Chapter 171 After Everything

Chapter 171 After Everything

ALICE

The holidays were never really my favorite time of the year. My parents never did much for Christmas or New Year's, so it wasn't a very big deal. I grew up with that mentality, so much that in my adulthood, I was perfectly okay with sitting at home when those dates rolled by.

Not anymore.

It was a huge celebration for the Linden-Hawthornes, and they made sure to make each better than the one before it.

Thelma was always in charge of planning. I helped out as much as I could, but she was on another level. Everything had to be perfect, and it made no difference if it was just us. She thought about every little detail—color combinations, the menu, gift-giving.

This year, she was taking care of things on her own. Unfortunately, Francesca no longer had the energy to run up and down. She said so herself. As soon as Theo, Rory, and I walked in, she made eye contact with me from the other side of the living room and waved me over.

I greeted Thelma and Oliver, who were closer to us, and kissed the girls on the cheek. "Happy New Year, girls!"

"Happy New Year, Aunt Alice!"

Theo was holding Andy, and he was telling Oliver how, earlier today, he set up a little stand in the living room and announced he was selling his toys. When Theo asked why he thought we'd buy his old toys, Andy cheekily replied that he put them back in the box, and he made Theo buy two of them.

Oliver burst out laughing at this. "He's the Hawthorne heir, that's for sure. It's in his blood."

"Isn't that right?" Theo asked before smooching Andy's cheek. "Come on. You wanna say hi to your great-grandmother?"

All of us walked toward Francesca. Rory couldn't because Lizzie and Angie took his hand and dragged him to the other side of the living room to show him something. Francesca looked a little run-down, but she was always so energetic and vivacious that it was hard to notice.

"Now my family's complete!" she remarked. "Only Clarice isn't here, bless her. Give me my sweet boy."

Theo carefully placed Andy on her lap and she held him close while kissing the top of his head. Look at how big he is! I can't believe he's only five!"

"Only five?" Lizzie remarked from the other side of the living room, looking up from her phone. "He's been five forever!"

"That's because he was born in December," Francesca laughed. "My mother always used to say that those born in December never age."

Oliver remarked, "They're the last ones to, anyway."

Theo threw an arm around me and kissed my cheek while Oliver recounted Theo's tale. We made eye contact and he told me in a low voice, "Another year."

"Another year," I echoed.

Thelma called everyone to the dining room so we could have dinner. Our tradition was eating thirty minutes before the clock struck midnight. Thelma believed it brought us good luck to be feasting when the new year began, and none of us ever cared to question it.

"Coming along, Francesca?" I asked her.

"Oh, I will. But I need a minute to speak to you. Shoo, Theo."

"She'll tell me about it later, anyway."

I laughed at this and sat down right next to her. Once he was out of earshot, Francesca grabbed my hand and told me, "It's back now, Alice. I was in remission for a long time, and I beat all the odds. None of my doctors ever believed I was going to live one more year after the diagnosis, but here I am."

"Here you are."

She smiled. "Such is the mystery of life. I'm very glad I never told them about the diagnosis. They would've worried for nothing."

I nodded, agreeing with her.

I squeezed her fingers tighter while Theo said something that made Thelma and Oliver burst out laughing.

"I hope you won't be angry at me for sharing this with you. I just want you to be prepared and be there for them when it happens. You've always been my secret keeper, haven't you? Oh, Alice. I'll never tire of mentioning how you changed this family. Look at Theo. He's the man I always knew he could be. A father. A husband. A man capable of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders with no complaint. You made it possible, even if you don't see it that way."

"Oh, Francesca."

She wrapped a frail arm around me and held me close. "Knowing you has been an honor, and of course, we can only thank you for bringing Rory and Andy into our lives. What a blessing these last few years of my life have been. I have so much to be thankful for."

My nose stung, but I knew I couldn't cry, not right now. The others would wonder what was happening, and of course, they couldn't know the truth.

Not right now, anyway.

"Now, enough of this sad talk. The night is young. Let's celebrate!"

I tried to be cheerful, but I was heartbroken. To imagine a life without Francesca really hurt. She was the life of every party and gathering, and whenever I needed something, I had her to run to.

She did more for me in a few years than my own parents ever could in a lifetime.

These days, I rarely spoke to them, and whenever I did, it was just Dad is spoke to. Mom was still mad at me for all the things I told her that night, and she refused to speak even to Rory. Once, when Dad called to wish Rory a happy birthday, I heard her grumble the words "traitors" and "ingrates", and though it hurt my feelings at the time, I'd come to peace with our situation a long time ago.

As for how Rory felt, well, who truly knew? He'd never been great at expressing himself where emotions are concerned. He seemed pretty happy, though. He and I still worked at the bakery, and the other day, there was an article about how he was an inspiration to many autistic adults.

Francesca and I joined the others, and I sat right next to Theo. Andy was in the baby seat right between us, and I gave him a little kiss before sitting down. Thelma served him mashed potatoes, gravy, and meatballs—he loved eating this.

Theo gave me a knowing look right away. I could hide the way I felt from everyone, but never from him. "What is it?"

I shook my head. It wasn't my place to tell. We didn't keep any secrets from one another, but this was the one thing I couldn't tell him. "Nothing."

"You're sure, baby?"

"Of course."

I turned away from him and made eye contact with Francesca, who was seated right across from us. She raised her glass of wine and offered me a cheeky smile that cheered me up. I turned back to the table and everyone around it. I stopped listening to what everyone was saying, and just took a moment to appreciate everything.

Something settled in my chest—a warmth that I never thought I'd feel. I was surrounded by people who had come to mean a lot to me, and who had supported me through thick and thin. I never thought this could be possible.

All my life, I'd handled things on my own. I never thought I'd need anyone.

But with them, all of them, everything was different. Outside, the first fireworks split the sky open and everyone rushed to the balcony.

Theo had Andy in one arm and the other wrapped tightly around my waist. We kissed when no one was looking, and he told me, "At this exact time, six years ago, my cheek was burning like crazy."

I laughed out loud at this and buried my face in his chest. He told me this every year.

I didn't like thinking about that year because, at the time, I felt like my life was falling apart and there was no fixing it. But thanks to that exact moment, I knew what it was like to belong somewhere.

To belong to someone.

And sure, the journey had been a tough one—or maybe tough was too small a word to describe what we went through—but I would choose it all over again if it meant I'd end up right here.

If this was where the road was always meant to take me, then every step I took was damn worth it.