EPILOGUE THREE
The next day
Grant
We’re having family day today at the clubhouse. Linnea’s been itching to have one. I think anytime something traumatic happens in the family, she feels it's a way to center us all.
The brothers are having a semi-church in the common area before everyone arrives. We’re all just talking and bullshitting when Leif comes in from the gate and walks over to Jon. “I found this box at the gate.” It looks like a gift box of some kind. I look over and watch Jon open it. Jon looks horrified when he looks inside of the box “What the fuck?” I move over to him and look inside. What the fuck? Erik walks over and looks inside. His expression immediately changes. Jon sees it too. “What is it?”
Erik points to the box. “See the earring on the ear and the ring on the finger? Those are Celeste’s. That’s her finger and ear.” Jon looks from the box to him and back again. “How can you tell? Have you heard from her since everything went down?”
“We had a fucking argument when she bought the earrings because they were like five or six grand. The last I heard from her was her yelling at those fuckers up on the mountain because I assumed they were taking her somewhere. Think this is Taz’s work?” Jon tells Samson and Juan to look into this shit. He looks at the rest of us. “Well, not one of us is gonna miss her if it is her, but let’s take care of this because we’ve got women and kids coming over at any time.” He’s right. It’s family time.
Erik
We’ve all been sitting around with full stomachs thanks to wonderful food made by all the women of the family. Grant is sitting next to me with his arm resting on the back of my chair. I love that we’re able to just be us with our family.
Jane just went to the kitchen to bring out the desserts. Kierstie, Madison, Kinsley, and Christy all come out with trays of delicious-looking desserts.
One of the trays crashes to the table and someone rushes to the bathroom. Madison fixes the tray that was dropped to the table. Jane comes out of the kitchen and helps her. Jane looks over the table. “You know I had that same reaction to anything mocha or coffee-scented when I was pregnant with the twins. It made mornings really challenging.” I hear a door and look over to the women’s bathroom and am shocked when I see who comes out.
I must not be the only one who’s shocked. “You’re fucking pregnant? How in the hell is that possible?” The room goes silent after that’s yelled across the room. Well, our family is never boring, that’s for sure. This is gonna get interesting.
E PILOGUE FOUR
Approximately 28ish years later
Erik
It’s been a couple of years since Jonah and Sis passed away. To see that the family is carrying on with their traditions warms my heart and is a testament to how their love continues to endure after they're gone. I think that’s all a person can hope to do, be fondly remembered long after they’ve left this world.
We’ve got the whole family coming over later for dinner. Both Grant and I have slowed down and just can’t do everything we used to do, but the boys and Kinsley all insisted that we have it here and that they’ll do all the cooking. All of them stop by at least once a week to check on us. Makes me proud to know that they’re continuing what they were taught as kids with our grandbabies.
I know two things in life. One is that I raised two men who are good men and love their families with every ounce in them. The second thing is that without a shadow of a doubt, loving Grant and spending these last few decades with him has given me more joy and happiness than one man should hope to ever have.
That same man could snore the shingles off a house three blocks away. Even after all these years, there are mornings that he wakes me up from a deep sleep. I do what I’ve done since the first time we slept together and lightly kick him in the shin. He rolls over and pulls me into his arms. Until I got my shit together, I never knew just how much I would love being his little spoon for the rest of my life.
Grant
He says I snore loudly, but that’s because he’s never agreed to listen to a recording of him snoring. I spoon him to give me more time to sleep. I spoon for peace. Course, it doesn’t hurt that having him in my arms gives me peace like nothing else ever has. I felt him kick me, and I did what I’ve done for decades now. I pull him close, give him a kiss at the base of his neck and go back to sleep. It’s way too early to be up for the day.
I wake up, and I immediately know there’s something off. Erik is still in my arms, but the house is silent, not a sound of a single snore. I go to move and realize he’s cold to the touch and still. I pull him into my arms and hold on to him for a few minutes with tears streaming down my face.
“I know you know how much I love you, but I need you to know that I’m gonna love you for all the rest of my days. You have given me more love than I could’ve ever dreamed. I know I need to call the kids, but…you better fucking wait for me. I’ll be there before you know it. I’m gonna need my little spoon again.” I kiss his neck one more time before I sit up and reach for my phone.
I dial without even thinking, and Leif picks up on the second ring. “Hey, you need us to bring something more later?” I try and calm my voice. “No. I need you and Jeremiah to come now.” I must not do a very good job because I hear a door close, and Leif speaks quietly. “Is Dad okay?”
Not even trying to stop my tears, I say, “No, Son, he’s not.”
Leif
I don’t know how, but I knew the moment Grant answered me that Dad was gone. I feel a squeeze and a whispered, “Get going. Call Jer on your way.” I kiss the top of her head and hurry to the truck, telling him I’m on my way and will be there in a few minutes.
I dial Jeremiah and don’t even let him say anything. “You need to get to Dad and Grant’s now. Grant just called me.” I know my eyes are already watering. “Is Dad okay?” I shake my head but then remember he can’t see me. “No. No, he’s not.” He tells me he’s leaving now.
Time to go say goodbye to the man who sacrificed so much for us, for his family. Time to let him have his peace. Time to mourn and time to continue his legacy of love and family.
The End….
Until Toketee Creek Book 1 and Knights Wrath Book 6