Epilogue
MAEVE
One Year Later
Thanksgiving once again and as we sit down to the dinner table after laying flowers on my mom’s grave, as I gaze at the spread and am reminded of everything I have to be truly grateful for. A smile creeps across my face as I look up at my dad.
“Did you really make all of this?” I ask.
“Of course I did,” he replies.
“Don’t let him lie to you. He ordered the turkey.”
“We had an unfortunate turkey mishap,” he says. “Don’t ask.”
“What happened?”
“I said, don’t ask.”
I laugh as Alyssa, my dad’s girlfriend these past couple of months sits down beside him at the table.
I smile. I like Alyssa a lot. She’s kind, funny, intelligent, and she doesn’t take my dad’s bullshit.
Just like my mom. He’s needed somebody like this in his life and I’m just thankful they found each other.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my dad smile the way he is.
It’s been even longer since I’ve seen his face have the kind of glow it has right now.
Seeing him so happy again makes me want to cry with joy.
“I did make all the sides though,” he says proudly.
“Yes, you did, dear,” Alyssa says and gives him a kiss on the cheek.
“I hope you didn’t start without me,” Myles says as he steps into the dining room.
“Oh, we’re already done,” my dad replies. “Sorry you missed it.”
Myles puts on a faux frown. “Well, I guess we won’t be needing this bottle of wine then. It’s a shame, it’s from my special collection.”
“Oh, does that mean it doesn’t have a screw cap?” my dad teases.
“Bite your tongue, heathen,” Myles says with a laugh.
He sits down and uncorks the bottle then fills everybody’s glasses and we dig into our feast. Conversation and laughter flow like the wine and all the while, my heart swells until it feels too big for my chest. It’s been years since we’ve had this sort of joy around the Thanksgiving dinner table.
As I sit back and watch Myles and my dad laughing and joking with each other, with Alyssa wading into the fray, I can’t stop smiling.
I feel so grateful that my eyes fill with tears.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” my dad asks.
I nod. “I’m better than okay. Today has been… amazing. It feels like old times. I’m really happy. Like, really happy.”
My dad gives me a soft smile. “It does, doesn’t it? And I’m happy too.”
“That makes three of us,” Myles says.
“Four of us,” Alyssa adds, raising her glass.
I raise my own glass. “Here’s to all of us. Thank you guys for making this such a wonderful and special day.”
We clink glasses and take a drink. My dad and Alyssa share a look and a smile, some secret bit of information passing between them. Curious, I sit back as he sets his glass down. My dad turns to me with warmth and joy in his eyes.
“So, I have some news,” he says.
“Do tell,” I reply.
“First, I’m going to be taking a step back at the company,” he announces. “I won’t be dealing with all the day to day operations and will be hiring somebody who will. I guess I’m going to be semi-retiring.”
“Cheers, mate,” Myles says, raising his glass. “It’s about bloody time.”
“But wait, there’s more,” I say. “I can see it in your eyes, Dad.”
“I never could fool you, pumpkin.”
“No, you could not. So, what is it?”
He and Alyssa glance at each other again and it’s impossible to feel the love that crackles between them. It makes my heart swell all over again.
“Alyssa here has talked me into taking a cruise around the world,” he says. “Once I get the situation at the company sorted out—”
“Which will be within the next few weeks,” Alyssa says. “I’m not going to let this old dog drag his feet too long.”
“Good for you, girl,” I say.
My dad smiles. “Once that’s squared away, we’ll be boarding a ship, and we will be traveling the world. We’ll be gone several months, I think.”
I clap my hands and laugh. Myles raises his glass again.
“Good for you, Howie. Nobody deserves some time to relax and enjoy their success more than you,” he says. “And I couldn’t be happier that you have such an amazing woman to share that adventure with. Here’s to you both.”
Alyssa leans into my dad and he wraps his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. “So, that’s my news,” he says then turns to me. “And what is it exactly you’ve been keeping in all night.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
He arches an eyebrow. “I may not be able to fool you, sweetheart. But you can’t fool me either. I can see that you have some news yourself. Out with it.”
I glance at Myles who grins and offers me a shrug. We had decided we were going to wait to share the news, not wanting to upstage our Thanksgiving, but clearly, I’ve not done a good enough job hiding it.
“He knows you well, love,” Myles says.
Biting my bottom lip, I slip the ring out of my pocket and slide it on. Holding my hand below the table, I stare at it in wonder for a moment.
“Come on,” my dad says. “Don’t keep us all in suspense.”
I raise my hand without a word and let them see the ring. Alyssa claps her hands over her mouth and my dad sits back, his eyes fixed on my hand.
He looks me in the eye. “Is that—”
“It is,” I say. “Myles proposed a couple of nights ago and I said yes.”
Alyssa squeals and rushes around the table and pulls me into a tight embrace. My dad comes around and shakes Myles’ hand then hugs him warmly.
“I admit, when this all first went down last year, I was skeptical—”
“You were an asshole about it,” Myles said.
My dad nods and laughs. “I was. True enough. But since then, I’ve realized that all I want is for my little girl to be happy. And you, my friend, make her happier than I’ve ever seen her before. You’re a good man, Myles Flannigan, and I’m proud to have you marry my daughter.”
“Thank you… Dad.”
My father punches Myles in the arm and laughs. “If you ever call me that again, I’ll cut off your balls and throw them in the ocean.”
Myles laughs. “Fair enough.”
My dad turns and pulls me to my feet then hugs me tighter than he’s ever hugged me before. I melt into him and feel the tears of joy slipping down my face.
“I’m happy for you, honey. So damn happy,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “And I know your mom is too. You got a good one there.”
“I did,” I reply. “And I’ve got the best parents in the world too.”
My father cups my face and stares into my eyes. “And I’ve got the best kid a parent could have ever asked for. I love you, pumpkin.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
We embrace and I feel like my heart has gotten so big, it might actually explode in my chest. I’m happy for my dad.
Nobody deserves love and to be loved as much as him.
And I’m happy for me. For taking a chance and finding the greatest love I could have ever wanted.
Without the spirit of adventure and the determination my parents gave me, I might not have.
But I could hear my mom’s voice urging me on.
Telling me to chase what I wanted and make it my own.
And that’s what I did. And now I have more than I could have ever hoped for.
The man of my dreams and soon, the career I’ve always wanted.
My life is a fairy tale—one I never expected to have, but one I will never let go.
And one I will never not be thankful for. If that’s not something truly remarkable for this Thanksgiving day, I don’t know what is.