it. “I don’t think I can read it. Will you read it to me?”

She hands me the card and moves to settle against my chest while I read.

* * *

Maggie & Lachlan,

* * *

I am so proud of the two of you. You’ve handled a surprise situation with so much grace. I think maybe your mom and dad had a little something to do with it. They knew you needed someone in your life who would stand beside you and support you. Lachlan is that man for you. I’m so excited to see you both become parents. A great-grandchild, heavens, that’s something. I bet your mom and dad are smiling down at you. They’re proud of you, Maggie. Both of you. Lachlan, my son would have given you a hard time at first, but he would have been proud to call you his son with the way that you love Maggie. That’s how he loved her momma, and my Tom loved me. You were meant to be a part of this family. Thank you for bringing yours into our lives.

* * *

Congratulations to both of you.

* * *

I can’t wait to meet baby Sean.

* * *

Love,

* * *

Grandma Doris

* * *

I drop the card on my lap, my own emotions feeling haggard. I don’t know what I expect from Maggie, but it’s not for her to sit up and give me a watery smile. “She’s here with us,” she says.

“Always,” I assure her. “See what’s in the bag?”

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