Epilogue
Beth
“It’s really coming together,” Natalie says.
I nod, moving back from where I’m in the middle of painting the W of the word PAWS on the wall of the Den, and admire my handiwork.
She’s right; the center is beginning to look like a real place of business. Everywhere smells of fresh paint and varnish. Isaac and his team finished the vinyl flooring a couple of days ago, and now it’s all about getting the furniture in and adding the finishing touches.
I’ve started stenciling the acronym PAWS and its accompanying words: Peace, Acceptance, Wellbeing, and Strength.
I’m also handwriting several taglines around the Den, like the one on the sign out the front: ‘Where healing begins, one paw at a time,’ as well as sentences like, ‘PAWS for thought’ and ‘PAWS and reflect.’ Natalie has also been painting dog paw prints all around the place, including all along the top of the kitchen counter.
Tyr comes in with Dane, both of them carrying cardboard boxes with kitchen equipment. They put them on the counter, and obviously spot Natalie’s work.
“Are you painting paw prints,” Dane asks, “or did you just lose a fight with a very small, determined animal?”
She pokes her tongue out at them. “It’s paw print minimalism.”
“Great.” Tyr gives her a wry look. “I leave you alone for five minutes and you turn the kitchen into an art gallery.”
Laughing, I leave them to it and walk out through the open doors onto the patio. The large flagstones are now all clean and weed-free, and Isla has chosen a couple of round wooden tables with comfortable chairs to give staff somewhere to sit on their breaks.
I cross the patio and walk along the path to the training field on the right.
Dane and Cullen have finished setting up the agility course, and Cullen is currently trying to train Queenie to go through tunnels and walk carefully up and down see-saws, laughing as Ghost goes first as if to say, “Like this, Queenie!”
On the far side, Archer is standing looking out at the view of the Pacific in the distance, hands in the pockets of his jeans. I stop for a moment, admiring his broad back, thinking about how the short hair on the back of his head feels beneath my fingertips.
It’s been an amazing six weeks. Shortly after the day when he proposed, I moved out of the cottage and into his house, and I’ve been there ever since. I don’t feel as if we’re together because of the baby. I feel as if the baby simply gave us permission to admit what we already knew.
It’s not been all smooth sailing. Telling Kim I was pregnant was as difficult as I feared.
But in a strange way, I think it might have helped her.
Now she’s accepted she can’t have children of her own, things have eased between her and Simon.
He told her he loves her and still wants to be with her, and they’ve decided to try and make a go of it again.
They’re thinking of adopting, but not until they’ve had some time alone to reconnect and mend the cracks in their marriage.
But anyway, although she found it hard to accept in the beginning, she told me the other day that she’s pleased for me, and that she’s looking forward to being an auntie, and I’m hopeful that will only improve as time goes on.
Things are still difficult with Jude. We’re all talking now, and he comes down to PAWS regularly to talk about the dogs, and he and Archer seem to have settled back into an easy friendship, with things forgiven, even if they haven’t been forgotten.
But when Jude and I are alone, we both struggle to find things to say.
I’m not stressing about it, though. Wounds like ours take time to heal, and I’m sure it’ll get better eventually.
In fact, I know it will, because of the man in front of me.
Archer has a huge heart, and he’s not ashamed to say when he’s done wrong.
He has an amazing ability to forgive, and he’s a natural leader too.
I think he’s modeling himself on Noah, because everyone comes to him with their problems, and he always has time to listen, and practical advice.
He’s going to make a great father. When Jude told him there’s no way he’ll get baby spit-up on his clothing, Archer replied that he’s going to call him Uncle Jude and have him changing and feeding the baby in days, and Jude just smiled in response, so maybe things are already on the mend.
I walk up to Archer, slide my arms around his waist, and rest my cheek on his back.
“Hey, baby,” he says, turning to welcome me into his arms. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
“How’s the morning sickness?”
I stick my tongue out. “Bleugh.” It’s been pretty rough for the past two weeks.
“Want me to make you some toast?” he asks. True to his word, he’s looked after me and treated me like a princess since the day he proposed.
“Yeah, maybe, in a minute.” I hug him tightly. “I love you, oh father of my unborn child.”
“Aw. I love you too.” He kisses the top of my head. “Mummy.” He chuckles.
“I like the sound of that.”
“Yeah, me too.” He cups my face and lifts it, searching my eyes. “You are the most beautiful woman in the whole world, do you know that? You’re positively glowing.”
“It’s puzzling how regular vomiting can give your skin such a luster.”
“I mean it.” He shakes his head with wonder. “Your body is amazing. It’s growing a whole new person. I mean, talk about miraculous.”
I smile. “It is, isn’t it?” I was anxious for a while about whether I’d get through the first three months, but it helped when I had my first early scan for dating purposes, and we saw the baby and heard its heartbeat.
Since then, I’ve relaxed, and soon I’ll be twelve weeks, which is a big steppingstone.
Next week is important for another matter—it’s PAWS’ official opening day.
“Are you pleased with the place?” I ask as we look at the building.
“I love it.” He kisses my hair again. “It’s better than I’d hoped it would be. I’m so excited to see how the opening day goes. Hopefully we’ll have a good turnout.”
“They’ll all be eager to check it out, wait and see.” The Ark has been helping us spread the word, so it should be a busy day.
He turns me to face him. “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done. For all your support.”
“You’re welcome, my love. Thank you for being there for me.”
“Always,” he murmurs. “You’re stuck with me now.”
“Oh, I’m devastated.”
He grins, then murmurs, “Healing hearts, one paw at a time.”
I lift up onto my tiptoes and kiss him, while Queenie barks as she runs around the field, and Sunrise Bay sparkles in the sunshine.