Epilogue
GRACE — JUNE
“In this event, we have Polly Swendela wearing number one, Grace Battle wearing number two…”
As they make our introductions at the U.S.
National Outdoor Championships, I survey the crowd, spying all three of my brothers and Johnson sitting together.
Rawley had special shirts made with a big cut out of my head on the front and “Team Grace” on the back, and they all have them on.
It’s both funny and terrifying at the same time.
Rawley catches me looking at them. “GO GRACE, WOOOOO!” The rest of the group joins him, and I feel myself blush at the attention.
It means the world to me, though, to see them all together.
Johnson and Landon have repaired their friendship, week by week, month by month, and now it’s stronger than ever.
Once Landon was willing to see how happy I am, and how well Johnson treats me, he was able to smooth his hurt over in his mind.
Seven months in, we even told Landon about that one night in college. We were light on the details, but Johnson didn’t want to have it spill out accidentally down the road. Thankfully, Landon made another joke about throwing Johnson off the boat, as opposed to getting upset.
Now I even catch my brother looking at us together at gatherings with a satisfied smile on his face.
Rori isn’t here because she’s in the thick of the UK grass season, and Landon’s headed there after this meet. He refused to skip today, though.
“I’ve missed enough of your big meets, Gracie. I’m making it happen no matter what.”
As a rookie, Rawley has been juggling more NFL off-season obligations than Landon, but none overlapped with this week. Connor has an easier schedule, so there wasn’t even a question of whether he would be here.
It’s been two weeks since I’ve been in Florida because Milo needed me to help with his L.A. clients for several days, and then I flew up to Oregon where our Fairview Elite team has been prepping for the meet.
Johnson and I didn’t want to spend that long apart though, so he came out for about five days last week before my prep for Nationals intensified.
Our dance at the gala was ten months ago, and I love the path we’re on together. I moved in officially after the Waves season ended, adding one more resident to his now quite full house.
Needing to concentrate on the task at hand, I pull my focus away from my cheering section and look over at my coach Sanders, who is at the base of the stands. He claps his hands together and mouths, “Let’s go, you got this.”
I nod and get my body prepped to go, shaking my legs loose and pulling my focus in.
I’m more excited than nervous, and thrilled I even qualified after only a few months of training.
My first Nationals in the 10000 meters event.
That’s right, during testing, the 10000 meters distance was where I had an extra level of performance. Sanders wasn’t surprised—it’s common for a runner's stamina to improve with age. Not to mention, all the miles I put in seemed to have increased my aerobic base—AKA, my oxygen efficiency.
Finally, the “get ready” warning comes on, and I shift in position.
“Set…Go!”
We’re off. And thirty-two minutes and some change later, the race is finished.
As we catch our breath at the conclusion of the run, hugs get traded among the ladies competing. Many share messages that mean the world to me too. “Great job.” “Nice run, Battle.” “Love seeing you here.”
I didn’t place—this year—but everything about today is bigger than that.
After I high five Sanders, he goes over the schedule for my other event, the 5000 meter finals. Shantal, my college ‘nemesis,’ made that final too, and she was so delighted to see me here she squealed. “More battles with Battle, I can’t wait,” she said, after we embraced.
Once Sanders finishes his notes, I excuse myself to meet up with my guests. All four guys come down the stands, and Rawley helps me up through a hole in the frame.
“Gracie, that was incredible to watch,” Landon says.
Connor speaks up next. “You were so fast out there.”
Johnson gives me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, his arms lingering around me.
“Proud of you.” Another kiss follows. Well, maybe a few.
As I anticipated, now that we’re public, my brothers are constantly griping about how much we kiss.
They better get used to it.
At the end of Nationals, we fly back home on a charter plane.
“Landon, are you heading onto London once we get to Orlando?” I’m a little confused why he’s going to Florida first, knowing he’s anxious to get to Rori.
“No,” he says vaguely. “There’s something in Florida I need to see first.”
Okay.
When we land, I expect that we’ll leave in two cars—my brothers heading to Landon’s house, and Johnson and I going to his. But no, all four of them pile into Johnson’s black sedan when the valet brings it, my three brothers squeezing into the back.
“You couldn’t drive your SUV, J?” Landon looks down at where Connor’s elbow is accidentally hitting his gut.
I’m so confused. “Wait, why are you coming with us in Johnson’s car again?”
All four faces look back at me with blank expressions. And no one answers my question.
“What’s going on?” Now they’re stressing me out a little.
“I told you she doesn’t like secrets,” Rawley says under his breath. In return, he gets a purposeful elbow from Connor.
Johnson grins at me. “Don’t worry, Goldie. All is well. You’ll find out soon enough.”
Before he lets me start peppering him with additional questions, he turns the key and gets us on the road.
The guys successfully deflect my questions and keep me laughing for much of the drive, so when we pull up to Johnson’s house, I’m still clueless about what’s happening.
Once the car is parked, I reach for the handle to get out.
“Not so fast.” Johnson pulls out a black scrap of fabric. “I’m going to need you to put on this blindfold.”
“What?”
“Grace, it’s okay.” Johnson’s voice carries a promise of safety. “I’m just going to tie it on.”
Five minutes later, I’m walking around the house, Johnson’s arm wrapped around my back to guide my way, three sets of footsteps audible behind me as my brothers follow.
As we reach the back, I hear a new sound. Emma’s giggle.
“She’s here,” she whispers loudly.
Once I’m in the position he wants, he holds me in place. “You ready?”
“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be ready for, but yes.”
I feel his hand come behind my head and swish, the blindfold is off.
What I’m looking at….
It takes me a solid five seconds to register what I’m seeing.
What?
He did this?
Wrapping around the regulation size football field in his backyard is now—I can’t believe it—a full size 400 meter track, with eight lanes, made of state of the art composite.
He put a track around the regulation football field in his backyard, just for me.
“Do you like it?” His voice sounds a little nervous, so I snap out of my shock.
“Oh my god, Johnson,” I turn and throw myself in his arms. “It’s incredible.”
He holds me tight in his arms while Emma’s little voice shouts, “Yay! She likes it!”
Johnson lets me go and I shift towards where Pam, Lainie, and the kids are smiling at me. The kids’ two Labrador puppies are running around near them, with Grover tagging along as well.
“Hi guys, missed you!”
“We missed you too, sweetie,” Pam says.
Now that Lainie’s divorce is final, their “vacation” at Johnson’s house has become permanent.
I turn back to Johnson. “I can’t believe you did this. How did you pull it off?”
“As soon as I knew you were going to be gone for two weeks, I got to work. Remember that new gardening crew?”
“Oh yeah, the ones who came in April?”
“That was really the architect in disguise, figuring out how to get it all done in two weeks.”
Landon steps forward, looking at Johnson. “It’s amazing, J. It turned out even better than you described.”
“So you knew?” I look at my brothers.
“Yeah, Johnson wanted us to be here to watch you experience it.”
I’m so glad he did. It makes it even more special.
“I’m not quite done with the surprises though, Goldie. Come with me.” He grabs my hand and starts walking with me towards the track.
“No blindfold this time?” I joke.
“No, only because I’m in a hurry to show you this.”
We walk onto the part of the track nearest to where we were standing and…he keeps us going past it.
Now we’re on the field itself, and he keeps going and going and going…
Until we’re almost at the center, and then he drops my hand.
“Look,” he says, pointing to the middle of the field, where an empty circle has always marked the center.
Only the empty circle, it’s not empty anymore.
Instead, there are two words in large white letters:
FOREVER FIELD
Oh my god?
“Goldie….”
“Yes.” I can hardly breathe.
I turn around.
And Johnson’s down on one knee.
With a small box in his hand.
Fifteen minutes later, we’re celebrating with our families, though Johnson won’t stop kissing me like we’re alone.
“Give them a break.” Pam laughs as Rawley grumbles about it. “They just got engaged.”
Johnson arranged for a chef to make us all dinner, so no one has to work during our celebration. All of us are able to enjoy the night together, and the new bond we’ll share with the engagement.
But the moment that I treasure the most happens as the night comes to a close, when Landon’s saying his goodbyes and gets to Johnson.
“You’re an honorary Battle now, J,” Landon says, patting him on the back. “Whether you like it or not.”
Johnson smiles big in return.
“I can’t imagine it any other way.”
THE END