Epilogue
Beck
Fifteen years later:
“Daaaadddd…. Are we there yet?” I chuckle at the impatient nine-year-old in the backseat trying to climb out of her seat to get closer to the window.
“Roxy, we just left mom's store. We have been in the car for all of three minutes. Patients love,” I chide softly as she bounces in her seat.
“But daddddd, Devi, Toni, and Blake are supposed to be back in town, and I want to see them nowwww. Plus, they’ll eat of of Gran and Gramps cake. Pleaasseeeeeee it’s been forever,” she says, referring to her cousins in that dramatic tone only a nine-year-old can pull off. Today, I’m giving her a bit of leeway with the excitement.
The whole gang's back in town, kids included, and we’re gathering at the diner for a retirement party. Gran Barb and Gamp Tony have finally decided to retire and are leaving the diner to Kas and Alina. Of course, they don't know that yet, but it's going to be a fun surprise.
As we pull up to the diner, Roxy barley takes two seconds to unclip her seatbelt before she's rushing out of the car and into the diner. I chuckle as I follow her into the fray. Raucous laughter greets me, along with my nieces and nephews all running around me. I look around until I see her, my girl.
“Schnooks! Get your ass over here and give me a kiss,” I yell, then smile, knowing she's going to give me attitude. I watch, though, in amazement as my daughter and my wife both turn oh so slowly, one hand on a hip, to look at me. My daughter is in her rainbow tutu, bright blue shirt with striped sleeves, and hair in a colorful fohawk braid, and I know from her look alone I'm about to get it. Before Frankie can even open her mouth, my daughter is talking over the diner.
“Is that the way we talk to people, Daddy?” she asks and raises her eyebrows, now that right there is all me. “I think you should apologize.”
The diner erupts into laughter as I make my way to my girls. I place a kiss on Roxy’s head first, then my Schnooks.
“Did you grab my purse from the store? I can't believe I left it,” Frankie asks, but I’m already handing it to her. I swear that woman leaves her purse everywhere.
“Love you, Schnooks.” Before she can reply, I hear my name being called. When I look, I see Grayson, Kas, and Riley all sitting at our booth. Smiling, I make my way over to them and take my seat next to Riley.
As we take in the commotion around the diner, Kas speaks the words I know we were all thinking.
“That summer, we never could have guessed this would be our life. I can't believe one summer held so much hope in it.”
“I could have never dreamed up this life. My life was headed to a cold and lonely place. This is better than all the riches, all the research, all the books in the world,” Riley comments.
“That summer held magic for sure,” I tell them, watching the love of my life throw her head back and laugh at something Harper said to Charli. Alina bounces her new baby boy on her hip but laughs along with them.
“That was also the summer Gracie turned it all around, right?” Gray asks, making me smile even wider.
“Yeah, that drug trial changed everything for her. She’s just moved to the city, and said she wanted to see the world and figured there was the best place to start,” I say, my heart giving a thump for my sister, who is more full of life than I ever could have imagined for her.
“I never thanked you, Beck.” Grayson says, suddenly serious. I look at him in confusion.
“For what?”
“You told us man, tried to warn us. Said it would be a summer to remember for all of us. You were right. That summer changed the whole trajectory. I took over dad’s shop, Riley owns the best resort in town…” We all laugh at his description, but it's not too far off. Riley’s done amazing things with the old Bed and Breakfast. “And you are now the director of parks and recreation for the whole island. That's just the career dreams that changed that summer. Four wild hurricanes blew into our lives that summer we never saw coming and look around. Look at everything they have given us,” Grayson says as we all turn our heads and look at the almost full diner.
All the women and kids stand around, gathered together, full of laughter and love. As I stare, Frankie turns to look at me. She gives me a wink, causing my dimples to show, and I know she got what she wanted. Fuck, I love that woman.
“Hey, what about me?” Kas asks, looking offended. Just then Barb and Tony tap their glasses to get everyone's attention. It's time for the big announcement.
“Here's your time, brother. Go enjoy it with your family,” I tell him. He turns to look at all of us, and I can tell he isn't seeing the grown, put-together family men we are now.
He’s seeing the four lost college kids dreading the summer on the boardwalk. Looking back at it now, we all realize that while we fought to get out of this town so hard, it was working hard to give us more than we could have dreamed.
I’ll never forget the summer of our lives, but I thank the heavens every day for all our future summers coming our way.
The End