As I smooth his tie and help him put on his jacket, there’s a knock at the front door.
“Grab it, Austin?” Levi calls out before he looks at me with an odd expression. “You’re not expecting anyone right now, are you?”
I shake my head. “At this hour? No way.”
We both pause, ears to the door listening to garbled conversation as it floats down the hallway to the back of the place. A moment later, the clicking sound of Mary’s heels onthe hardwood floor as she makes her way back to where we’re lurking breaks our silence.
“Hey,” she says, stepping into the bedroom. She has her eyes on me but drags them to Levi. “Someone is at the door for you.”
Levi starts to follow her, turning around and grabbing my hand as he does.
“Come with me?” He kisses the back of my hand. “I need you to be by my side for all of this today.”
“You got it.” I point to the door. “You lead?”
We walk in silence to the front, not sure who could be waiting to see Levi. I can tell you this much, I am not expecting to see Lorna when we walk into the living room, but there she is, standing and clutching the side of the front door. Her face looks as if it’s been pulled tight in the same way Mary’s does. It’s the look of a mother who wants to help her children, but can’t.
“Glad you’re here.” She looks at me, nodding a hello. “Can I talk to you for a minute outside, Levi?”
“Of course,” he says as he goes outside, his hand still clutching mine. As we walk down the steps to the sidewalk with Lorna, she turns around and puts her purse on the ground.
“I came to say a few things before this morning unfolds.” She’s nervous today, I can tell by the way she fidgets with her hands. It’s not something I’ve ever seen her do before.
She looks at me first, taking me by surprise. “Thank you for tricking me yesterday. It’s something most people would never do. I’ve got to say, I didn’t think it was a smart move until I left here and was home replaying the meeting, and like I told Levi, it took some guts to do what you did.”
“Thanks?” I manage, unsure what to say here.
Lorna chuckles. “I know it’s an odd way to show gratitude, but what you did is show me how much you careabout Duncan in that one move. You were willing to risk upsetting Levi by forcing us to talk about Duncan’s future and welfare.” She then does something I’m for sure not prepared for: she reaches out and takes my hand and smiles at me. With genuine warmth and appreciation. “What you did yesterday was the most motherly move of all, and I wanted you to know that I see you.”
I’m stunned. Shocked. Flabbergasted and silenced. I want to cry and hug her because I feel like I know where this might be going, but I’m too scared to move. Instead, I squeeze her hand before she pulls it away and turns her attention to the hulk of a man beside me.
“I’m dropping the case.” Sighing, she clasps her hands in front of her while Levi’s jaw goes slack.
“You are?” he asks, excitement in his voice.
“I can’t do it anymore. Not when it’s for all the wrong reasons.” Her eyes meet mine. “You helped me see that, Georgie. I’ve been fighting for something I’ll never get back, and I need to deal with that on my own.”
No one says a word. I’m afraid to breathe, to even disturb the force at this very moment.
“I would ask you if you’re sure, Lorna, but I want this to be over too badly,” Levi says, honestly, after a moment. “I guess what I should say is thank you.”
She smiles at Levi, taking both of his hands into her own. “No, thank you for dealing with a crazy woman who needs some time to grieve. I do plan on taking you up on the offer to be together as much as we can as a family, though—”
“Are you kidding? Of course!” Levi says, pulling her in for a hug. “I cannot imagine anything better than for Duncan to have the best of everything, and we can give him that.”
As he releases Lorna from his embrace, she looks back at me once more. “I know we can. All of us. That is one very lucky young man.”
“He is,” I say, looking back over my shoulder. I half expect to see a small crowd gathered at the window, but no one’s there. Guess they’re not as nosy as I would be if it was me.
“Okay, then,” Lorna says, picking up her bag and throwing it over her shoulder. “I’m sure Buzz will be calling you soon to let you know you don’t have to go to court. I already called my lawyer on the way over here. You should go, celebrate, and ring in your new beginning.”
She looks at us, sadness etched on her features as she fights through a smile, turning on her heel to walk away. Levi grasps my hand again, threading his fingers through mine as I look at him, my eyes silently pleading. I’m sending him a message, so I hope he can read my mind.
“Lorna,” I called out, letting go of his hand so I could jog a few steps to meet her. “We probably will go celebrate and have breakfast somewhere, but you should join us. Right, Levi?”
When I turn around, Levi’s already nodding in agreement. “I most certainly do. I think that we should start a tradition today for a weekly family meal.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders as I let those words sink in.
He means it for me, too. Not just for Duncan. Not for Lorna. For us.
