Epilogue
Phin
Elliot built two large tables with benches on both sides.
He used a tractor with a forklift to move the tables into the backfield.
Grym and Ossy hauled the grill back there.
Hale and I sewed a couple of tablecloths together.
I had to watch a YouTube tutorial on sewing.
It seemed straightforward at first. It turned out sewing in a straight line was not my cup of tea, but Hale was mediocre at it, so he did most of the work.
The tablecloths were yellow with cherries all over them.
The cookout featured burgers and hot dogs. Tan made potato salad and baked beans. Ossy helped Grym man the grill, and he set out huge plates of burgers on each table, followed by hot dogs.
Then Grym took off his apron and sat at the table next to Elliot. Ossy sat next to me.
We were celebrating spring. I’d never celebrated a season before, but spring represented rebirth.
It was all about embracing the changes happening in the reaper department.
Plus, the farmers liked spring, and we were on a farm, so it seemed like something to do.
Winter probably felt very long because it was outside the growing season.
I smiled at Ossy when he put a burger on my plate and gave me a spoonful of potato salad.
“You’re a ketchup-and-that’s-it kind of guy, right, love?” It was cute how Ossy remembered I didn’t like anything else but tomato-flavored sugar.
I kissed him by way of answering.
Ossy handed me the jar of pickles, and I took way too many, but I loved them.
It turned out Cameron was very good at preserving food.
He and his grandmas preserved the last harvest of pickles.
His dill pickle recipe was the best thing I’d ever put in my mouth.
I loved dill, and I couldn’t wait to try his sweet pickles.
This year, we planned to plant a garden. I’d learned a lot about living with my new family. Chaos and some dysfunction were par for the course, but so were respect and love.
I handed the jar to Tan. He smiled lovingly at Hale as Hale rambled on about something he’d watched on television. At least he wasn’t gossiping. Watching reality TV and talking about it afterward was a fine line to walk, though.
“This is a nice reprieve, isn’t it?” Francis had a soft voice. His smile was always gentle. “Souls collect in Hollowbrook far too often.”
It was true. The reapers hadn’t taken a day off in quite a while. Everyone was stretched thin, including Morgana and me. Donn had honored the truce, and so had we. Maybe we were in the eye of the storm, but I would like to think the sun was finally peeking through the clouds.
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