Chapter 7 - The Garden at Bodega Bay
Two years after the wedding at the vineyard.
Spring had arrived at Bodega Bay. The coastal bluffs were carpeted in vibrant purple wildflowers, yellow poppies, and deep green coastal ivy.
The patio behind the cedar cottage was filled with laughter, music, and the delicious aroma of grilled salmon and fresh herbs.
Sitting around the long wooden outdoor table were Marcus Sterling, Eleanor Vance, Arthur Vance, Frank Russo, and several friends from the analytics firm.
On the lush green lawn, two-year-old Hope—wearing a white sundress and tiny red boots—was chasing a golden retriever puppy through the garden sprinklers, her bright, ringing laughter echoing across the bluff.
Julian was running behind her, pretending to be a sea monster, picking her up in his arms and swinging her through the air as she squealed with delight.
"Look, Mommy! I'm flying!" Hope giggled, pointing toward the ocean.
I sat on the wooden porch bench, watching them with a glass of sparkling water in my hand.
Eleanor stepped out onto the porch, setting a plate of appetizers on the small table beside me.
"She adores him, Clara," Eleanor said softly, watching Julian gently set Hope down on the grass so she could pet the puppy.
"And he adores her," I whispered, my heart full to overflowing.
"Have you heard the news from Santa Rita?" Eleanor asked casually, leaning against the wooden railing.
I shook my head. "I stopped checking those updates six months ago, Eleanor."
"Ethan's appeal was rejected by the Ninth Circuit yesterday," Eleanor informed me quietly. "His sentence is final. And Vivian was transferred to a medium-security federal prison in Dublin, California, after getting into a fight with another inmate in the cafeteria."
I looked out at the ocean, watching the white foam of the waves breaking against the dark rocks below.
Two years ago, those names would have sent a sharp jolt of anger or pain through my chest. Now, hearing them felt like reading about characters in a dusty, forgotten history book that had no connection to my life whatsoever.
"I hope they find peace someday," I said simply.
Eleanor looked at me in astonishment. "After what they did to you?"
"Forgiveness isn't for them, Eleanor," I said, taking a deep breath of the fresh ocean air. "It's for me. Holding onto hatred means keeping a piece of them inside my house. I cleared them out of my life completely. There's no room left for them here."
Julian walked up the wooden porch steps, holding Hope in his arms. Her cheeks were rosy from running in the sea breeze, her dark eyes shining with pure joy.
"Mommy!" Hope gasped, holding out a crumpled yellow poppy. "I picked this for you with Julian!"
I took the tiny flower, holding it against my heart. "It's the most beautiful flower in the world, my love."
Julian looked at me, his hazel eyes glowing in the afternoon light, pulling a small black velvet box from his jacket pocket.
The entire porch went silent. Marcus Sterling stopped talking; Frank Russo smiled broadly; Eleanor gasped softly.
Julian dropped to one knee on the wooden porch, holding Hope safely on his arm while opening the velvet box with his free hand. Inside sat a simple, stunning emerald-cut sapphire ring, glowing like the deep ocean water below the bluff.
"Clara," Julian said, his voice deep, steady, and filled with an overwhelming love. "Two years ago, you walked out of a nightmare and proved to the world how strong, brilliant, and unbreakable you are. You brought this sweet girl into the world and built a life of absolute beauty and truth."
Tears of pure joy welled up in my eyes, spilling over my cheeks.
"I don't want to protect you from the world, Clara," Julian continued, looking into my eyes. "Because you don't need protecting. But I want to stand beside you, honor you, and love both you and Hope for every single day of my life. Will you marry me?"
Hope looked from Julian to me, her tiny hands clapping together. "Say yes, Mommy! Say yes!"
I sank to my knees on the wooden porch, wrapping my arms around Julian and Hope, pulling them both close against my chest.
May you like
"Yes," I sobbed happily, kissing his lips as the ocean breeze wrapped around us. "Yes, Julian! A thousand times yes!"
Behind us, Marcus, Eleanor, Frank, and Arthur erupted into loud, joyful cheers, popping a bottle of champagne as the sun began its slow, golden descent into the Pacific Ocean.
