Chapter 15 - THE FAMILY THAT BEGAN IN A SUPPLY CLOSET
Our wedding was held beside Lake Michigan.
Small.
Quiet.
Beautiful.
Ava wore a pale pink dress.
Mrs. Perez sat in the front row.
Tommy stood beside Reed.
When I approached, Reed's eyes filled.
I smiled.
“Don't cry.”
He laughed.
“Too late.”
We exchanged vows.
Reed promised to respect my independence.
I promised to stand beside him through difficult days.
And when the officiant pronounced us husband and wife, Reed kissed me gently.
### FIVE YEARS LATER
Our home was filled with morning sunlight.
Ava, now eight, sat at the kitchen table drawing pictures.
Our four-year-old son, Noah, was building a tower from blocks.
Reed entered carrying coffee.
He kissed my cheek.
“Morning.”
I smiled.
“Morning.”
He looked toward the children.
“Trouble?”
I laughed.
“Always.”
Noah looked up.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, buddy?”
“How did you meet Mommy?”
Reed smiled.
He looked at me.
Then answered.
“She brought your sister to work.”
Noah frowned.
“Really?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
Ava grinned.
“I was there!”
Reed laughed.
“You were.”
Noah looked confused.
“Why?”
I smiled softly.
“Because Mommy needed help.”
Reed wrapped an arm around me.
“And because sometimes people don't realize how much someone is struggling until they stop and listen.”
Ava looked up.
“Did you help Mommy?”
Reed smiled.
“She helped me too.”
I leaned against him.
For a moment, I remembered the supply closet.
The snow.
The broken babysitting plan.
The eleven dollars and seventy cents.
The terrifying sound of Reed Callaway's voice outside the door.
May you like
I'd believed that afternoon would be the end of everything.
Instead, it had become the beginning of our family.
