One week had gone by since Sullivan sat next to Clara as she told a version of their story to the reporter in the coffee shop, who later printed the article. An article that bled the truth in all its rawness and had showed all the love between the hard times. The past days had been good ones. Clara and her sisters had decided to sign with Ronnie after getting the exact terms she asked for. And Ronnie had joined in the celebratory dinner, including meeting his nephew for the first time. In the coming months, Foxy Diva would find its way into stores and restaurants throughout North America, and Sullivan had no doubt the success would only continue from there. He’d requested another couple of weeks off from his coach to get things settled in River Rock before returning to Fort Myers, and the request had been granted. In a surprise that he had never seen coming, he received kindness not scrutiny from the article and the press, and the truth was, with Sullivan becoming an instant-family man, the focus had shifted off him and moved on to the next hottest bachelor in baseball who they could get their claws into. But that new family of his was the reason he and Clara were bringing Mason to Sullivan’s old childhood home.
After he unlocked the front door, he let Clara and Mason enter the house first.
“I’m checking out back,” Mason yelled, running through the house.
“Be careful,” Clara called after him.
Sullivan stepped farther in, and just the smell, a little dusty but familiar, brought Sullivan back to good memories with his mother and his father before everything changed. He tried hard to think of the before, remembering the good, not the bad, as Elizabeth had taught him. He decided to stay in therapy, and when he couldn’t see her at her office in River Rock, they planned to talk over Zoom. He moved down the hallway where shattered family pictures and memories once lay. Now all of that was gone. He entered the living room with the big bay window on the front that had once displayed flowered curtains, but now lay empty. The only thing left was the old brown carpet. And even that needed to go.
Clara sidled up next to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He gathered her in his arms as she said, “After your dad passed away, I sold all the furniture in an estate auction. I figured, even if you came back, you wouldn’t want the money, so I put it all in Mason’s education fund.”
He kissed the top of her head. “That was exactly the right thing to do with the money.”
“But I did keep some of your mother’s things. We can pull those boxes from the attic.”
“I’d like that.” He scanned the space, finding the living room much smaller than he remembered, but a little paint and new hardwood floors would help brighten up the space.
Clara tipped her head back, hitting him with those warm eyes. “Is it weird being back here?”
“No, not weird,” he said, releasing the breath he hadn’t known he was holding. “It’s just a house now.” He glanced around the dirty walls with peeling wallpaper. “But there are memories here, and many of those memories are good.” Christmas mornings. Easter dinners. So much happiness when his mother had been with them. Her smile was what he remembered the most.
“It’s good you have those memories,” Clara said, offering her captivating smile. “I have so many good memories in this house too.”
“I’m glad you do,” he said, dropping his mouth to hers.
The kiss didn’t last. Mason came barreling back into the living room. Before he took off again, Sullivan kept Clara close but said to Mason, “So, buddy, we’ve got a question for you.” When Mason stopped bouncing around the room, he set those clever eyes on Sullivan. “What would you think about moving in here, with me, after we fix it up? You can even help paint your bedroom.”
Mason’s eyes widened, a big smile filling his face. Until he frowned. “What about Auntie Amelia?”
“She’ll be okay,” Clara said, stepping out of Sullivan’s hold. “She’s getting married soon, to Luka, remember? They’re going to want their own space, and Luka will move in with her at the brewery.” When she went to Mason and knelt in front of him, his forehead wrinkled. Clara took both his hands. “This is your choice, sweetie. If you don’t like it here or it doesn’t make you happy, we can stay with Auntie Amelia and figure out the rest later.”
Sullivan would live with Amelia and Luka if he had to, all to make Mason adjust to this new life with Sullivan in it.
Mason nibbled his bottom lip then glanced at Sullivan. “You’ll live here too, with me and Mama?”
Following Clara’s lead, Sullivan joined Clara and took a knee next to Mason, cupping his shoulder. “I’d like to, if that’s okay with you.”
Mason looked between Sullivan and Clara. A couple of times. He rocked back on his heels, and his smile beamed. “That’s okay with me.”
“Good stuff,” Sullivan said, giving Mason a quick high five. But that was only half the reason Sullivan brought Mason and Clara here today. He gave Mason a little nudge on his arm. “Remember, just like we talked about.” When Clara looked on with confusion, Sullivan explained, “Mason and I were talking earlier today, and we both decided our family should be a little more official than it is.”
Mason took the ring box from his pocket, and as he held it up, he exclaimed, “Mama, let’s get married!”
Clara jumped to her feet, her hands covering her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.
Determined to get this next step in his life right, Sullivan took the ring from the box and held it up to her. “I loved you the day I met you, Slugger. It took a few years, but I finally found my way back to you. Nothing would make me happier than for you to be my wife. Will you marry me, Clara?”
“Yes,” she cried, dropping her hands. “Yes, of course.”
His wife. Sullivan felt a new purpose wash over him—one to always make her happy—as she slid the princess-cut diamond ring on her finger, a perfect fit. “I love you, Clara,” he told her, his voice rough to his own ears.
She smiled through the tears. “I love you, too.”
Overwhelmed by this life she’d given him, he gathered her in his arms, and his lips sealed over hers.
“Ew,” Mason said, proceeding to make gagging noises.
Sullivan laughed against Clara’s mouth then reached out to tickle Mason’s side, sending him into a fit of laughter.
When that laughter ceased, Mason looked up between Clara and Sullivan, swaying from side to side. “So, does this mean I can call you Dad now?”
Sullivan froze.
Clara laughed softly at whatever crossed Sullivan’s expression and wrapped her arm around Mason, pulling him into her. “Sweetie, you can call Sullivan whatever makes you happy.”
Mason wiggled out from Clara’s hold. His clever eyes searched Sullivan’s and then he said, “I like Dad. I’ll call you that.”
Sullivan felt his throat tighten. He gathered Mason—his son—in his arms and hugged him tightly, even if he was obviously too big for hugs from parents. “I’d like that too, buddy.”
Mason withstood the hug for a couple of seconds before tearing away and took off, running down the hallway. “What room is mine?” he called.
“The one on the left,” Sullivan answered. His old bedroom.
Mason ducked inside the room. A moment later, “Cool,” came from inside.
Clara’s eyes were laughing as she looked Sullivan’s way. “Isn’t it amazing how kids deal with things adults would have a breakdown over?”
Sullivan nodded. “He’s a good kid, and all credit goes to his incredible mother.” He grabbed Clara by the belt loop of her jeans and pulled her into him, holding her close. This time, he kissed her with the deep love that only came from two souls who’d gone through hard times and found their way back to each other.
When she eventually leaned away, she smiled up at him. “What are you thinking about?”
“How much I love you,” he said.
She smiled big. “I love you too, but there’s something more. I can see the wheels in your mind turning.”
He held her tightly, staring down at this woman who gave him a life he hadn’t known he needed. “Oh, I was just thinking about how I left this house, never intending to return. But I want to make this home a happy place again, something I think my father wished for when he left the house to you.”
“I think so too,” Clara said.
“That would make my mom very happy too,” he said, no longer keeping those thoughts to himself. “There’s love in this house again.”
Clara kissed him once more. “And there always will be.”