Epilogue
Three months later…
Madelaine and Jack were hand in hand, headed for the surprise birthday party for Jack’s brother, Diesel. Now that Madelaine had been officially released from Paladin Courier duty and Veida had resumed her former role, Madelaine was free to live her life with Jack as they’d planned.
She was so very grateful that her time with Jack was not at an end, but merely beginning. Or perhaps beginning again, picking up where they left off five years before.
A few weeks back, Madelaine and Jack had visited her family on Ichor Delta to let them know about her service as the Paladin Courier being at an end. Luckily, Veida had been able to keep tabs on her family and their whereabouts while Madelaine was in the training program.
Her Father, stepmother and sister were already making plans to move back to Alienn and they were very excited to learn that she and Jack had gotten married and not at all surprised.
Madelaine and Jack had already settled down in Alienn in the house Jack had bought for them. He told her that if she didn’t like anything he’d done, to let him know and he’d change it for her.
She thought the house was perfect and told him not to change a thing.
“Are you sure you don’t want to make any changes?” Jack asked. “I feel like you’ve sacrificed enough for two lifetimes over the past five years. The least I can do is change the paint color in any room or buy some new furniture if you want it.”
Madelaine hugged him. “Thank you, but I like it just the way it is. You did all the things we talked about and I love what you did with the Amazonian backyard best. I know that took some effort.”
“Totally worth it,” he hugged her back.
Tonight, they were headed to a birthday party for Diesel. Madelaine picked up the wrapped package she’d helped Jack put together earlier.
“Are you sure this is a good gift for your brother?” Madelaine asked. “He seems more like a tool guy than something so unremarkable as a plain coffee cup.”
“Aunt Dixie is running this show, like she runs a lot of shows for our family. It was her suggestion and she gave it to me to give to him. I suspect it’s a gag gift that he won’t like. But I dare not skew from her ultimate plan.”
“Oh. Yes. Don’t skew on my account.”
Jack kissed Madelaine and she kissed him back. Her life was perfect now.
And directly after the party, she planned to take Jack home and explain about the delicate condition she found herself in after all those honeymoons they enjoyed very, very much on the Paladin Seeker.
Enjoy!