Epilogue
The best murder weapon would be a Tupperware lid. Because no one would ever be able to find it.
—Calli to Jasper
CALLIOPE
Six years later
I was very late.
As in, so late that there was no way that I could make a quiet entrance.
Yet, I tried to anyway as I hurried into the gym.
The metal door slammed, announcing my presence to literally everyone, and people started to turn.
The first one to spot me was, of course, the young girl on stage. A young girl who had her entire life ahead of her.
She waved at me despite the fact that she was giving a valedictorian speech, and continued to speak.
“…never thought I would be here. Years ago, when my family was in rough shape, I used to close my eyes and daydream about what a great life I would have one day. Then my sister met Posy Hicks. And the Truth Tellers MC.”
I smiled at the mention of the baddest ass motorcycle club in the south.
Of course, Anders would go there.
“A group of men, all rough around the edges and scary as can be, rallied around us. Helped us see that there was life beyond the hovel that I grew up in. Posy took me into his home, with my siblings, and helped give us a life that he felt like we deserved. I never once went to bed hungry after he took me in. I never once questioned whether my sisters would be there when I woke up, too busy working several jobs to make ends meet.”
My belly somersaulted when Anders’s eyes met mine across the huge space.
“One of my earliest memories was my sister getting a job at fourteen, buying a fake ID so that she could go work at Starbucks before her first class at school. She’d come to my school after I walked myself there, and used to give me lunch money to make sure that I never went hungry during the day.”
My heart skipped a beat.
I’d hoped that she wouldn’t remember anything like that.
“I can’t say that I didn’t work hard to get here.
Because I did. I studied. Sacrificed. Studied some more.
But I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that I wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for my siblings.
My big sister, Searcy. My other big sister, Calliope.
My big brothers, Kent and Koda. If it wasn’t for them, I’d probably be barely scraping by, wondering when my life was supposed to begin.
” She looked around the room. “And so, I’d like to end this speech on a few words of wisdom.
They have nothing to do with school or work, and everything to do with how you treat others in life.
I want you to remember that words have power.
I want you to know that your smile might be the best part of someone’s day.
I want you to remember that you may be having a bad day, but someone else is having the worst day of their life.
Be kind. Be courteous. Be a friend. Give someone a reason to smile.
Because that might be the one thing that someone needs to keep going. ”
Anders pulled her papers off the podium, and the entire room exploded in cheers.
I swiped at my eyes and used the distraction of the room to hurry to the spot that my family had chosen.
I tapped Haggard on the shoulder, and he got out of his seat to let me pass.
I was thankful and stopped next to my husband to give him a kiss.
He squeezed my wrist as I all but crawled over Doc to land in Searcy’s lap.
She snorted out a laugh, then guided me to the seat at her side.
I wasn’t supposed to make it.
But my flight had landed early, the traffic in Dallas had for once performed miracles and worked in my favor, and I’d made every light between the DFW Airport and the coliseum that Anders was graduating from today.
Graduating from high school a whole six months early.
It was December nineteenth, and everything was happening all at once.
The club had its annual Christmas party happening in two days.
Christmas Eve where we spent our day with Jasper’s family two days after that.
Christmas that we spent with mine. My birthday on the twenty-sixth.
Jasper’s work party two days after that.
And Harlow’s birthday wedding six days after that.
Then, on the sixth of January, we’d all be driving Anders to her new home—UT—where she was going to study to become a doctor.
A freakin’ doctor.
I was so proud of her that it hurt.
“…As you just heard your valedictorian’s speech, I’d like you to hear her accomplishments,” the principal of the school, Mr. Allen, called out.
“Anders Hodges graduates at the top of her class with a five-point-five class average. She graduates with her associate’s in science.
And eighteen college credits toward her Bachelor of Nursing. ”
The principal continued to list off all of Anders’s accomplishments, ending with, “Anders, come on up here.”
Anders got up and walked across the stage, getting her diploma handed to her as well as several cords wrapped around her neck.
“I feel so inadequate compared to her,” Searcy leaned over to whisper.
I snorted. “I was lucky to graduate, and here she is blowing us out of the water.”
“Agreed,” Koda said from my other side.
“I graduated with honors,” Kent called from Koda’s other side.
“That’s because you had someone to help you.” I flipped him off.
Kent winked at me, and we went back to bullshitting among ourselves.
It took three solid hours for all of the graduates to be called, and we stayed for every single one, because everyone deserved to be celebrated. It was a huge accomplishment.
I should know.
I had to work my ass off to earn it.
It was one of my greatest accomplishments.
Right on up there with marrying my husband, getting the best job in the world, and making myself into a person my family can be proud of.
The graduation ended, and I finally got to stand up and head to my husband.
He caught me in his arms when I got close and pulled me in tight, his mouth coming to mine.
“I’m glad you’re back.”
I leaned into him. “I’m so glad to be home. My boss said that I wouldn’t be traveling anymore until the fourth quarter of next year.”
“Good,” he growled. “Having you away from me for two nights really sucks.”
I knew exactly how he felt.
Squeals had us all turning to find Anders making her way to us.
I let my husband go in just enough time for Anders to hit Searcy and me.
She squeezed us in tight, and Koda and Kent followed suit.
We were one big Hodges huddle.
“So proud of you, And,” I said into her hair.
She squeezed me a little bit tighter. “Couldn’t have done it without y’all.”
Mr. Winthrop manned the dessert table, arranging cookies just so.
Silver and Aella manned the drinks, shooing away every underage kid that tried to sneak the alcohol meant for the adults.
Baker and Dru were next to the grill that Webber and Doc were manning, holding out platters as the men piled high burgers, brats, and hot dogs.
Searcy was bent down talking to the horde of children—some grown, some not so grown—running wild through the backyard.
Sutton, Copper, and Audric were hanging up streamers.
Then there was my husband, who was standing off to the side, watching the chaos, as his family chattered along next to him.
Sophia’s husband, Haggard, was grinning at whatever his wife was saying to her brother.
And, like always, my feet carried me toward the man of my dreams.
I could be gone for twenty minutes, and my feet would still carry me his way.
He turned his head as if he could sense me coming and winked when he saw me.
He held out his arm, and I expertly curled myself underneath his arm and burrowed close.
“You’re wearing my sweatshirt again, and it’s eighty degrees out.”
I was.
But I had a secret, and I didn’t want to announce it to the entire club on Anders’s special day.
I’d been trying to keep it a secret for longer, hoping that my first pregnancy would be like everyone else’s and hide it until I was pretty far along. But the child in my womb had laughed and said, “I will not be denied.”
The doctor had said that I was carrying in the front, and the way the placenta was positioned made me look bigger than I actually was. Pairing that with my thinness, and I had no hope of hiding it.
Twelve weeks was enough to make me appear at least five months pregnant.
Jasper’s hand slipped up underneath the sweatshirt, and he rubbed lightly against my belly.
Our son danced inside my belly. It felt like a flutter of butterflies.
And though Jasper couldn’t feel it yet, he pressed harder as if he could sense it.
“Get a room.”
I looked over to see my big brother, Koda, walking up with a woman on his arm.
The newest girl who had caught his fancy.
“I haven’t seen him in days,” I said. “And he’s not doing anything inappropriate.”
“Yet.” Koda winked at me. “Calli, I want you to meet Ginger.”
Ginger held out her hand to me, and I didn’t miss the eight-inch-long fingernails.
My brows rose, but I took the hand.
She gave me a delicate squeeze, and I wanted to laugh.
Jesus, was my brother in for a rude awakening.
The girl looked like she fell right out of Vogue.
Meanwhile, he was the grunt of the Air Force, and liked it that way. Rough, dirty, and tough. There was nothing my big brother couldn’t do.
Except keep a woman who looked like the one on his arm.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I lied.
Jasper bent down and whispered into my ear, “Liar.”
I covered my smile with my hand and stepped back onto Jasper’s foot.
He grunted, barely containing a laugh.
“Calli!”
I looked up to find the horde of kids heading our way.
They all converged, and the woman’s dress sustained a blow as a cone of chocolate ice cream drug across the pale lavender linen.
“Oh my god!”
I bent down and brought Dalton’s ice cream to my lips.
He tried to shove half of it down my throat.
“It’s good, isn’t it?” His eyes gleamed.
“The best.” I kissed his sticky cheek. “Thank you for sharing.”
He took off like lightning, never still for a second, and darted across the yard to rejoin the hoard.
I stood up and licked my lips as I did.
When I turned, Jasper caught my face in his hands and pressed his mouth against mine.
“Best taste ever.”
I winked. “Best man ever.”
He winked. “Love you, Cal.”
“Love you more, Jas.”
“Oh my god!” I heard someone yell. “Calli, you didn’t!”
I pulled back to see an eighteen-wheeler pulling up.
My face flushed.
Jasper’s hand tightened around my cheeks, and I looked up to him to see his eyes dancing. “Is that a massive T-Rex with a Santa hat?”
“It was too big to bring home,” I grumbled. “So I brought it here. I think it’ll make the clubhouse more festive.”
Jasper burst out laughing. “Only you, Cal. Only you.”