Epilogue #2
When it’s safe, I unbuckle Valentina and take Skye’s leash in my other hand. Nate undoes the car seat and takes our belongings down from the overhead.
“This is it, Valentina, your new home. I hope you love it.” I kiss her forehead, pulling her close into my chest, feeling emotional.
“Is everyone waiting at our place?” I ask Nate as he guides us to our waiting car.
“Yeah. Leo just texted that everyone is there.”
“How do we do this?”
My eyes widen in horror. “You want me to do it?”
Nate snickers. “You stand out in the hall with Valentina, and I’ll bring in Skye because she’s going to need a moment to let loose in there, especially when she sees Claud, and if they brought Summer, it will be mayhem.”
“Yes. Good idea.”
A few moments later, I hear our guests’ voices settle, and Nate’s voice rise.
“Leo has asked you to come here today under the assumption that it was a welcome home party after our year-long trip, but that was a ruse. Madeline and I have a special surprise. A surprise that’s been eleven months in the making…”
I walk through the door, holding my baby in a protective hold. “Please welcome home our daughter, Valentina Rosa Davenport.”
I smile at Mase, holding Valentina.
I thought she’d be overwhelmed by the craziness of our big, loud family, but once she warmed up, she was the star of the show, and she’s taken an extra special liking to Mason.
“Will you ever have kids, you think?” I ask.
“Who knows. Maybe if I meet the right girl.”
“Do you know, I have you to thank for all this?” I glance up at my big brother. “Even if it pains me to tell you, you’re right.”
“How do you figure?”
“You promised me that camp would change everything. That it would be the best summer of my life.” I smile at my daughter. My daughter. “You were right. It did change everything, and now I have the best life anyone could imagine because of it.”
Seven Years Later
Camp Horizon
Nate
“Little shit,” Harrison mumbles under his breath at his son, who runs off to God knows where, already king of the camp.
“I love that kid,” I say, and Leo nods, agreeing with a wide smile on his face.
Harrison Jr., a.k.a. Harry, is naughty times one hundred.
“He’s going to put me into an early grave.”
I roll my neck, and Leo frowns in concern.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Tweaked it on the boat last weekend. I need to go to acupuncture or something.”
“You need a more age-appropriate hobby. Racing isn’t it anymore,” Harrison mutters.
“Fuck off.” I make a muscle. “I’m more fit than ever before.”
About five years ago, my friend and teammate Elliot from college asked me to join their rec team again, and I couldn’t turn down the offer.
Getting back into sailing was exactly what I needed now that my life was settled with my girls.
Speaking of…my angel Valentina walks over, holding her little cousin Colette’s hand, waving with her other as she gets closer. Harrison and Jules’s four-year-old daughter is obsessed with Valentina.
Who wouldn’t be? She’s perfect.
My gorgeous goddess is not far behind, holding Harrison’s youngest, Vivienne, in one arm and our youngest, Paloma, in her other.
Juliette is in Paris with Claud, getting her settled at her big, fancy Parisian dance camp, and it just so happens to overlap with the grand reopening of Camp Horizon.
Seb is also missing; he had to be in London.
“Dad.” Marisol stomps over to me. “I’m almost eight. Can’t you just let me stay?” She crosses her arms, trying her hardest to scowl.
We have three daughters now, Valentina, Marisol, and Paloma, all adopted from Spain, and, of course, one furdaughter, Skye, who is getting up there in age.
We can’t think about what’s coming soon; it will devastate the whole family.
“Rules are rules.”
“I thought you told me rules are meant to be broken.” She pops her hip, all attitude.
“Excuse me?” Maddie lifts a brow.
“Shhh.” I put a finger over my mouth. “Your mother hates breaking the rules.”
“Moooom. I’ll be eight in like so soon. Please, please, please, can I sleep at camp with Valentina and Harry?”
It’s taken us years to finally come around to reopening the camp, but once our daughters, nieces, and nephews started getting older, we knew it needed to be done.
They needed to experience the childhood we had.
The youth group has a shorter camp period, but they can start sleep-away camp at eight. The only ones old enough are Valentina and Harry.
“Mari, if we let you, then it wouldn’t be fair to all the other kids who aren’t eight yet.”
“But you own the camp.”
Maddie sets the little ones on the ground, then kneels to be down on Marisol’s level. “What have I told you before? Our privilege in life has been because we work hard for it, we don’t take it for granted, and we don’t abuse the power.”
“But—” I cover her mouth with my hand, scared of what’s going to come out next.
Maddie is still a rule follower, and I might be more relaxed with the girls. I don’t need her tattling on us.
“Everyone, go find Harry; he’s disappeared somewhere,” I tell them, just as an announcement comes over the loudspeaker.
“Campers, please gather around.” Lucy Meyers, the daughter of Ms. Meyers, our old camp director, announces.
She’s a teacher during the year and was thrilled to follow in her mother’s footsteps at summer camp.
We couldn’t have brought it more full circle if we tried.
She stands at the top of the beach area, right below the food fall, while the parents and other kids run around on the sand.
I stand behind Maddie and put my arms around her shoulders and rest my chin on top of her head. “Everything’s worked out.”
She glances around at the newly built but very familiar-looking campground. “It really feels like yesterday.”
I lean down and put my lips to Maddie’s ear. Goose bumps scatter up her arms and over her neck.
I love how I still affect her.
“Look at me, Mads,” I demand, lowering my voice. She turns her head slowly, her beautiful emerald eyes catching mine. I pop my favorite cherry lollipop in my mouth, causing her lips to tilt. “You have five minutes to sneak off and to meet me in our meadow.”
The End.