by Mia Ford
“That’s amazing,” she said excitedly. “I will definitely check that out. If I could find a teaching job here, my life would be set. I would have the guy, the job, and the most beautiful little girl in the world. I am going to apply for that position as soon as I get back home to my computer where I keep all of my certification letters. For now, though, my mind wants to stay right here, wrapped up in your arms.”
“I think that all sounds like a good idea,” I said, laughing. “Especially the part about you being wrapped up in my arms.”
I grabbed her by the waist and pulled her toward me. She smiled and kissed my lips softly before laying her head down on my chest. As I stroked her hair and listened to her falling asleep, I thought about how happy Bella was going to be having Lacey in our lives all the time. I had overcome so many obstacles in the short amount of time that Lacey had been there with me. Falling asleep with this beautiful woman laying on my chest had to be one of the best feelings in the entire world. I was in love with Lacey, and I was so glad that she finally knew.
I knew that I had a lot of work ahead of me, fighting my demons as I went along, but having Lacey by my side to do it was exactly what I needed. I fell asleep rather quickly, my body completely spent from our hot, steamy sex, but I didn’t stay asleep all night. I made love to Lacey three times that night, waking up to the smell of her lavender skin and strawberry-scented hair. Her body was so perfect in every way, like a goddess riding me in the moonlight. I knew we had to be up early, but I didn’t care. I wanted to take every moment I could to show Lacey just how much I cared about her, to please her every step of the way. She was so precious and so understanding, and I still couldn’t believe that I had fallen in love with this woman, and her with me. Someone up there was looking out for me, and I had a feeling I knew exactly who it was.
27
Lacey
When the alarm went off, my body tried to fight me, but my mind woke me up immediately. Today was not the day to oversleep since it was Bella’s first day at the Prep School. I was nervous and excited for her, all at the same time, and although it wasn’t the first day of lessons, she would get to meet everyone and begin to feel comfortable in her surroundings. I turned over and kissed Caspian on the cheek and then jumped out of bed, walking toward the bathroom.
“Wake up sleepyhead,” I said, smiling. “Today is Bella’s big day.”
Caspian let out a deep breath and jumped out of bed, too, grabbing me around the waist and kissing me softly. I smiled at him and then smacked him on the bare ass before pulling him into the shower with me. When we were done and ready to go, we headed off to Betty’s house to pick them up. Bella ran out of the house and into my arms, surprised to see me.
“Do you like my outfit?” She was wearing a pink button-up shirt and a knee-length black skirt.
“I do,” I said. “You look beautiful.”
“Grandma says I can wear this today, but I have to wear uniforms after this,” she said, scrunching up her nose.
“You’ll look fabulous in that, too.” I laughed. “Come on. Let’s get in the car.”
The day was overwhelming with teacher speeches, meet and greets, and Bella running around with the other children. She seemed to be really enjoying herself, and it warmed my heart knowing she would be okay there when we left. I had been a nervous wreck about it on the inside, and I knew Caspian had been, too. While we sat in their cafeteria, eating a catered lunch with Bella, Caspian cleared his throat and looked at us.
“I have something to announce,” he said. “I’m going to open the surfing school back up.”
“Oh, honey, that is wonderful,” Betty replied.
“That’s great,” I said excitedly. “Really, that is so great.”
“I’d like you to be my first student since you want to learn how to surf,” he said, looking over at me.
“Are you serious?” I was so excited. “Thank you so much, and I promise you will not regret it. Any of it. I’m pretty sure I will be the best student that you ever had. Before long, you and I will be kicking ass and breaking waves like the pros.”
“I’m not sure breaking waves is a term used, but I have no doubt,” he said, laughing loudly. “You’re too adorable.”
I blushed and laid my head against his shoulder, giggling at myself. Caspian had finally come around, pushing his fear and guilt to the side and deciding to take the next step forward. I was so excited that he was going to open the surf shop, whether I ever surfed or not. It was never truly about me surfing. It was about helping him break through his fears and reclaiming the life he loved so much before Isabella died.
“Maybe I’ll put on a rubber suit and break the waves, too,” Betty said, smiling.
“They’re called wet suits.” Caspian chuckled. “I see that I have my work cut out for me.”
Everyone laughed, including Betty, and the chorus of our joy finally felt true and deep. Bella smiled and pulled on my shirt. I looked down at her and rubbed my hand over her head.
“Yes, sweetie,” I said, still chuckling.
“Does this mean that you’ll be my new mommy?”
My heart fluttered in my chest, and I looked up at Caspian, who had tears in the corners of his eyes. I wanted to yell out yes, but I knew I had to be delicate with this situation. Just the fact that Bella wanted me in that position made me happier than I could ever express. I winked at Caspian and bent over, kissing Bella on the cheek.
“What this means, little flower, is that I will be around a lot,” I said, smiling up at Betty who nodded at me in approval. “And not just to tutor you.”
“Yessss,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around my waist and squeezing me tightly. “Having you around is so nice. I love you, Lacey.”
“I love you too, little flower,” I whispered.
We sat there at the table, talking about the surf shop and what needed to be done to open it back up. I could see the light shining through Caspian’s eyes, and I knew that he had let go of the fear he had carried for so long. I couldn’t wait to see him in action, out on the ocean with his board. When lunch was over, we went to Bella’s classroom and met with her teacher for the first time. Caspian actually introduced me as his girlfriend, making my cheeks blush. She talked about the curriculum and the testing that Bella was currently taking. They liked to place the students in the right places, and there were occasions that some students could skip ahead to first grade.
Before we left, Caspian urged me to ask her about the teaching job at the school. I wanted a teaching job really badly, but I didn’t want to horn in on Bella’s special day. Betty also insisted that I ask, so I walked over to Mrs. Baumgartner’s desk and cleared my throat.
“I’m sorry to bother you,” I said nervously. “I had heard there was a first-grade teaching position open.”
“Yes, there is,” she said, smiling. “Are you a teacher?”
“I just graduated from NYU and have all of my certifications, as well as over a thousand hours in the classroom from my internship,” I explained.
“Terry,” she yelled past me, waving the lady in the hall over. “This is Lacey. She was inquiring about the first-grade teaching position.”
“Very nice,” she said, shaking my hand. “I’m Terry Little, the lower school principal.”
We talked for several minutes, and I gave her a quick rundown of my resume. She seemed impressed and urged me to apply immediately. Apparently, they were really desperate for good teachers in Blue Hill, and with my qualifications, I was a shoe in. She set up a time to meet with me later in the week and excused herself back to the events going on in the school. For the first time since I got to Blue Hill, I truly felt like things were going great for me. There were no questions about Caspian and me, no fears or sadness, and everything was starting to line up perfectly.
This had been the first day since my grandparents died that I didn’t feel alone in the world. I had Caspian, Bella, and Betty on my side, rooting me on. It was amazing to me how quickly
I started to feel like a member of their family, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Caspian had become my best friend in a very short amount of time, and I couldn’t imagine this place without him. I smiled to myself as I made my way back to the auditorium where everyone was waiting for me. Bella had finished her testing and was standing, holding Caspian’s hand, looking around the big room in awe.
“Hey guys,” I said, walking up.
“How did it go?” Caspian looked excited.
“She set up a meeting with me later this week,” I said. “She said she can’t imagine why I wouldn’t be hired for the position.”
“That’s great,” everyone said in a chorus, making me giggle.
“Congrats, sweetie,” Caspian said, kissing my forehead. “Bella has a couple more things to do, and then we can leave for the day. I figured we would go out to dinner to celebrate all the amazing things that have happened today.”
Bella tugged on her dad’s jacket. “Can we go to Marcel’s?”
“We can go anywhere you want, big girl,” he said, picking her up and nuzzling her cheek.
We went around to several other places in the school, learning about Bella’s education and meeting the people that would be teaching her throughout the year. Before we left, the principal handed Bella a piece of paper and sent her back to us. We left the school and headed over to Marcel’s, the local Italian restaurant to get dinner and reflect on the day. There were several other families there, and I felt like we fit right in. Bella begged to sit next to me at the table, and I smiled, feeling the love and caring that a family brought to my life. It had been a long time since I had felt that connection.
Once we were settled in and had ordered our food, we leaned back in our chairs and just took in all of the news. When I woke up the day before, I was sure that I was going to leave Blue Hill behind and go back to the city. I was sure that Caspian’s feelings for me weren’t what I had hoped for. I had never been so happy to be wrong in my entire life. Not only did I find the love of my life, but I got to stay close to Bella, I found the teaching job I had been looking for, and I helped Caspian release his fears and reopen the surf shop. Not bad for a couple of months in Blue Hill.
“I have something to announce,” Bella said with confidence. “I took a special test today, and they are going to move me to the next grade.”
She looked at me and handed me the letter from the principal. I unfolded it and read it to myself. It was true. Bella tested in the top percent of the class and had demonstrated skills that she would have normally learned deep into first grade. They would be moving her to the next grade and would contact Caspian with the details over the next couple of weeks. I handed Caspian the letter and leaned over, hugging Bella tightly. I knew this little girl was going to knock ‘em dead today, but I never imagined that decision would be made right then and there. I agreed with it, though, and knew that Bella needed to be challenged far beyond what they were going to learn in kindergarten.
“Oh, sweetie,” I cooed. “That is so wonderful. I’m so proud of you. You see? Your first day wasn’t as scary as you thought it would be. Your true colors shined brightly, and I know that you will learn so much in your first-grade class.”
“Baby girl, this is wonderful,” Caspian said, handing the letter to his mother. “I’m so very proud of you.”
“How do you feel about it?” I asked, wanting Bella to be comfortable and happy.
“I think it’s so great,” she said, eating a breadstick. “I think I will fit in better with those kids anyways. And do you guys know why all of this happened?”
“Why, sweetie?” Betty leaned over and brushed the crumbs from her skirt.
“Because Lacey was the best tutor ever!” she exclaimed.
I was so very touched that Bella thought that highly of me. As much as I would love to think I did this, the truth was, Bella was the one that did this. Her determination and spirit pushed her to succeed when others would have failed. All I did was give her the tools and the knowledge to move forward into bigger things. I pulled Bella out of her chair and sat her in my lap.
“You know, you have been such an inspiration to me,” I said, tapping her on the nose. “I am so thankful for you, and your daddy, and your grandma.”
“Maybe you will be my first-grade teacher,” she said excitedly.
“Wouldn’t that just be the icing on the cake,” I replied.
I had finally found my family.
Epilogue
Three Months Later
Caspian
It had been three months since Bella started school and Lacey and I had decided to be a couple. We never discussed our relationship, but from the moment we told each other that we were in love, we moved right into the place that made us both comfortable. We were like a little family, our hearts almost bursting every day when we were together, the three of us, or the four of us when my mother was around.
Bella started school in first grade instead of kindergarten. I was really nervous on the inside for her, knowing that it wouldn’t be as easy as kindergarten. As usual, though, Bella plowed right through, getting As on everything, making friends the first day, and not long after school began, being offered to join the exceptional minds program that they had won awards for in the state. It was a program that would help enrich the information she was learning, challenge her, and push her toward bigger things as she navigated the education system in the future.
Proud was an understatement when I thought about my daughter and all the things she was accomplishing. She had grown so much in just those three months, and I realized that her being in that school, pushing forward on her own, was the best thing that could have happened to her. I couldn’t keep her wrapped up forever, even if I wanted to. Lacey was also proud of her, and she looked like a doting mother every time she was around Bella. It was a really good feeling knowing I had a woman in my life that loved my daughter as much as I did. I didn’t think that would ever happen.
Ever since that first day of school for Bella, Lacey and I had been inseparable. We did everything together, and she was both mine and Bella’s biggest cheerleader. She was incredible in the way she handled us, and I never wanted her to be out of my sight. Her and I had just discussed her putting her grandparents’ house on the market and moving into mine. She was there all the time anyway, and I wanted my home to become our home, and I knew she wanted it, too. Everything with her career worked out perfectly. A week after orientation, Lacey was hired at Bella’s school to teach first grade. When the class lists came out, we realized that Lacey was going to be one of Bella’s teachers. Bella thought it was the best thing in the entire world, and Lacey sat there crying with happiness, knowing she would get to be a part of Bella’s education. It was really important to Lacey that Bella got every experience and every opportunity possible, and now, she would get to spearhead that goal right there in her school.
I pulled the Jeep into the visitor parking at Bella and Lacey’s school, my nerves starting to bubble up in my stomach. I came to the school a lot, and they knew me by now. I signed in at the front desk and made my way back to Lacey’s classroom. I stopped at the door and watched her teaching for several moments, thinking about how lucky I was to have such an amazing woman in my life.
“Hi, Daddy,” Bella yelled from the back of the classroom.
“Hey there,” Lacey said, turning and seeing my face. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to tell you something,” I said, taking her hands. “I was sitting at the house, and I felt the need to come here and tell you just how much I love you and how you have turned my life around, bringing joy and happiness to Bella and me that I didn’t even know was possible.”
“Lacey?” Bella asked. Lacey turned around and smiled at Bella, who looked slightly confused.
“What is it, sweetie?” Lacey asked.
“Nothing,” Bella said, starting to giggle.
When Lacey turned back around, she looked down to find me bent down on on
e knee. I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out a small black box and opened it up. Everyone in the class gasped as the diamond inside shimmered under the lights of the classroom. Lacey clasped her hand to her mouth, and tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“Lacey, you have been a source of light in my life that I could never have asked for,” I said. “You have taken Bella and me from just surviving to flourishing as a family. You are everything that is beautiful and pure in this world, and I love you so very much. Would you please do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes,” she shouted out through tears. “Of course, I will.”
The class erupted into cheers and clapping as I stood up and took her into my arms. I squeezed her tightly and pulled back, slipping the ring onto her finger. She looked down at the ring and then back at me, taking my face in her hands and kissing my lips. As she pulled away, Bella walked up and tugged on the edge of her dress. Lacey wiped her tears and knelt down in front of her, holding her around the waist.
“I’m so happy to have you as my new mommy,” she said with tears in her little eyes. “I love you, Lacey.”
“I love you too, my little flower,” she said, taking her into her arms and standing up.
I wrapped myself around both of them and pressed my forehead against Lacey’s. I was so happy, and I couldn’t have asked for a better course for my life. Lacey was my love, and though I would always have Isabella in my heart, I knew that she was looking over at us from wherever she was, content with the family I had built for Bella. I was finally getting the happily ever after I never thought would come.