EPILOGUE
FARRAH
I looked down at the baby in the carrier and smiled when I saw that her eyes were open and she was watching the toys hanging from the handle of her car seat.
I cherished every single moment I had with Kylee and, although I wouldn’t admit it out loud, felt closer to her than Kaylynn and Roarke, only because I’d been in the delivery room when she was born.
“Let’s get you out of this contraption so Lolly can give you some kisses,” I said as I unbuckled her from her car seat and lifted her up to my shoulder.
“Did you have a good nap, sweetie?”
I knew I had a limited amount of time before she started screaming from hunger because this little girl was nothing if not demanding.
She was so outspoken at just three months old that Lynn had jokingly started calling her Little Moe, which made my friend positively giddy every time she heard it.
“We’ll get you inside to see your mama so you can eat, and then I’ll snuggle you some more, okay?” I asked as I reached for the diaper bag and then gently closed the car door.
This car’s doors didn’t squeak like the ones on my last car, probably because it was much newer and in better condition.
After the fiasco on the side of the highway, I traded up for a newer vehicle, happy that all the hard work I’d done to build my credit and work history was enough for the bank to give me a chance.
The last year since I’d been back in Rojo had been filled with excitement, some low times, but even more good times, and most of that had to do with the family of the little girl I held in my arms.
Kylee didn’t just bring me joy, she brought smiles and laughter to all the women at The Flower Patch.
She and Lynn’s other grandchildren had become mascots of sorts and were cherished by everyone out there, probably because they knew how much they’d missed while they were locked up.
Lynn and the girls had become a fixture at The Flower Patch, and even though I’d be moving out of my house soon, I knew that they’d still spend plenty of time there with me since that’s where the majority of my friends lived and where I still worked, both in the office to help women like me and in the building where we sold plants and things to the customers who flocked to the store.
Kylee started squirming, so I readjusted the bag over my shoulder before I settled her into the crook of my arm.
For some reason, the street was busier than usual, so I had to park almost a block away, but I didn’t mind the walk.
It reminded me that I hadn’t been to the gym in a few days.
Life was so busy and full that it was sometimes hard to find the time to work out, but I knew that it was a big part of my recovery to stay healthy, so I pushed myself to go as often as possible even when I’d rather be anywhere else.
When I neared the front door of the diner, a man whose wife had become one of my closest friends held it open for me.
“Thanks, Mr. Forrester.”
“What’s this mister shit?” he asked. “How many times have I told you to call me Kale?”
“I think it’s funny to get you all flustered by calling you that.”
“I need to do something crazy so people will start taking me seriously again. My rep is shit now that I’m getting older. People are starting to think I’m soft.”
I sputtered out a laugh before I said, “From what I hear, you’ve always been a marshmallow.”
“I get no fucking respect, man. None.”
I looked around the diner for Lanna but didn’t see her, so I started to pull my phone out to check my texts. I was sure she had asked me to meet her here, and even though she was known for being late, I wondered why she wasn’t already seated in the diner.
“You looking for someone?” Kale asked.
“Yeah. I’m supposed to meet Lanna here, but I don’t see her.”
“I bet she’s in the back room.”
“I thought that was reserved for employees or something,” I said as I started following him across the diner.
“It’s usually reserved for family, but if you think she’s here, we may as well check, right?”
When we got to the other side of the restaurant, Kale stopped in front of a door that said, “Employees Only” and turned around and smiled at me.
“Mind if I hold that little sweetheart before you give her to her mama?” he asked as he reached for Kylee.
I knew the man loved children, so I didn’t have any problems handing her over. Since his arms were full now, I walked ahead of him and pushed open the door only to find a dark room behind it. I was just about to turn and walk back out into the main dining room when the lights flipped on and I saw the room was actually full of people.
“Surprise!”
I stood there in shock and felt tears of happiness welling when I realized that these were all people I loved, and they started trailing down my cheeks as Lynn and Colt walked toward me with smiles on their faces.
“Happy birthday, Mom,” Colt said before he gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
“Happy birthday to you too,” I whispered in his ear as I hugged him back.
When he let me go, Lynn pulled me into his arms and gave me a kiss before he asked, “Were you surprised?”
“You planned this?”
“I had a little help, but yeah, it was my idea. I wanted to give the woman I love a party for her special day.”
“Every day with you is special.”
“Good. We’ve got about a million more to spend together.”
“And I look forward to every single one.”
THE END