Epilogue
A few years later
“All right,” Eli grumbled, looking less than thrilled. “Everyone knows the drill?”
“Run now and forget how bad of an idea this was?” Bode shot back, his face pale and pinched – nearly matching Eli’s.
Maureen and Flora exchanged a knowing smile before rolling their eyes.
This had been their idea, kind of something they decided together before springing it on the men.
Flora was pregnant again, and Maureen had just delivered four months ago.
It meant a lot to her to have family in their lives, and Eli’s parents were getting older.
Someday they wouldn’t be there, the memories might fade, the relationships – good or bad – would be gone…
and all they would have would be photographs.
Those photos would be something their children looked back at, their grandchildren, or even someone hundreds of years from now out of curiosity.
She had never really been one to delve into family trees before, but the idea of creating one for their children spoke to her – and Flora.
“Seriously,” Bode began again. “I love you, Flora. I think you are hotter than sin is that little green muumuu you insist on wearing as a bathrobe… but daaa-yang, woman – you sure know how to push the limits of this marriage. I really, really think this is a bad idea.”
“I second that,” Eli shot out – and both brothers high-fived each other. “No cursing?”
“Not allowed,” Bode shot back. “Babies are always listening.”
“Austin, would you like to meet Bode’s Mama and Daddy?” Maureen chuckled, hitting below the belt since they were obviously stalling. Bode was crazy about Austin – and Flora was using that to her advantage dragging her husband here to join them for this forced reunion.
“Oh, you play vicious,” Bode glared and then winked at her. “Why am I turned on by that?”
“Because you are sick – or you’ve bumped your head a little too often?”
“Truth.”
“Don’t high-five again,” Maureen quickly spoke up, grabbing both men’s arms. “We’re going inside, or you can stay out here in the heat with flashbacks of Ghazni. The temperature is one-oh-two today, and my butt is going inside for some cool air.”
“Then we’re not going into their room? Sweet!” Bode popped up – and Eli chuckled, shaking his head. “Ain’t nothing but hot air if either of them are talking…”
“Huh, must be genetic,” Maureen clapped back – and Bode laid a hand on his chest in disbelief, before slapping Eli on the shoulder.
“Bro, that’s hot too.”
“Would you back off,” Eli growled protectively, thrilling Maureen to her toes as she laughed at the two men.
“Ew, I was joking. That’s like wrong on so many levels, and I like my testes attached exactly where they are. You know Flora would hang them from the rearview mirror of the car and…”
Maureen and Flora looked at each other in horror, replying emphatically. “Ewwww!”
“I know, right?” Bode wailed, holding himself as they began walking up to the front of the nursing home. Flora leaned over, slapping him on the arm as a reminder to release himself and act properly – before sighing loudly in dismay.
Walking inside the nursing home, Maureen checked them in and smiled as she spotted the older couple that had given her fits over the years.
They got mad, they yelled, they cussed at her…
but then there were the sweeter moments where they bragged about their children, sobbing with loneliness, beaming with pride, before melting into confusion.
Dementia was a hard thing to deal with – but then again, so was regret.
“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Hall,” Maureen began softly…
and saw the ravaged expressions of both men who acted so tough all the time.
They had a long discussion regarding regret versus reconcilliation.
No one was asking either man to forgive or forget, but to stand back and look at the bigger picture for their families…
and they had. They were here for a reason Bode was already crying as Eli knelt, taking each of their withered hands in one of his.
“Hi, Mama. Hi, Daddy… It’s me, Eli,” he said hoarsely, and Maureen couldn’t be prouder of him in this moment, nor could she love him more.
“I wanted to come see how you’re doing – and we thought it might be a nice day to visit.
We’ve got a few people for you to meet too.
This is my daughter, Rosalind… and she’s so perfect. ”
Bode knelt beside his brother, touching the thin skin of her arm where you could see the bluing of her veins easily. “Mama, this is my son, Austin…”
Flora and Maureen exchanged a tearful smile once again, as her sister-in-law quickly plucked several tissues from her diaper bag.
“Do you mind if I sit here, Daddy?” Eli began nervously. “Are you playing checkers? Do you want to play a game with me?”
Oh yes – family was everything, Maureen thought, marveling at her husband and his ability to grasp a situation.
He might not ever forget what had happened to him as a child, as a boy, as a teenager…
but he also would do anything to give Rosalind a life that felt complete.
Someday she would ask about her grandparents or great-grandparents – and Maureen couldn’t answer those questions.
It had to be Eli – and he’d done this for her, for him, for their daughter…
and she couldn’t love him more for being brave enough to face his past.
Eli looked up, met her eyes, and she fell for him all over again as he smiled tearfully at her, giving her slow nod followed by a wink. She mouthed back to her husband in a silent communication between them.
Love you, Melon-head… and I always will.