Page 146 of Forever

What was he talking about? I was pretty sure we were standing in hislivingroom.

“I’m definitely going to need a tour after dinner,” Penny said.

Tanner suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. Probably because he didn’t like people poking around just as much as Nigel didn’t. Something about snoopers getting burned. I really needed to ask him about that. But I wasn’t sure Penny noticed his apprehension. She just smiled and turned to me.

“I got you something,” she said. “It’s just this small thing. Don’t worry, we got you a real wedding present too.” She handed me a velvet box.

“Are you proposing to me right now?” I asked with a smile.

She laughed. “Just open it, Matt.”

I flipped open the lid. There was a set of plain silver cufflinks. “Thanks,” I said. I looked back down at her.

“For James’ wedding present to me, he got a tattoo of the date he met me.”

“I remember,” I said.

“And I was just thinking about that a lot over the last few weeks, with your wedding coming up and everything. And you’re one of my best friends, Matt. You always made me feel so welcome here in New York. Even though you were struggling.” She started blinking fast, holding back tears. “I feel so awful about how much pain you were in and you faced it all alone. I wish you had let me in sooner, but I understand why you didn’t. I just…I want you to know how much I appreciate you. How much I love you. Like a brother,” she quickly added with an awkward laugh. “I know it's something old, new, borrowed, and blue for the bride. But I figured it was okay for you to have something new with a memory of old. And I just thought that you should have these. To remember.”

To remember what exactly?How much she loved me like a brother? I already knew that. And how was it newandold? I smiled at her. I didn’t really understand the gift. Butunlike Rob, I did have manners. “Well, thank you so much,” I said. “These are great.” I snapped the lid closed.

She laughed and grabbed the box from my hands. “You didn’t even look at them.” She opened the lid back up, pulled one of the cufflinks out, and turned it over to show me the inscription. It was dated from Black Friday 16 years ago.

“The day your life stopped.” Penny dropped the cufflink in my hand and then pulled out the other. “And the day your life started again. When Brooklyn came back to you.” She dropped the second cufflink in my hand.

I stared at the second inscription. The date of the homecoming football game. I swallowed hard.

“I just thought that you fell in love with Brooklyn as a teenager. And you re-fell in love with her now. And it was important to have that be a part of you tomorrow. That you’re okay with both halves of your story. That you’re at peace with the past. Because you love every side of her. You always have and always will.”

“Thank you.” My throat suddenly felt all clogged up. I leaned down and hugged her. “These are perfect.” Penny had always been good at giving gifts. Even the silly tea kettle she gave me when I was single was great. Because Brooklyn loved tea. We used it almost every day now.

“I’m just so happy that you’re so happy, Matt.” She hugged me tight.

Tanner sniffed.

I pulled back and looked over at him.

He cleared his throat. “That’s a really nice gift, Penny.”

She smiled and then shook her head. “I didn’t mean to make everyone emotional. I just wanted you to have those for tomorrow. Everyone smile.”

I laughed and so did Tanner. But I pulled Penny into another hug. “Thank you, Penny. For always being there.And this gift really does mean the world to me. I don’t know what I would have done without you these past few years.”

“Stop, you’re going to make me cry.”

The flash of a camera made me turn my head.

Kennedy had snapped a picture of Penny and I hugging, both practically in tears.

Penny laughed and released me from her embrace. “Wait, Kennedy, can we have another where we’re smiling?”

“Of course,” Kennedy said. “Say cheese.”

Penny pulled Tanner into the frame, but he dodged out of it just as Kennedy snapped another photo.

Kennedy lowered her camera. “Tanner, I somehow missed you. Squeeze back in.”

“No, I’m good,” Tanner said and took a sip of his drink.

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