Epilogue #2
The boys are still asleep because it’s six in the morning.
My shift starts at seven am in the city.
I told them last night when I put them to bed that I would try to FaceTime them tonight, provided I’m not on a call-out.
I’ve been talking to them and preparing them for our life now.
My shifts are twenty-four hours, and sometimes I won’t be able to talk to them at all in that time.
My main objective was to reassure them that I’ll be fine, just busy saving people and their homes.
We even took them for a visit to the firehouse after I was notified I had the new job.
After I’ve settled into the new role, Landon will bring them in for a visit when I’m on shift, which I’m sure they’ll think is pretty cool.
Mom pushes Landon and me together for a few more photos, and then he pulls Mom in front of us, takes her phone, and clicks the most perfect selfie of the three of us, capturing a moment of pure happiness a photo I will always treasure.
I look at my watch and know that I need to leave, otherwise I run the risk of being late, and that doesn’t look good on the first day when you’re the person in charge of the crew.
“Wait, before you leave.” Mom slips her hand into her sweater pocket then brings it to my hand, slipping something cold and heavy into my palm. I instantly know what it is, and tears spring from my eyes.
“Your father would be so damn proud of you today, and so am I. This belongs to you now. It’s what he would’ve wanted.” Then she launches herself at me, pulling me into a hug as we cry together, but they’re happy tears.
As she steps back, I look down to see my father’s shiny silver Boston firefighters’ badge with his number on it cradled in my hand. Mom has kept in her little wooden treasure box that sits next to her bed all these years.
“Thank you,” I manage to say without crying again. “I will treasure it always; the same way I treasure you, Mom.” We embrace once more, quickly, before she lets me go, and Landon walks me to my car in the garage.
“I love you to the end of the rainbow,” he says as he kisses me on the forehead.
And I offer my own reply that I started a while ago, “I love you for being my pot of gold at the end of my rainbow.” Reaching up, I pull his face down and kiss his forehead.
Then I quickly get in my car and reverse out of the garage before I get emotional again.
I wave goodbye, and soon, he disappears in my rearview mirror.
“Okay, Poppy, time to trust your gut; it will never steer you wrong,” I say to myself out loud in the car, then turn up the music and sing loudly and out of tune the whole way into the city.
Another 3 months later
(Late April)
LANDON
“I’m glad the boys are getting to spend this week with Lucinda’s parents.
It was great to finally meet them in person yesterday when they came to pick them up.
” Poppy says from where she’s sitting in the passenger seat of the car, wearing a knee-length white floral dress, looking so gorgeous and carefree.
“They’re good people, and the boys are going to have so much fun at Disneyland with them. Plus, it saves me the punishment of having to take them.”
Poppy gasps at my words. “Landon Wood, what is wrong with you? Disneyland is the most magical place in the world. We’ll be taking the boys there another time, and I’m going to make you wear Mickey Mouse ears and go on every ride with me,” she babbles with excitement in reply.
“Ughhh, only because it’s for you.” I groan, pretending to be annoyed, but we both know if she asked me to jump out of plane without a parachute, I would.
Her head is swiveling back and forth, looking out all the windows, trying to work out where I’m taking her. It’s a surprise I’ve been planning for a long time, I just had to wait until the timing was right. And when Lucinda’s parents called to ask me about the trip, the timing was perfect.
“Can’t you tell me where we’re going?” she asks, looking across at me. I take her hand in mine, resting them on the middle console.
“No, it’s a surprise date, which by definition means you don’t get to know anything, Miss Nosy.” My reply makes her groan a little, and then we both start laughing.
Parking a few streets away, I take the picnic basket from the trunk of the car that Momma B packed in secret for me.
“Oh, thank goodness, you brought food. I’m starving,” Poppy declares as she eyes the basket in my hand, reaching out to open it, but I swat her hand away.
“When are you not hungry?” I take her hand in mine, and we start walking toward the Esplanade that runs along the Charles River in Boston.
“I can’t help it if I work hard and build up a good appetite. I need fuel to keep me physically fit.” She winks at me and giggles.
“Why do you think I have a whole basket of food for you. You’re going to need every bit of strength and stamina this week, because with the boys away and you on a five-day break from work, I intend for you to be naked for most of it and very physically active to test out that fitness.
” I look down at her and see the spark light up in her eyes.
“Then what are we doing here? Let’s take the food to go, we have a very important place to be,” Poppy replies with a smile and the faintest blush creeping onto her cheeks.
“Because we have a date under the flowering cherry trees first,” I say as we stop at the edge of the path that leads to the riverbank and trees.
“Landon,” Poppy whispers with delight.
“Come on,” I say and keep her walking until I find the perfect spot, set out the blanket, and help her to sit and just take it all in.
She told me one day when we were talking about how much I love the smell of cherry blossom on her, that even though she grew up here, she’s never been able to see them in bloom.
“I have never seen anything more beautifully stunning in all my life,” Poppy says, looking around in awe.
“I have,” I reply as I push up onto one knee next to her. She gasps, and her hands jump to cover her mouth in shock and excitement.
“Poppy Bertrum, I love you in a way I never thought was possible in my life again. You make me a better man, a far better father, and I hope the best version of myself as your husband, if you’ll have me.
Marry me, sweetheart, be my forever after, and continue to love me until the end of the rainbow.
” I hold out the one-karat, diamond solitaire engagement ring that I bought months ago, just waiting for this perfect moment, right here under the cherry blossoms to symbolize our new beginnings.
“Yes, yes, yes!” she squeals and is up on her knees almost tackling me as she launches herself into my arms. “Oh, Landon, I love you so much. Yes, a thousand times yes, I will love you until the end of the rainbow, and then some.”
I pull apart from her, take her hand, and slip on the ring before I drop it in her excitement.
“Perfect,” I murmur emotionally, looking up into her eyes. “My Perfect Poppy.”
Lifting her hand to my lips, I kiss the ring now on her finger then pull her face closer and kiss her with all the love I promise to share with her for eternity.
And then I whisper into her ear in the deepest raspy voice, “Now eat, because once we finish, I’m taking you home, and this romantic moment will be long gone as I fuck you all… night… long, showing you what it’s going to be like to be my future bride.”
The hitch in her breath, followed by the sexual moan I love to bring out in her every time I talk dirty, will never get old.
Our new life together is a blessing I will never take for granted.
Thank you for reading Never Forgetting You.
I hope you enjoyed Landon and Poppy’s story as much as I loved writing it.
Read on for a sneak peak of That Day.