Page 63 of We Can Forever

“I’m going to back off.” She laces her hands on the table. “Not hover so much.”

“You don’t hover. You’re all the way in Oregon?—”

“I hover when I’m here.” She gives me a hard look. “You’re too nice to tell me that, but your boyfriend isn’t.”

I look down, my face warming in pleasure at hearing Michael be called my boyfriend. “He’s pretty up front.”

“In the best way. He’s a good guy. And Katie is a sweet girl. I’m glad you have them here. Your friends, too.”

There’s a hint of wistfulness there, and when I look up, her eyes are misty.

“You don’t need me like you used to, Hannah Banana,” she says, “and that’s okay. You know how to handle your health, your life.”

Reaching across the table, I take her hand. “I still want you around.”

She pats my hand. “I know, and it’s even better to be wanted than needed.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Thank you,” I whisper. “For telling me this.”

The teakettle whistles, and she gets up to pour the water. “It was all Michael. He made me realize some things.”

My heart fills with glitter. I could sing Michael’s praises all day long, but that would probably exhaust her.

“Thanks,” I say, reaching for the tea she sets in front of me.

“I’m going to head back home tomorrow.” She takes her seat and blows on her tea.

“What? No. You don’t need to go.”

She lifts her hand. “I know, but it will be good for us. I have a list of things to get to back home anyway. I’m thinking of running for HOA president.”

“You’d be good at that.” I grin.

“Right?” She winks. “I’m so bossy.”

“In good ways.”

She sips her tea. “You’re doing good here, kid. Your mom would be proud.”

A complex tornado of emotions crashes through me. I’m feeling everything at once—appreciation, sadness, hope, joy, love—but that’s too much to express, so I just settle for a “Thank you.”

Over Carol’s shoulder, a cardinal comes to the window and pecks at the seed suet hanging there. Another cardinal calls for it, and the first one takes off, wings flapping, suet swinging from the rapid departure.

“This is good tea.” I take another sip, and Carol nods and murmurs in response.

Chapter Twenty-Two

HANNAH

Hovering my cursor above the “send” button, I hold my breath. This moment feels so big, so special, I’m almost expecting confetti to rain down from the ceiling.

I’ve done it. I finally finished my funding application. Even with everything going on in my life, even with last week’s flare.

A grin spreads across my face, and I click the button. A page pops up telling me that the application has been received, and I smile even bigger.

“I did it,” I call out to Flick, who’s on the other side of the store, unpacking our latest delivery.

“Of course you did. Now, we just wait for the money to roll in.”

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