Page 142 of Sacrifice
A key to moving on is to realize that you can’t let your experiences go in vain. You have to use what you’ve been through to make a difference to someone else. You have to use the trials and tribulations, losses and devastations, to make someone else’s life better somehow.
“I’ve been taking swimming lessons, Daddy,” Everleigh says, playing with the flowers in the urn. “I can hold my breath practically forever! I can’t wait to go surfing this summer. I have your old board in my room, propped against the wall. Mommy says it’s too big, but I’m going to try it anyway. She also says I have to use a life jacket, no matter how good I can swim. If she catches me without one, she says I’ll never be allowed to go to the beach again.”
“I’m not kidding about that,” I remind her.
“I know.” She pouts. “I miss you a lot. You wouldn’t believe how tall I’m getting. And you should see Michael. He can say Everleigh now. Well, he says something like ‘Ewerwee,’ but it’s close enough!”
“Ewerwee,” Michael blurts, making us all laugh.
“See?” Ever says, leaning against the stone. “We can’t stay long today because we have to go to this fundraiser thing. I don’t even know what that means, really, but Mommy has been really excited about it all week.” Ever circles the stone again and plants a kiss on the top. “I love you, Daddy.”
“Wub you, Da-da,” Michael repeats.
I choke back a sob. “Ever, why don’t you take Michael and head back to the car. I’ll be right up.”
“Okay!” She takes Michael from my hip and places him on hers. He gives her open-mouthed kiss on her cheeks and she giggles. I watch them make their way back the way they came before turning my attention back to the stone.
“I miss you,” I whisper. I run my hand along the stone. “I miss you so much.”
Birds chatter in the tree line and it breaks the stillness.
“I wish you were here to go with us today. You’d be proud of what we’ve created. Taking inner-city kids and giving them a place to go. You’d like that, I think.” I sniffle. “We’ve gotten tons of support from the community and Sal is going to spend a few hours a week over there as a mentor. You wouldn’t believe the people that want to be a part of this.”
I wrap my sweater tightly against my body and plant a kiss on the top of the stone like Ever did. “I love you. Always.”
A hand touches my shoulder and I smile. I know he hates coming here and I understand why. It’s hard for him, too. “You ready?” he asks.
I turn to see his smiling face. “Yes. Let’s go, Will.”
EPILOGUE 2
JULIA
We walk into the building, Will carrying Michael and Ever holding my hand. There’s a crowd of people seated in folding chairs facing a collapsible stage along the back wall. They turn as we walk in.
Some of them smile, some walk over and shake our hands and introduce themselves.
We take our seats at the front of the room next to Olivia, Macie, Mrs. Ficht, Victor, Brett, Adam, and Dane. I personally asked them all to come. They each were instrumental, in their own way, in getting ushere.
I look at my smiling daughter.
She’s beautiful in her little yellow dress, her hair now to her chin. The sparkle is back in her blue eyes, just like her daddy’s. And her mischievous grin is so reminiscent of her other daddy, it makes my heart clinch.
Her life is a mixture of two of the greatest men I’ve ever known.
She opens her little purse and takes out a piece of Laffy Taffy, something I’m certain she’s addicted to at this point. She nibbles on the candy, swinging her legs back and forth.
I feel Will move at my side. I look at him, but his eyes are trained on Macie. She gives him a tight grin and he smiles brightly in return. She shakes her head and crosses her arms and turns back to the stage. I have no idea what’s going on between them, but that’s nothing unusual. I think Will’s met his match with her.
The room erupts in applause as Sal takes the stage. He taps the mic and waits for everyone to settle. As Sal begins to speak, Michael scrambles off Will’s lap and tries to climb the stage. I start towards him and Sal laughs. He waves me off and scoops up my son. Michael jabbers while Sal situates himself behind the podium once again.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you all for joining us today. I’m so proud to be a part of this organization.”
He readjusts the microphone and clears his throat.
“A few years ago, I was driving to Providence when I stumbled upon a group of boys fighting behind a supermarket. Two of them caught my eye right away. They were tough, street-smart, and had a spark about them that’s hard to find. I invited them to train at the Blackrock Gym and they became regulars. They became students. They became friends.
“The Gentry boys came from the inner city. They had no father and a working mother. They had, to put it bluntly, no future. But what they did have was potential.”
