Page 114 of Our Finest Hour
Isaac looks at me. “Maybe soon, but for right now I think we’re just happy to be together in our newplace.”
“You let me know. I’m ready to have Claire back at my house for a few nights. Get in some good Claire Beartime.”
At this Claire runs over, attaching herself to his leg. When she pulls away, he’s left with a big wet spot on hisshorts.
“Where’s Cheryl?” Claireasks.
“Let’s go find her,” he says, and they set off through theyard.
Isaac lowers himself onto the step beside me. “Tonight,” he saysquietly.
“What happens tonight?” I feigninnocence.
“The baby makingbegins.”
“The baby making began a long time ago,” I wiggle myeyebrows.
Sometimes I think about what led me to that night in the cowboy bar. I can see the road that took me there, and easily remember the cracks in my heart that seemed too wide to ever befilled.
I’ll never forget the day I realized I was fighting a war against someone who didn’t know she’d waged one onme.
Beneath the surface of the water my hand finds Isaac’s, and Isqueeze.
“Thankyou.”
“For?”
Fixing me, I want to say, but I know I fixed myself the day I chose forgiveness overanger.
“For being you,” I say tohim.
“Mommy, Daddy, come inside,” Claire yells. “You should see what Cheryl made fordessert.”
“Be right there,” Isaac yells back, quickly climbing from thepool.
I can’t contain my laughter as I follow and wrap a towel around mywaist.
“What? I’m excited to see what Cheryl made.” Isaac hastily runs a towel over himself. “Hurry up, Mrs. Cordova.” Playfully he cuts in front of me as we walk through the poolfence.
Reaching back for my hand, he pulls me alongside him, and we follow the sound of our daughter’s laughter into ourhome.
TheEnd
