Diana

I loved Sunday mornings. Correction: I loved Sunday mornings when I woke up beside Cameron. I’d come to enjoy the routine we always followed when I stayed over of heading into the kitchen for breakfast, showering one at a time while the other played with Noah and got him started with his day.

This morning, we took the opportunity to shower first - together. That had been a new experience for me, but I had actually enjoyed it far more than I expected. With Cameron in the shower with me, we could take turns lathering up each other’s hair, getting all those hard-to-reach places, and sneaking kisses. I’d never been much of a morning person until I had my shower and coffee, but showering with Cameron had me wide awake before the first drops of coffee trickled into the machine.

Usually, we lounged around and did whatever we felt like doing for the day after breakfast. Today, however, all three of us - Cameron, Noah and I - were heading to Blue Pines to visit my mother, and I couldn’t be more excited. I so badly wanted my mother, a person I loved with all my heart, to meet this wonderful man who had helped us both so much.

Besides, we had good news to give her! I kept forgetting about that part, maybe just because I hadn’t seen her for a while and missed her so much.

I loaded my purse and a bag of toys and a few essentials for Noah into the car while Cameron got Noah situated into his car seat. I watched as Cameron buckled him in securely. “He’ll be growing out of that soon, I think.”

I’d developed the habit of leaving one hand on Cameron’s leg while he drove - just to let him know I was there and that I cared about him - and I gave that hand a light squeeze. There was so much pride in Cameron’s voice. “He’s growing fast. He’ll be tall like his father.” Cameron smiled at me from the driver’s seat and laid the hand he wasn’t using to steer over mine.

Half an hour later, we arrived at Blue Pines and pulled inside the familiar parking garage. Familiar to me, anyway, so I helped Cameron navigate to one of the best spots closest to the elevators down.

“Oh, they’re on the balcony!” I waved up at the couple sitting with cups in their hands and was rewarded with two waves in return and wide smiles. I looked forward to seeing Eli again, but when we got to my mother’s room, he was gone. “Where’d Eli go?” I asked after giving my mother a big, long hug that had us both swaying back and forth in each other's arms.

“He didn’t want to intrude. He says there’ll be enough time for him to chat with everyone later and this is the time for me to visit with you and Cameron, whom you haven’t introduced.”

Apparently, I still wouldn’t get to do that, because my mother overrode me, although jokingly and kindly. “Hello, Cameron. I’m Eleanor. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Hello, Eleanor.” Cameron had specifically asked beforehand if he should refer to my mom as Mrs. Hayes or just Eleanor, and I had promptly told him she hated being called Mrs. anything.

“Diana’s told me so much about you.”

“And she’s also told me so much about you.” My mom stretched out her hand like she wanted to shake Cameron’s, but instead, she pulled him into a motherly hug. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for us.”

“You’re welcome, but the mortgage was really no trouble,” he insisted modestly. As modestly as a billionaire could when saying his money was nothing, anyway.

“Not just for that.” Mom held Cameron at arms’ length. “Thank you for helping my daughter. She’s told me a little about the demons from the past that plague you both, and I’m so incredibly grateful that she has you to talk to and lean on. I have faith that with your help, her heart can heal from her past. And I believe that she can help you in return.”

“Mom, I’m right here,” I reminded her, my face a little pink. My mother might have had a way with words, but sometimes she could sound a little… cheesy.

Cameron clearly didn’t think she sounded cheesy at all. He held both her hands tight, met her eyes, and said solemnly, “I have faith too, Eleanor. I feel like the luckiest man alive to have found your daughter, and…” He paused and turned to me, a smile creeping across his face. “Well, do you want to tell your mom?”

“Cameron asked me to move in with him,” I told her excitedly, unable to wait any longer. “I said yes.”

Suddenly, my stomach dropped and my eyes nearly filled with tears on the spot. If I lived at Cameron’s, that meant I’d be leaving my mother at our house, alone, with no one to talk to or turn to-

“Oh, Honey, that’s perfect!” Mom exclaimed. “I was thinking of asking Eli to move in with me - he doesn’t have a family or anywhere to go after he gets discharged - but I didn't know how to ask you how you would feel about it.”

“Mom!” I pulled her in for another, even longer hug. “That really is perfect. I’m so excited for you both!”

“Not as excited as I am for you! But I’m pretty excited for myself, too,” she admitted. “We both get discharged at the same time, thanks to one very accommodating and kind nurse. It’s two weeks from today! I know I said that last time,” she laughed, “but this time it’s a sure thing.”

“On a Sunday? Perfect! That means we can have a welcome home party.” Different dishes to cook and cleaning that needed to be done flashed through my mind.

“That sounds wonderful, Honey. I can’t wait! Come visit me a few more times here, though. Don’t be strangers and get so caught up in all the excitement of planning your future that you forget your mother in the nursing home.”

“I could never forget you here, Mom.” One more hug, this time a fierce, joyous, protective hug. Inspired, I pulled Cameron in - then Noah, who had stood silently inspecting a potted plant.

I was ready to have my family and everyone I cared about in a perfect place of happiness, fulfilled in their relationships and home where they belonged.