She knew she had to, and that one way or another they’d get through this, just like she and River had after they’d lost their father. She wore a path in the living room floor as the girls finished eating. Rosie started following her as she paced.
Rosie giggled. “This fun!”
“I wanna play.” Junie climbed down from her seat and fell into line behind Rosie.
“We ma-chin’,” Rosie said.
The girls lifted their knees high like they were in a marching band. Leah knew better than to try to get them to stop following her. Thinking it was a game was a heck of a lot better than thinking Mommy was losing her mind.
The front door opened, and Tank walked in. Leah stopped pacing, and the girls ran into her butt, reeling with giggles.
Tank arched a brow. “Playing Pied Piper?”
Leah couldn’t believe her eyes as the kids yelled, “Papa Tank’s home!” and ran to him. She didn’t know how their lives had blended together so seamlessly and come to the point where River’s girls called him Papa Tank, how he had burrowed so deep into their hearts so fast, or how he’d become her rock. It had happened too naturally to have seen it coming, too powerfully to be disregarded, and she’d never been more thankful for anything in her life. Tank centered her. He didn’t even need to say a word for her to feel stronger, safer, better. “Did you forget something?”
“Yeah.” He finished hugging the girls, and patted their heads. “Go play so I can talk to Mama, chickadees.”
“Come on, Wosie. Let’s play explower.” Junie ran into their bedroom, and Rosie followed.
“What’d you forget?” Leah asked.
The girls ran out of their bedroom with their explorer backpacks and sat on the living room floor to empty them.
Tank took Leah’s hand, leading her away from them. “I know you can handle today, but I thought this might help.” He pulled a black velvet bag out of his pocket and put it in her hand.
Her pulse quickened. “What is this?”
“Open it and see.”
She opened the bag and lost her breath as she withdrew a gold locket with the tree of life etched into it, surrounded by a circle of diamonds. “Ohmygod” came out just above a whisper. “Tank…?”
“I bought it for you last week and hid it at my house so the munchkins wouldn’t find it. I was just waiting for the right time to give it to you. Open the locket, sweetheart.”
She opened it with trembling hands as the kids ran around the room looking through their magnifying glasses. Her heart stumbled at the photographs of her father and River inside. FOREVER IN MY HEART was inscribed above her father’s picture, and ALWAYS BY MY SIDE was inscribed above River’s. Tears spilled from her eyes as she felt something on the back of the locket and turned it over, reading the inscription through the blur of tears. TO LEE, WITH ALL MY LOVE, BENSON.
She could barely breathe past the emotions clogging her throat and threw her arms around him. “I love it. I’ve never owned anything so beautiful. Thank you.”
He held her tight, kissing the top of her head. “The tree of life represents the connection between earth and heaven. I thought it might help to have them with you today.”
She looked up, in awe of the man who had stolen—and was healing—her heart one painfully beautiful moment at a time. “It already has.”
LATER THAT MORNING, Leah pulled up in front of Corinne Langley’s modest Cape-style home, and her nerves prickled again. She sat back, taking in the gardens and the white picket fence surrounding the house. Ivy snaked up the cedar shingles between the windows and the front door. This was it. This would change everything. She touched the locket and closed her eyes, seeing River’s and her father’s supportive faces. And then Tank’s and the girls’ faces moved into the forefront, filling her with strength and determination.
With a deep breath, she grabbed her bag and headed up the walk.
Corinne opened the door with a welcoming smile and a little towheaded boy in her arms. Her light-brown hair was flecked with blond and cascaded just past her shoulders with a few wispy layers. Little voices rang out from within the house. “Leah?”
“Yes, hi. It’s nice to meet you.”
The little boy waved. “I Twevor.”
“Hi, Trevor. I’m Leah.”
“Come in.” Corinne stepped aside. “Trevor is almost three and he loves to meet new people. I was just telling him about Rosie and Junie.” Corinne tickled Trevor’s belly. “Do you want to show Leah the playroom?”
Trevor giggled and wriggled as she set him down. He ran ahead of them into the main living area, which looked exactly like what Leah had hoped to see. Cubbies filled with toys lined the area beneath the windows, and dolls, plastic vehicles, stuffed animals, and other toys littered the floor. An alphabet banner hung on the wall above two plastic tables and chairs, where another little boy was coloring. Two little girls were playing with a plastic storefront and kitchen. Trevor plopped onto his bottom and began playing with cars on a rug printed with roads and stores. A brightly colored play area with a spongy mat was set up across the room from the couch, which had kids’ blankets strewn across it.
“Wow, this looks great.”
Corinne looked at her like she was crazy. “You don’t have to be kind. It looks like the room exploded, but as I said on the phone, I would rather play with the kids, read to them, teach them what I can so they’re ready for preschool, and let them be kids than worry about the mess. There’s plenty of time for that after everyone goes home. Why don’t you take off your jacket and we can sit on the couch and chat.”
She was so warm and easygoing, Leah’s nerves calmed as she shrugged off her jacket, and they sat down.
“That’s a beautiful necklace.”
“Thank you.” She touched the locket. “I was a little nervous about coming here, and my boyfriend surprised me with it this morning. It has a picture of my brother and father inside it.” She was surprised boyfriend came out so easily, but it felt good to say it. She’d already told Corinne about her relationship with Tank and about losing River and her father.
“That’s a really thoughtful gift.” Corinne touched her arm. “Don’t worry, Leah. I understand being nervous, especially after all you and your girls have been through. I’m looking forward to getting to know you, and I want to hear all about them.”
Nearly two hours later, Leah climbed back into her car with her questions answered and plans to bring the girls by tomorrow to meet Corinne. Corinne was even more wonderful than Starr had said. Leah had a good feeling, like something inside her had shifted, stepping from the depths of grief into acceptance. It had been happening in baby steps for weeks, and at the same time, some of those steps felt like long strides.
She texted Starr to say thank you for referring her to Corinne and to check on the girls, and then she texted Tank to say the meeting went great and she’d tell him about it tonight. Starr sent her a picture of the girls playing dress-up. Gracie wore a tiara and a princess dress. Rosie wore a tutu and several of her beaded necklaces, and Junie had on one of Tank’s T-shirts he’d let her sleep in, tied in a giant knot at her waist above her paw-print leggings, and yellow rain boots.