Page 43 of Enemies in Earnest

Something about his matter-of-fact appraisal broke me. I wanted to show him how easy loving someone could be. To teach him what Ted had shown me since the first time I met him back at the costume rental shop in North Pole. Loving is as simple as breathing when someone loves you.

“I think that the reason I discovered mom’s dress right before my wedding is because mom knew I was at a place to accept that life and love are messy and complicated. And she waited until we were past the insanity of learning how to manage our lives with twins before she put me in a place to come and see you.

“Being a mom to those two,” I signaled to the picture on my cell phone again, “showed me just how easy it is to love someone. And maybe that’s the lesson mom wanted me to learn before I came and found you. Because Tillie and Nick are the easiest people to fall in love with. And I would assume it’s the same way with any parent.”

“I didn’t know you existed before an hour ago, and already I don’t want you to leave, Marley. There are so many things I want to learn about you. Past the basic things like where you went to college and what you do for a living, but what fills your heart with joy? What is your passion? Were you in school plays? Do you act? Love books? Academia?”

Each question felt like a pelt of ice against a glass window. Asher seemed so excited to see the places where his DNA pumped through my veins. And the last thing I wanted was to disappointment him with how boring I was.

“I followed my mom to Dartmouth.” I began. “I think even though at that point I didn’t know who you were, I thought somehow maybe I’d stumble into someone with bright blue eyes and curly hair and suddenly I’d find my dad. But mom got diagnosed with M.S. right before I started college, and by the end of my freshman year, she needed my help full time.”

Ted’s arm wrapped protectively around my shoulder again. He pressed his lips against my forehead before picking up the conversation with Asher.

“Marley has incredibly artistic talent. And she loves Christmas. She’s combined those two things and runs an online boutique for custom holiday decorations. Marley is modest to the nth degree, so she’d never brag about how successful it is. But between raising our two kids and running a successful business, I’m constantly in awe of her.”

Asher’s lip quirked in a half smile. He caught me looking at him and nodded. As if to say I’d found a good one. He wasn’t wrong. I’d found the best one.

“And where do the two of you call home?” Asher asked again.

“Chicago.” Ted and I said nearly at the same time. “But I still own the bed-and-breakfast that belonged to mom. One of our best friends runs a chain of hotels and handles the business end of things as well as keeping up our family residence. But it’s been forever since we’ve been to North Pole.”

“North Pole is fairly close to Dartmouth, right? Perhaps this fall you and I could pay a visit to my old haunt and I can introduce you to Dr. Doyle, who now runs the Shakespeare Festival. You can see what it was like when your mom did A Midsummer’s Night's Dream.”

I realized he didn’t know the whole crazy story that got us to this point. With a deep breath and a grounding sip from my cooling coffee, I regaled him with the entire story.

“We’ve already met Sebastian and Imogen.” I smiled, trying to keep from giggling. “They are a sort of honorary auntie and uncle to the kids. We went to the festival the year after you’d retired, which was Sebastian’s first. I was eight months pregnant and positively miserable. But I wanted to meet you because I thought I couldn’t be a good mom if I didn’t know who I was. And I felt like there was a huge piece of me missing because I only knew half of me.

“Ted and I trekked out to Dartmouth and wouldn’t you know it? The babies decided they wanted to be born that very weekend. We make it a point now to return to the festival every year with the kids. Sebastian and Imogen are married now. They split their time between Dartmouth and Oxford, and share the title of co-chair for the literary festival.”

Asher threw his head back and laughed a rich belly laugh. One that lightened all of his features and took at least a decade from his face. Just witnessing the totally unexpected delight had me joining in, even though I did not know what he was laughing at.

“That is a pairing I never would have expected.” He wiped at the tears streaming from his eyes. “They are as different as tomato paste and habanero salsa.”

I pointed at Ted. Mr. Rock and Roll, covered in a blanket of tattoos from head to toe. I knew looked strange to others. But there was no one in the world better for me than him.

“Point taken.” Asher held up his hands in defeat. “And the two of you seem genuinely happy. It’s nice to see. Now, I know this is brand new—what we have. But maybe you’d let me join you this fall? I’d love to show you around campus and really give you some background on the place.”

He sounded so vulnerably hopeful. And it felt so right. Like I’d always known that in my coming here, this is exactly what it would lead to. A piece of family for me and Ted and the kids.

“When we got married, Ted’s boss, Ivy, made me my wedding gown. She told me that her deceased mother believed in the universe's magic and felt like she had crossed paths with us just when we were getting married because she had the talent and the means to create a wedding dress that looked just like the one my mom wore for A Midsummer’s Nights Dream. And I believe in that same magic, Asher. Otherwise, why would I have had Ivy there for my wedding, that tied to Dartmouth, where my babies unexpectedly arrived and now we visit each year, where you also taught. I truly think this is what mom wanted for me, Asher.”

“And is it what you want?” He asked. “Because the moment you told me you were my child, I suddenly feel this ache, right here.”

He gestured to the pocket of his shirt. He took hold of the fabric and rest his hand there while looking toward me. I felt it too. Call it a connection. Or even the recognition that this man was, in fact, my father. But whatever the feeling was, it felt perfect. Like it had been there all along.

“Welcome to fatherhood.” Ted raised his coffee cup toward Asher, an entertained smirk on his face.

“Fatherhood.” Asher repeated, his voice filled with wonder.

“I think we should try.” I told him honestly. “It’s going to be weird for a while.”

“Do I have stories about some weird situations!” Asher wiped at his mouth, covering his smile. “I have to say that suddenly finding out I have a daughter, and she has a husband and two children, I suddenly have hope again. And I promise you Marley, I will try my darndest every single day to be worth of the title as your dad.”

“Don’t forget the title of Grandpa,” Ted added in. “The kids will finally have a grandparent. And that will be a title you’ll need to earn. Because we’ve mourned the fact that they had no one since the day we found out Marley was pregnant. And anyone who gets the honor of being in our kids’ lives has to earn a place.”

“I’d expect nothing less, Ted.” Asher extended his hand, shaking on the promise.

“I’m a grandpa.” Asher announced, his voice choked with emotion. “I’ll finally be able to eat at the tea shop and the country club or the donut shop with the rest of the septuagenarians who whip out their phones and wallets and brag over their kids and grandkids.”

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