LISA

"We're heading back, guys," Jackie says when most of the fireworks are over. We've had a lovely, fun night, with great food, sing-along music and lots of laughter. The fireworks were beautiful and the beach that was busy an hour ago, is quiet again, with only a few people staying behind to finish the drinks they brought.

"We'll be right behind you," I say, still enjoying the sea breeze.

"I'm going with Grandpa." Lily wriggles herself out of my grip and runs after Jackie, Jihyo, Cameron and my father.

"Okay, honey, we won't be long." When they're out of sight, Jennie and I sit in the sand and I put an arm around her. She's beaming when she looks at me.

"I had such a great time. They're all really lovely."

"I'm glad you think so." I smile back at her. "And you're welcome to join us for anything, anytime. In fact, my father and Jackie insisted I bring you over again soon."

"That's sweet." Jennie turns back to the ocean and inhales deeply, then rests her head on my shoulder. "I think it's time that I introduce you to my kids." She chuckles. "Well, I suppose you've already met Ella, but maybe we should try it again, fully dressed this time. And James… I'm not sure when he'll be back from his travels but I want to call him and tell him about you."

"Are you sure?" I ask, pulling her closer. Her body feels amazing against mine and I realize that tonight, I feel perfectly and entirely content and happy, as if everything is exactly the way it's supposed to be. Just like Jennie, I never imagined my Fourth of July to be like this either. The best things happen when you least expect it.

"Yeah. Ella is taking me to a spa hotel for my birthday, it's in Montauk, I think. Maybe we could have lunch together the next day?"

"Sure. If Ella can look me in the eyes after she saw me—"

"Please, don't remind me." Jennie laughs. "She'll be fine, I promise."

"Okay, in that case, I'd love to." It amuses me that she has absolutely no idea Ella is planning a party for her, and that I'm having fun helping her, but it's also a little worrying. Not everyone likes surprises and Jennie's made it clear that she didn't want a big celebration. That was weeks ago, though, and things have changed. She's started going out more, meeting up with friends she hasn't seen in a while, and she's busy with her volunteer work.

"Great, I'll book a table." Jennie's phone pings, and she smiles when she opens a message from her son with the caption 'Happy 4th, love you', and a picture attached.

"Here, this is James," she says, handing me the phone.

"I see James's enjoying himself." I zoom in on him, then back out, studying the selfie of him and a girl lying in a hammock with a tropical beach in the background. "He looks like you too."

"Yeah, he does. And that's his girlfriend, Maddie. She's lovely." Jennie sighs. "God, I miss him, and I worry all the time. I know I shouldn't—he's a grown man now—but still, he's so far away and they both tend to think they're invincible."

"I'm sure you'll see him soon." What Jennie also doesn't know, is that Ella's arranged for him to fly back to surprise her for her birthday. I can only imagine how happy she'll be when she sees him again. "Does he work?"

"Yes, he runs an online business, together with Maddie. They buy beautiful, handcrafted items from all over the world and sell them on their website. Their clients are mainly interior designers, and they sell anything from antique tapestries, paintings and sculptures down to Venetian glass and big vases. He dropped out of college last year, said he didn't need a degree to do what he wanted to do, and I could hardly argue with him, not having been to college myself. Mark wasn't happy about it, but he came around when it became apparent that James knew what he was doing. They bought through online channels at first, but then they decided to travel so they could source more unique items."

"That must be a nice way to live and work."

"Yeah, that's Gen Z for you. They're just so free and inventive in their thinking and refuse to conform."

"Lily wants to be a princess when she grows up," I say in a humorous tone. "A pool cleaning princess who swims with sharks."

Jennie laughs. "That's cute. Basically like you, minus the sharks and the princess part. I had fun when you brought her over."

"Lily had fun too, she won't stop talking about it."

"Then we should do it more often, and you can always leave her with me while you're working, if Jackie wants some time off. I'm happy to look after her if she's comfortable around me," Jennie says.

"Thank you, that's very sweet of you." Her eyes hold so much sincerity that it chokes me up. This woman who I am smitten with is great with my daughter and best of all, Lily loves spending time with her too. Just as I'm about to kiss her, a trail of golden sparkles fan out above us, an elaborate display of last-minute fireworks filling the midnight sky with white and red bundles of light that cascade down into beautiful streaks above the ocean. The few people around us start clapping and cheering, and we lie down to look up at the show, our hands clasped together on my belly while she rests her head on my shoulder. It feels like a significant moment in time, and I kiss the top of her head, inhaling her scent before turning back to the display. Cherishing her closeness and the spectacular fireworks that just go on and on, I realize how special this day has been for me.

"This feels like a new start," Jennie whispers as if reading my mind. "The start of my next life."

"Our next life," I say, and when she looks up at me and smiles, tears of joy are clouding her eyes.