Margaret had never heard Luke speak so passionately about anything or anyone. “She does all that and still agreed to take the time to come here. No wonder she collapsed the other day.” Margaret felt terrible for the way she’d treated Sarah. She never gave Sarah a chance. She’d added on to Sarah’s load by leaving it to her to clean her room upstairs, cook most nights, and make the yard safe for the boys to play.

“I’ve watched her working,” she continued. “She’s so intent and focused when she’s at the computer. She sometimes has two or three going at the same time. She moves back and forth between them. It’s funny, though. I always thought she didn’t pay enough attention to the boys, but whenever they interrupt her, she stops whatever she’s doing and gives them her full attention. She’ll stop everything to get them a glass of water or play a game. And then, when she can, she goes back to doing her work with the same focus and intensity she had before. I didn’t want to admit it to her, but I thought she was doing a good job with the boys. I don’t know what she does on those computers, but I guess she really is good at her job.”

She should have set aside her anger and talked to Sarah. At the very least, her grandsons deserved better than for her to just drop out of their lives. But she’d grieved deep and hard for Sean. Her only son. She’d had such high hopes for him, and it killed her to see his life cut short when he’d been on the precipice of achieving so much.

Or so she had thought.

She leaned on her elbows on the desk and held the sides of her face in her hands and stared at Luke. “I don’t know what to do about all this. I’ve been awful to her. Cruel, even, blaming her for everything when Sean treated her terribly.” She picked up several papers. “Did you see these letters and pictures? She wrote and told me about the boys every month. I didn’t cash the check and she took a little bit of money and turned it into a fortune. She didn’t have to do all of that. I certainly didn’t deserve it after the way I treated her.”

Luke gave Margaret’s hand a soft squeeze. “I can’t believe someone like her exists. I’m in love with her. I’m going to marry her.”

Margaret gasped. She had no idea they’d grown so close in such a short time.

“You can’t be serious?” Bridget’s whole body went rigid. “She gets the company, all the money, and marries a rich guy?”

“You’re looking a little green with envy, dear.” Margaret gave Bridget a look Bridget knew all too well. Margaret spent a lot of Bridget’s youth reminding her that life wasn’t a competition.

She focused on Luke. “I’m sorry I didn’t see her the way you do. I guess congratulations are in order. And I really do wish you both all the happiness in the world.”