Epilogue Harris
EPILOGUE: HARRIS
Balancing on the ladder, I carefully matched the purple fairy decal to the blue one on the right. Sunlight would have made this easier, but Rachel had been so excited to finish decorating, I couldn’t say no.
“A little to the left,” she said.
I inched left.
“No, to the right, I think.”
I inched right.
“Maybe try up a bit? It’s still not quite right.”
I squinted back at her. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”
“Took you long enough to get it.”
I just laughed. It felt good to joke with Rachel, to see her smile. I pressed the decal to the wall and smoothed out the bubbles. I had to admit, the wall looked awesome, burgeoning with wildflowers with fluttering fairies dancing around.
Rachel snapped a piece of material in the air, then smoothed it over the ironing board she had set up near the closet. Steam puffed up as she ironed the curtain, curling through her beautiful hair.
I had never felt so at home as I did in this moment, here in the nursery with the woman I loved.
After a glorious afternoon spent thoroughly debauching her, I’d made Rachel dinner, and we’d eaten on the veranda, watching the sun go down over the ocean. We’d talked about nothing and a little of everything, and Rachel’s joy made me certain I’d done the right thing. A real team, a strong team, could work through their problems. That’s what we’d done, so I knew we’d be fine.
As for me, I wasn’t fine yet. But I was determined to get there by the time the baby was born. To that end, I’d put in a request to my CO, to be allowed to continue seeing First Lieutenant Greg Martinez, Ph.D. I needed to be one hundred percent for Rachel and our child, and therapy was the best way to make sure I got there. It’d be a long road, dealing with losing Shawn, but for my family, I’d go the distance.
“Did you find the letters?” I asked, climbing down the ladder to re-situate it for the next section.
“I did!” Rachel exclaimed. “You should read them. They’re amazing.” She switched off the iron, gathered up the curtains, and inserted a curtain rod through the loops at the top.
I grabbed the next decal and held it to the wall. “You read them already?’
“Sure did.” She moved the ladder to the window and attached the rod to the hooks I had already mounted.
“All of them?” I blinked, peering over my shoulder. “That stack had to be two inches thick.”
“Four days of hell, Harris,” she retorted blandly. She futzed with the material, swishing it this way and that until she was satisfied. I had already hung thick shades so that they could fully block the sun when needed, but the curtains were a pretty accent.
I swallowed my frustration. We’d both suffered needlessly. Rachel shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions, but I should have pushed to be heard. We’d both let our insecurities get in the way. But that was over now. It was time to move on.
“Hey, did I ever tell you about the letters my brother found last month?” I asked. “Funny how we McCallisters seem to keep finding letters everywhere we go.”
“More letters?” She looked over at me with a smile. “What were yours about?”
I told her about all about them, including Chance's efforts to connect with the foster sons the admiral had raised.
“Do you think they might know more about what happened with your dad and his brother?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Maybe. I think Chance is more interested in just connecting with them, you know?” That was the impression I’d gotten from my latest phone call with my big brother, when he’d talked about getting the phone number for Colin, the middle brother. He planned to call in the next few days. “Our dad’s generation might not have been able to work things out, but there’s still time for the rest of us to see if we can figure out how to be a family.”
“You see them as family?”
“Sure, why not? We’d have grown up as cousins if things had gone just a little differently. Better late than never. Our baby could use a few more uncles to spoil him or her, don’t you think?”
Rachel grinned. “Sounds good to me.”
“So, what did the treasure letters say, anyway? Were they from the pirate? Did he ever return? Were they tragic?”
Rachel chuckled. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s a romantic when it comes to the pirate and his lover.”
“Guess what?” I winked at her. “I’m also a romantic when it comes to a fierce fairy and a retired Marine.”
“Ooooooo,” she cheered, beaming. “Smooth, McCallister.” She shot me with a finger gun.
“That’s just sad.” I shook my head theatrically. “You think your little peashooter is any match for my?—”
“Hammer? Drill?” Rachel filled in with a raunchy cackle. “Isn’t that what the bachelorette party called your dick?”
“Ugh. Don’t remind me.” I sauntered over and caught her by the hips, pulling her close and planting a kiss on her brow. “You’re the only bachelorette for me.”
“I’d better be,” Rachel snapped without heat, pointing at me. “Me in a jealous fit is not a pretty sight.”
“You’re always gorgeous, jealous or not.”
Rachel just snorted, knowing I was lying but appreciating the sentiment all the same. “Anyway,” she said, “the letters are heartfelt and almost too personal to read. The oldest ones are between the pirate and his lover. The later ones are from her sister. Their whole story’s in there, and it was a good one.” She set to work ironing the other set of curtains. “The pirate came home one day. He married his lover. They had two children, a boy and a girl. The collar we dug up belonged to their dog.”
“Oh, wow. Like a fairy tale.” I picked up the last decal and situated the ladder.
“Yeah, but she also had two miscarriages while he was at sea.”
The blood drained from my head, and I nearly fell off the ladder. “Never mention that word again. I can’t even imagine losing a baby.”
Rachel hugged her stomach, slightly green, and nodded. “Agreed. The M-word is banned from this household.” She fed the rod through the other set of curtains. “Moving on. I talked to a history professor at the college, and he said they’re quite valuable.”
I whipped my head down. “So, I was right. In essence, they were the treasure.”
“Yup.” Rachel attached the rod to the side window’s mounts. “I thought I was going to have to get physical with the guy to make him give them back. He really wanted to study them for historical value.”
“Maybe we should let him.” I rubbed the decal to smooth out the bubbles.
“I want them appraised before I do anything,” Rachel answered. “And as much as it rankles me to say this, I don’t own them outright. My mother co-inherited the property, and I don’t feel right making a decision without her.”
“Have you told her about them?” My boots scuffed on the hardwood floor I planned on refinishing, thanks to Darryl ruining the living room. If I was going to refresh one room, I might as well do the whole house. I’d definitely have the time, seeing as I was unemployed unless I counted trading handyman repairs for sex…hmmm…that would make me a gigolo. Niiiccce .
“I haven’t talked to my mom since she showed up the other day.” Rachel met me in the middle, then turned in a slow circle. “It looks amazing. I love it.”
“I do too.” I intertwined my hand with hers. “But I love you more.”
“I love you the most.” Rachel’s expression softened. “I also think you should be involved with the decision about what to do with them.”
Satisfaction unfurled in my chest. She had heard me and was already showing she’d meet me halfway. “Thank you.”
“I’m pretty sure those letters would fetch a high price at auction.”
I pulled her against me. “I’m hearing college fund secured. What about you?”
Rachel chuckled, then raised herself on her toes and murmured in my ear, “I’m hearing our bed calling.”
A cellphone incessantly ringing pulled me out of a deep sleep. Rachel and I had fucked ourselves into a stupor, a sexual marathon I’d never forget. Sleep had been slow to come after that. I’d lain awake planning our future—schools for the kid, dates to take Rachel on. Big things and small things, all of it. A life.
I grabbed for my phone and groaned at the time. I’d only managed to get three hours’ sleep. The call display flashed UNKNOWN CALLER.
“Hello?”Damn, my voice sounded rough.
“Harris,” Lee barked, tension crackling down the line. “I’m sorry to be calling so early, but I need you.”
“Lee?” I sat up, instantly awake. I swung my legs over the bed. “What’s wrong? Whose number is this?”
“Harris?” Rachel asked groggily, propping herself on one elbow. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s Lee,” I answered. “I’ll take it in the living room. Go back to sleep.”
“Ah, fuck,” Lee snarled. “I shouldn’t have called you.” A horn blared in the background. “I got your voicemail, by the way. Congratulations on moving in with Rachel. I’d give you shit about taking so long, but I don’t have much battery left.”
I closed the bedroom door. “Hell, yeah, you should call me,” I snapped, ignoring the jab. “ Always . No matter what. Now spill. What do you need?”
Figuring I wouldn’t be going back to sleep, I turned the TV on, and the screen flared to life with a news station. I muted it, then flicked on the coffeemaker I’d set up in the corner of the living room.
Silence pulsed for another second, then Lee answered my questions. “My cellphone was smashed in a botched HALO, so I’m using a brand-new burner I haven’t had more than a second to charge.”
What the actual fuck? A botched High Altitude, Low Opening meant something had gone wrong while jumping with a parachute from a plane. Why the hell had Lee been jumping from a plane—and what had gone wrong?
“I don’t have time to get into it,” Lee continued, “but I need you and Chance to help me rescue a woman I’ve promised to keep safe. I’ve thwarted multiple kidnap attempts, but they sabotaged our plane. I had to jump with Viktoria?—”
“Jesus,” I barked, my eyes darting to the TV. “There’s a story about a plane crash on the national news.” I silently read the bar running across the bottom of the screen. “In Pennsylvania. That was you?”
“Yeah. We all survived, but I got knocked out on the way to the ground. They took her,” Lee growled. “I shouldn’t ask, knowing everything you have going on, but I need you to help me get Viktoria back.”
“Like I’d ever say no,” I answered, already making a mental list of what had to happen next. The McCallisters always had each other’s backs.
We hashed out a place to meet and I promised to call back with the timing after I’d booked my flight.
Hanging up, I opened the bedroom door to find Rachel sitting up in bed.
“Is everything okay?”
“No,” I answered honestly. “But it will be.” I pulled my duffle out of the closet. “Can you help me with some stuff? Lee is in trouble and needs my help. He’s calling Chance too.”
“Absolutely.” Her feet hit the floor without hesitation, and I felt warm inside. If I hadn’t been convinced before, now I knew she must trust me. She hadn’t even met my brothers yet, but here she was ready to help without complaint.
Rachel’s blue hair flew as she hustled to the dresser I had taken over. She pulled out socks, underwear, and multiple changes of clothes without batting an eyelash or pestering me for details. Tossing them on the bed, she peered at me with eyes clearing from sleep.
“Want me to start researching flights?”
“Thank you.” I engulfed my fierce fairy in a tight hug. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too. And I know you’ll come home.”
Home. This was home. “Always will,” I said. It’d been a journey to get here, full of hurt and loss, but if I had it all to do again, I would. At the end of my struggle, I’d found everything I wanted and more. Rachel Winchester was my destiny, and I thanked God for her.