Page 119 of Enough
“But right now, I need to know if you’re ready to see your surprise.”
“I’m ready,” I shout in frustration as I stomp my foot. “Just tell me already!”
He lifts the blindfold from my eyes and as I adjust to the light, his beautiful face comes into view. I wrap my armsaround his neck. “Ooh! I have to say I love my surprise very much!”
He laughs and rolls his eyes. “I’m not your surprise, babe. Turn around.”
I pivot on my heel and I’m standing in front of a building on the strip. I glance up and gasp for air as I read the words above. “The Kaylynn London Center for Women.”
“What?” I turn to face him and he grins. “Nick? What is this?”
“Come inside and let me show you.”
I walk through double doors and feel my body begin to tremble. Gwen, Cooper, and the kids are standing inside.
“Surprise!” they yell.
My eyes flit from one thing to the next and feast in the details. I’m overwhelmed with emotion as I read the quotes stenciled on the walls.
Tomorrow is a bright and better place to be.
Are you going to build or are you going to bury?
Let’s get to fixin’ that heart.
There’s a reason for everything under the sun.
There are no such things as mistakes.
God deals you a hand of cards. You can either play them or you can fold them but either way, it’s the only hand you’re going to get.
Stop looking at what went wrong and focus on what is right.
I turn to the left and my eyes zero in on a red door on the back wall. It makes my heart leap. It’s familiar and I’m afraid to believe. Gwen steps next to me.
“After we painted her door that day, Nick arranged to have it removed and stored. He said there was no way he was going to leave something so important to you behind.”
I stare into her eyes as she speaks, and I swallow hard when I circle to him. He’s standing with his hands inside his suit pockets and gazing lovingly in my direction.
“I need to see it,” I say as I take a step closer. As it comes more clearly into view through my blurry eyes, I read the words written above it. “We all need to paint doors.” I tentatively reach out my hand and gently place my fingers on the door. I close my eyes and I can smell her. I can feel her. And her magic surrounds me once more. Tears spill down my face and I feel Nick’s hand on the small of my back.
“You did this?” I question, turning to him.
He nods as he points behind him. “I had some help.”
I smile lovingly toward Gwen, Coop, and my children. “I don’t understand.” I grab a hold of his jacket. “What is this place?”
“Can I tell her?”
I hear a familiar voice, but I can’t place my finger on it. A slender girl with long black hair rounds the corner. I stare into her eyes as she smiles at me, and there’s something inside them that reminds me of a girl I used to know. “Nadia?” I ask skeptically.
She smiles brightly. “Hi, Ev!”
“What? How? You?” I ask as I reach out and hug her.
She laughs lightly. “I hope you don’t mind seeing me around here. Nick and Gwen offered me a job in reception. I went to the hospital to look for you because I always wanted to tell you how much you meant to me that day. Gwen overheard me asking for you and we started talking. And here I am!”
I glance at Nick, and Gwen rests her head on his shoulder. He lovingly rests his hand on her back, and Cooper smiles next to them.
