38. Epilogue
It doesn’t feel right to say, but life is perfect. I didn’t think I would ever get to this point. I’m not looking over my shoulder, the kids are happy, I get to spend every day with King; what’s not to love. Everyone around me has been waiting for me to lose my mind over what I had to survive. Sure, I had nightmares for a little while, but I would be more concerned if I didn’t. The nightmares are gone, and I’m ready to move on with my life.
The kids have been in school for three weeks, and they have never been happier about school. The class sizes are smaller than they're used to, and they are making more friends than I can keep up with. Loch joined an art club that meets one day a week, and she has been going to River’s studio on Saturdays. King and I have a strict rule that if River has a new client that he doesn’t know, Loch doesn’t go that day. Telle made the soccer team, so he has practice three days a week and games start in a few weeks.
Today is the grand re-opening opening of High Society. Once I was healed enough, River and I got to work on the mural, and it looks amazing, if I say so myself. We are bringing the kids, so they can spend some time in the afternoon there, and then Jack is taking them to his house.
“Ready, Bird?” I just finished doing my hair. I didn’t get too dolled up today because I plan on helping King out behind the bar. He foresees that it’s going to be a madhouse, since they were closed for longer than expected.
“Ready.” Standing on my tip toes, I give him a kiss. He has been handling me with kid gloves, but I guess that’s what I get. I made King wait longer than necessary when he was hurt.
Finding the kids outside playing with Benny, we bring him inside and get loaded into the truck. The kids are talking a mile a minute in the backseat, making me smile. It doesn’t take us long to get to the bar, the lot already filling up and the bar doesn’t open for another thirty minutes. Jack got here early to get set up so the kids didn’t have to sit here for too long.
Cam and Skye usher us to the front door, where Jack hands King the largest pair of scissors I've ever seen. King looks personally offended by the object, and when people start clapping, he pulls Telle and Loch in close and helps them cut the ribbon. Skye takes a picture of us once the ribbon is cut, and we are ushered into the bar.
King hated the attention of the ribbon cutting, signifying the official grand opening. There has been so much laughter today, going down as one of my favorite days. I don’t want today to end. I’ve been pouring beers for the past hour, keeping my eye on the kids. Jack just came up to me and said that he would be taking them home soon.
Looking up when the music stops, I find King standing in the middle of the bar, holding a microphone. The kids are standing next to him, wide smiles on both of their faces. “Excuse me, can I have your attention, please. Sparrow, can you come over here?” Setting my rag down, I slowly make my way towards him. I have no idea what he’s doing, but King knows I hate attention being on me.
“For those of you that don’t know, this woman has owned my soul since the first day I met her. From the very first moment, I would do anything for her. I messed up…I know, shocker.” That gets a round of laughter from the patrons, “We spent eight years apart. Eight dark years. I drank too much, I fought too much. All to get over the love of my life.”
King drops down to one knee, grabbing my left hand. “I never want to be without you, Bird. In this life and the next, you are it for me. I promise to be the best man…I might mess up a few times, the best husband…again, I might mess up, and the best father. I will wake up every day trying to be better than the previous day. Sparrow, will you make me the happiest fucking man and be my wife?”
He opens the ring box that I didn’t notice, and my jaw drops open. He is holding out the largest, most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen in my life. I would agree to marry him with no ring, but this…this is better than what I’ve dreamed about.
“Of course, I’ll marry you, Kingston Bluff.” As everyone breaks out in cheer, King stands up and places the ring on my finger. Spinning me around, King kisses me with so much emotion, if I had to bet, he won’t be handling me with kid gloves.
My story wasn’t a happy one, I wasn’t sure if it ever would be. But this part of my story is the best yet. I never want to revisit the old version of me; the one that was beaten down from life. I was so close to giving up. If it wasn’t for the kids, I would have.
King, the kids, and our family, that’s all I need in this life. I will cherish these people like my life depends on it, because it does. I know what it’s like to have nothing, I will fight every day for this happiness.