“ARE YOU SURE you want to spend part of your visit here cleaning up my mess?” I asked Mum while she checked her purse, preparing to go to Susan’s. “Things will calm down eventually.”

She paused and glanced my way, a stern look in her eye. “Do you know what Ty said to me during the week?”

I shook my head and shrugged to answer.

“He said that Nanny and Mummy didn’t like each other anymore.”

My hand pressed against my abdomen. That hurt. “He said that?”

She nodded. “And she may not want to talk to, or even listen to you. But I’m not going to stand by and have my grandbaby feel sad because of it. I’m going to go there and she’ll hear me out.”

“What makes you so sure she’s going to listen?”

Slinging her handbag on her shoulder, she placed a hand on her hip. “You didn’t get your stubbornness from your father, you know. I can be very persuasive.”

Laughing, I handed over my keys and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you, Mum,” I said. “And good luck.”

She waved over her shoulder as she walked out the door. “I doubt I’ll need it. Call you when I’m through.”

---

Forty-five minutes later, I was in the park with Janesa on our first jog of the year. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages,” she said, pushing Rosie in the jogger as we ran along the path, her blonde ponytail swinging from side to side. Ty was doing his usual—riding ahead of us—but this time he had one of the toy animals Jude bought him tied to the back of his seat. A lion. He’d said it needed some fresh air.

“It’s been a few weeks, hasn’t it?”

“How are things with you and Jude? Say anything special to each other over the holidays?” She waggled her brow comically.

“The L word? No. We haven’t said it yet. But we’re close, I think. Him maybe more than me. There have been a lot of hints that that’s where we’re going.”

She was grinning. “It feels that way to me. You’re so…happy now. I can see it in your skin.”

I laughed. “My mother said that when she saw me too.”

“It’s true. Jude is good for you.”

Thinking about the emotional wringer we’d been through since Christmas, I couldn’t help but smile. We’d been through a lot and it had definitely brought us closer.

“I gave him Tyler’s journal.”

“To keep?” Her pitch rose a couple of octaves.

“No. To read.”

“That’s…” She paused, but I didn’t need her to finish. I knew what she was saying.

“I know. It’s a big step. But I wanted him to understand how things were for us. I suppose I want him to know that it wasn’t all roses and fairy tales. There were ups and downs and I had to fight to be with Tyler, but in the end it was worth it. Fighting for love is always worth it.”

“Do you think you’d have to fight for Jude?”

“I think every couple has their separate demons. The fight comes when your demons meet and you have to find a way to fight them together.”

She thought for a moment. “Sounds like your demons have already met. It also sounds like you love him regardless.”

“I do,” I admitted, unable to control the grin spreading across my face. “I didn’t think it would ever happen again, but I do. I’ve fallen in love with him.”

She emitted a girly squeal, causing Rosie to squeal along with her. “I’m so happy for you, Sarah. Just remember, don’t say it during sex—it never counts if you say it during sex.”

Laughing, I remembered the last time I had this kind of conversation with her. I’m fairly sure she’d given me the same advice—advice I’d completely ignored, mind you.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, feeling more energetic than I had in years. Each step I took felt a little lighter. Each day a little brighter. I knew it was because of Jude. He’d somehow managed to do the impossible. He’d mended my broken heart.

Susan was at my place when I returned home. She was sitting at my table having tea with my mother. They were laughing about something but stopped when they heard the door close.

“Nanny!” Ty yelled, running up to her.

She hugged him tightly and kissed him against the top of his head. While they conversed a little, my mum came over to me and spoke quietly.

“I’m going to take Ty out for a little while, give you two a chance to talk.”

Nerves swirled around the entirety of my torso, because the last few times I’d tried to talk to Susan things hadn’t gone so well. I nodded then waited until Mum collected Ty and they left before I approached Susan.

“Seems you’re quite taken by this new man of yours,” she said. It was her first comment and it put me on the back foot, feeling as though I had to defend my feelings for Jude before we’d even said ‘hello’.

I went to open my mouth, but she raised her hand to stop me. “I think it’s a good thing,” she added.

Hesitantly, I took a seat across from her. “You do?”

She nodded. “Your mother and I had a long conversation today. She opened my eyes to a few things, and I realised that I wasn’t being fair to you. You deserve to be happy, Sarah. I’m glad you’ve found someone in Jude.”

I was so taken aback that I didn’t know what to say. All I managed was, “Thank you.”

“I’m also sorry for the way I reacted when you packed away Tyler’s things. I suppose as his mother, I was never going to be ready for that to happen. But I also think I was afraid that if you stopped mourning him, you’d stop needing me. Missing him was a big part of our bond, and I didn’t want to be unimportant to you. I didn’t want to lose Ty. So instead of waiting for you to not need me, I pushed you away.”

“Oh Susan. I could never not need you. You’re Ty’s grandmother and you aren’t just my mother-in-law, you’re one of my closest friends. That’s why I was so hurt. I felt like I was losing you right when I was starting to feel better. I was really hoping that we’d continue to heal together, just like we’d mourned together. I missed that I couldn’t talk to you, confide in you. I’ve really missed you.” I reached my hand across the table, she was too far away for me to touch, but the sentiment was there.

She smiled lightly, it was half sad, half happy. “I’ve missed you, too, Sarah. And I’d really like it if I could meet him. Jude, wasn’t it?”

I nodded. “Yes. His name is Jude.”

“It’s a lovely name. He must be a lovely man if your mother is anything to go by. She thinks he’s very charming.”

Grinning, I looked down a little, thinking about how my mother had reacted the first time she met him. “He is,” I agreed. “I think you’d really like him.”

She stood from the table. “I’m sure I will. Perhaps you could bring him to dinner one day next week?”

Nodding, I stood with her. “I’d like that.”

Seeming pleased with that plan, she made her excuses to leave, giving me a brief hug before she walked out the door. It was a little stiff and awkward at first, but when I hugged her back, she relaxed in my arms. “I’m so glad you came today, Susan.”

“Me too,” she whispered, giving me a gentle pat on the back. Everything was starting to feel right in my world.