Epilogue
August One Year Later
“ S cott, are we allowed in here?”
“Who’s gonna stop us?”
I mean, like, security probably. The US Air Force? You ever heard of them?”
“Come on, cupcake. Don’t wuss out on me now.”
She bit her lip and followed me through the open gate—I mean, that should have tipped her off that there was nothing to worry about, but she was all up in her head thinking she was going to be sent to jail for trespassing on DOD property.
We weren’t.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Come on. You’ll know as soon as you see it.”
We rounded the hedge and walked around to the back of the building. Then I tried the door. This one was also open.
“Holy shit, they’ve left a door unlocked to the elementary school. That’s insane.”
I led her down the corridor, the lights blinking on as we traveled.
“Scott, this is so weird.”
“I know, baby, but soon everything will become clear. I promise.”
“Okay. I trust you.”
We pulled up to a stop outside of our old kindergarten classroom door and I turned her so she was ready for her surprise.
“Aww, everything looks so tiny now. It was a lifetime ago, huh?”
“It really was.”
“I’m really glad we did this. I just hope we won’t get into trouble.”
“We won’t.”
Then I nodded behind me, and Mama and Jenna’s dad stepped forward out of their hiding spot.
“Dad? Gilly, what are you . . .”
She looked for me, but I wasn’t beside her anymore. I was on the ground propped up on one knee in front of her.
She gasped and her eyes filled.
“Twenty-five years ago to the day, at eight-thirty on a warm August morning, I was trying to talk my mama into taking me back home when the sweetest voice I’d ever heard challenged me for the first time. Knox was in his stroller . . .”
Knox walked out from the shadows and her eyes widened in surprise again.
“. . . and baby Jason was just a squashed-up basketball.” He emerged, too, but rolled his eyes.
“My dad and your mom were away on an exercise.” That was their cue to appear, and they both walked forward into the light.
“Casey and Coralie were off starting the third grade.”
My twin brother and sister stepped forward so she could see them.
Jenna laughed through her tears, but she nodded at me to continue.
She was ready for this. Had been waiting a long time to hear these precious words, and so I continued.
“I was scared. So scared of leaving Mama and the babies, and I was worried for myself, too. Even at five, I knew my place in my family. Here though . . .”
I thumbed at the kindergarten door. “I didn’t know where I’d fit in. It only took one look at you, Jenna Ashley McCall, to know I’d found it by eight thirty-three. My place was with you, by your side forever.”
I felt for the velvet box in my pocket and brought it in front of me, popping the lid to the box open. “I am so in love with you. I didn’t know at five years old what I know now. That I had met my soulmate. The girl I was going to share every single part of my life with. I’m so sorry it took me so long to tell you how much I love you.”
I heard my mom subtly sniff, but my dad could take care of her for one more minute. I had a question I needed to ask.
“But that ends today. My Jenna, my cupcake, my JAM master plan, will you marry me?”
She dove down to meet me on the ground, but I lifted both of us to keep her on her feet.
Holding on to her, as she clung to me.
“Is that a yes or?”
“Oh my God, yes. I love you so much, yes!”
I kissed her then. Kissed the side of her smiling mouth. Kissed the perfect bow of her top lip. And then slanted my mouth over hers for a few seconds until . . .
“Can we come out now? It sucks to not exist yet!”
Everyone laughed. He’d done well to keep quiet for as long as he had.
“Yeah, kid, you can come out now.”
Aunt May, Troy, Theo and Lexie, Jack and Gunner, Kate, Anna, and Wren all emerged from the room across the hall. Completing our family.
“Congratulations, son,” my dad said, my mom nudging him out of the way so she could throw her arms around both of us, the rest of the family piling in.
“We should celebrate.”
“Oh, well, why doesn’t everyone come back to our house? Jack will get the grill going?” Mama drawled casually.
Too casually.
“Yep, I can do that,” he boasted, puffing out his chest, and I swear all the girls swooned a little.
“Need us to run to the store, Mama?” Jason asked.
Her eyes pinged to my Aunt May who tried to cover her smile. “No, I think we’re all stocked up.”
Knox and Jason looked at each other. “Stocked up.” They both mouthed and high-fived.
Looked like we were having an engagement party . . . that my mama had been planning for days.