Emily.”
“You too,” Emily said as Casey sprinted away.
Emily glanced at William. It made him feel uneasy. She had a warmth in her eyes he
had never seen before in the twenty-five years he had known her.
“Oh my God,” Emily commented. “You changed.”
“What?” William asked, shocked by her comment. “I haven't changed.”
“You're happy,” she told him. “Truly happy.”
“I guess I am,” he responded.
“She's good for you,” Emily said. “I'm glad that you found her, William.”
“Thanks,” he replied. “Me too.”
The rest of the show went well. Casey did give a small speech thanking everyone,
including him. She even mentioned he was her boyfriend.
Casey had made an impression on Sasha. Sasha asked Casey if she could teach her how
to paint once she moves in with them. Casey agreed, delighted his kids didn't hate
her.
“That went well,” William told Casey, who walked around barefoot, holding her
shoes.
“Thanks for staying the whole time,” she replied giving him a kiss.
“Nowhere else I would rather be,” he told her with a smile.
“I sold three paintings!” she told him.
“Awesome,” William responded.
“Emily bought the lake one,” she told him. William liked the painting. It was a
dock located in a lake at sunset. William wondered how she painted it to look
realistic without a photo to reference. “She'll get to take it once the showing is
over at the end of the month.”