Epilogue
Shane—Ten years later
Married life wasn’t perfect for anyone, and they were no exception.
They had periods of boredom or tiredness, especially when the babies came.
Anna’s pregnancy with Ivy had given her months of nausea so quality time had been rare.
Despite the challenges, they always found themselves chatting at night before they went to sleep.
They cooked together, shopped together, and found peace playing with the kids on the ranch.
There were arguments about parenting and working hours, but they were always resolved with no grudges.
Hugs were an important thing in the Morgan house, and even at their most tired, they made time to lay together on the sofa after the kids were in bed.
Lost in his thoughts, Shane opened the glass door and left the building, holding the door for an extra few seconds when he saw a man approach.
“Thanks mate,” the man said. Mason!
They looked at each other before Mason cleared his throat and spoke.
“Shane, how are you? How’s Anna?” he asked.
“She’s good. Four kids and her dance studio keep her pretty busy, but you know Anna, she’s a ball of energy,” Shane answered.
“That’s great, man. That’s great.” Mason looked down at his hands.
He was carrying a briefcase. He looked older, but then, so did Shane.
They were both in their 40s at this point.
Mason wore almost obscenely tight dress pants and pointy black shoes, the clothes of a man in his 20s.
His hair was thinning, and Shane swore the long, swept look was a poorly disguised combover.
Thinning hair was a thing in your 40s. Shane had not escaped its cruel clutches, but Anna said his clipped, thinning hair was “distinguished and hot,” much like he found her soft little post-children belly endearing.
“How have you been?” Shane forced himself to ask.
“Good, yeah. Good. I’ve got a daughter, Olivia. She’s two.”
“Congratulations,” Shane responded.
“She’s great. I’m not with her mom anymore but I see Olivia all the time,” he answered. The silence grew. Just as Shane was about to say his goodbyes and politely walk away, Mason grabbed his arm.
“I just wanna say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what I did.
My wife left me when my daughter was eight months old.
She had someone else. Had him for a few months.
I know how it feels, and it’s fucked. I worked on myself a lot after Anna left me, but I …
it still didn’t hit me how much it would hurt, how much it would always hurt, so I’m sorry,” Mason said, his tone sincere.
“It was a long time ago, and I really can’t be sorry about how things worked out but thank you. I appreciate the apology.”
“I ran into April last year,” Mason said. “We still cross paths occasionally at conferences and work events.”
“I don’t really care. Haven’t heard about her in years,” Shane mused.
“Well, Anna will probably be interested. Tell her that April is on her fourth marriage. Anna would enjoy that. She got drunk at the last conference and asked me to come to her room for ‘old times sake.’ Of course, I said no. She was still wearing her wedding ring when she asked … it felt so wrong,” Mason confessed.
“Okay. I gotta go. Look after yourself,” Shane said. He didn’t need Mason’s life story. Or April’s.
“Yeah, me too. I have a date tonight.” Mason smiled like he was excited, but his face just looked tired.
Shane felt no animosity toward this man. It was all in the past. He had his Tinkerbell, and while the path to her had caused pain and misery, he really couldn’t be sad about it given the outcome.
“I never sold the ring,” Mason blurted. “At first it was that I didn’t want to let her go. But then … I don’t know. It was like a reminder. To be a good person. Just … don’t take anything for granted. Remember what you have,” Mason pleaded, looking every one of his 40 something years.
“Bye Mason.” Shane walked to his car.
By the time he got home, Anna and the kids were sitting around a bonfire with his parents. He sat next to her, pulling her into his side.
“Saw Mason today. He’s got a kid,” Shane said.
“That’s great for him. I hope he’s making something of his life,” Anna replied, her tone neither happy nor unhappy.
“I’ll fill you in more later. Bonfire, huh?”
“Yeah, your dad put the idea in the kids’ heads last week, so they’ve been badgering him to deliver,” she laughed.
She suddenly broke away from him and looked at him with a serious face.
“Shane, I think we need counseling,” she said.
“What? Are you ok?” He was stunned.
She broke into a smile.
“Well, don’t you think we need counseling? We’ve been in a trauma bond for over a decade. And I kinda want to trauma bond again tonight. This is a serious problem.”
Shane laughed and kissed her on the lips.
“Anything for you, Tinkerbell. Anything.”