this very moment in time. We’ve lost the past to memories, and the future is not guaranteed. What we choose to do with our present is our defining quality.
I’ll admit, I’ve made some horrible choices. I looked at each day as a stepping-stone to my future, the real life that awaited me. In doing so, I missed out on the present.
Lily’s always tried to tell me that life is a journey, not a destination, but I never listened. It took losing her for me to listen.
And it took Stella showing me for me to get it. She taught me how to live each day to the fullest, regardless of what the future might hold. That’s all any of us can really do anyway. Yes, we knew that Stella’s future would be cut short. But truthfully, no one is promised tomorrow. She was just one of the few who was warned.
So, yeah…I still don’t understand everything from the past three years.
But I know one thing for certain. I’m getting Lily back—for good. I’ve broken her heart too many times now. I’m going to spend the rest of my life making it up to her. I’m going to cherish every single day with her. I will never take another day of my life for granted.
I stare down at the time on my phone again and sigh. The flight from Detroit to New York City takes less than two hours, but with each minute that goes by, it feels like ten are passing in reality.
Elation doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling. I’m so excited to get there, see Lily, and finally get my life—our lives back to where they are meant to be.
I didn’t tell her I was coming. I’m going to surprise her. I’m not exactly sure how yet. I want to do something romantic. She deserves a dreamy reunion, but in my haste to book my flight and make my way here, I haven’t thought of anything.
The clip I saw from the movie Say Anything where the guy holds a boom box over his head plays in my mind. Even though the movie was made before I was born, I have to admit, that is romance. I’ve thought about blasting our song, Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” but something about holding my iPhone over my head doesn’t have the same appeal.
Maybe I’ll just walk up to her and tell her how I feel. There’s an idea. I mean, truthfully, I’m done waiting. Spending three years of my life without Lily by my side is three years too long.
After exiting the airport, I instruct the cab driver to make a pit stop at the hotel, so I can drop off my bag before I have him take me to Lily’s work. The driver veers in and out of traffic as I take in the scene outside. A sense of pride courses through me as I imagine Lily here. This city is unlike anything in Michigan, including our most populated cities. She has accomplished so much.
The secretary informs me that Lily is out on assignment but won’t tell me where. Perhaps I shouldn’t have barged into her work. But seriously, I have no patience.
“Come on. Please. I really need to see her.” I give her my best smile.
“I’m sorry, sir. If you are close to her, I assume you have her phone number?” She raises an eyebrow at me as if she doesn’t believe that I am someone who would have her number.
“I do.” I try to maintain my sweet disposition even though I have a feeling there will be no winning over this woman. “But as I said, I want to surprise her.”
“Well, I suggest you do that when she’s not working,” she says in a bitter tone. She reminds me of the no-nonsense librarian from high school who was also not a people person.
“Jax?”
I hear my name and pivot around to find a cute girl about my age standing behind me.
“Yes?” I wonder how this girl knows me.
“Are you here for Lily?”
Obviously. But I simply nod, not wanting my heightened annoyance from the Welcome Wagon to rub this girl the wrong way.
“Come here,” she says sweetly.
Before I follow her, I turn back to the secretary. “Thank you so much for all your help,” I say in the nicest voice I can muster.
The girl leads me to an empty office and then closes the door behind us. “What do you want with Lily?” she asks abruptly.