Page 102 of This Kind of Forever
“Our minds are powerful, and this secret has been built up in your brain to feel bigger than it is. That’s bound to be scary.”
I chew on my lower lip. “It is.”
I’ve always been like this. My worries start small, but before long, they’ve snowballed into something of epic proportions. It takes me twice as long to talk myself down as it did to work myself up.
“Why don’t you start by telling one person?” Pops suggests. “I’m sure you’ll find it less intimidating after that.”
I swallow. “I guess I’ll try. Gabe deserves at least that much.”
He nods. “That’s all you can do.”
Feeling significantly lighter, I spend the rest of the time letting my paintbrush do the talking. After a while, I start to draw attention, and I spend an hour fielding questions from octogenarians. Pops snickers beside me every time one of his fellow residents starts to fawn over my painting, which depicts a simple vase of flowers the activities director set out.
After I help clean up the paints and brushes, I walk Pops back to his apartment. My canvas hangs from my hand, the paint still tacky.
“Hey,” I say, when we’re just outside his door, “how come you never told me about Gabe coming to visit you?” I’ve mentioned it before, but I never asked why.
Pops side-eyes me. “I wasn’t aware I had to tell you everything.”
I huff a laugh. “You don’t. I just figured it’s something you would’ve mentioned.”
He turns to look at me fully. “If I had, would it have made you feel less guilty for not being here?”
No. It would have made me feel worse. Itdid, when Gabe dropped the news. I think that’s a sign I need to stop underestimating my grandfather.
“Fair point.”
“You have a big heart,” he says. “Fill it with all the good things life has to offer.”
As I make my way back to Kip Island, back home, I take my grandfather’s words with me. Gabe is a good thing—thebestthing—in my life, and I want everyone to know it.
THIRTY-SIX
GABE
After work,instead of driving home, I find myself taking the long road out to Haven House. If I can’t tell my family about me and Hallie yet, I need to unload one thing off my chest. I need to tell them about Ethan’s job offer.
When I park in the driveway behind my dad’s truck, I pull out my phone and navigate to my texts with Hallie. I pause when I see her new contact name. Maybe it was a ridiculous thing to do, buttechnically, it’s true. Sort of. Clara would probably call it manifestation.
I’ll be home late. Just stopping to see my parents for a bit.
As I slip out of the truck and head for the front door, my phone buzzes with Hallie’s response.
Fiancée
Larissa had to drop Abbie off a bit ago. Hospital was short staffed. We’ll be here waiting for you.
That stops me in my tracks. After what happened with Luke’s ex, Larissa and I have been more selective of who watches Abbie. We don’t hire babysitters. If she’s not with one of us, she’s with Larissa’s parents or mine. Always family. The fact that Larissa clearly trusts Hallie enough to leave our daughter with her means a hell of a lot.
I can come home now if you want.
Fiancée
Stay and see your parents. I promise we’re fine!
Her text is followed up with a selfie of the two of them. My girls. They’re eating pizza, and it looks like they’ve turned the living room into some kind of fort. I’m already itching to get home to them, but first, I need to talk to my dad.
Pocketing my phone, I head inside. It felt weird being here when they first turned part of the house into a bed-and-breakfast, but now that I’m used to it, it still feels like coming home.
