Life's Too Short (The Friend Zone #3)(92)

Annabel was Vanessa’s maid of honor at our wedding.

This whole year had been our honeymoon, even if we weren’t officially married until a few days ago. And now we were going to share us with the world.

There hadn’t been any updates on my wife or her condition since our reunion video. Laird had gotten the whole thing on camera. We’d posted it in response to the Where’s Vanessa Price hashtag that was trending on Twitter. Then we went back underground.

There were rumors and sightings, but nothing that would take away what would likely be a thunderous roar for the fight against ALS by the release of this series. We’d be donating all the proceeds to research. If it would bring us closer to a cure, then I was perfectly happy to give the world our most intimate moments.

I’d given up a lot of things for Vanessa, and I did not regret any of them.

I still practiced law, but I focused my efforts exclusively on fighting for disability rights. It was something I’d become very passionate about over the last year.

I saw the world through a different lens now. I noticed how hard it was to get wheelchair-accessible taxis and hotels. How rare it was in some places to find things I’d always taken for granted, like sidewalks. How so many restaurants and souvenir shops didn’t have ramps. On our last trip to New York, I saw blatant violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act with subways lacking elevators in most of their stations.

If Vanessa ever did get sick, I wanted her world to stay as big as possible. I didn’t want there to be anywhere she, or others like her, couldn’t go and I’d spend the rest of my life fighting to make that a reality. It was rewarding and fulfilling—and I finally had my balance.

I kept up with my therapy sessions and I was in an online support group for people living with terminal loved ones. I took care of my mental well-being with the same commitment that I took care of my family—because I couldn’t do one unless I did the other.

Vanessa snuggled up to me and I put an arm around her. Grace leaned into me on the other side, holding her favorite stuffed bear.

I told them I loved them every day. I never took tomorrow for granted. Aaaaand I read the horoscopes Becky texted me without exception.

“Are you ready?” I asked, hovering my finger over the button that would send the file through. “We can’t get it back once it’s gone.”

Vanessa grinned. “I don’t think ALS will know what hit it.”

My lips twisted up into a smile. “Good.”

{Send}.