“Honey, it was awesome. You did great.” I pull him in and squeeze him.
“Did you see my assist?” he asks Dax. “I did it just like you showed me.”
“You did better than what I showed you.” He fist-bumps him.
Jacob puffs his chest out, and a few of his teammates come up to him.
Dax puts his arm around me, and I sigh into him as we both watch Jacob replaying some of the game’s highlights with his friends. Jacob’s whole expression lights up this dusty gymnasium, which looks the same as when I went to school here over twenty years ago.
Once the group disperses, Jacob bounces back to us, and I help him put his coat on.
“We’re proud of you, big guy.” Dax stays in the middle, squeezing my hand and pulling Jacob into his side.
Together, we walk out into the chilly night.
“Want to go for hot chocolate?” I suggest.
“Yes,” my boys say in unison.
Just like that, I’m full. Complete. Overflowing with gratitude and love and joy. I survived the worst with losing Mitch, but in Sunnyville, with Dax and Jacob next to me, I’ve received a second chance.
One I’ll forever cherish.
Forty-Two
Dax
My knock on the door is muffled by the wind as the clouds roll in.
A few kids race down the street on their bikes, trying to beat the rain.
I stuff my hands in my pockets and wait.
Terry swings the door open and ushers me in. “Come in, come in, but please leave your shoes by the door, or Izzy will have my head on a platter with roasted potatoes.” He chuckles and waits for me to take my shoes off. Once they’re nestled next to theirs, he grabs me by the shoulders for a quick but firm hug. “How the hell are you, Dax?”
“Great. Fantastic. Perfectly outstanding.” I’m suddenly nervous to be here. I prepared my speech on the drive over, and I’ve been preparing for this my whole life.
But now, it’s all happening, and I’m finding it difficult to believe.
He chuckles again, clapping my shoulder. “Why so tense, son? Relax.”
I release the tension in my shoulders at the sound of him calling me son. Having known him my whole life, it feels genuine and loving. A feeling I haven’t felt since my own dad passed. It gives me a sense of belonging.
“Hi there, Dax.” Izzy walks down the hall to me, giving me a hug and kiss to my cheek. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Water would be great. Thank you.” I straighten my back as she retreats.
Terry leads me to the couch, and I take in his living room. I’ve been here before, but it feels different now. The next time I step inside this house, I might officially be his son.
“You see that bass there?” He points to a framed picture on the wall by the TV. It’s one of Terry holding a large bass. Izzy stands next to him with a thumbs-up. She’s much shorter than him, so the bass appears even bigger next to her.
“Quite a catch.”
“That’s the bass I was telling you about the other day. Biggest one I ever caught. I finally got the picture framed.” He crosses his legs as he studies it with admiration. “The first time Izzy went out on the water with me, I told her she was my lucky charm and that she had to go fishing with me more often. Still to this day, she’s my lucky charm. My second chance at love. She gave me another daughter. They’re my life. Between them, Clara, and Jacob, and even Helene, I’m a blessed man, Dax.”
“A beautiful family, sir.” My body fills with warmth hearing him talk about his family this way, with such love. It’s how my dad always talked about us. It’s what Clara and Jacob are to me.
Izzy enters the room with a tray of water and iced teas, along with a cheese and cracker platter. “What’re you boys up to today?”
Terry studies me with a knowing, wistful smile. “I believe Dax wanted to ask me something.”
“Oh?” She brings her hands up in a prayer-like fashion over her smile, obviously trying to contain herself.
“I, um…” I softly laugh, feeling shy and juvenile like I did when I asked Terry if I could take Clara to the homecoming dance as a freshman in high school. I reassured him we’d only go as friends. I kept my feelings to myself because I didn’t want him to chop my fingers off to keep me from touching his daughter.
But today’s different. I’m asking for so much more.
He patiently waits, his fatherly gaze on me.
“I’ll leave you two be.” Izzy scurries away.
“Sir.” I clear my throat and angle my body toward him. “I want you to know I’ve loved Clara since we were kids. I’ve been in love with her for years. I love her and Jacob both. The way you talk about and love your family? Well, that’s what Clara and Jacob are to me. They give me reasons to smile and breathe. They’re the reasons my heart beats. They’re my family.”
Tears form in his eyes.
“It would mean the world to me if you’d please give me your blessing to marry your daughter.”
He nods and uses his thumb to catch a tear in the corner of his eye. “Before, I said I’m a blessed man, but adding you as a son? I’d be honored.” The corners of his eyes wrinkle as his smile grows. “Clara loves you. I think part of her heart has always belonged to you. Whether it was asking me for prank advice to get you back for stealing her dolls, or college, or moving, your name came up. It was like you were a package deal with her.”
“She’s always been it for me,” I whisper.
His smile turns sad. “You’ve lived a difficult life, son. You lost your parents and became a guardian too early, but you’ve become a fine young man. Your parents would be so proud.” His eyes grow red as he squeezes my shoulder, clearing his throat. His voice is full of emotion when he says, “I have no doubt you’ll take good care of my Clara and Jacob. You’ll be a good role model for that boy.”
I peer down at my hands as the severity of this moment settles deep in my core.
He said yes.
The man I respect the most in this world said I could marry his daughter. Be a father to his grandson.
We both stand, and he pulls me in for a hug. He steps back with more tears in his eyes as he shakes my hand, and I relax.
I breathe.
His blessing opens my eyes to a hopeful and happy future with my new family. I just need Clara’s answer now.
“You can come out now,” Terry calls over his shoulder.
I tilt my head in confusion, but it makes sense when Izzy pokes her head around the corner from the hallway. “Well?”
Terry puts his arm around me and angles us to face her. “Iz, we’re going to have a new son in the family.”
She squeals and runs into the living room like a kid on their birthday. We end up in a group hug, laughing and having our own little celebration.
Once we settle back onto the couch with Izzy on the loveseat next to us, she asks, “Do you have the ring? How will you propose? How can we help?”
Terry and I both chuckle. “I do have the ring. I have an idea for the proposal, and I’d love your help.”
“We’ll do anything we can.” She claps, turning her glowing gaze to Terry.
The love they share is obvious and fills the room.