“Telll me a ssstory,” Molly murmurs.
I smile against the top of her head. It’s usually me who asks her for stories, but as of a couple of months ago, she’s been asking me for them more. I still ask for a story from her at times, but not as much as I used to. It’s a struggle for her to speak, and I don’t want to add to her discomfort.
Squeezing my arms around her middle, I nuzzle my nose into her hair and bring my mouth close to her ear.
“When you appeared in the doorway at the back of the church, the day you became Mrs. Bradshaw, you took my breath away and stole my heart again. Up until that point in my life, I often asked myself how I got so lucky to have a woman as perfect as you. I never found the answer. But after that day, I stopped asking and accepted the fact that I was the luckiest man on the planet. I no longer cared what the reason was. It took every bit of strength in my body that day to keep from running down the aisle to you, picking you up, and rushing you back to the officiant. You always hear about the groom having cold feet the day of his wedding. I never experienced that. I never doubted we were where we were supposed to be in that moment. The day you married me, you made my life complete.”
I feel her lips forming a smile against my neck. “Yoou were sooo handsomme that dayyy.”
“And you were the most beautiful sight my eyes had ever seen.”
“I wisssh we could relivvve that daaay,” she says wistfully.
I hold in my smile and begin playing with the end of her ponytail. “It was a beautiful day.”
She hums in the back of her throat. “It was.”
We sit in silence for a few minutes, letting the light breeze wash over us.
“Hooow did Mrrr. Fischerrr like the piecesss?”
“Just as much as he liked the others. Said when I start back up again, he wants me to contact him about making some for his other companies.”
The Fischer commission ended up being pushed back a couple of months after the original finish date. Even with Owen’s help, there was no way I could finish in the allotted time. Not with Molly needing me so much. Over the last several months. Mr. Fischer and I have formed a friendship. Thankfully, he understood when I came to him about my concerns of not finishing the job on time. I was fully prepared to have him give the rest of the job to another contractor, so I was surprised when he graciously offered to extend the deadline by a couple of months. While Nancy was here yesterday visiting, I took the last pieces into the city.
I’ve taken the next several months off. Over the years, we’ve managed to save a good nest egg, so we won’t hurt financially.
“What’s the latest news with CC?”
CC is short for Clara and Charles. They’re the current couple in the journals. These started in the early nineteen hundreds. They’ve known each other their whole lives. Their parents were close friends. Charles was three when Clara was born. According to Clara, her parents told her the minute Charles was introduced to Clara, he deemed himself her protector. They grew up as close as siblings, but their relationship started changing in their mid-teens.
The last update Molly gave me was Clara and Charles had just become proud grandparents to a little girl named Millie. Molly got a kick out of the name because it was so similar to hers. She also got a kick out of Clara and Charles’ favorite place being the beach. Specifically walking the beach to collect shells for Clara to paint.
Molly rubs her face against my chest before releasing a sigh.
“They jussst found out Graccce, they’rrre oldest daughter, is pregnannnt,” Molly begins stiltedly. “Offf courssse, her and Charrrles are ecssstatic. Charles gave herrr a locccket that has aaa picturrre of her and Charlesss. She sssaid the hounds of hellll couldnnn’t make herrr takkke it offf.”
I chuckle at that. Reaching up, I finger the shell necklace hanging around Molly’s neck. Up until ten years ago, it was on a piece of rope that had to be replaced every so often. I eventually got a silver chain to hang it from. She hasn’t taken it off since the day I gave it to her over twenty years ago.
“Kinda reminds me of someone I know.”
She tips her head back and smiles at me. “Thattt was the firssst necklacce you gave meee. It’sss ssspecial.”
Behind us, the door opens. Glancing over my shoulder, I spot Jenna stepping outside, closing the door behind her. She approaches and takes the lounge chair beside us.
Jenna and Violet moved here seven months ago. Bryant followed her a month later. She’s a constant at our house, determined to help me take care of Molly. Her and Bryant married three months ago. Molly could still walk at the time, although she had to do so slowly and painfully. She was Jenna’s matron of honor. Jenna wanted me to push her down the aisle in a wheelchair to alleviate her pain, but Molly was adamant she would walk.
“Yyyou’re early,” Molly comments, and looks behind Jenna. “Where’s Vvviolet?”
“It was take your daughter to work day, so she decided to go with him instead since it doesn’t happen often. The house is clean, and I’m caught up with client work.” She shrugs. “I was bored at home, so I figured I’d come early.”
Molly grins. “I’m okaaay with that. I’mm alwaaays up for seeinggg my bessst friend.”
“That’s a good thing ‘cause I wasn’t leaving.”
Molly laughs and the vibrations from it feel good against my chest.
“So…,” Jenna wiggles her fingers out in front of her. “What color are we painting our fingernails and toenails today?”
Molly struggles to sit up in my lap, so I help her. I lean her to where she can rest back against my chest.
“I wasss thhhinking bright pinkkk,” Molly inserts.
Jenna taps her already painted nail on her top lip. “That’s a major clash with your gorgeous red hair.” She drops her hand and grins big. “But you know what? Who cares? Bright pink it is.” She hops up from her chair. “I’ll go get everything set up. Gemma and I will be in the family room when you’re ready.”
Before she walks back into the house, she stops by where we’re sitting and leans down to kiss Molly on the top of her head. Molly smiles softly as she watches her walk away. She leans her head back on my shoulder, and I start sifting my fingers through her hair like she likes.
“How are you feeling today?” I ask after a couple of minutes.
One shoulder lifts. “Jussst tired. The painnn in my legss isn’t asss baaad.”
Hearing that the pain in her legs have lessened today is bittersweet. While I hate it when her legs give her trouble, the reason behind that is tough to think about. She may not be feeling pain, but it’s because she’s losing the feeling in her legs. Her muscles are too weak to really move, and soon she won’t be able to move them at all even if she wanted to.
“Would you rather take a nap? You, Gemma, and Jenna can do your nails after we wake up.”
She slowly shakes her head. “Nooo. I’ll beee finnne.”
“Okay. Let’s get you inside before the other two get started without you.”
Before I lift her up, I grab her chin, and tip her head back so I can plant a kiss against her lips. When I pull away, it’s to find her unsteady gaze locked on mine.
“I looove you,” she tells me softly.