Epilogue
One year later
SEB’S VIEW PART DEUX
It’s with great sadness
I lost track how many times I started this
There comes a time in every man’s life when he must
N uts.” Seb yanked the paper out of his typewriter—gently, as he didn’t want to mess up his Royal—and balled it in his hand. He tossed it on the desk and grabbed another sheet. The former page had plenty of space left, but maybe a fresh blank one would spark some inspiration.
“What’s wrong?” Jade looked up from her laptop.
They were in Seb’s office, and she was working at a small table in the corner of the room.
It was amazing how much room there was in here now that he’d organized, archived, and yes, just plain pitched a bunch of stuff.
Although Jade was now The Clementine Times offi-cial accountant, fully allowing Flora to retire, she was the one who suggested they share an office. He was more than happy to oblige.
He rubbed his temples. “Writer’s block.”
“For Seb’s View Part Deux?” She frowned. “You never have trouble writing that.”
“I do today.” He fiddled with his gold wedding band. “It’s hard to say goodbye.”
“Ah.” She got up and went to him, resting her chin on his shoulder. “Then it’s to be expected.” She nibbled on his ear, sending a shiver straight down his spine. “Is this helping?”
Seb grinned and spun around in his chair without a squeak, thanks to regular maintenance with WD-40. He grabbed her around the waist. “Doesn’t hurt.”
Jade leaned forward and kissed him, and he was ready to pack up not only the column but also the rest of the day and take her back to the house. The column could wait—
“Ahem.”
They both groaned and Seb looked over his shoulder, half expecting Evelyn Margot to be there, then remembered she was still on her honeymoon with Haskell in Branson. Instead, it was Kalista.
“This is a no PDA zone, Mr. H.”
“I’m the boss.” He set Jade aside, reluctantly. “I can do what I want.”
“Oh good, does that mean Tyler and I—”
“ Can’t do what you want.”
Jade chuckled and went back to her table while Kalista flounced in, a little disappointed scowl on her face. “I wanted you to look at the advertising mockup before I took it to Cletus downstairs.”
Seb eyed the thumb drive she was handing him. “Okay,” he said, putting it next to his computer. “I’ll go over it.”
“Thanks! You both still coming over for supper on Sunday? I’m making biscuits from scratch. Mr. Clyde gave me the recipe.”
“I thought that was a family secret,” he said.
“I can be very persuasive. See you later. Bye, Jade.”
He shook his head and picked up the thumb drive. Looking over this was a formality. Evelyn Margot had trained Kalista well, and she did have a gift for design—a lot more than Seb did. He was inserting the drive into the computer when Jade’s phone rang.
She answered it. “Yes,” she said. “Oh. What? Really?”
Seb looked up, seeing Jade’s stunned expression. Was it Lydia? She was over a year out from her transplant and was doing well. Maybe it was Logan and Tameka—they’d been getting serious over the past several months.
“Okay. Thanks. Bye.” Jade closed the phone and set it down on the table. Behind her on the shelf was Polly. Jade had insisted on adding her to the decor, and Seb was happy to oblige.
Uh-oh. It wasn’t engagement news. He went over to her. “What’s wrong?”
She blinked and looked up at him, then slowly got up from her chair. “That was Mrs. Roberts.”
He took Jade’s hand. Libby Roberts was the social worker that had been working with them. “And?”
Jade’s eyes teared. “We’re officially foster parents.”
He couldn’t believe it. Shortly before he proposed last September, they’d discussed having a family. Jade was adamant about fostering a child, and Seb was open to it. If they were blessed to have a biological child, that would be great, but fostering and adopting took precedence.
He scooped her into his arms. “I’m so happy,” he said, kissing her. Then he stilled. “I’m so terrified.”
“Me too. I don’t know anything about being a mom.”
“Logan would beg to differ.” He smiled and held her close again. “We’ll figure it out, together.”
“Yes,” she murmured against his chest. “We will.”
The rest of the day went by in a blur, and Jade left the office to go home to their cabin and fix supper. Seb had sold the bungalow after their wedding in January. With a child coming, they’d have to find a larger house—something in Clementine proper. Thoughts of his future made him smile.
He stared at his faithful Royal, picked up a sheet of paper, and cranked it in. He now knew exactly what to say.
SEB’S VIEW PART DEUX
Endings are also beginnings. For almost twelve years I’ve written about Clementine and its people in this column, and it’s been my honor to have penned every word.
But life, she is a-changing, and I must change with it.
I hereby announce that our very own Evelyn Margot Panchak has agreed to take over as publisher and editor in chief.
If you have a problem with that, take it up with her husband.
I’m sure the mayor will be happy to hear your input.
In all seriousness, most of you already knew this, especially those of you who own a part of The Times . I just needed to make it official.
I’m also making something else official—this is the last edition of Seb’s View Part Deux.
Don’t worry, The Times will still have a column dedicated to Clementine and the greater community’s shenanigans.
I guarantee you’ll enjoy Tyler Hernandez’s take on Clementonian life.
I’ve read his debut column. It’s a winner.
As for me, I’ll be doing some reporting here, some fishing there, and most definitely spending all the time I can with Jade, although she might end up running for the hills after a week of my constant presence.
I guess what I’m saying is this—I’m retiring from the newspaper business.
It’s not an easy decision, but it’s the right one.
As for my new beginning, well... check your local bookstore in two months for Lies in the Mist , the follow-up to Truth in Shadows , by Jaden Caxon.
You’ll find my picture on the back cover.
Thank you, my dear friends. I’ll see you around.
Seb
He sat back and reread the column with a mix of heaviness and freedom.
When he first approached Jade and Evelyn with the idea of retiring, it had been difficult.
But The Times was in good hands, both financially and creatively.
Advertising and circulation were up, and thanks to Jade and Rachel’s hard work, the paper was solvent.
Evelyn was already helping him out with managing things, giving him time to finish Lies in the Mist , which had flowed from his fingertips faster than anything he’d ever written before.
The story had been dormant for nearly a decade, and it was more than ready to be told.
Seb unrolled the column out of his Royal and set it on his desk. He took one last look at Buford’s picture, saluted him, and stood. He was going home—to make love to his wife, to celebrate the impending arrival of their new foster child, and to start a new adventure.
From his view... life was good.