and I swear it was like the world went still. Then it was back to Penny.
Megan caught the look and smiled dazedly. “He is crazy about you, even after all this time.”
“He’s…different, Megan.”
“I know.”
“You see it?”
She nodded sadly. “A mother sees all.”
I looked at her, pleading for her honesty. “Will he be okay, do you think?”
“He’ll be okay. You just have to give him time to remember.”
“Remember what?”
“Remember how to live.”
Megan stayed for the rest of the morning. She had joined them on the couch, practically glued to Conor’s side, her head resting on his shoulder. Penny had sprung out the photo album and was flipping through pictures, but she was hardly looking at them. Her starry eyes were pinned on her daddy, mesmerized and in love.
Jem had blown up my phone, sending me messages.
Locke sent me nothing.
And then I got a message that made my heart sink in my chest.
I heard Conor’s out. Tell him to come see me when he can.
I frowned at the message, wondering what in the fuck Reid wanted. Unable to resist, I shot back a response.
What do you want from Conor?
Within seconds, he answered. To welcome him home.
I pressed my lips together firmly, unimpressed. I was tempted to delete the messages and block his number right then and there, but I couldn’t do that. As much as I loathed the guy, he had been forced in my life recently, and there was not a damn thing I could do about it.
Instead, I shot Locke a message.
Reid wants to talk to Conor. Do you have any idea why?
To my surprise, Locke answered within minutes… and did not offer anything insightful.
No idea.
Fucking Locke.
I genuinely didn’t know why I bothered.
I responded to him. I need some time off work. Obvious reasons.
He didn’t answer. The guy was handicapped when it came to texting.
I put the phone down and joined them on the couch. We went through a couple more photo albums before Penny was racing off again to fetch her iPad. She wanted Conor to see the world she’d made. Conor waited with a peaceful look on his face, holding his mother’s hand tightly as she rained kisses on his shoulder.
“Did you think about me, hon?” she asked him quietly, staring up at her son’s face.
He nodded, kissing the top of her head. “Every day.”
Megan’s face brightened. “I thought of you every day, too.”
My heart squeezed for them. Megan had enormous love for her children. She had endured more than one had to when it came to them. Conor with his violent nature and Ember with her reckless dependencies and endless financial drama. Megan had tremendous strength. It was hard not to admire her.
When Penny returned, she climbed into Conor’s lap and held the screen up to him. She babbled forever, and he sat entranced, stroking her back, glimpsing at me randomly with enormous affection behind his gaze.
I savoured every second.
I knew it took every ounce of will power for Megan to leave. She wanted us to have alone time, for Conor to get acquainted with Penny, and while I insisted that she stay, she shook her head and told me, “I know how much he needs this. I’m in the way, but I know where to find him. He’s right here, a ten minute drive away, and that is enough for me. When he’s ready, I’ll be back with Ember and Lily.”
She kissed him good bye and I walked her to the door.
“Remember, be patient,” she told me as she stepped out. “He will have his moments.”
I nodded. “I’m ready for them, Megan.”
She studied me and smiled. “I’m happy he has you, Charlotte. You waited for him. It takes a strong woman to stand by a man through all his faults. Thank you for loving my son.”
I smiled back, warmed by her words. “I’ll keep doing my best.”
“That’s all anyone can do.”
I watched her leave before re-joining Conor and Penny on the couch. Conor pulled me into his lap, and Penny smiled brightly at us. Her stare lingered on our joined bodies, and I swallowed the lump in my throat.
She’d never seen her mom and dad together.
I had a feeling this was finally it. Our new beginning. The three of us together at last, ready to be a family.
We ordered pizza and Penny and I taught Conor how to play Catan. We sat at the dining table for hours, drinking soda, eating until our bellies popped out. Conor smiled more times than I’d ever seen when I’d