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“What is it?”
“Will you make sure Jonny doesn’t hate me? Will you not talk badly about me to him?”
I inhale. “I can do that.”
“Promise?”
“Without hesitation, I can promise you I’ll never say a bad word about you to him. Especially if you go to therapy.”
A smile tugs underneath her pain. “Deal.” She pats my leg.
“Do you want me to invite you to the family BBQs?”
“I’d rather die.”
I laugh, and she offers a small smile, “Kidding. Maybe in a few years?” Standing, Shelby sighs, “I’m going to bed. I’ll be crying my heart out until I pass out, but I want to be alone now.”
“Call me if you need help with anything.”
I wait until she walks inside, and when she pauses to say, “Thank you,” I know without a doubt that we’ll be friends after all.
Miracles do happen. I remember Paige saying it once, years back, something from Al-Anon: Don’t quit five minutes before the miracle.
When I started this divorce I’d never have thought about that saying, but now, as I drive home, it’s the most profoundly hopeful thing I’ve ever heard. Never thought I’d hope to have Shelby in my life, once I decided I didn’t want to be her husband anymore. But now, we’re going to be friends.
And that truly is a miracle I wouldn’t want to miss.
THIRTY-FIVE
Willow
The flight back to Venice is bittersweet. I get to see my dog again, my friends, my family.
But I'm agitated.
Don't wanna go.
Ben drove us to the airport, our personal shuttle driver with me right up front. We were quiet for most of it, both wishing our time together wasn’t over. I think a lot of us felt that way. I heard Marco and Michelle making plans for him to visit her in NYC and she, him in Italy. I heard a catch in her voice, emotions getting the best of her.
I think Sienna was the only one ready to go home. She had on her headphones, bopping her head to music unheard by us, eyes cast outward to a future of bright lights and oh so many people.
When I got out, Ben revealed a gift for me that was hidden in the cargo bin. “I made this.” He flipped around the wood and I gasped to read, It’s Possible.
“When did you do this?”
“Right after you showed me your photos of wildflowers.”
“Really? But that was?—”
“—right in the middle of all the drama. I know,” he said, holding my gaze with meaning.
“When you just met me?”
Ben pulled me to him, board hanging in one hand, voice deep. “Willow, I grew up on that property but I never saw wildflowers until you showed them to me. If you go after this dream, I think you can make something of it. I knew you needed to hear it and I wanted to be the one to say it.”
A lump formed in my throat and I threw my arms around his neck, hugged him tight, whispered against his frown. “Thank you! I’m going to miss you so much.”
“You have a lot to distract you.”
