Epilogue - Jude
Ten Years Later
With seven-year-old twins, a five-year-old son, and three-year-old triplets–two girls and another boy–it’s no surprise that it’s taken ten years to get my beloved wife away for a trip just the two of us.
Determined to make it happen, I’ve called in numerous favors between everyone on both sides of the mountain, to ensure Em and I can have three uninterrupted days away together.
The first day in Seattle, I’m proud to say we didn’t even leave the hotel room. Who would when there’s no chance of one of six little Wilson-Coopers walking in or wanting something at any time.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the life we’ve built together. Even if it has meant expanding the former ‘little’ cottage into a full-on house, complete with a kids wing, a ‘Mom and Dad’ wing, and a family zone in the middle.
As I promised both her and Sully, I have never not looked after her. I’ve always had Em’s front, back, and sides and would never take anything we have for granted. Every day I wake up loving her more than the day before, and I already loved her to the moon and back then.
But three days alone with my wife? I feel like the luckiest man on earth.
In the ten years since we completed the Call, our lives have and could never be called dull.
As soon as we returned from our honeymoon in a rented cabin on yet another volcano–a not-so-active one that time–we hit the ground running.
Em and I volunteered to spearhead the eco-tourism deal with the both of us carrying out weeks of environmental impact assessments and site visits.
We also brought in experts in business and tourism to make sure that anything we would and could do to the land would benefit not only the town and its residents, but our family, and the environment too.
When we finally overcame all of the red tape and hurdles associated with starting such a venture, it was all systems go. The Wilson and Cooper families all worked together to build what we hoped would become a legacy for generations to come.
Nine years after our soft launch, we are now one of the most sought-after destinations for eco-tourists in all of North America.
Today though, I’m determined to leave the cocoon of our hotel room. Mainly because I have a surprise planned for my wife, a payback of sorts from all those years ago.
“Where are we goin’?” she asks from the back seat of the town car I hired to take us to our destination.
“It’s a surprise.”
She narrows her eyes at me, which in turn makes me smile. “That’s what we tell the kids when we don’t want to be asked ‘are we there yet?’.”
I dip my head. “Is it workin’?”
She arches her brow, her lips twitching. “Well,” she asks, “are we there yet?”
“Brat.”
“I learned from the best.” When she says that, she’s not lying.
Em had been worried that our twins could end up being EJ and BJ wannabes. The truth is that our oldest two girls run circles around all of their uncles. They have every male with the last name Cooper or Wilson wrapped around their little fingers.
Though, if Bailey and Mary-Lou are the rulers of our little family, our middle son Sullivan is my mini-me. Except where I’m always on the go, he’s happy to sit back and take in the world like it’s his own encyclopedia. He’s also an avid reader who cannot get enough books.
He’s very much like Em when it comes to the sciences. It all fascinates him, but instead of volcanoes like his mom, his favorite things are dinosaurs and ancient relics.
Then there are the three apples of my eye–or the triple threat, as Asher calls them.
Annabel, Amelie, and Arlo are three going on thirteen, each of them having their own unique personalities and quirks.
They’ve also claimed a favorite uncle or aunt too, and nobody else will do.
For Annie, it’s Sutton. For Amelie, it’s Asher’s wife, and for Arlo, he’s a Dare boy through and through.
Our siblings have even made it into somewhat of a contest to see if they can convert the triplets to their side. As of yet, no one has been successful.
Looking out the window, I spot the Space Needle in the distance as we head south on I-5, my wife still none the wiser to our plans as we drive the eight miles to Boeing Field.
She sits up straighter as soon as she sees the airport signs, suddenly very interested in where we might be going.
When the driver turns the car onto the road leading to the heliport, Em’s knowing gaze jumps to mine. “A helicopter tour, hubby?” she asks curiously.
I shrug, pulling her into my side and wrapping my arm around her. “It’s been awhile since you took me on my first chopper ride, I figured it was time to tick an item off your bucket list.”
“Where are we–” Her eyes widen and I see the moment it dawns on her where we’re going. “No way!”
I can’t help but laugh. “Yeah, wifey. We’re goin’ to see Mount St. Helens from the air.”
“No freakin’ way,” she whispers before she tackle hugs me, pressing me against the car door and planting a hot and heavy kiss on my lips.
“Not in the car,” the driver grumbles, pulling to a sudden stop outside the terminal.
Em and I snicker as we pull apart and grin at each other. “Not in the car, hubby,” she murmurs for my ears only.
“Yeah. Wait till we’re in the helicopter. Then you can kiss me all you want.”
“I’m goin’ to hold you to that, hubby.”
“That’s what I’m countin’ on, wifey.”