Page 87 of Redemption

She nodded and carefully wrapped an arm around Henry as she maneuvered the chair around and rolled out of the room.

“I should change,” Levi suddenly said and then he darted for the closet. I caught him around the waist and pulled him to me.

“No, you shouldn’t.”

I kissed him hard and said, “You’re perfect and you belong at that family dinner because you’re family. My family.”

Levi sighed and wrapped his arms around my neck. “Sorry,” he murmured.

“Don’t be sorry,” I reminded him.

He nodded against me. I knew his self-confidence was a work in progress, but he’d already grown by leaps and bounds. He’d started taking some night classes in the hopes he could eventually get his GED, though he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his career. He was happy at the grocery store, especially since Betty had let him switch his hours to days. She’d also offered him on-the-job training so he could eventually become an assistant manager. Levi hadn’t accepted yet, but more because he wasn’t sure he could do it. But knowing Betty – and I did because I’d met the feisty woman several times now – she’d wear Levi down eventually.

Zane Devereaux had been a huge help in Levi’s recovery as well, since he’d been working diligently to clear Levi’s name. We’d learned just this morning that Levi’s appeal for a new trial had been granted. Zane expected the prosecutor to drop the charges next. The talented lawyer had also continued to work on Hank’s case, though it was proving to be trickier. But with Hank being in a prison where Levi could visit him often and have physical contact with him, both he and Hank had benefited just from that change. I’d met Hank on several occasions and was impressed with the man. He was still recovering from the attack three months earlier, but it hadn’t changed his outlook on things. He’d cried when he’d gotten to meet and hold his namesake for the first time. The look on Levi’s face as he’d watched his hero and his son meet had been priceless. When we’d left, I’d put my arms around Hank and I’d thanked him for saving Levi’s life…in more ways than one. My hope was that Zane could work another miracle and Hank would get out of prison while Henry was still a child. Even if Hank eventually decided to try to reunite with his estranged wife and daughter, he’d still always be a part of our family.

“You ready to go?” I asked.

“No,” he said with a laugh.

I gently lifted Levi’s chin and kissed him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I studied him for a long time, reveling in how much I really did love him. I smiled at him and said, “I’m going to do the thing.”

“No,” he said with a laugh. “You don’t have to.”

I ignored him and said, “Thanks for coming over.”

His bright eyes stayed on mine as he shook his head. “God, I love you,” he murmured. I lifted my thumb to stroke over his mouth.

“Thanks for coming over,” I repeated. It was Levi’s second favorite part of the movie he’d finally admitted to me was his favorite as a kid.

Sixteen Candles.

I hadn’t ever seen it before, so one night I’d rented the movie and surprised him with it when he’d gotten home from class. After we’d put the kids to bed, we’d watched it and I’d finally understood his reference to me as Jake months earlier when we’d first met. As the last scene had played where the two characters finally get their shot at romance, Levi sighed over the last few lines and I’d started saying Jake’s lines to him the very next day when he’d been stressed about an upcoming test.

“Thanks for coming to get me,” he said.

“Make a wish, Levi.”

Levi smiled briefly, but then he sobered and I saw that his answer might have been a line from a movie, but it was as real for him as it was for me.

“It already came true,” he whispered.

I leaned down and kissed him. “I know, baby. For me too.”

Then I took his hand in mine and led him from the room so we could go find our children and join the rest of our family for dinner.

The End