Epilogue
Draven
5years later
I come home to our cabin and smile when I hear giggling and barking along with the occasional sound of a goat and chicken. I drop my stuff onto the front porch and head to the backyard. Cassidy and I got married six months after our first date, and it was the best decision we ever made. We wanted a family right away, so as soon as the school year was over, Cassidy decided to quit teaching and start turning our home into our dream while I maintained the mountain around us.
I reach the back and what I see makes my heart burst with joy. My gorgeous wife is working in our garden while watching Ezra and Frannie, our three-year-old twins. The twins are chasing George the Goat while being chased by Harvey, our dog. I watch as the stampede of giggles and barks terrorizes the rooster and cat. I can’t hold in the laugh the scene before me brings forth.
Hearing my laughter, the chaos stills and then suddenly makes its way over to me. As big as I am, the sheer energy that hits me nearly knocks me to the ground. With a hearty laugh, I pick up my little monsters and say, “Well, if it isn’t the twin monsters. Hello, my beautiful children. Have you had a good day?”
“Yes!” they scream in unison. They do that a lot.
“Daddy, we watched Kitty almost catch a squirrel as it tried to steal the birdie food,” Frannie informs me.
Ezra nods in agreement before adding, “Momma says stealing is very, very bad.”
“Did she? Well, I’d listen to her. She is super smart,” I whisper loudly to them.
I give each one a loud smacking kiss on the cheek to a loud series of, “Ewwww. Daddy.”
With a laugh, I put them down and head towards Cassidy. She’s six months pregnant. This time it’s only one baby, but we decided it didn’t matter if it was a girl or boy. She looks radiant, and she stands up, straightening her back. She grimaces before smiling. “Hey beautiful, back hurting?” I ask before kissing her tenderly.
“Yeah, just all this gardening. Plus, baby number three has decided to practice line-dancing in my belly.”
I bend down on one knee and caress her belly as I say against it, “Hey sweet baby, it’s your Daddy. Be nice to your Momma in there. Ok? I love you.”
Cassidy discreetly tries to hide her tears by calling out, “Alright, minions. Time to go inside and take baths so we can eat dinner.”
“Bubbles!”
“Let me put my stuff away and then I’ll give them baths, baby. Tonight is massage night. You ready?” I ask with a waggle of my eyebrows.
Cassidy groans loudly, “Oh god, yes. You create some big babies, handsome.”
“Good thing I already knocked you up, baby,” I smirk as I walk towards our home with her.
Cassidy blushes brightly as she smacks my arm. “Hush, you. Go clean up your children. They’ve been playing in the dirt all afternoon.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I smile as I think about our life. I love every minute of it. It’s exceeded anything I could have ever dreamed of, and I know it can only get better.
*** Thank you for reading Dear Draven! ***