Page 167 of The Widower
“Looks like the kids are at it again,” she said after wrapping me in a long hug.
“How’d you figure that out?”
“Joshua came to vent a few minutes ago.Hanna’s been picking on him again.”
Another bond that grew stronger over time was between Joshua and Isabelle. Back then, he was a little withdrawn, but that’s long gone now. The two of them get along perfectly—they’re like mother and son. I don’t know what it is about Isabelle that breaks through people’s walls, but somehow, she always does. Maybe it’s her… how should I put it… relentless persistence that borders on excessive sometimes.
“Any doubt she’s your daughter?Because I sure don’t,” she teased.
I got a firm smack on my shoulder for that one.
“She definitely takes after you.And not just in the looks department,” I added.
“As long as she doesn’t end up as stubborn as you, I’ll be happy.” She winked, taunting me.
“Don’t start with me.”
“And what are you gonna do about it?”
I’ve changed a lot over the years. Believe it or not, there are days when I chase Isabelle and the kids around the house, threatening to “get” them just to hear them scream and laugh.
We have fun together—like a real family—and I never want to lose that. For almost a year, after Maddison’s death, I forgot what happiness even felt like. But now, I get to experience something close to it again. Jeniffer and I were never as close, but with Isabelle, everything feels effortless. Sometimes I wonder… why was I given a second chance at life?
Maybe because, for once, I gave God—and myself—a chance. And now, I’m reaping the rewards.
I stepped outside the mansion and fixed my gaze on a single point in the distance.
There are still moments when I like to be alone, just standing there, watching the sky for a while.
This was one of those moments.
I looked up and closed my eyes, certain Maddison was watching me. Our love will never fade. I can still feel her with me—right here, right now.
END
