EPILOGUE Callum #3
However, I will admit that playing Westley and Buttercup for a night feels fun; the otter counterparts are still around, now taking residence in Matilda’s bedroom on her shelf. She always loves to hear the story of how Daddy won them for Mommy at the carnival.
Sophie grins at the no doubt hungry look on my face as I gaze at her and leans in, “You look very handsome. We might have to pull this look out for special occasions..."
“Oh?” I lean in and kiss her sweetly before pausing and making sure Matilda isn’t coming, before I deepen it. “That can definitely be arranged, baby.”
“I love you, otter,” she says, grinning so sweetly at me. And still, even after all these years, my heart kicks in my chest, and gratitude floods my entire body.
My Sophie, my sweet girl, the best thing that has ever happened to me.
I sit in gratitude for a moment and think about all she’s given me: love, a home, a wonderful little girl, and peace.
She gives me peace as I’ve never experienced before, and I will protect, cherish, and choose her every single day, for eternity.
“I love you, Sophie,” I kiss her, long and lingering. “Always.”
We start to deepen the kiss, lost in each other, before the doorbell rings, forcing us back down to earth and parenting duties as Matilda’s feet pound down the stairs.
I open the door and let in the wonderful chaos.
Bailey waddles up our walkway with Michael next to her, cradling her pregnant belly as their children.
Bailey and Michael are in regular clothes, Bailey declaring that she’s too pregnant to figure out costumes for them this year.
She’s a family costume magician, and her Flintstones costume last year was legendary.
Their children, Mateo and Angelina, run straight into our house right by me.
Mateo beelines for Sophie and practically throws himself into her arms, while Angelina, dressed as Cinderella, twirls directly toward Matilda.
They’ve been best friends since diapers, and that doesn’t seem to change, despite their different personalities.
Angelina is a perfect clone of Bailey's looks and personality. Matilda resembles Sophie almost exactly in appearance, but she seems to have inherited personality quirks straight from her godmothers—hence the costume and favorite character from the movie.
Ever since Tonya had declared Inigo as “badass,” he’s been Matilda’s role model. There could be worse role models, I suppose, especially after Matilda had proudly stated to my wife and me that she, too, would “go on a quest to avenge us against the murderer!”
Sophie and I were strangely touched by that.
Mateo hugs me next, dressed as Spider-Man. He looks so much like Michael but has Bailey’s warm brown eyes and welcoming nature. That little boy can’t go anywhere without making at least three friends.
“Uncle Callum, watch this!” He lifts his hands for a dramatic web-shot, and I ruffle his hair affectionately.
“Woah! So cool!” I say, tossing him up in the air once before setting him back down.
Through the still-open door, Forrest runs in. The eight-year-old boy dressed as Aragorn runs into my open arms, too, before he extracts himself and hugs Sophie. He is gentle, shy, and impossibly polite, definitely his parents’ child.
Forrest doesn’t have autism like his brother, but he definitely has a bit of Jane’s shyness, and only allows himself to truly come out of his shell in front of a select few, the people in this house being some of the lucky ones.
Taller and broader-shouldered than most kids his age, he mirrors Atticus in build, and I know he’s going to be the tallest kid in his class, as I had been.
Forrest runs up to Matilda, who squeals in joy when she sees it's him and leaps into his arms. While Angelina and Matilda are best friends, Forrest and Matilda share a very special bond. It’s like they’re each other’s person.
I think it’s because they see each other more often at school and when they are babysat together, but I don’t know.
I think they just understand each other in a way no one else can.
Jane and Atticus walk into the house, then I smile at their costumes—Gomez and Morticia, I don’t think there’s a costume that fits them better.
“You guys look great,” Atticus laughs, giving me a hug and slapping my back. I chuckle, glancing down at the all black ensemble Sophie and I put together at the thrift store, sans the mask for right now.
“Matilda, come here, let me take some photos for Donna and Rich!” Sophie calls, gesturing for Matilda who runs over and strikes a very Inigo pose for the camera. Donna and Rich are gonna get a kick out of it.
“Party’s here!” Tonya announces herself loudly, and all of the kids nearly shake the roof off at once as they rush to their Aunt Tonya, who’s brought full-size candy bars. Tess walks in behind her, smiling at the chaos before making her way to the group of moms.
Then Jack and Alexandra walk through the front door, followed by two blurs—their twins, Ronan and Fia.
Jack and Alexandra had retired from military service together, and Jack brought them to Starling Cove.
His parents were long gone, and Alexandra had no desire to go with her family.
They had married quickly, but took time to enjoy being married before they had their twins four years ago.
“What’s up, man?” Jack says, hugging me as Alex walks over to hug Sophie, the tall woman having found a fast friend in Sophie when they were new in town. I glance down at his costume—a brown jumpsuit—then at the kids and Alex in matching outfits. “Like it?”
“It’s fantastic,” I chuckle, taking in the full family theme—the little proton guns, the tiny patches sewn onto their sleeves.
Ghostbusters.
“Who you gonna call?” Jack jokes, slapping my back and glancing warmly at his family. I’ll be honest, I had never really pictured Jack as a family man. He was always more of the if I don’t feel any real attachment, I can’t get that hurt variety, hence why he wasn’t that torn up when his ex cheated.
Alexandra, though... she changed him. For the better. He’s a man completely head-over-heels in love with his wife and a devoted stay-at-home father to his twins.
My mom walks into the house, no doubt having been brought by Tess and Tonya. She hugs Jack in greeting before Jack is called away for pictures, then does silly, exaggerated poses from the movie with his family.
My mom stands next to me as I survey my family.
“He would have loved this, sweetest heart,” she murmurs, almost too low for me to hear.
“He’s here, Mom. In my heart, in these walls, in Matilda’s laugh..." I nod, our matching eyes glistening, hers filled with memories, mine with gratitude.
I remember her telling me about what my dad said, how it made him happy that the people he loved most shared the same eyes.
As I glance at Sophie and Matilda, both of them posing for pictures, matching blue-green eyes sparkling with laughter, I can’t help but agree with him.
My house is loud, filled with kids' laughter, my wife’s laughter, my friends' laughter.
I close my eyes and breathe it all in, grateful and humbled for this life of mine.
◆◆◆
Two hours later, the group has filtered down to my little family as we finally begin our walk home.
Bailey and Michael left half an hour ago, heading back to Boston. Jane and Atticus were about twenty minutes ago, needing to head home to Leo. The teenager had declared himself too old to trick-or-treat this year and would be staying home and watching scary movies, much to Atticus’s amusement.
A couple of minutes ago, the Aunt Ts had left as they had their own Halloween party to attend at Tonya’s tattoo parlor. They had to stop at the apartment and put on their costumes—Thelma and Louise.
Jack and Alexandra each carried a sleeping twin, and they whispered they were heading home and that Jack would text me tomorrow.
We’re thinking of starting something in contracting again, together.
The book doesn’t really need me there so much anymore, and it would be nice to start putting aside some money for Matilda.
I smile as I think of the future, eager for what’s to come, but wanting to truly appreciate every moment.
The sun has almost completely set, and the sidewalks of our neighborhood only have a few lingering trick-or-treaters left. I walk behind my girls, carrying a sack of candy my six-year-old had dramatically declared “too heavy” for her to carry.
Matilda and Sophie walk hand in hand, their heads leaning together as they whisper conspiratorially, pausing every few steps to glance back at me. Whenever I catch their eyes, they immediately paste on identical innocent smiles.
That cannot possibly be a good sign for me.
“Go ahead, honey,” Sophie encourages Matilda, grinning at our girl. The blonde wig Sophie wore earlier, which she had declared itchy and ripped off ten minutes into trick-or-treating, is folded over her arm as she grins mischievously at me.
My hackles rise and my eyes narrow.
“Daddy,” Matilda says, hands folded in front of her and shifting from side to side, putting on the performance of her life, “Mommy said if it’s okay with you, we can stay up and watch The Princess Bride?”
I glance at Sophie, who shrugs with an innocent smile, and then back down at Matilda.
“It’s late, and it’s a school—” I start, but—oh no, she took out the big guns.
My daughter’s little bottom lip pokes out, and her eyes—her mother’s beautiful eyes—go wide and glassy as she draws out the word. “Please..."
I turn to my wife for backup, only to find her making the exact same face at me. Her hands are even folded over her chest, and our daughter quickly copies the movement.
“Please, my otter..." Sophie pouts, and I can see the corners of her mouth twitching upward, ready to burst into laughter. I am thoroughly outnumbered, and I know it.
Sighing deeply, I resign myself to my fate, though I can’t hide the smile on my face.
“As you wish.”
“Yes!” Matilda squeals triumphantly, turns to her mother for a high-five, and I shake my head at my two sneaky girls. Wrapping my arm around my wife’s shoulders, I hold my daughter’s hand and guide my family back home.
“’Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!’ Was that one better?”
I squeeze Matilda’s little hand, “That one was excellent.”
“Perfect, little otter,” Sophie says, laying her head on my shoulder. I lean down to press a lingering kiss to her hair. Sophie sighs happily, “Absolutely perfect.”
Like they say in the books—
And we lived happily ever after.
THE END