Epilogue
HOUSTON
“Today has been one crazy day. Not only did we open two new businesses today, but I married my best friend. The ride, whew, the ride has been something. Starting with me not acknowledging what I needed. I needed a woman who loved more than she hated. There’s nothing my wife won’t do for those she loves and the things she is passionate about.
For a long time, I had no idea I needed a spouse or another life partner. I did, and I found her.
Teaghan, thank you for pushing me to higher heights.
Thank you for not allowing me to wallow in my struggles.
You’ve become my peace and I pray I return the favor until the end of time.
I love you and thank you so much for filling a void with our son Malone.
Today, we celebrate the opening of the second Mothering Medicine location.
If you need a pediatrician, come see my wife.
She will take good care of you. I promise she has the magic touch and I’m not saying that because she’s my ole lady, I’m saying it because it’s all facts no fiction. ”
The large crowd of our friends began to cheer as I grabbed for her hand.
She was beautiful in her white dress. Her makeup simple like her and her smile bright as usual.
Time was all we needed to work out the kinks in our ready made situation.
Malone was doing better in school and not giving us any issues.
We were proud of him because he had come along way. Life was good and only getting better.
“Ok, ok, settle down because we are also here to celebrate the opening of Leslie’s Hardware Store.
It has been my lifelong dream to own my own hardware store, but when Leslie passed, I didn’t see it happening.
I didn’t know I would have time to be a full-time father and be a businessman.
Leslie had always supported my dreams, no matter what it cost. I know she is looking down and is proud of Teaghan and me.
Teaghan has made the transition easy and has even been understanding of who and what she was to me.
Tonight we raise our glasses to love, life, and happiness. ”
I leaned down and kissed her lips, and our small friends went wild again.
Luke was drunk and howling. Shawn was attempting to calm him down.
Missy was crying hysterically with happy tears for Teaghan.
My mother and father were both in the crowd beaming with pride.
Malone was right next to us, looking up at loving parents.
I wanted that vision to last a lifetime. We made it!
* * *
“Now that my husband has finished his long-winded speech, which I’m proud of.
We all know he was never a man of many words.
I laugh all the time because at first, I couldn’t get him to sit down and chat with me to save my life, now I can’t get him to hush up sometimes.
Either way, I’m lucky to have his words, whether they stretch for miles or last for a few seconds.
When my husband speaks, you want to listen because it may never come again.
I don’t have a lot that I feel must be said that he didn’t cover already.
However, I do want to say a big thank you to my husband for seeing me for who I was and not taking advantage of me.
I never imagined a love that didn’t require anything but love back would find me and stick around.
Houston, you came and raised the bar, and I know I will never find a love as ready and prepared as ours.
The test of time has been won, and we are living proof that loss doesn’t mean the end.
Pain doesn’t mean the end. It can be a beautiful beginning.
I do want to say thank you to my family, especially my father, who has been so supportive over the last few months.
Some don’t know that for years our relationship was strained.
We were missing the mark and missing love from our conversation.
My mother passed away a few months ago, and her last wish was for us to make it right.
Mommy, I think we’ve done that and more.
People, life is short. Never let anyone block the sunshine from your life.
Love your family, appreciate your family and cherish your family.
I know I won’t let a day go by without doing the same for mine.
Malone and Houston, thank you for loving me to higher heights.
I love you all, now let’s party,” I said, tossing my glass in the air.
I was celebrating the wins and not the lows for once.
It felt good to have a family that was full of love.
Losing my mother was hard and unexpected in a way because there’s no warning, but with the love of my life by my side, I made it through it.
Not being able to tell her how sorry I was for making her feel as though she had to choose was difficult.
However, every week I was at her gravesite telling her the latest news and how happy I was.
I knew she would be proud of me and my father’s reconciliation.
She always wanted us to be close and now we were.
Grabbing his hand, we made it to the floor to start the father-daughter dance. This was love, and this was the journey.