EPILOGUE
Maverick
ONE YEAR LATER
Loading the last of our things into my truck, I stop myself to take a glance over to where Mabel’s house once sat, one minute and thirty-seven second walk away from her mom and dad’s.
“Daddy, are we going now?” My favourite little lady interrupts my thoughts as I look down to her hand meeting mine.
“Sure, Darlin’. Shall we go see how mama’s doing with the boys?” I ask her as she nods, pulling my arm around to the passenger seat.
I help Ellie into her seat and make sure her belt is buckled tight. I close the door and walk around to the driver’s side, before pulling myself in and getting comfortable.
The engagement ring I bought her all those years ago, sitting perfectly still in my pocket, waiting for the right moment. When I moved home permanently, I found it hidden amongst my old memories I kept hidden away in a box.
Mabel lay true on her promise, and over the last six months it’s all been about today, building our house, over to the East, in our field; on our spot.
Driving out of the entrance to the main house, Mabels parents’ house, I see the trees moving in the breeze as we drive down the long drive, and at the end I turn left, aiming towards the brand-new entrance to our house.
When I came home a year ago, I never thought Mabel would even want to hear my side of events, let alone forgive me for them.
But yet here I am, with our daughter beside me, driving for the first time over to our home.
“There they are,” Ellie says, edging herself forward in her seat, like that’ll make us arrive quicker.
The gravel’s loud underneath my trucks tyres as I descend towards our final destination.
“Hi, Mama,” Ellie shouts from her window as I park the truck right in front of our beautiful home.
“Hi, sweet-pea,” Mabel shouts back as she descends down the ladder she was up, leaning up against the wooden structure.
Ellie and I get out of the truck, but I hang back to eye up my newest love; this house.
Mabels old house was stripped down, and we tried to kept as much of the original building as we could, rebuilding and extending it to finally make those four extra rooms that we’d always spoken about all those decades ago. This time, it’s become reality.
Mabel meets Ellie on the freshly laid lawn, hugs her and exchanges words that I’m too far away to hear. She reaches me after Ellie heads straight inside; to her new room no doubt.
“Hi, Mav,” she beams up at me, tucking herself under my arm. I smirk back down at her before placing a kiss firmly on her forehead. “Hi, Firefly.”
Her head spins straight back around to join me in eyeing up our upmost pride and joy being completed. “Get the last bits?” she asks.
“Course, all in the truck, baby,” I reply.
She nods back at me, before removing herself from under my arm and bounding straight towards my truck bed to what I presume will be to make a start to unpack.
“Hey,” I say, catching hold of her hand and pulling her body back towards mine, her scent of paint and wood stain filling my nostrils. It seems to be our new scent after months of long hard labour.
“Yes?” she asks, her big sky-blue eyes shining straight up to mine. “We need to get this inside, no?” she questions, again.
I laugh at the notion, whilst I cling hold of the ring located quietly in my pocket.
“Listen, baby,” I croak out, attempting to clear my throat and regain some saliva back into my dry mouth.
Her eyes beam wide up at me from her short stature; her hair loose in a ponytail. I cough again, clearing my throat. “I, uhm, I just want to say,” like a year ago, I struggle to find my words again.
Mabel’s eyes squint up to me, “What’s up?” she asks.
I look down into her eyes and my panic eases, this is my girl, the one who’s forgiven me and welcomed me back into her life.
I stand tall, talking hold of both her hands, I hold in a breath and get down on one knee….