Epilogue III
Krispin
I sat there as I stared at the picture my mom had just handed me.
Then I looked at her, “Why are you giving me this?”
She tilted her head, “You asked me a long time ago to find a picture of your mother. This is her.”
I looked down at the picture, then crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash can. Then I looked at my mom, “No. I’m looking at her right now.”
Tears glistened in her eyes as she said, “Well, alright then.”
I chuckled as she pulled me into her arms, holding me close.
Feeling another presence enter the room, I looked over her shoulder and saw my dad standing there.
He winked, then he said, “Why is it the two of you always make us late?”
We both chuckled as we pulled apart, then she winked at me, before she turned her head, “Was it you who was late yesterday, and we had to wait on dinner?”
I opened my mouth and said, “And wasn’t it you who was late to my game last weekend?”
He narrowed his eyes, then he said, “Oh, I see, it’s pick on me today. Is that it?”
I shrugged.
My phone pinged with a text.
Snitches Get Stitches Text Thread
Cole – She told me she’s pregnant with my baby.
Madalyn – What the fuck?
Me – You never even had sex with her.
Sage – I’ll stomp her ass.
Zada – Ready and willing.
Isiah – Heard that too.
Isiah – Told everyone it was a bunch of shit.
Lola – I’ll kick her ass.
Hattie – I’ll help.
Ryder – She’s pregnant with Grant’s baby.
Melanie – She’s a whore.
Zaden – He asked my best friend out last week.
Granger – He’s a tool.
Logan – Why’d she tell you that?
Me – Cause I made it known I was going into the military.
I put my phone down as I looked at the stuff on my bed.
Just then, my dad came in and smiled, “Proud of you, son.”
I smiled, “Thanks, Dad.”
Then my mom came in, with a few things in her hands, “This stuff wasn’t on the list, and it should have been.”
She knew.
Then she dropped the pile on the bed, then she had me in her arms, “I love you, baby. I’m so fucking proud of you I could burst with it.”
Alec
I wrapped my arm around Cassie’s waist as we waved Krispin off.
And the moment the man with the clipboard read out, “Krispin Griggs”, he lifted his brow.
Then I heard him ask, “You related to Alec Griggs?”
To that, Krispin turned his head, locked eyes with me, and smiled, “Yeah. He’s my dad.”
I felt a swarm of pride assail me every time he called me dad.
And now, twelve years later, it was still there.
Then the man lifted a brow, “And your mom is Cassie Griggs.”
Krispin chuckled, “Oh yeah.”
The man chuckled, “Well, can’t wait to see what you do.”
And just like me, my son was selected.
And when someone used the name Stone, my heart burst with immeasurable pride.
Cassie
I stood there as I waited for Krispin to come off that plane.
I wasn’t the woman who had given him life, but I was the woman whom he called Mom.
And as the stairs lowered, and we saw him, our family cheered.
Alec stayed where he was, but not me.
Nope.
My boy was home.
He saw me coming, smiled widely, dropped his bag, and then opened his arms and braced.
Luckily.
I hit him with all my weight, and I heard him chuckle as he wrapped his arms around me.
A boy snickered to my right, “Dude, really?”
Krispin released me, spun, and punched him in the face.
Alec was at my side now, and he grinned, “That’s my boy.”
“Do it one more time when it comes to my mom. Fucking dare you.” He growled.
Hyde came up then, looked at the boy, who paled, and Hyde sneered, “You won’t last long.”
The boy jumped up and saluted Hyde, “Sir.”
“Don’t sir me, you little pussy assed bitch. You deserved what my nephew did. And had he not done it, the rest of us would have. You don’t talk about Cassie like that.”
Then he looked at me and threw up his hands. “He’s eighteen now. I can’t get in trouble.”
I snickered, “Should I call her?”
He sighed then dropped his hands, “No, ma’am.”
We both knew that if I called her, when he got home, he’d be sleeping on the couch.
Hyde might have been a smooth operator, but his woman... look out.
She was a spitfire.
Alec wrapped his arms around me after he hugged Krispin, and he went to hang out with his cousins.
Then I felt his lips on the side of my neck, his beard, which he still had, tickling the skin.
“Marvelous.” He whispered.