Page 6 of We Thought We Knew It All
“It’ll be good for you too,” Colby went on.
“I just hope it’s the right thing for them.”
* * *
“I’msure going to miss you around here, sweetie.” Grandma hugged me tightly. “And those boys of yours. They do tend to put the life in you.”
“I know what you mean,” I said. “Thanks for everything. I’m expecting you to visit. Both of you.” I turned to my father and hugged him as well.
“Christmas in Florida,” he said. “Sounds perfect. I will need some face-to-face time to convince you to give me those movie rights.” He winked.
“For that, you should be talking to my agent. Then you won’t have to come so far for another no.” I smiled, patting his arm. He knew that if I let anyone tell mom’s story, it’d be him, but writing the book was hard enough. I wasn’t ready for it to be on screen.
When I’d set out to find my father all those years ago, I wouldn’t have even hoped for it to turn out like it did. We missed a lot of time, and we still had a lot to make up for, but we were working on it.
They both hugged Colby and then the boys. Most of our things were being shipped, so we all crammed into a single car and left the city behind us.
I fiddled with the radio as Colby drove, settling on NPR.
“Senator Daniels was a well-respected man in Washington,” the man said.
“Turn that up.” Colby didn’t have to tell me twice.
“Such a tragedy,” a woman spoke this time.
“For those just tuning in, Senator Mark Daniels was in a car accident yesterday evening that claimed his life. His services in Washington will take place in two days’ time. In five days, there will be services in Gulf City, Florida. Our condolences go out to his family. He leaves behind a wife and two sons.”
I turned off the radio and didn’t speak.
“Mommy,” Jacks called from the back seat.
“Yeah, honey?”
“Are we there yet?”
“Not yet, but can we be quiet for a minute? Mommy needs to make a phone call.”
How did you call your best friend right after they lost their father? Especially when your first thought was that the world was better off? I looked back into Declan’s sleeping face, Liam’s inquisitive eyes, and Jackson’s warm smile. Guilt at that thought melted away. I felt better raising my sons in a town without that man.
Jay answered on the first ring. “We’re on our way,” I told him.
That was the only thing I could do. I wouldn’t be there to mourn Senator Daniels, I’d be there to comfort his son. Sons? No, I was sure Jamie wouldn’t come. I wasn’t sure I could handle it if he did.
* * *
Four dayslater we pulled into the driveway of the house I’d grown up in. It belonged to me now, well to me and Colby, but he didn’t want to live there. Kat lived with her husband, Noah, about an hour away. She’d come to meet us and came running out of the house with such a huge smile it made me forget about everything else.
I met her halfway and let her hug squeeze the air from my lungs.
“It hasn’t been the same around here without you, Callie.” There were tears in her eyes as she spoke.
“I haven’t been the same without you,” I responded, knowing just how true that was. Kat raised me through my teenage years. She’d been everything to me when I felt like I had nothing.
“Let me at those nephews of mine!” She pushed by me as Colby was releasing the boys from their seats.
“Aunt Kat,” Jacks yelled.
“And just who would you be?” She bent down to look him in the eye. “The Jackson Ryan I know is at least a foot shorter.”
