Candle In The Wind

Epilogue

4 years later (Valentine’s Day)

I twisted my emerald cut ring around my finger as I watched Callum play with Clay from a close distance. The sun hadn’t set yet, but it looked like it was going to soon. The breeze felt soft and fresh and inviting, like I could just close my eyes and fall asleep, but then I’d miss out from seeing the way Callum laughed when Clay tried to catch a dandelion. They were in the middle of the field of dandelions, and each time the wind picked them up Clay tried to catch them. Callum crouched down to Clay’s level, helping him. Clay was now four years old, soon to be five in a couple months—he looked like a spitting image of Callum. I wish I could make a joke about not being in the bedroom when he was conceived but I really wasn’t. All he got from me was the dark afro-like curly hair, and the brown eyes. Everything else was stolen from Callum.

We were under the willow tree. I insisted on coming here instead of going to some fancy dinner—nothing ever really compared to this place. It felt almost magical. Besides, if we were going to celebrate our epic love today, why not celebrate it where our love story began, our first kiss under the tree, where about three years ago, Callum proposed to me right here under this tree.

If this place wasn’t magical, it would be now.

I smiled softly as I looked at the big diamond on my ring finger. We’d been married for three years now. We remodeled Cal’s ranch and he practically changed everything to make the ranch my own as well. My shop became a hotspot, just like Molly’s. Bailey was long gone far, far away for college, even Val eventually left, but Ben-Ben still stuck by me. And here, in my field, nothing had changed. The willow tree was as healthy as ever and no one had ever dared to walk past the fences with the warnings—well, I really wouldn’t know because we weren’t able to install CCTV in the middle of nowhere, but I’d never seen a sight of litter each time I came here. Though I guess that technically didn’t mean anything, but if someone was sneaking into my field and didn’t trash the land then they were welcomed here anytime.

Clay grew faster and faster each year and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I finally closed my eyes as I released a breath.

“Mommy! Mommy!”

Clay interrupted as he ran towards me.

I instantly smiled as I opened my eyes to meet him, “Yes, sweetie?”

“I caught a dandelion,”

he said as he smiled from ear to ear. “Daddy said I could make a wish!”

And on cue Cal followed right behind Clay and plopped down on the grass in his light-wash jeans. “Ten buck says he’ll wish for a dog.”

I laughed softly. It was true—Clay had been begging us for a dog for quite a while now. He was only four years old, I didn’t think he was ready for that kind of responsibility yet. Callum and I were still busy, my classes doubled every week and Callum had been working overseas. His dad was right after all, he did run out of places to build in Beaufort so he made himself more expandable—which has been working out great but he traveled a lot now.

We couldn’t possibly get a dog.

Clay shook his head. “No…”

he said, slowly dragging out the word as he handed me the dandelion. I took it from him and smiled, but before I could say thank you Clay said something that made my jaw drop.

“I want a baby sister,”

he blurted out excitedly.

I looked at Callum, whose eyes lit up like Clay’s wish could possibly come true. My brows furrowed as I slowly started shaking my head to let Clay down easy. Not that I didn’t want to have more kids, I did, but we needed to make time for them first.

“You got it, champ,”

Cal said as he leaned up and ruffled Clay’s curly hair.

“What?”

I nearly choked out. “Not to be the bearer of bad news here but, didn’t we just agree we didn’t have time for a dog?” I tilted my head to the side as I looked at Callum.

We didn’t have time for a dog! Imagine a child. A newborn.

Clay sensed my disapproval, and it didn’t matter what he was asking for, but my approval was all that mattered to him. Callum could say yes but he’d still wait for me to answer. It was my approval he sought. Clay took two steps in front of me and wrapped his little arms around my neck then dropped himself on me. I gently sat him on my thigh, still waiting for Callum to say something back to me, but he only shrugged watching Clay do the bribery hug. Anytime he needed or wanted something and sensed that I would say no, he’d hug me until I hugged him back and gave him the approval he needed.

I sighed as he hugged me.

“Cal?”

“We could make time,”

he said softly, “I know we can—I can take a year off once the baby’s born and I can get you anything you need.” He crawled towards me and sat next to me now. “And this time,” he whispered, “I’d be with you from the beginning.”

I felt a wave of comfort wash over me. I remembered when I was pregnant with Clay how hard it was from the beginning, even with Celeste and Ardley’s support I still struggled greatly.

“Please, Mommy? Everyone at daycare has a little sister or brother, and I’m alone,”

Clay whined as he hugged me tighter—well as hard as a four year old could anyway. My heart still felt for him. I dropped my hand on his head and threaded my fingers into his hair. He was so small, yet so big. I could still hold him—he was still my baby but at the same time he was growing so fast, and it was already breaking my heart.

“Please?”

he pushed in a soft whiny tone.

I wasn’t going to say yes because my four year old made a great case—I was going to say yes because it felt like it was time. Callum and I were beyond comfortable financially, and I wanted to go through another pregnancy to enjoy it, to do everything right, I guess? I wanted to wrap up the stick I peed on once it was time to tell Callum I was pregnant. I wanted to have that talk with Clay to see how excited he would be to become a big brother. I wanted to have that dramatic gender reveal and baby shower. I wanted to have fun shopping for my babies, nesting as the months went by. I wanted to love being pregnant, knowing the baby was truly, truly mine and most of all, I wanted that experience with Callum.

I glanced at him as I smiled.

He chuckled, tilting his head to the side as he grinned. “Really?!”

I nodded, still smiling. “Really.”

The End.