I rang the doorbell and stepped back. Yeah, I had every right to just enter the house. Hell, I even had a key. But something… I don’t know what… I always rang the doorbell.

The door opened and Sadie stood there, a smear of purple paint on her cheek like she was some kind of small warrior.

“Daddy,” she said.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“You’re back early.”

“That I am.”

Emily appeared, wiping her hands on a towel. “Jake.”

“Hey, Em.”

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Perfect.”

“Well, don’t just stand there. Come in. We’re finishing up painting.”

I stepped into Emily’s house and smelled the aroma of kids’ paint. Her dining room table was a mess. Freshly painted pictures scattered all around.

“Sadie, why don’t you go wash up?” Emily asked.

Sadie hurried away to the bathroom.

I grabbed for Emily’s wrist, spun her around, and kissed her.

“Thanks.”

“For what?” she asked.

“Helping with Sadie.”

“It’s sort of my job, Jake.”

“Still means a lot. Things are just…”

“I know,” Emily said. She touched my chest. “Big bad business owner.”

I laughed.

A month ago Mickey sat me down and gave it to me straight. The life of smoking cigers had caught up to him. He was sick but he promised he’d be okay. That meant he wasn’t able to deal with the shop like he used to. In other words, the shop was now mine. Mickey handed me the keys and everything that came with it. I kept him there, of course, and made sure he was well taken care of. Some days he was able to work and some days he just spent in the office, hacking into a greasy towel, begging for his life.

It would be another tragedy in Sadie’s life when Mickey went, but that bridge I would cross when it came time.

“You okay?” Emily asked.

“I’m good,” I said. “Really good. Mind if I go outside?”

“Have at it,” Emily said with a grin.

She knew what I was doing.

Things with Emily were perfect. Everyday, it was on the tip of my tongue I wanted to ask her to move in with me. I wanted all of her time. All of her forever. But things were just so good I didn’t want to fuck that up. Truthfully, she slept at my place at least four nights a week. Her new book of poetry was on the horizon and according to her it was going to be a big deal. And she told me I was the reason it came together. I couldn’t wait to read it and see what she had written about me.

I hugged Emily again and kissed her one more time.

I walked to the deck door and stepped outside.

I fell in love with Emily on the deck but that wasn’t why I was there.

Before I could even collect a single thought I heard the sound of a kid laughing. I walked to the edge of the deck and stood there, watching into what used to be my yard.

The swing set was still there. There were two kids on the top of it, sitting in the fort. Two little girls. There was someone on the deck. A man drinking from a glass. In the far back of the yard I saw that the apple tree was gone. It made me laugh for a second. Only someone crazy would leave that damn tree up. Everly. I miss you.

The yard looked bigger without the tree in it. Which told me I had always been right about the damn tree.

The grass was cut. The little white fence was still little and white. The deck had a new set of furniture on it.

Everything changed.

Life moved on.

It was good to hear the laughter of the kids. To see the house being used.

The deck door opened and out came a woman. She carried a pitcher of iced tea and another glass. The man turned and smiled when he saw her. She walked to the table, put the pitcher and glass down, then went to him. They shared a quick kiss.

I turned my head away.

The house was finally able to live out its purpose and dream.

Yeah, it hurt my heart more than a little, but that was how life went.

I felt hands spread across my back. A sense of soothing washed over me.

I saw Emily’s hands slide around my body.

“You okay?” she whispered.

I turned around so she was facing me.

I hugged her. I kissed her. I stared down into her beautiful eyes. Her beautiful face. The woman who saved me, loved me, and taught me that there are two paths to forever.

Sadie came out and ran to both of us. Her favorite thing to do was hug both of us. An arm around each leg. Squeezing. The innocence and love pouring from her little heart and pretty soul.

I looked at Emily again and blinked. She was fuzzy for a second, but I chased away the tear.

“Ev… I’m okay. I swear to you. I’m okay.”