It was likely fabulous.

There were sounds of cars driving down the street behind us, but this wasn’t constant.

No, the constant was the bells of the buoys and the waves lapping against the shore and slapping against the planks of the wharf, peaceful, easy beauty.

I wrapped my arms around his at my midriff and leaned back into him. “I can see why you’d never leave.”

“Want for my kids whatever they want,” he stated. “I’d be happy as long as they’re happy. But I hope, if they take off, when they come back and I bring them right here, wherever life took them, they’d know in their bones that standing right here was the only place that was home.”

I loved what he said but feeling Mickey, looking at the view, smelling the smells and hearing the sounds off Magdalene’s wharf, having lived the life I lived, it occurred to me I’d never had a home.

Not a real one.

I thought I did, with my husband, my family, until Conrad tore it away from me.

And I wanted a home.

A home that looked like that, smelled like that, sounded like that and felt like it felt to stand there in Mickey’s arms.

Lulling me with that beauty, Mickey went for it.

He did it gently.

But he did it.

“You’re not ready, Amy, then you decide the time. But you’re eventually gonna have to share how he got your kids from you, baby.”

I felt every inch of me grow solid and Mickey didn’t miss it, couldn’t, and his arms grew snug around me.

He also dipped his head so his jaw was no longer resting against the side of my hair and he said in my ear, “If this is not the time, it’s not. But I’ll say now, this is what this feels like it might be, you gotta learn there’s no safer place than in my arms and when you’re here, Amy,” his arms gave me a squeeze, “you can give me anything.”

I closed my eyes.

This is what it feels like it might be…

Maybe, just maybe, he felt the same way as me.

And if he did, he needed to know, sooner rather than later.

No safer place than in my arms and when you’re here, Amy, you can give me anything.

I opened my eyes.

“I told you how things went with him and Martine.”

I felt his breath whisper along my ear, then his lips, before I felt his jaw again pressed to the side of my head.

“Yeah.”

I drew in a breath and let it out, saying, “When he left me, I lost it.”

“Within your rights, Amy.”

I stared at pure peace and beauty.

Then I decided this was important, Mickey was important, and I had finally grown up.