Page 69 of Now to Forever (Life on the Ledge Duet #2)

Forty-Nine

The triangle in the woods is pure pandemonium. June, Lyra, and Wren buzz around the kitchen, shuffling pans in and out of the oven and around burners of the stove. Every outlet has a crockpot plugged into it.

I try to help, but since I might be in shock, I opt to stand in the way.

A muffled shout from outside grabs my attention. There, a literal team of boys is unloading folding chairs and tables from the back of Camp’s truck as Ford and Camp stand off to the side directing the boys around the yard.

Ford smiles and waves like this isn’t at all shocking. Like I have a damn clue as to what’s happening.

“So,” June says, stepping next to me on the porch. “There are people coming.”

“No shit, people are coming. Why is my yard covered in teenage boys? ”

“They’re helping.” She smiles with all her teeth before disappearing.

Four long tables get set up in the yard, surrounded by metal folding chairs, and two more tables go on the porch, which immediately get filled with crockpots that are plugged into extension cords. Off to the side, one lone table.

Ford strolls over to me. “Hi.”

Despite how handsome he looks in his dark jacket and subtle layer of scruff on his jaw, I scowl. “What the hell?”

His lips twitch then he leans in to kiss me. “I love you, Scotty, but you’re stubborn as hell.” He kisses me again. “I told you I’m not letting you push me away.”

All I can manage: “Doubt that.”

He chuckles, kisses me again. “Mm. I’ve missed you.” And again. “And I can tell you have too by the way you’re gripping on to my shirt.”

I am, in fact, clinging on to him for dear life.

Damn him.

A car pulls up and he pulls away, taking my hand. “They’re here.”

I look; his parents?

Charlene and Earl get out, stacks of pies in hand and smiles on their faces. Ford doesn’t look at me, just walks me over to them. His mom hands the pies to him . . . and hugs me. “Scotty,” she says as she pulls away, looking at me square in the eyes. “It seems you’re sticking around. ”

My chin jerks back as she chuckles and looks at Ford. “Put me to work, son.”

“Inside. Fair warning, June’s a drill sergeant.”

Charlene looks back to me and reaches into her purse, pulling out two framed pictures. “For you.”

Despite my confusion, I take them from her, and my breath catches.

In the first one, me, June, and Wren are mid-laugh as we dance at Orchard Fest. In the second, me, Ford, and Zeb stand in the middle of their orchard with teenage faces.

Zeb’s wearing a T-shirt that says No Fear while holding up a peace sign with one hand.

I’m leaning on Ford’s shoulder smiling. Ford’s looking at me. It cracks my heart in two.

Charlene and I look at each other, a small smile pulling at our lips before she goes to help June.

Lyra swoops in from seemingly out of nowhere. “I’ll take these,” she says, swiping the pictures out of my hands and taking them to the table at the edge of the yard, propping them up next to the one she brought.

Ford’s next to me again, squeezing my hand in his. I look up at him. “What’s happening?”

“I can’t let you leave, Scotty,” he says, kissing my thumb. “Can’t live anymore of us not being us. So”—he looks around at the chaos happening around us—“I’m fighting like hell to keep you here.”

I should say something. Argue. Tell him I’ve made up my mind and this is ridiculous.

But I don’t.

Because I can’t .

Because inside of my body, every single piece of me is being taken apart before being remade.

And then, Thanksgiving day unfolds like a dream I didn’t know to have.

The cars keep coming.

Wanda and Dondi arrive, carrying two casserole dishes.

Dondi is wearing a ridiculous plaid suit, Wanda is wrapped in shades of brown and orange with turkeys dangling from her ears.

She hands me a framed photo, a selfie of her and Dondi.

“Never would have met the man of my dreams if you didn’t believe in us, honey,” she says as she hugs me. “I’ll miss your face every single day.”

Then Mel, carrying a large bowl of cranberry sauce.

She’s wearing a sweater dress and gold earrings—she looks beautiful.

When she steps up to me, she hands Ford the dish and hands me a photo.

It’s her and I standing outside of the church by the LL sign, looking at each other with half smiles on our faces.

“Your friend took it,” she says. “Thought it suited us.”

I open my mouth only to once again find nothing. She shows mercy. “You’re not so bad for a pain in the ass.”

I laugh. It’s borderline watery.

Three of Ford’s boys from the boxing gym show up with bags of premade rolls and a picture of them with Ford at Fight Club.

Gary shows up with his wife, Deb, and a sponge cake and picture of the two of them from Halloween. She’s wearing a maid costume. “Thanks for the idea,” Gary says with a sheepish grin. I will scrub that visual out of my mind later .

Vince the real estate agent comes with his family; he’s wearing a coat and sweating as he gives me a picture of him and Archie—the grandpa he was friends with—fishing from a few years ago.

“We could have made a fortune on this one.” It was the same thing he said to me when I called him yesterday and told him I wasn’t selling.

I laugh and he shrugs.

June’s parents bring yams and a picture of me and June from her wedding.

Camp’s parents arrive with a crate of rosé and a picture of me, June, Camp, and Ford outside of the gym before senior prom.

Ben and his girlfriend show up with ingredients for Moscow Mules and two pictures.

The first is of me, June, and Ford the night they hauled my ass out of Liberty Tap.

Ford is holding me like a child in his arms; there’s a drunk smile on my face.

The second one is Ben and another man wearing leather jackets standing in front of motorcycles— his brother .

He gives me a knowing look; tears in my eyes, I hug him tight.

Hank and Ty proudly present me with a picture of them drawing all over my face as I’m passed out on their couch, making me laugh, long and hard.

“Ford, what’s happening?” I whisper again, watching the lone table fill with pictures as the rest fill with bodies.

Laughter bubbles up as people gather. He wraps an arm around my shoulders and squeezes as yet another unrecognizable vehicle arrives.

When Merritt, Joel, and Blue get out, tears fall straight down my face. I can barely speak. “Ford? ”

He looks at me, eyes so bright they’re almost golden.

Just like him. “Scotty,” he says, “you’ve changed the life of every single person here.

You’ve made their lives better by simply existing on this planet.

By growing up in a trailer. By getting in bar fights and having a mouth of a viper.

” He dusts a kiss on my lips. “By having a baby and giving him away. You’re selfless and you have the biggest heart ever made.

You denying it doesn’t make it any less true. ”

“Scotty?” Merritt says with a warm smile as she approaches. “Hope it’s okay we’re here.” She gestures to the casserole dish in her husband’s hands. “We brought carrots.”

I sniff and wipe my eyes, unable to stop looking at Blue. Other than when I held him as a baby, I’ve never seen him so close. He has freckles. My nose. “I’m very happy you’re here.”

Ford’s hand squeezes mine.

“Sorry,” I sniff. “I’m all emotional. Joel.” I smile at Blue’s dad. “It’s good to see you again. Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Scotty.” He shakes Ford’s hand as they exchange introductions.

My eyes stay on Blue.

Merritt clears her throat. “Blue, this is your birth mom. Scotty.”

He and I look at each other like we’re newly discovered life-forms. A small smile tugs at his lips. “Hey.”

“Hi,” I say, clearing my throat. “And this is your”—I look at Ford—“sperm donor. Ford Callahan.” Ford chuckles as Blue’s eyes double in size. “I named you after his eyes and his last name. I’m creative like that.” I laugh awkwardly.

He and Ford look at each other; Ford shakes his hand. “Blue. ”

Blue studies him, and I wonder if he’s seeing the same pieces of himself I do.

“I didn’t know how to be a mom,” I blurt, desperate to explain myself in the silence.

Like if I don’t tell him he’ll slip through my fingers like sand in the wind.

I’m watching Blue intensely enough to notice his eyes narrow just slightly.

“I didn’t want you to think you were a demon baby I had to get rid of or something.

Or that you were unwanted. Or unloved. I picked your parents out because they didn’t look like serial killers or cult leaders. ”

Blue’s lips twitch. “Yeah,” he says. “You did good. They raised me cult- and killer-free.”

I chuckle, relieved, and when I look at Ford, my own pride reflects in his eyes. We did good.

“Your friend asked us to bring a picture in a frame,” Merritt chimes in, almost unsure. “But I made you an album. Blue over the years.” She offers it to me. “If you’d like it.”

I take it in my hands, fresh surge of emotion swelling in me. “I’d love that.”

She and I look at each other, an unspoken bond of motherhood traveling between us. Her appreciation for the life I gave her, and my appreciation for the life she gave him. The one I was too young and broken to have ever given.

Wren appears, introduces herself, and looks at Blue. “I guess we’re kind of siblings.”

Blue’s taken aback but he also smiles. “I guess so.”

“Alright, people,” June shouts from the steps of the porch with her hands cupped around her mouth. “Let’s eat already! ”

Blue and I exchange one last smile, then everyone moves toward June, forming lines at the food tables and filling the chairs. I stay behind, my whole world tripling in size by being in the presence of all these people.

Wren props the front door open and puts a record on—a Lindsey Stirling one I bought to surprise her—and flicks me a half smile.

My legs won’t budge, so I just watch. Every beautiful piece of it.