Page 127 of Love, Second Chances and Other Nonsense
Now, Gerald splits his time between Iowa and Oregon, making sure he is equally present in both his children’s lives.
Gerald himself is almost unrecognizable from the man I first met in Mount Pella. The heart attack changed him physically, leaving him thinner, with a more cautious relationship to food and exercise. But the divorce from Paula changed him emotionally, freeing him from decades of tiptoeing around her moods and demands.
“I spent forty years trying not to rock the boat,” he confessed to us once over dinner at our house. “Thinking that keeping the peace was the same as being a good husband, a good father. But all I did was let Paula create a family where only her feelings mattered.” He’d looked directly at Adam then. “I failed you, son. I’m sorry it took almost losing you to realize that.”
Those words formed the foundation of their healing. Adam could forgive his father because Gerald finally understood what needed forgiving.
Darlene returns with our check, unable to resist another attempt at conversation. “Your sister’s done wonders with the business,” she says to Adam, refilling his coffee cup without being asked. “Everyone said it would fold without you or your father at the helm, but she proved them wrong.”
For once, Adam’s smile in response is genuine. “Lauren was always smarter than me,” he says, pride evident in his voice. “The business is thriving because it’s finally in the right hands.”
That’s another relationship that has been healed. For years, Lauren harbored resentment that Gerald had automatically assumed Adam would take over the family business, despite her business degree and years working for the company. That Gerald never saw her potential, never considered her the natural successor, had wounded her deeply.
But watching how Lauren and the company thrived after Adam left, Gerald finally saw what should have been obvious all along: his daughter was perfect for this role.
“I got it all wrong,” he admitted to her. “Trying to force Adam into a mold he didn’t fit, while ignoring the fact that you were right there.”
That admission changed everything between them, and Lauren and Gerald have a much stronger and healthier relationship now.
“We should get going,” Adam breaks into my thoughts as he helps Louisa wipe the syrup from her hands and face. “Ready to meet your new cousin, Lou?”
“Is he bigger than me?” she asks seriously, clearly concerned about her status as “big girl” being usurped.
“No way,” Adam assures her. “He’s just a tiny baby. He’s going to need a big cousin like you to show him the ropes.”
Satisfied with this answer, Louisa allows herself to be lifted from the booster seat. Adam pays the bill, deflecting one last attempt from Darlene to extract gossip about his mother.
The bell above the diner door jingles as we step outside, Louisa skipping ahead of us into the bright morning light. Adam catches her hand before she can venture too far, swinging her up onto his shoulders in one fluid motion that makes her squeal with delight.
At our rental car, Adam buckles Louisa into her car seat while I slide into the passenger seat, adjusting my sunglasses against the glare. Adam gets in beside me and starts the car. Soon we are on our way, Louisa singing along with the kids’ music on the radio.
“Love you,” he mouths silently, taking my hand.
“Love you too,” I mouth back, and the truth of it fills me completely.
It wasn’t an easy journey. There were moments I thought we’d never find our way back to each other. But here now, with the man I love and the daughter we created, I know with bone-deep certainty that every step, even the painful ones, especially the painful ones, led us exactly where we were meant to be.
Bonus Epilogue
Gerald
My heart hammers against my ribs as I stand outside the darkened windows of Rosie’s Diner, indecision wracking me. The street is quiet; most of Mount Pella is already tucked in for the night. I raise my hand to knock, then hesitate, wondering if this whole idea is just another mistake in my long history of mistakes. But I’ve come this far. Taking a deep breath that still feels restricted despite what the doctors tell me about my recovery, I rap my knuckles against the door before I can talk myself out of it.
For a moment, nothing happens. The diner remains dark except for a sliver of light coming from somewhere towards the back of the restaurant. I’m about to turn away when movement catches my eye. A small figure emerges, and even from here, I recognize her immediately. She’s shorter than I remember, but there’s something unmistakable about the way she moves. Her hair, once a rich brown, is now dyed lime green. Some things change; some things don’t.
Iris approaches the door, an annoyed expression on her face until she gets close enough to see who’s standing outside. I watch recognition dawn in her eyes, followed by disbelief. She freezes for a second, then unlocks the door and cracks it open just enough to speak through.
“We’re closed,” she says, though her tone lacks conviction. “Hours are clearly posted.”
“I know,” I reply, my voice rougher than I intended. “I was hoping to talk to you. Just for a few minutes.”
She studies me, her eyes still the same penetrating blue, taking in every detail of my appearance. I resist the urge to straighten my jacket or smooth what remains of my hair.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” she finally says, a slight smile playing at the corners of her red lips. “I would have thought hell would freeze over before Gerald Kelley turned up on my doorstep again.”
“I think Iowa winters are close enough,” I attempt a joke, but it falls flat.
She steps back, opening the door wider. “I can give you a few minutes.”
