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“It’s also a good spot for people watching. I’ve been coming out here almost every evening for forty some-odd years.” She sat down on the steps and patted the spot next to her. “Join me, if you’re not in a hurry.”
“Sure. Why not?” I took a seat next to the woman.
“Name’s Francine Meyers, but my friends call me Fanny.”
“I’m Devyn. It’s nice to meet you.”
“So, Devyn, is it just you or were you looking at the house as a place to raise your family?”
“I came with my boyfriend.”
She smiled. “I’d hoped a nice couple would buy this place. Me and my Arthur had so many good years here. We had a lot of love and laughter inside these walls. Raised four kidsanda husband here.”
I chuckled. “Can I ask why you’re moving? Are you retiring somewhere warmer or something?”
Fanny nodded. “It’s too big for me these days, so I’m headed down to Florida to live near my sister. A condo. No maintenance. It’s just me now. My Arthur passed last year.”
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you. We had forty-nine good years together.”
“Wow. Forty-nine years of marriage. That’s a long time.”
She smiled. “It is. Yet the only thing I regret about my time with Arthur is that we didn’t meet sooner.”
I covered my heart with my hand. “That’s so sweet.”
Fanny and I grew quiet, watching a woman walk by with two little girls. They were probably about six or seven, both wearing blue and gray plaid Catholic-school uniforms with matching bows in their pigtails.
“Can I ask you something, Fanny?”
“What’s that, dear?”
“Did you know in your heart that you and Arthur would be married for almost a half century when you got together?”
“I was only twenty-two. I don’t know that I looked that far ahead, but the one thing I knew for sure was that I’d regret it if I didn’t take the chance with that man.”
I smiled and looked over my shoulder at the brownstone one more time. The thought of missing out on putting up a tree or not having magnets on the fridge made my heart squeeze.
“Thanks, Fanny. I have to run. There’s something I just realized I need to do.”
She winked at me. “Go get ’em, girl.”
I practically ran all the way back to the apartment. I had no idea what I was going to say or do, but I was done letting my fears control me. Even if it didn’t work out, Owen was worth taking the risk. I wanted it all.
The baby.
Two teenage siblings.
Owen to come home to every night.
Maybe even a dog or cat.
And screw it—I wanted the brownstone, too.
Oh my God. I’d definitely lost it!I’m not even an animal person.
But I didn’t care. After my epiphany, the only thing that mattered was getting to Owen.
