Page 111 of My Promise To Keep

‘We’re having a baby.’

How Are Your Ankles?

Zoe

Seven Months Later

‘Hey, Zo,’ Fi callsout, and I turn, beaming, feeling like the luckiest guy in the goddam world.

‘Hey, Fi.’ She smiles, then her eyes find me. ‘Hi.’

‘Hey, honey.’

She leans down to press her lips to mine, and I hate that I’m mid-tattoo and can’t just wrap her up in my arms.

‘How are your ankles?’ Fi asks as Zoe takes a seat and laughs.

‘Fine, yours?’

‘Huge.’ Fi wheels out her chair and lifts her trouser leg up for Zoe.

‘Holy shit, Fiona.’

‘I know. They’re not worried — said it’s just because I’m working so much.’

‘You should tell your boss to take it easy on you.’

‘I know, right.’

‘Hold on.’ I stop tattooing again and look up at the two pregnant women in front of me. This is risky, Leo. I see Gus subtly shaking his head, no, in warning. ‘Herbosskeeps telling her to slow down, but she keeps insisting on being here.’

‘Because your asses would fall apart without me.’

‘That baby will be here before you know it, and these guys will just have to figure out how to run this place without a woman around,’ Zoe says, softly smiling,

Gus walks over to kiss Fi’s head, and I smile.

‘We’re going to have to get used to it eventually, babe. You need to rest.’

I look over at my troublemaking girl as she watches them with hearts in her eyes, and love overwhelms me. How did this happen? How did I get this fuckin’ lucky?

I finished my appointment, and we shut the shop — this day is always an early close day. We head for my car and make the drive to our destination.

‘Ready?’ Zo asks as I pull on my jacket after getting out of the car.

‘Ready.’ I nod and take her hand.

We walk along the path, the warmth of the afternoon sun on our skin, the sound of nature all around us. I love this spot.

‘Here we are,’ she says softly as we come to a stop.

‘Hey, brother.’

‘Hey, honey.’

We stand, hand in hand, next to his grave the way we did on a much sadder day all those years ago, but with hope laid out in front of us instead of grief, and I take a breath. Zoe releases me to put down the flowers. Another year without Luke, and everything has changed.

We’ve talked a lot over the time we’ve been together about the reality of our situation.

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