do you want to hear it?"
The young boy nodded anxiously.
Eric grinned. "I'm not complicated about her anymore."
His green eyes - his mother's eyes - widened in surprise. "You aren't?"
He shook his head. "I'm not," he confirmed. "I love your Mom very, very much."
"That's awesome!" he exclaimed. "Does she know you aren't complicated about her anymore?"
Eric chuckled softly. "She does and she's pretty happy about that too."
Pausing, he took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. He had been mulling over how he was going to do this and in talking with Jack, he knew he needed to be involved - he wanted him to be involved. "Listen bud, I was wondering if you could help me with something."
"What?"
"I want to get your Mom a present and I was hoping you could help me pick it out. What do you say?"
"That'll be fun!"
"Alright then - finish up your ice cream and we'll go look for her present."
Leaning back against his chair he smiled as he watched his son make quick work of his treat. Everything was coming together and Eric finally believed, after years of feeling it was impossible, he could actually have it all.
Chapter 31
"I can't believe I'm letting you cook for me," Sarah mused. "I must have a death wish."
Turning from the stove, Nathalie stuck her tongue out at her sister. Slowly and carefully they were rediscovering their rhythm as sisters. Much like with Eric there were still land mines along the road they occasionally tripped over but they were family and they found a way to keep going. Just as they always had.
"It's an omelette Sarah, you're hardly laying your life on the line," she replied with mock exasperation.
"I don't know," she said with a shake of her head. "I have been on too many of your culinary adventures to not be a little worried."
Looking skeptically at the omelette Nathalie tilted her head to the side. "Well, if it's really bad we'll go to Louie's and order a late breakfast."
Sipping on her coffee Sarah studied her sister carefully. It had been almost three months since Nathalie had arrived unexpectedly in New York and while there had been more drama than any of them had wanted there had also been love, lots of it. Jack was thriving with his suddenly complete family and her sister, her beloved little sister who had been on the brink of disappearing in so many ways, was back.
Under Eric's care she made a full recovery from her tumor and was finding her joie de vivre returning. There were even physical changes - no longer a ghost of her former self, she had easily gained at least half of the weight she had lost. Her hair was growing and her eyes shone brightly. It seemed like the miracle that Sarah had prayed for.
"I love you Natty," she said quietly.
Leaving the stove, Nathalie bounded over to her and wrapped her sister in a tight hug. "I love you too Sarah."
They held on to each other for several beats before Sarah pulled back, laughing. "You're going to burn our breakfast."
"Crap!" she said, sprinting back to the stove. "Okay, go sit at the table and I'll bring this in."
Sarah headed to the table and waited for her sister to join her. As Nathalie placed a plate in front of her, she let out a low whistle. "Not sure how it will taste but it sure looks good."
"Well, maybe my talents lean towards decorating rather than cooking?" she suggested as she took her seat.
Cutting into the omelette Sarah gave her a teasing look. "I guess we'll find out soon enough."
Nathalie watched through her fingers as her sister took her first bite and let out a hearty laugh when Sarah gave her thumbs up.
"Hurray!" she cheered. "I have mastered the omelette."
"You'll have to pay me not to tell Eric though," she joked. "Otherwise he really will expect you to cook."
"The check is in the mail" she replied, taking a bite of her toast.
She loved being back with her sister. It was as though she found the ground under her feet again by being in her company. Because it had just been the two of them for so long, there was no one else she could reminisce with about growing up or silly stunts they used to pull.
"Jack is pretty excited about going to Tanzania" Sarah observed. She had been unsure at first when Nathalie suggested that Jack accompany her and Eric back to Africa at the end of the school year