Epilogue
Fritha
Six Years Later…
The champagne cork pops out of the bottle and hits the ceiling of Angie’s Bar. I turn a worried look to the owner, but she’s grinning at me from behind the bar, obviously not worried about a cork hitting her recently renovated ceiling.
I pour the sparkling liquid into glasses and hand them around the table. Mine I only half fill. Isla will be needing a feed soon, and I don’t want my baby drunk on champagne milk.
Rowan stands at the head of the table opposite me, and he raises his glass.
“To my amazing wife, her new degree, and her new job.”
Everyone raises their glasses amid applause and murmurs of kind words.
Grandpa sits beside me bouncing Leo on his knee. He’s retired now and is a great help with his great grandkids.
It was hard studying while starting a family, but we got sick of waiting. I finished my degree part time while I had the kids.
With Grandpa retired, it makes it easier. He’s nimble enough to look after his great grandkids, and his mind is still sharp. He adores Leo, especially now that the little guy is starting to talk.
I clink my glass with everyone’s in the middle of the table and take a sip.
The last few days have been a whirlwind with graduation and new job offer.
I’ve been working at the conservation department part time since I moved to the mountain, and now that I’m officially qualified, I’ll be a full-time biodiversity officer, which means looking out for the flora and fauna in the regional park areas on Wild Heart Mountain.
I couldn’t be happier.
I beam at my husband, and he winks at me. The small gesture has heat coursing through my body, and I smile at him. He grins back, and our unspoken conversation makes my entire body heat.
When the celebration dinner is over and we head home and the babies are in bed, we’ll connect in the best way we know how, with dirty talk and sweet love making.
But for now, I’m celebrating with the friends I’ve made on the mountain. Rowan has become friendly with other veterans living on the mountain. Kobe organizes a meet up for them every month at Angie’s Bar, and I’ve become friendly with some of the wives.
He also has his friends from the fire department and the search and rescue team.
“I’m proud of you, girl.” Leonie clinks my glass.
She’s become one of my closest friends on the mountain. Her husband is the park ranger, and our kids are around the same age.
With young families, it’s rare we all get out together, which is why this is a celebratory lunch and not a dinner.
In the family area on the restaurant side of the bar, kids of various ages from our group play in the children’s play area, looked over by Angie’s oldest girl, Fran, who loves to take charge of the little kids. A real leader that one.
As I look around the faces of my mountain friends, my grinning husband, and my grandpa making silly faces to the delight of my amused toddler, my heart fills with happiness.
I offer up a silent prayer to my father. It’s not the life he wanted for me, but it’s a good one. I’m sure he’d be proud of his little girl.
* * *
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