Page 37 of Yours, Now and Always
“We’re gonna need tissues,” I murmur, blinking hard as I fasten the chain around her neck.
Luna immediately retrieves a crumpled tissue from her pocket and passes it to me, her eyes so full of love it makes my throat close over. She’s the one taking care ofmenow. And just like that, my tears spill.
Then she’s hugging me. Fiercely, like she held her father a moment ago. Her voice muffled against my shoulder as she says, “I’m so glad you’re going to be my stepmom.”
She lifts her face to mine and starts listing things she can’t wait to do with me. Compose music together, color in every single coloring book together (because, apparently, her dadneverwants to), bake cakes together (because neither of her parents ever do that either), and maybe even start a band if I’m free for that.
Before I can respond, Sarah jumps in, chin tilted up with the excitement of a girl who wants to join in on all the fun. “I want to do all those things too,” she declares. “And also puzzles. And matching nail polish. And I want us to make a fairy village.” She turns to Gage. “You can help with the village. But only if you promise to make it cool and not boring.”
He gives a slow, deliberate nod, like this is a contract negotiation. “Cool and not boring. Got it. I’ll bring the rocks, moss, and engineering knowledge.”
Sarah squints at him like she’s deciding if he’s fairy-village material.
She’s still trying to figure Gage out. How he works. Still testing the edges of what’s allowed. How playful she can be. How weird. How bossy. And Gage just takes it. Matches her tone like it’s a language he already speaks.
I do my best not to cry over all the fairy village plans,because these two? They’re building something special already. Not out of moss and rocks, but out of tiny moments like this.
Sarah clearly has no idea what engineering knowledge means. But she doesn’t back down. She wants to understand him. Wants him to understand her. And god, that alone might undo me.
Finally, she says, “No brown leaves. Only fancy ones.”
Gage doesn’t miss a beat. “Only the fanciest. I’ll consult the forest.”
Luna takes her necklace from her father’s hands and holds it out to me. Her voice is shy but sure when she asks, “Will you put mine on too?”
And there go my tears again.
At this point, I’m starting to accept that I might cry through this entire weekend.
I nod, smiling at her. “I would be honored to put it on for you.” And god, if this doesn’t make my heart squeeze.
Sarah and I have been living in Gage’s penthouse for over a month now. Luna and I share routines. Dinners. Bedtime chaos. We’ve been finding our rhythm. Earning each other’s trust.
Butthismoment? It feels big. Because I’ve been hoping to not just be someone who’s there, but someone she reaches for.
Right now, she’s choosing me. And it feels like everything.
I fasten the chain with shaking fingers, then gently smooth her hair back into place. She turns, gives me a smile so full of light it nearly cracks me open, then bounds over to Sarah. The two of them launch into excited plans for matching nails, fairy villages, and future bands. Sisters already.
I stay kneeling for a moment, just watching them.
My girls.
My life.
I feel a quiet kind of joy, the kind that fills every corner of your chest and settles there like it’s always belonged.
When I look over, Gage is watching me. Not just with love. But with that rare awe he only shows in moments that hit him deep.
He doesn’t speak. But he doesn’t need to. I know what he’s telling me without a single word.Thank you for loving her. Thank you for loving us.
The girls are still chattering as Gage and I stand. Their hands are gesturing wildly, voices climbing with enthusiasm, and then Sarah suddenly pauses and glances out the window.
“Can we go back outside?” she asks. “We were building a fairy nest before.”
“Yeah,” Luna chimes in. “I wanna show the fairies my necklace.”
I laugh softly, my heart still wobbling. “Yes. Just don’t go too far, okay?” Not that it really matters. Gage has fortress-like fences around the entire estate and cameras positioned like he’s expecting an infiltration. Our girls are never getting lost.
