Epilogue
Ten weeks later
Jackson reached up and readjusted his tie.
“Dude, stop. You’re making me nervous,” Dylan hissed next to him. Dylan’s own tie was perfect. Thanks to Jackson, who’d shown him how to tie it.
Jackson dropped his hands. He sucked in a breath to calm his nerves. This wasn’t Judge Fields. They had a new judge today—one he’d never met. The woman hadn’t smiled at them, but she also hadn’t looked at him like he was vermin.
“Mr. Stewart.”
“Yes, Judge?” Jackson stood at attention. His palms were sweaty, but he wouldn’t wipe them on his dress pants. He knew if he glanced behind him, he’d find Mia, Swanny, and Kevin. His own little group of prayer warriors, who had come to the hearing with him to show their love and support.
For the first time, the judge smiled. “Sir, I want to apologize for the miscarriage of justice this court previously committed. Your record is exemplary. You have proven yourself many times over to be fit to have custody of that fine young man standing at your side. It is my judgment that from this day forward, Jackson Stewart will have custody of Dylan Stewart.”
Her gavel fell.
Cheers erupted behind them.
“Congrats, buddy!” Kevin pumped his hand.
Swanny slapped his back. “I knew you could do it. Praise the Lord!”
And then Mia was there, hugging both him and Dylan. “My guys! I’m so happy for you.”
Dylan smiled through his tears. “Can I move in today?”
Jackson blinked. “Your room is ready and waiting for you. We’ll get you moved in ASAP.”
Looking around, gratitude filled him. God had blessed him in so many ways.
Six months later
“What time are we leaving?” Dylan popped his head into the kitchen, his cell phone in his hand. Jackson hid a grin. If he were to guess, he’d say Dylan was talking with Wynne, his new girlfriend. The two had been inseparable since they’d started dating three months ago, around Valentine’s Day.
“Mia said dinner’s at six but she’d love it if we showed up around five.” Mia had rented a home a few months earlier to give her mom and Gus space.
“Did she say what she’s making?”
Jackson grinned, anticipating his brother’s reaction. “Yep. Lasagna, cheesy garlic bread, salad with her homemade dressing, and Jell-O pretzel salad.”
Dylan’s eyes lit up. “Sweet! It’s three thirty now. Do you think we’ll have time to stop and pick up Wynne on the way? Mia told me she’s welcome.”
“Absolutely. Tell her to be ready at four forty.”
Dylan put his phone to his ear. His head popped out of view, but Jackson could still hear his conversation as he repeated the menu. “This is going to be the best dinner ever. No one makes lasagna like Mia.” He closed his bedroom door, shutting off the rest of the conversation.
Sighing in satisfaction, Jackson sent Mia a swift text to let her know about the addition to the party. She replied with a simple heart emoji.
He couldn’t wait to see her. It had been almost two days since he’d kissed her goodbye before doing a double shift at the station. He’d returned home to the joy of his brother in his house, where he should be.
It had taken several months to get it all worked out, but for the past five months, he’d had full custody of his little brother. Knowing how much both Jackson and Mia had sacrificed to rescue him had made Dylan look up to his brother more than ever.
Just before they left to gather Wynne and head to Mia’s, Jackson went into his room and grabbed a small black safe box from his closet. He punched in the code and opened the lid. Ignoring the documents inside, he plucked a small, red ring box out.
“What are you doing?”
Jackson half turned and motioned his brother into the room. “Come here. I want to show you something.”
Dylan shrugged and sauntered over. Jackson flipped the box open. Dylan’s eyes widened, and his jaw dropped. Inside the box, nestled into the deep-red velvet, was a brilliant square-cut diamond. Jackson lifted it and handed it to his brother. The sleek gold band gleamed in his palm.
“Do you approve?”
Dylan audibly swallowed, then he cleared his throat. “Yeah. She’d be part of our family. It would be nice to have her around. Plus, when I leave for college, you won’t be alone.”
Jackson’s heart expanded with joy. And not only because his brother accepted Mia.
He took the ring back and tucked the box into his pocket. “You’ve never talked about college before.”
“Is it okay? Do you think I could get in?”
“Yes, to both questions. What would you study?”
Dylan ducked his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I thought I’d like to go into education. Maybe become a special education teacher. Like Mia.”
“She’d be thrilled. And so would I.” Jackson slung an arm around his brother’s shoulders and gave him a quick squeeze that ended in a knuckled head rub, just to keep it from seeming too emotional.
Dylan laughed and backed away. “I’m going to get my shoes on.”
“I’ll wait for you outside.”
Jackson waited in his truck, impatiently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. Every few minutes, he checked his pocket to make sure the ring remained in place. He silently rehearsed what he planned to say. Should he propose before dinner, or after?
What if she said no?
He shuddered. He knew she loved him. She’d said so. And they’d talked about marriage, in a roundabout way. They’d both expressed the desire to be permanently exclusive. The past nine months had cemented the commitment they’d made during that awful time when Dylan had been missing.
“God, keep me steady.” He’d followed God’s lead during the entire courtship. He and Mia prayed together frequently, and they attended church together with Dylan. The last two weeks, Dylan had brought Wynne along.
The passenger door opened, and Jackson jumped.
Dylan hopped in, laughing. “Dude, are you nervous? There’s no way she won’t say yes.”
“Let’s hope you’re right.”
The conversation came to a quick end once Wynne ran out of her apartment, waving to her mom. “Hi, Jackson. Thanks for inviting me.”
Jackson chuckled. He got a real kick out of her. She was smart and a little sassy but always respectful. Just the girl for his kid brother.
The rest of the ride to Mia’s house was punctuated with laughter and lively conversation. Before he knew it, Jackson was pulling into Mia’s driveway. She’d recently moved into her own place since her mother and Gus had each other.
Dylan opened the door and hopped out, then held it for Wynne.
Jackson was always pleased to see his brother display such excellent manners.
He’d once commented on it to Dylan, to which Dylan had replied, “Just been watching my big brother, that’s all.
” Touched, Jackson had patted his brother’s shoulder, unable to speak for a moment.
By the time they reached the front door, Mia was already waiting for them.
Her smile beamed straight into Jackson’s heart.
How did he get so lucky? Ever since his dad had died, all he’d wanted was family.
Wealth didn’t matter to him. Social status meant nothing either.
But family that would stand by you and love you unconditionally—he hadn’t truly had that since he was a kid.
Now, God had blessed him with his brother and Mia. And hopefully, after tonight, he’d be able to call her his fiancée, and they could start planning their wedding.
“Come in! Everything’s all in the oven. I’m so glad you guys were able to come.” Mia was practically bouncing on her toes in her excitement.
Jackson leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. It was swift and chaste, but he meant it with his whole being. “Congratulations, sweetheart.”
“Congratulations on what?” Dylan perked up, his head swiveling between them.
Mia’s cheeks pinked. “Well, Jackson knows, but I haven’t told anyone else yet.
You guys were at my graduation ceremony, so you know that I have my master’s degree.
But what you don’t know is that I received my certificate in the mail already, and yesterday I accepted a job offer.
I will officially be able to move into the role of counselor. ”
Dylan’s shoulders drooped a little. “Oh. So you won’t be my teacher anymore? I mean, don’t get me wrong—I’m really, really happy for you if you can be a counselor like you wanted. I’ll just miss you.”
Her grin widened. “You can’t get rid of me that easy,” she told him. “My job will be at the school. And”—she hooked an arm around Jackson’s waist—“my student teacher will be taking my position. So anytime you need me, I’ll be there.”
Dylan opened his mouth as if to speak, then suddenly snapped his lips shut. Jackson had a feeling he’d been going to add something about her being his brother’s fiancée or future sister-in-law, but he caught himself just in time.
“What about your dream, honey?” Jackson murmured. “About starting a pregnancy center?”
She nodded. “I haven’t forgotten. It’s in the works, but it will be at least a year before I can open it.”
“Whatever you need, you know I’m here for you.”
“I know.” She ushered them farther into the living room. Dylan and Wynne went off to talk quietly near the sliding glass door that led to the outdoor deck. “I can’t believe the difference in Dylan since you gained custody.”
“It’s great, right?” Jackson rested his cheek on her hair and inhaled. The scent of vanilla and cinnamon drifted up to him. She smelled like home. “I don’t know what would have happened if Judge Fields had still been on the bench.”
He still couldn’t believe the new judge had told him he should have gotten custody the first time he’d petitioned for it. Thankfully, the only bench Judge Fields presided over now was the one in his jail cell.
“God had a plan,” Mia said.
That reminded him that he hadn’t told her the most recent development. “I talked with Kevin yesterday. He and his wife are expecting. You know they’ve been trying for a while. He said if they have a boy, they want to use Jack as the middle name.”
Mia blinked back tears. “That’s lovely.”