Page 76 of Bound By Redemption
“Daaadeeeeee….” Remy called out. Every time she said my name it was just a bit different. As long as she knew who I was, I didn’t give a fuck.
Remy hopped off the bed and came running to me. I picked her up and swung her around, then blew raspberries in her neck. She giggled more.
We made our way over to the bed, where I sat and looked at Ensley. “Hold out your hand.”
Her brow quirked, but she did as I asked. I set the bracelet in her hand. Her eyes welled up with tears as she took it and inspected it. “Where did you…how did you…?” Ensley’s words were mumbled in disbelief.
“My father found it. The rest doesn’t matter.”
She clutched it to her heart, leaned in and wrapped Remy and I in a tight hug.
My family. Both small and big. I had them both and it felt fucking great.
* * *
“Love your cookin’,mom.” I kissed the top of my mother’s head after pulling her into a hug.
“I’m just happy to have you three all to myself for a while. Love bein’ at the clubhouse, but havin’ this small get together was what I needed.” We’d gotten the all clear to move out of the compound and back to our homes.
Ensley and I were taking it slow allowing her and Katie to recover a bit more.
“Me too.”
“So proud of you.”
I pulled my mom in and hugged her tightly then whispered in her ear, “We’re telling Remy about you and dad being her grandparents while we’re here.”
That was when the waterworks started because I could feel them through my shirt along with her body shaking.
“Mom, settle down.”
Her head shook. “You don’t tell me to settle down, Micah Tugger. It’s not every day you officially get a grandbaby. If I wanna cry I will.”
To this I chuckled. When did my mother ever do something she didn’t want to? That I couldn’t remember. She was a tough cookie.
“Come on.” I grabbed her hand and moved her into the living room. It was the same spot where I told them they would be grandparents. Now, it would be official.
I sat next to Ensley on the couch. Remy sitting in Ensley’s lap flung over into mine, latching her arms around my neck holding me tightly. No way in hell I’d ever get tired of this.
I started to talk, but Ensley beat me to it.
“Tug, I just want to thank you for finding the bracelet. It means the world to me.”
“What bracelet?” My mother asked before my father could explain, but he did have a wide smile on his face.
Ensley turned to my mom. “Remy’s hospital bracelet. I know it’s small and in the grand scheme of life doesn’t matter. But it was a moment in my life when I knew everything was changing. I knew that this little girl would never have to grow up in what I did. It represented her future. It may sound silly…”
My mom held out her hand. “I don’t think it’s silly at all.”
“You don’t?”
My mom shook her head. “Absolutely not. It’s the small things in life that are usually the most precious. You, Remy and Micah coming to dinner, may not mean much to someone who’s seen their child every day for the past four years. But for me, it’s my entire world rolled up in one. I have the four people in this world that mean everything to me. I appreciate it so much more than I would’ve before Micah left. You take the good anywhere you can get it and hold on to it with both hands. That’s what life is. Memories. Always make them. Little things. Making cookies. You’ll never regret it.”
I wrapped my arm around Ensley and pulled her into me, her body shaking with sobs. I felt my mom’s words as well, right down to my core. Never would I take anything for granted. Never would I go to bed without saying goodnight to my girls.
The small things.
“Mommmmeeee…no sad.” Remy said putting her hand on Ensley’s cheek.
