Page 68 of Lyrical

Chase kissed my cheek and whispered, “I love you,” and I leaned into him.

Hazel tugged on my hand. “Is Grandma here yet?”

“I think so,” Chase said. “Why don’t you go pick out something from the chest, and then we’ll go check.”

Hazel bounded off to pick out a toy. For all she’d been through, she should get a trip to Disneyland. She returned with a little plastic microphone. “I wanna sing like you someday, Jillian.”

“She does have a beautiful voice, doesn’t she?”

Hazel gave one giant nod.

Man, could my heart get any mushier right now?

The three of us went back out to the waiting room where Linda waited. Sometimes she couldn’t make it altogether, and we just took Hazel to her appointments at St. Mary’s. Then we’d take her out for ice cream or do something else fun until her grandmother got off work. Or other times, like this one, she’d get there in time to drive her home.

“Grandma!” She ran into Linda’s arms. “It wasn’t bad at all. Jillian said I was very brave.”

“That’s wonderful, Hazel.” Linda looked at us and mouthed, “Thank you.”

“Can we go to Freddy’s and get ice cream?”

“Oh, I think that can be arranged.”

We hugged her goodbye and left hand in hand down the hallway. “It’s still early yet,” I said.

“Take a walk to our rock?”

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

Every so often when we didn’t have Hazel after an appointment, we’d go sit on ‘our’ rock. I think if I ever saw someone using it, I’d freak out. Hand them an eviction notice. I’d claimed it long ago, even though Chase had practically lived there since he was a little boy due to his mom’s rheumatic heart and many relapses.

Exiting the front doors and rounding the corner, we set off on the path to go into the woods. I swung his arm with mine, feeling joyful to be stealing this extra time with him before we needed to show up for family dinner.

“You up for tomorrow night?”

“I’m definitely up for it, Jillian.”

Chase was getting together with Daniel and Stephen. He didn’t even seem nervous at all. Not that he should be, but… this was going to be the first time Chase would be around my son without me. Stephen invited them over per Perry’s suggestion, but that’s where her idea ended. Thankfully, neither of them was interested in anything else she’d hinted at. They’d probably just end up going back to the corner bar, anyway.

“It’s not going to seem weird to you?”

“Do you want it to seem weird to me?”

I stepped on top of stones and fallen branches, so I didn’t sink too far into the muddy ground. It wasn’t as nice walking through there after all the rain we’d been having.

“Of course not. I just…. I don’t know. I just want you guys to get along well, that’s all. You’re my favorite people.”

He squeezed my hand. “We will. We already do. There’s only good ahead, Jillian. I’m not going to believe anything else.”

We came to the clearing, and Chase grasped around my waist and lifted me onto the flat rock. Just like he always did. And just like he always did, he kissed me before he let go and went over to the other side.

I set my purse aside and lay back, rubbing my hands over my long-sleeved arms. It was colder there with all the tree coverage. Out in the sun, I would’ve been fine in a T-shirt.

He lay beside me, taking my hand, and I curled into him. It wasn’t the same as being there on a hot summer night watching the stars through the treetops, but it was our own private spot, and I’d go there with him no matter what time of year.

“We should come here more often, even when Hazel doesn’t need to be.” His fingers trailed up and down my back. “I think this is where I first fell in love with you.” Even if I’d refused to acknowledge it at the time.

“I fell in love with you long before that, Jillian.” He brought my hand to his lips.

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