One Year Later

Fisher

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“I didn’t expect such a big audience,” I said.

“You thought we were going to miss this?” Sean asked.

“Yes,” I responded.

“No way,” Sean said.

“Yeah, we wanted to see this,” Declan said.

“Not all of you,” I said.

Patrick looked toward the door. “Don’t worry. Michael’s on the way,” he said.

Not one minute later, the door opened, the bell above it ringing.

Michael strode in, dressed in his suit and tie. “Got delayed. Had a second grand opening to attend,” he said.

“How was it?” Sean asked.

“Amazing. But Eden put it on, so of course it was,” Michael said in that arrogant, certain way that had become so familiar over these last months.

But even as he spoke I could see he was distracted, and I watched, curious as he came to stand in front of me.

He looked at me for a long moment, his eyes locked with mine.

Then, before I could react, he swung.

His fist made contact with my jaw, and I flinched, trying to absorb the pain.

He dropped his hand by his side and then stood there as I rubbed my face.

When I finally looked at him again he nodded.

“Now we’re even,” he said.

Then he stuck out his hand for a shake, one that I happily returned.

“Now that we got that out of the way, can we get to the good stuff?” Sean said.

I sat in the chair and then watched as the artist went to work.

It took a couple of hours, but the M. gradually took form.

“Not bad,” I said when it was finally done.

The artist added ointment and gauze and then left.

I pulled my shirt back on and then looked at the others.

“Am I one of you now?” I asked, intending it to be a joke but sounding more serious than I had intended.

“You’ve always been one of us, Fisher,” Patrick said.

Each of the others nodded, but I was too overcome to say anything.

After a round of good-byes and promises to get back together, I left and made my way home.

Home.

I’d bought the house I’d rented. Jade was attached to it, though she’d never admit as much. And in truth, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.

She met me at the door.

“How was it? Let me see it?” she said, bouncing from foot to foot.

“Hello, Jade. I missed you,” I said.

She rolled her eyes and then gave me a perfunctory kiss after I closed and locked the door.

“Let me see the goods, Murphy,” she said.

“I can’t take the gauze off, but I took a picture,” I said.

“Give me that,” she said, extending her hand.

I handed her my phone and she looked at the picture.

“That’s a big M.,” she said. “But it’s beautiful.”

She peered at the picture, seeming to study it more closely.

“What?” I asked.

“The ink. It’s not black, is it?” she asked.

“No. It’s not,” I whispered.

She looked at me. “What color, then?”

“I was going to get black, but I looked at the ink jars and saw a sign,” he said.

“What sign?” she asked.

“The color is Jade Green,” I said.

Jade didn’t react for a moment, but then she smiled, the expression bright, absolute fuel for my soul.

“That’s so weird. I’m oddly flattered,” she said.

“That’s good. I have a gift for you,” I said.

“What is it?” Jade asked.

“Let’s go to the kitchen,” I said.

I kept the bag I had in my hand closed tight and led Jade to the kitchen.

“Open it,” I said.

She took the bag eagerly and dug through.

“A kitchen floor mat?” she asked.

I nodded emphatically.

“I seem to recall ruining one of yours,” I said.

“Well, it’s not exactly ruined,” she said.

“You said you’d never get the stain out,” I said.

She smiled, and I smiled back but then looked away.

“I’m botching this,” I said.

“No you’re not botching it. What is this, by the way?” she asked.

“Well, I had a big plan in my head. I was going to get you this rug, tell you how meeting you was the best thing that ever happened in my life. You gave me the family I didn’t know I could have and freed me from a lifetime of anger. And you gave me something else. You gave me your love. And I was going to kneel down on the new rug and ask you to marry me,” I said.

Jade looked at me in stunned silence, and then I frowned.

“I should have just bought a ring,” I said.

“Fisher, that’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard,” she said.

“It is?” I asked, perking up.

“It is. And yes. I’ll marry you.” She wiped her eyes and then said, “I mean, if you’re asking…”

“I’m asking.”

“Yes,” she said, her smile so bright I thought her face might hurt from the width of it.

“I love you, Jade Green,” I said.

I closed the small distance between us and pulled her in a tight embrace.

“And I love you, Fisher Murphy,” she replied.

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