She looks at me and then to Keith, who sits with his arm draped over the back of Delaney’s chair. “He would be proud of you.”

She shifts her eyes to Kayla. “Proud of you all. Not just for tonight, but for how you’re living your lives, serving others. That is the Allen legacy.”

The emotion etched into Keith’s and Kayla’s faces pricks my heart. I blink back tears. I’ve found myself close to crying more over the last year and a half than I have my entire life. Probably all the hormones I’ve had to inject into this body, but I hope it’s not a permanent state of affairs.

“It is a great night for the Allens,” Keith says, his grin growing even wider. “Not only am I going to be a congressman, I’m going to be a father again. Delaney’s pregnant with our third.”

Everyone at the table claps and exclaims and pats my brother on the back. Joy and jealousy wrangle in me. I lift one and squash the other, offering my brother and Delaney a genuine smile.

“I’m gonna be an auntie again, huh? That’s incredible. I’m so excited for you guys.”

“Laney says if I think being a congressman means I don’t have to change diapers,” Keith says, leaning over to kiss his wife’s cheek, “I can think again.”

We all laugh, but my smile is starting to hurt. At the fertility clinic, I have a freezer full of eggs and no guarantees. Now that the campaign is over, I need to figure out what I want to do with them.

“You look so pretty tonight,” Mama leans over to tell me as everyone at the table returns to their dinners and conversations.

“Thank you, Mama.”

Lorette styled my hair into an elaborate diadem of curls. Lotus created my cayenne-colored off-the-shoulder gown specifically for this occasion. Its mermaid design sighs around my curves, curves I’ve had to work hard to keep in check the last year and a half as my weight fluctuated, the hot flashes flared and the mood swings swung, all while managing the nation’s most hotly-contested gubernatorial campaign.

A year and a half.

My entire adult life has been measured in runs, in races. Mayors. Governors. Senators. President. I’ve never regretted the personal sacrifices I made for each campaign. I saw it as a call to service, putting people in positions to make a difference.

Tikkum Olam.

Repair the world.

Ezra went about it his way, and I’ve gone about it mine.

Ezra.