Page 112 of My Promise To Keep

About her being married to Luke and now to me, and we’ve come to accept all of it. He was gone a long time before we fell in love, and I trust that he knew what was to come when he asked me to make that promise.

She’s not his wife anymore, she’s mine, and I know he’s happy about that.

‘The baby’s almost here,’ I say as I wrap an arm around her shoulders.

‘Just one, we thought maybe it would be twins, but no, just one beautiful little boy.’

‘Doug and Cara are having a baby too. They’re a couple of months behind us, and it’s another little girl for him.’

‘The ultimate girl-dad.’ Zoe chuckles, but Doug couldn’t be happier. ‘We’re married now, Luke. Leo and me. I know you must already know that.’

‘We’re happy, brother.’

She turns her face up to smile at me, and I pull her close to kiss her head.

‘We’re calling him Lucas, hope that’s okay. It felt a little too weird calling him Luke, but he’s named in your honor.’

‘We love you, Luke, always.’

And with that, we turn and walk away.

We’re Ready

Zoe

Two Weeks Later

I’ve lived in ForestFalls my whole life.

I know everyone, and everyone knows me. My dad ran the bar before he left it to me, so our family was the center of thecommunity. Being a part of a small town like ours can be a curse at times, but mostly, it’s a blessing.

Those people helped raise me, and those people lifted me up when I was at rock bottom. I love it there.

I was born there, raised there, I fell in love there, and I suffered great loss there more than once. Now, it’s time for the next chapter in my life. In our lives.

We may not live in Forest Falls anymore, but it’s still home. In this beautiful townhouse on the outskirts in the suburbs, somewhere in between the city life we grew to love and the country life we always did, we found our dream.

We have a little tradition in Forest Falls, well, in our family, at least. It’s not an age-old tradition, but it’s something that means the world to me — we make promises, and we keep them.

A promise to live a full life, a promise to care deeply for someone, a promise to always be there.

I promised so many times, and I kept them all. I promised to be the best sister in the world, and it is safe to say I nailed that. I promised to be a loyal friend. I promised to be a good daughter, an awesome granddaughter, a great auntie.

I vowed to love and honor, comfort and keep, in sickness and in health, and I meant every word.

That’s what you’ll get to know about me as the days, weeks, months, years, and decades pass: I mean it when I say I love you, and you can trust that I mean it with my whole heart. When I tell you I’m going to whoop your behind for sassing me and breaking curfew, I’m damn sure going to mean that too.

‘Baby, we have to go.’

That’s your daddy. Don’t listen to him. We’re in no rush. You don’t ever need to rush, okay? Except maybe when I’m telling you to get your shoes on because we’re running late — but don’t rush to grow, don’t rush to be older, or to act older. Just be youevery step of the way, and I promise I will always be right behind you.

‘Ooh,’

‘Zoe, you’re having contractions. We need to get in the car.’

‘I love you.’

‘I know you do, and I love you. Now will you get your butt downstairs before I have a heart attack?’

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