Page 90 of Code Name: Grit

Over the next few days,we settled into a routine that felt both novel and natural. Mornings began with coffee on the deck, watching mist rise from the river. Afternoons were filled with physical therapy exercises for my shoulder—stretching, gentle resistance, and range-of-motion movements that left me sweating and frustrated but gradually improving. Evenings were for quiet meals and long conversations that stretched into the night.

On our fourth day there, as I stood at the kitchen sink rinsing breakfast dishes, Lumi’s phone rang. Her expression shifted subtly as she checked the caller ID.

“It’s Cassio,” she said, a question in her voice.

I nodded in encouragement. “Take it.”

She accepted the call, stepping onto the porch for privacy. Through the window, I watched the animation in her gestures and the way she paced the length of the deck as she spoke. The relationship between them was still new, fragile, but growing steadily.

When she returned ten minutes later, her eyes held a mixture of excitement and uncertainty. “He wants to visit. With my mom. Tomorrow, if that’s all right with you.”

“It’s your house too,” I reminded her. “If you want them here, I want them here.”

She bit her lower lip. “It’s a big step.”

“The first of many,” I agreed, crossing to her.

“My man is so smart,” she teased, leaning up to kiss me.

“Must be all those pain meds,” I joked, wrapping my good arm around her waist to hold her close.

The next morningdawned clear and bright. We spent the early hours preparing for the visit—tidying rooms that were already clean, arranging fresh flowers in a simple ceramic vase, and planning a meal that would stretch to feed four instead of two.

“You don’t need to be nervous,” I said, watching Lumi rearrange the throw pillows for the third time. “This isn’t a state visit.”

She rolled her eyes but smiled. “Says the man who spent twenty minutes choosing the right wine.”

I laughed, caught in my own hypocrisy. “Fair point.”

The sound of tires on the gravel announced their arrival shortly after noon. Lumi moved to the door, her steps quickening as a sleek black sedan pulled to a stop beside our SUV. Cassio emerged first, coming around to open the passengerdoor for Amelia with an old-world courtesy that spoke of their shared history.

“They look good together,” I murmured, moving to stand beside Lumi.

She nodded, her eyes tracking their approach. “She’s glowing.”

The reunion on the porch was warm—hugs given, compliments on the house offered, the awkwardness of new relationships easing with each passing moment. Cassio and I exchanged a firm handshake that lingered just long enough to acknowledge the unspoken bond we now shared—the protection and love of the extraordinary woman between us.

“Your home is beautiful,” Amelia said, her hand resting lightly on Cassio’s arm as we moved inside. “I can see why you love it here.”

“The river reminds me of my childhood vacations in Virginia,” I explained, gesturing toward the view. “My parents had a cabin near the Shenandoah that wasn’t half as nice as this place, but the sound of water was the same.”

“Speaking of your parents,” Lumi interjected, a hint of nervousness in her voice, “Grit’s told me they’re coming to visit tomorrow.”

Amelia’s smile brightened. “How wonderful! Will they stay here?”

“At the hotel in town,” I clarified. “There’s only one bedroom.” So far. In the last couple of days, Lumi and I had talked about adding on some day. There was plenty of open space around it for it. We could also add a second story if we wanted to.

The conversation flowed easily from there—stories of childhoods, fond memories, intentionally navigating around the darker chapters of their shared past. Lumi guided them on a tour of the house while I prepared lunch, a simple meal of grilled fish,fresh vegetables, and crusty bread we’d picked up from the local bakery.

We ate on the deck, the river a constant presence below us. Watching her with her mother and father and seeing the way they created new memories filled me with a profound sense of gratitude. That the woman I loved was given this chance, this extraordinary gift.

After the meal, while Lumi and her mother cleared the dishes, Cassio joined me at the railing overlooking the water. For several minutes, we stood in easy silence, the only sound the distant calls of birds and the gentle lap of the river against the rocky shore below.

“You have good instincts,” he finally said, his eyes on the horizon. “I saw it at the hunting lodge. The way you assessed the situation, how you prioritized her safety.”

“I would die for her,” I said simply.

He nodded. “I believe you.” He paused, then cleared his throat. “You understand what it means to love a woman like her.”

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