“We are,” he agreed. He set his drink down and nodded toward Doug and Mary Lou. “I think Doug is smitten.”
Joan smiled and silently agreed. Mary Lou had been flattered and a little embarrassed by Doug’s attention. On her own, Joan’s friend admitted she might be ready for a relationship.
Dr. O’Brien was the first one to leave. She had plans with family later in the afternoon.
Joan got up from the chair and walked the counselor to the door. “I’m grateful you could come,” she said.
“This was lovely,” Dr. O’Brien said, briefly hugging Joan. “I want you to know how proud I am of you, Joan. When we first met you were fragile and unsure of yourself. It’s been a blessing watching you find your inner strength. You’ve come a long way in a short amount of time.”
“The group helped immensely. Looking back, I can’t believe how stubborn I was, insisting those sessions weren’t for me.” It embarrassed her now, and she would always be grateful how the counselor had encouraged her to attend just one meeting before she made her final decision.
Dr. O’Brien squeezed Joan’s forearm. “But it didn’t take you long to recognize the benefit of these shared experiences.”
“Journaling helped, too, and of course the workbook.” Joan had faithfully read each week’s notes and took the words to heart. It would have been easy to read the book alone, as each chapter had resonated with her. What had been instrumental in her progress was following through with the assignments suggested at the end.
“Your little Edison is a sweet puppy. How old is he?”
“As best I can tell, six months.” She picked him up and he immediately licked her face.
Dr. O’Brien opened the screen door.
“Thank you for coming,” Joan said, knowing the counselor had a busy life. That she’d been willing to share part of her holiday with the group was a compliment Joan didn’t take lightly.
“Thanks again,” Dr. O’Brien said, as she headed down the steps.
By the time Joan returned to the backyard, Sally was gathering up the last of her bean dip and preparing to head out.
“You don’t have time for dessert?” Joan asked, a little surprised Sally would leave so soon.
“Did you count how many of those ribs I ate?” she asked, placing her hand over her stomach. “I wouldn’t mind taking a piece with me, though.”
“You got it.”
Doug and Mary Lou decided it was time to leave, too. Joan wrapped up to-go plates with the cobbler and saw the three out the door.
That left her alone with Phil.
“I’ll help with the cleanup,” he said, when she returned from seeing her friends out the door.
“No need, Phil. There isn’t a lot to do.”
“Nonsense. I’m not leaving you alone with this.” He started carrying in the leftover food, of which there wasn’t much. The ribs had disappeared in quick order, and all that remained were a couple hamburger patties and a few buns.
Mary Lou left Joan with the potato salad, convinced Steve and Nick would finish it off, and she wasn’t wrong. Joan made room for the bowl in her refrigerator. Doug didn’t want to worry about carting the leftover drinks home, so Phil brought those into the house. Standing side by side with Joan, he stored the cans on the bottom shelf.
Turning at the same time, Joan lost her footing and nearly stumbled. Phil caught her by the shoulders. She was about to make a joke about her lack of grace when her eyes met his. In that moment it felt as if the world went still. All sound faded, as something unspoken flowed between them. Joan didn’t know when this had happened, all she knew was this incredible feeling that came over her unlike anything she had ever experienced before. They were friends and slowly it had grown into more. The night he’d stopped by when she’d missed a meeting, and then later working side by side, helping Maggie with the house. Their relationship had turned a corner. Joan found herself thinking about him more and more and enjoyed the time they’d spent together.
Neither spoke. Phil lifted his hand and brushed the hair away from the side of her face.
She covered his hand with her own and closed her eyes, leaning her face into his palm.
“You said Mary Lou and Doug might be ready for a relationship.”
“Yes,” she whispered, hardly able to find her voice.
“What about you? Are you ready?”
Nodding, she offered him a gentle smile. “I believe I am.”
“Good,” he said, his own voice gruff with emotion. He dropped his hand and leaned forward to kiss her.
Joan had often wondered how she would react to another man’s touch. When Phil’s mouth settled over hers, any doubt she’d feared instantly evaporated. They became fully involved in the kiss until they were both breathless.
With their foreheads touching, Joan smiled, and Phil did, too. “Are you ready for the rest of your life, Joan Sample?”
“Absolutely.”
“Me, too,” he whispered.
Epilogue
Joan sat back on her knees and wiped the perspiration from her brow. Edison was lazing on the lawn at her side, perfectly content to nap in the sunshine. Joan had been working, clearing out her front flower beds, getting them ready to plant the columbine and marigolds, two of her favorites. It was hard to believe that at this same time last year, she’d found it difficult to walk out the front door, let alone work outside in her yard.
What a difference a year can make! She still missed Jared and the life they’d once shared. She’d come to realize that revolving her entire life around him and his career had left her empty to enjoy her own pursuits. At the time she hadn’t minded. They were partners, best friends, soulmates. Without him she had felt depleted, lost, and so terribly alone.
No longer. With the help of the grief therapy group, she’d found the wherewithal to move forward and take hold of life. A life she barely recognized now and that was, in some ways, better than the one she left behind. Mary Lou had become a treasured friend, and Sally, too. Mary Lou had briefly dated Doug, but it hadn’t taken her long to realize they were never meant to be more than friends.
Steve and Zoe had married in December. Her son faithfully called her every Sunday afternoon, and their conversations often weren’t long but were always meaningful as they more openly shared details of their lives. More than once, he’d told her he didn’t know why he’d waited as long as he had to marry Zoe. The two were building a future together. Zoe was full of life, laughter, and fun, spontaneous and joyful. Just hearing the happiness in her son’s voice thrilled Joan. He’d taken over as manager of Dick’s Sporting Goods’ warehouse in the Phoenix area, and while he worked long hours, he made sure he was home for dinner every night and spent ample time with his wife.
Nick and Maggie were going strong, too, and that pleased Joan. It had been a blow to Maggie when her father died suddenly of a heart attack three months after he left the Turning Point Treatment Center. Maggie took his passing hard, as he was her only living relative. Thankfully, Roy Herbert hadn’t taken a drink of alcohol in all that time. Another positive was the loving relationship that had developed between Maggie and her father. He was no Prince Charming, and his words were often peppered with grumbles and profanity, but he learned to show his love for Maggie in a dozen different ways. Before his sudden demise, Maggie had told Joan that for the first time since her mother died, she felt like she had a good relationship with her father.