IT OFTEN AMAZED me how powerful a stick of gum had been in deciding my fate. Something that provided minty freshness to most had been the key to unlocking my closed heart. In both instances, I’d separated myself from the world, hiding behind my anger and disappointment over circumstances that seemed unfair. Then these men had been thrown into my path, opening my eyes and guiding my heart until I had no choice but to fall. And fall I did. I would be forever grateful to Wrigley for their role in my forever.

Almost a year had passed since Jude came into my life. And almost six years since Tyler left it. In the beginning, I spent a lot of time trying to see the differences in the way I’d loved each man, but when I fell, I fell fast, and I fell hard, because in my heart I knew when it was right. I knew with Tyler, just like I knew with Jude.

There was a time when Jude said to me that he didn’t expect to be the love of my life. He just wanted to be enough. It was something I’d thought about a lot—especially since we said those two very important words at the altar: “I do.”

We pledged our lives to each other. We promised to love and honour, in sickness and health... After we said that, I knew he wasn’t just enough. He was everything. Jude would be the love of my life. He’d be the man I’d spend the rest of my days with, the man I’d build a family with. It wasn’t that crazy-out-of-control first love that I had with Tyler. But that didn’t mean it was any less than that. It was a more mature love, one that was just as intense but not quite as desperate. It was a love that did the impossible; it healed our damaged souls and allowed us to trust in the power of love again. It was a love that understood. A love that I knew without a doubt would last.

I didn’t think time would ever change how much I missed Tyler’s presence in my life. But now I embraced my loss in a way that meant I could talk about him and smile. I wore his rings on my right hand so I could honour my marriage to him and my marriage to Jude at the same time. You’d think Jude would be a little jealous or perhaps feel awkward about something like that. But he wasn’t at all. He said that the way he saw it, Tyler was the one who lost so much, so it was up to us to give his memory life by including him in our everyday—not just in the special activities we did to complete his lists. Jude was such a wonderful man. I felt truly honoured that he chose me. That he looked into my damaged soul and saw something of value. He found me. And then he loved and cherished me.

That wasn’t to say that we wouldn’t still do the big things on Tyler’s list. The African safari was still happening—we’d spoken to our obstetrician about the trip and she assured us that travelling to South Africa would be fine as long as we took the proper precautions.

Country life agreed with us all. The fresh air, the sunshine, the people. Ty was over the moon. Everything he’d ever wanted was happening before his eyes: he’d moved to the farm, had a house with a backyard, Jude had agreed to be his daddy, and he was getting the baby brother or sister he’d always wished for. On top of that, he had all his grandparents in one place. Just as we suspected, Susan moved back to Moama. She and Graeme were even planning to renew their vows so they were married again. I began seeing the softer man in Graeme, and watching him with Ty often brought tears to my eyes. Broken hearts were being mended all round.

Now we just needed to encourage my brother to find his own happily ever after.

I’d joined the physiotherapy team at a rehabilitation clinic in town and felt just as fulfilled in my job as I had been working in a big hospital. Jude also worked there part-time. The man enjoyed a full workload, putting his speech therapy skills to use while rotating shifts with my father and brother on the farm. They’d all managed to achieve a healthy work-life balance that created a happier atmosphere and gave my dad the semi-retirement a man in his sixties deserved. Harry finally had the chance to focus on something more than the farm.

As Jude relaxed into his new life, he’d started to talk about his mother a lot more, too. I’d even noticed that his nightmares had lessened. His confidence grew—the shrugging was all but gone. And Rigby was finally taking his phone calls. Life was getting better day by day. I was in love and life felt beyond perfect. There were times when I felt the need to pinch myself to be sure it wasn’t a dream. But it was real. This life I was living was really happening.

And when the storms rolled in and the rains poured down, I thought of Tyler in the clouds. I took Ty out to the veranda to tell him stories of his father, the golden boy who made everyone around him happy—especially me. I’d been the girl he taught to smile, the girl he’d taught to love life.

Just as he wanted, I would remember how he lived.