Epilogue
Anderson
“Ican’t believe I survived my first semester!” Adele sat on the sofa in the farmhouse and stretched her arms wide.
Yvonne chuckled. “You did. Great grades too.” She had a self-satisfied smile on her face that reassured me she had no problems paying for my daughter’s education.
Russell, our Australian shepherd, leapt into Adele’s lap. She laughed as he licked her face.
“I can’t believe you managed to rescue a dog who knows how to herd goats.” She laughed.
The damn dog preened.
“He’s a character.” Jarrod wrapped an arm around my shoulder. “He’s great with the visitors as well. Between herding them and keeping the goats in their proper place, he does well for himself. And rescue is relative.”
Adele eyed him. “He needed a new home.”
“Well, yes. The young couple who bought him didn’t realize how much exercise he would need.” Jarrod grinned. “Our luck we went looking for a rescue about the time they placed an ad for the guy.”
As if knowing we were talking about him, Russell woofed.
Which got Rufus, Shaw’s dog, woofing as well.
“Oh shush.” Shaw glared at his dog.
Damien laughed—whether at his husband’s antics or the dog’s, I couldn’t be certain.
“Your replacement isn’t as competent as you.” Shaw eyed me.
“I gave her plenty of training.”
“He misses you.” Paget poked Shaw.
“I miss him too.”
“But not enough to be coaxed off the farm?” He pretended to be affronted. “I offered you a substantial raise.”
“I happen to love the farm.” I’d rented my house in Mission City to Caleb and his friend Roxanne—another queer kid rejected by her family. They were taking good care of the house as they worked hard and saved to do college classes at night.
Shaw, of course, upon learning of their situation, had offered to pay for their schooling.
I hadn’t felt comfortable making the offer. So, Adele was going to do it after Christmas.
Sedona sat on the floor and cuddled Rufus. “I think it’s so cool this is your first Christmas as a married couple.” She was very much into pairing everyone up these days.
Damian had warned Yvonne. Just in case she didn’t want her niece matchmaking.
At the Christmas market, I’d caught Yvonne gazing at a striking woman in a purple coat and with a blonde pixie cut and wide green eyes.
I hoped, if she was single, that she might be interested in my friend.
“Old married couple.” Jarrod snickered. “Just took us twenty years to get here.”
Shaw grinned. “I can’t believe you never told me about your first love.”
“Some secrets are meant for a man to keep to himself.” I pressed a kiss to Jarrod’s cheek.
He turned to face me. After holding my gaze for a moment, he nodded.
“And some secrets are made to share.” I grinned.
Adele sat up straight, and poor Russell got tossed to the floor.
He yelped—more from surprise than any injury—and promptly leapt onto Sedona’s lap.
She cooed and cuddled him.
He licked her face as well.
I made a note to remind everyone to wash their hands before we sat down to Christmas dinner.
“Well, don’t make us wait.” Adele stomped her foot.
Jarrod chuckled.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Her life was about to change forever—again. First, I started dating Jarrod seriously.
She insisted we make it official.
I pointed out Jarrod couldn’t leave the farm, and she still needed me.
She’d huffed. Then pronounced she was moving in with Shaw and Damien so I could move to the farm.
That had stunned me—not only because she thought I’d let her—but also because I hadn’t considered it.
Not until that moment. Yes, I’d been working with Jarrod on plans for family-visiting days and goat yoga—because that really was a thing—but I hadn’t thought about leaving Shaw.
About leaving Mission City. Yes, Chilliwack was half an hour away, but—
Yvonne was the one who convinced me. She pointed out Adele would be leaving for university soon and needed to have more freedom. Damien and Shaw would take care of her while she could be more independent.
So, in May, Jarrod and I married. I moved in, and we set about creating a life together.
In September, Adele went to the University of Waterloo.
And in October— I blinked. “Okay. So, we found a surrogate over the summer.”
Adele clenched her hands into fists as she continued to vibrate with anticipation. We’d broached this with her before the wedding, and she’d thrown her wholehearted support behind us becoming parents—however that might happen.
We’d begun to explore adoption when we came across Marisa. She was thrilled to be a surrogate for us. She was Black, like Jarrod, and so we’d opted to use his sperm. And it took.
“She’s just past the twelve-week mark. Now, things can still go wrong.” This was her third pregnancy. But the first with these particular circumstances.
“And?” Still, my daughter was clearly impatient, but clearly trying to rein herself in.
“Twins. We don’t know the gender—” I didn’t get any further as Adele launched herself at Jarrod.
I wasn’t the least bit offended. This was going to be his first shot at parenthood—a dream come true for him.
And, honestly, for myself as well. Somehow diapers and late-night feedings and all that other stuff sounded great.
We’d raise the twins on the farm—with a loving older sister, the adoring twin cousins, and the uncles we planned to ask to be godparents.
Thus far, Shaw had avoided infants. I fully intended to teach him how to diaper a baby.
He pulled me into a hug. “I’ve never seen you so happy.”
I met his gaze, blinking back the moisture. “I don’t know what that says.”
“That you’re where you’re meant to be. It’s all good. I’ll figure out the rest.”
“I’m just a phone call away.”
He rolled his eyes. “I know.” He’d used that lifeline and called me about a dozen times over the last seven months. Some habits died hard, and I was always willing to help.
“I want cider.” Yvonne rose. “I’ll heat some.” She headed to the kitchen.
“I’ll help.” Sedona followed her.
Adele pulled me into a big hug. “I’m so freaking happy for you.”
“Yeah?” I met her gaze. “Really?”
“Didn’t I say as much?”
“Yes. But saying you’re okay with me having a baby—well, two babies—and the reality are two very different things.”
She waved me off. “All good. Truly. I’m excited. Not many nineteen-year-olds will have baby brothers or sisters.” She squinted. “You really don’t know?”
I shook my head.
“You’d better call me first.”
“Count on it.” Jarrod wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “This is very much a family thing.”
“Cool. I want hot chocolate.” She grabbed Paget’s hand. “We’d better get in there.”
Given the size of the kitchen, we’d all fit easily.
Damien grabbed Shaw’s hand. “We’ll give you guys a minute.” He whistled.
Rufus and Russell happily followed the couple into the kitchen.
“He’s going to give them carrots.” Both dogs were obedient pups when it came to their carrots. Jarrod smiled.
I laughed. “I can think of worse things to feed them.”
He pulled me into his side.
I fit perfectly.
“You ready for this?”
My eyes widened. “Hell, fucking, no.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I love you.” He kissed my nose.
I hugged him tightly. “Best second chance ever.”
“For keeps this time.”
And so it was.