I roll out of the net and onto the ground. I’m facing her from below now, approaching the first tier of seats.
“See, the thing is….” My voice sounds loud to me down here coming from the speakers. Also the crowd is … holding their breath?
She covers her face, peeking out from between her fingers. A spotlight shines on her. “The thing is,” I say. “The thing is… I love you. I hid my past because I was afraid you would … I don’t know. Think I was crazy. Or worse. But I don’t care if you think I’m crazy.”
As I speak the words, I am walking up the stairs past the first few rows, until I’m level with her. Nicole slips out of her seat and into the aisle, out of the way. Jasmine is staring at me crying. Zoe is still hiding her face. “All I care about is … will you forgive me?”
Hushes silence. She peeks from behind her hands and meets my eyes. Hers are flooded with tears.
Then she nods. “Yes,” she mouths.
I turn and throw the microphone back toward the announcer, who catches it in an extended hand. Then I turn back to Zoe and take her right hand. She stands up.
“I love you,” I say again.
“I love you,” she replied. “I do.”
“I really love you,” I say.
“Forgive me?” she asks.
“Always,” I reply.
I pull her to me and lean forward. When our lips touch, the thousand people at the circus erupt into cheers. It’s a long, long kiss. When we step back to breathe for a second, I reach down and pick up Jasmine. “And you, little girl,” I say. “Will you forgive me too?”
Jasmine nods her head and throws her arms around me, burying her face in my neck. I meet Zoe’s eyes again. They’re brimming with tears. The spotlight moves away as the announcer begins speaking again. Thank God. I lean forward and kiss Zoe.
“I love you, Zoe. Will you be mine?”
She replies in a whisper. “Always.”
The applause of the crowd fades in my mind as we kiss again.
Epilogue
The story was in the next day’s paper, and overnight, Matt became somewhat of a local celebrity. Not only was he the great looking third grade teacher who had taken on the school administration and won, but he also had an amazing story of tragedy and vindication.
And he was mine.
In the weeks after our reunion, his past came up a lot. He only performed with the family over that weekend, but it was enough. He was being talked about on the local radio, and the local weekly, the Town Reminder, did a story. A cover story, featuring a huge photo of the two of us kissing in the stands at the circus.
I took some ribbing about it from the other vets in our group at UMASS. But that was okay too.
Matt went back to teaching third grade. And I went back to school. Zoe stopped stuttering the day we got back together.
I still miss Mom and Dad. I always will. I go visit their memorial occasionally, but I don’t drag Jasmine there, except on Easter. She doesn’t need that much sadness in her life. She finishes the third grade with flying colors.
Tyler and Nicole are dating. Seriously dating. I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it, because he’s a giant jerk. But I kind of love him all the same.
I still see Luke and the other guys on campus regularly, and we’ve had Luke over for dinner a few times. You can see the pain behind his eyes, but he’s moving forward.
I’ve decided I’m going to major in psychology, specializing in horse therapy for children. Little kids like Jasmine can’t voice their pain and grief the way adult can, but you can’t bullshit a horse. I’ve seen how Mono helped Jasmine recover, and I want to help other little girls like that.
So nowadays, life is pretty good. I go to class, Matt goes to work, Jasmine goes to school. We spend our lives together.
Matt showed up on Christmas morning. I was expecting him—we’d planned on spending Christmas together. But I wasn’t expecting Jasmine’s weird behavior. Instead of running for the door screaming “I’LL GET IT” at the top of her lungs, she hung back and waited for me to get it.
So I did. And there was Matt, dressed normally except for a silly Santa Hat. But then he did something crazy. He got on one knee, and opened up a stupid box, with a stupid ring inside, then said, unbelievably “Zoe … I want to be your husband. I want to be Jasmine’s stepdad. I want… I … will you marry me?”
I cried.
Then I said yes.
THE END
Acknowledgements
Joanne Huff and Laura Litterer at Full of Grace Farm in Hadley, Massachusetts. Thank you for letting me come out and learn a little about horses, including sweeping stalls and watching you both give lessons. What I got right in the story came from them. The mistakes are my own.
To an amazing group of beta readers: Dimitra Fleissner, Kelly Moorhouse, Kirstin Papi, Kirsty Landar, Laura Wilson, Michelle Kannan, Rebecca Tyndall, Sally Bouley, Sherry Brannigan, Tanya Spence Hall. Most of you have been through several books with me by now, and I can never express how grateful I am.
To Andrea, for reminding me that the English language needs hyphens, and for being the most amazing partner and future wife anyone has ever had. I love you with all my heart.
Copyright 2016 Charles Sheehan-Miles All Rights Reserved
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Matt & Zoe Page 28
