Epilogue — Knox
T he leaves are changing colors outside now, telling me that summer is over—the best summer of my life.
Life with my girls has been so good to me.
I used to be a little skeptical of people falling in love.
I understood the concept but never the emotion behind it.
The chemical reaction that I would hear explained never really made sense to me. Until Indiana.
She came into my life and completely turned it on its head.
Not realizing that I had given up hope of finding someone to go through life with.
If it hadn’t happened by then, I just assumed it wouldn’t, and I made peace with that.
Watching my brothers find love, seeing it change them into the men they are.
Now, I know that’s what real love does. It transforms.
For the last three years, I’ve felt like my heart was full. I had my family. I had Hazel. When Indie showed up out of the blue, it’s like it expanded.
I look in on Indiana getting Hazel ready for the wedding.
I’ve spent the last four months watching these moments between them.
Hazel adoring Indie, and Indie indulging her every request. They’ve started their own collections and a whole fairy village in the backyard.
The cuckoo clock wall has expanded. We now have a table full of rocks and a cabinet full of dinosaur figurines.
There are shelves upon shelves of flower books, and then there’s the gallery wall of postcards.
Indie will explain them all to Hazel one day when she asks why her aunt Han isn’t here.
“Okay, braid is all done and pinned perfectly. I’m just going to put these flowers in. You have the most lovely hair, baby.”
“Thank you. I love yours.”
“I love you ,” Indie says offhandedly while putting little yellow flowers in Hazey’s hair.
“I love you too, mommy.” Indiana’s hands freeze momentarily before she continues with her flower placement. I see her left hand come up, swiping her face quickly. She leans forward and presses a long kiss to the braided crown on Hazel’s head before squeezing my daughter’s shoulders lightly.
“All done, baby. You look perfect.”
“Thank you!” she says, turning around to hug her neck before running toward me. “Look at my hair, Daddy!”
“Oh, it’s so beautiful, Hazey. You’re the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen!”
“Thank you,” she says shyly. “I’m going to show Sally!” Then she’s off.
“Hi,” Indiana says.
“Hi, Honey.”
“How long have you been here?”
I walk over to her, pulling her into my arms. “Long enough to hear the new title,” I say, grinning .
She pulls back to look up at me. “Is that okay?” Her voice is tentative but deeply hopeful, melting me.
“More than okay. She deserves to have a mother, and you more than deserve the title.”
Smiling, she gets up on her tiptoes to kiss me slowly at first, then with more force. I lean back, needing to tell her something.
“Do you remember that question you asked me a few months ago?”
“I ask you a lot of questions. You’re going to have to be more specific.”
I smile, looking at this woman who’s brought me back to life, made me feel young again, and showed me how to believe in love.
“I want more kids, Indie. If they’re with you, I want them.” A brilliant smile breaks across her face
“I love you, Knox.”
“I love you, Indiana.”
Being with Indiana is wanting in all forms and all definitions. I want her wholly—mind, body, soul. In every lifetime, in every timeline; she is worth the want.