Page 117 of All Our Beautiful Goodbyes

“Good as gold,” she replied. “Except that we’re still working through what Nana did—keeping that secret from him all their lives. I wish she was still around so that I could ask her about it, but it’s not possible.”

“She must have really wanted to hold on to him,” Garrett said.

“Yes, but it was so incredibly selfish of her, not to tell him. How did she ever sleep at night? And even when she knew she was dying, she still didn’t tell him.” Joanna huffed in frustration. “I’ve been driving myself crazy feeling angry about it, but what’s the point in that? I have to just lay it to rest because we can’t change it, and we’ll never know what was going on in her head.” She peered up the tracks again, watching for the train. “But enough about that. He still hasn’t booked a return flight from Nova Scotia, but he can’t stay there forever. There are laws.”

“Maybe he and Emma will get married finally,” Garrett suggested, “and he’ll become a Canadian citizen.”

“The way he’s been talking lately,” she replied, “I wouldn’t be surprised. But one day at a time.” Garrett wrapped his arm around her waist, and she laid her head on his shoulder. “I sure would miss him.”

Garrett kissed the top of her head. “You can visit anytime you like. I have a spare bedroom. Or maybe you could just relocate. There’s plenty of work for qualified vets like you.”

Joanna looked at him and grinned. “Slow down there, sparky. One day at a time, remember?”

He chuckled. “I’m trying. But life is short, you know?”

“Oh ... trust me, I do know.”

The train approached and slowed to a halt in front of them. As the doors slid open, a voice said, “Mind the gap,” and they stepped across. They found seats next to each other and waited for the doors to close.

Joanna linked her arm through Garrett’s and rested her head on his shoulder. Then he reached for her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed the back of it.

Seconds later, the train lurched forward, and they were on their way to an undiscovered future.