Page 126 of The Mistakes I've Made
With a baby coming, all my finances tied up in these two buildings, and no income for the foreseeable future due to widespread damage all over the coast, one step at a time was really the only way of handling it.
Otherwise, I’d go insane.
“Taylor!” Lani exclaimed, making my heart leap into my throat. “Look!”
My eyes went wild, trying to spot what new and dangerous foe we were about to meet. I followed the line of her arm until it reached out toward the hotel where there was a large crowd gathered.
“What are they doing?” I asked, pulling off onto the side of the road.
Squinting, I tried to get a better look and recognized almost everyone. Jake and Molly, Dean and Cora. Aiden and Millie, my mom and even Sierra and her surly looking grandfather.
Does he have a weapon?
“They’re working,” Lani said, her voice becoming hoarse. “On the hotel.”
Sure enough, that was exactly what they were all doing. Several people were shoveling up sand and glass, and others were removing downed tree limbs. Millie was painting the numbers onto a new mailbox that had just been installed.
Stepping out of the car, I took Lani’s hand and walked up to our friends and family, who greeted us with open arms.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked, my voice rough from emotion.
“After we got home, I took a drive around the island and saw the damage,” Jake explained. “I knew you’d need the help.”
“But your own homes…” Lani said, struggling to speak.
“They can wait,” Millie answered, taking her hand. “In this town, we take care of our own. And you are one of us now, Lani. You both are.” She pulled us into a hug, and tears stung my eyes.
“Okay, well, before my brother loses his shit, let’s get back to work,” Dean said, giving me a wink.
I silently thanked him, unsure of how long I’d be able to compose myself.
I really didn’t want to boohoo in front of the whole damn town.
Lani’s arms slid around my waist as everyone went back to work.
“We’re going to make it,” she said, her head resting against my chest.
“Yeah”—I smiled—“we are.”
And, as I looked out at my family and friends, working hard to clean up the town we all loved so much, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was where I was supposed to be.
I used to believe, like a good story, love always had an end.
But Lani had shown me that the best stories in life never truly ended.
They just gave way to more.
More dreams, more adventures, and yeah, a lot more love.
One Year Later
“Today is the day!” I said to myself as I took a deep, cleansing breath in and out of my lungs.
Over the past year, I’d found myself saying this sentence quite a lot.
Today is the day I become a wife.
Today is the day we become parents.
