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“Bodhi, you earned this, not me. I can’t just take your winnings. Or the rest of it, for that matter.”
The chuckle, sharing a look that says, see, I told you.
“Babe, I only raced because you couldn’t, and Milo wanted to do his part to help,” he explains, coming around the table to take my face in his hands. He tips my chin up so that I’m looking up at him, cradling my head gently. “I know it's hard for you to accept, but we all care about you and want to do what we can to make sure you and your mom are taken care of. No, it’s not our job, but that’s what friends and family do, so get used to it.”
He bends at the waist, pressing his lips sweetly to mine.
“I don’t know what to say,” I admit, voice cracking under the emotions of the day.
“You don’t have to say anything. Just pay your bills, baby. And rest assured that we’ve got your back from here on out.”
I lift the backpack onto the table and stand, burying my head in his chest and holding him tight. This man right here crashed into my world and turned it on its head, and I couldn’t be happier.
“Thank you,” I say into his chest.
He pulls away so that he can look me in the eye.
“You never have to thank me for making sure you’re taken care of. It’s a damn honor to be able to do so,” he says, kissing me on the forehead.
“Well,” Milo says, tossing a roll of bills over his head and catching it. “What are you going to do first?”
“Honestly,” I say, “I don’t even know.”
And it’s the truth. So many things need to be taken care of, but where to start?
“How about we start with celebrating?” Bodhi says, and the content look in his eyes makes me beyond happy.
“Okay, so we celebrate. Then what?” I ask, looping my arms around his neck.
“Then we start forever, one step at a time,” Bodhi says, and my heart skips a beat.
“Forever… now, that sounds like a plan.”
Keaton
This is one of the happiest days I’ve had in years, and I’ve had some pretty great days.
The day I paid off the loan to the bank, saving Ma’s house. The day Sander told me that the charges were going to stick, and Mateo was being sentenced to ten years in prison. Because of that, and the extortion charges, I got back every cent I ever deposited into his account over the last two years. And the day that Bodhi asked me to move in with him.
Of course I said yes, on the condition that we visited Ma at least twice a week, which was a given as far as we were concerned.
Another great day was the day that Bodhi found a 1968 Plymouth Roadrunner in pristine condition, and I was actually able to purchase it. The Camaro was beyond repair, and I wanted to replace it with something equally nice.
But none of those days compare to the absolute joy I feel right now, standing outside of Northern California Correctional Facility, knowing that Eli is being released at this very moment.
Ma is holding my hands tightly in hers, her eyes trained on the door we were told he’d be exiting through.
Bodhi stands to my other side, rubbing soothing circles on my back as we wait.
He’s been absolutely amazing in all of this. I know that there is no way we’d be standing here today if it weren’t for him.
A year ago, I would have been too proud to accept his help, but he was persistent and never backed down, and I’m so grateful he didn’t.
When the sound of a buzzer rings out, we all stand a little straighter, watching as the door swings open.
Ma gasps, unable to control her emotions, and I don’t blame her. I’m a mess of tears myself.
Eli walks toward us, wearing the same clothes he left home in that day, only now they look about two sizes too small.
