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“It’s a start,” I tell her. “Your space, you can do whatever you want with it,” I tell her. Knowing it’ll probably be filled with kids and dogs before too long, but that’s up to her.
“Thank you,” she says, turning to me, planting a tender kiss on my cheek, pressing her hands flat against my chest the way I like.
“Happy anniversary baby, I love you,” I remind her.
“I love you more,” she says. “And next year?” she asks.
“Yeah?” I ask.
“Maybe next year, hide the elevator shaft somewhere I won’t find it. I was wondering what that was down the side of the house.”
Extra Extended Epliogue
Ten Years Later
Rachel
Looking out into the sea of faces, little angels all of them. I can see Luke looking anxiously, watching the clock on the far wall.
Like me, he’s wondering where his father’s gotten to. I crease a smile and mouth the words I love you to him, calming his nerves and reminding him that his daddy loves him too.
He wouldn’t miss any of this for the world. He’s just running a little late.
It’s parent’s career day for Luke’s class. Something I would have cringed at a few years ago, but Luke has his heart set on showing off his daddy and his mommy to his whole class.
I drew the short straw, which was kind of deliberate I think. Not every day a best-selling kid’s author is one of the student’s mom.
But Luke’s not interested in that. His sisters are, but Luke thinks kid’s stories are for babies.
He really wants to be an architect when he grows up and he really, really wants to show off his dad. A real life architect.
The school leaped at the chance to have me involved, and Conor kind of accidentally on purpose told them I’d love to do a book reading and signing for the whole school, staff. Even the local media has shown up.
I’m terrified, but seeing my baby boy in the crowd and knowing the rest of the tribe will be here once Conor is too, I think back to a time when I was down on myself.
Thinking my life was going nowhere.
“It’s great publicity,” my publisher told me. But Conor thinks it’s a better drawcard for the new library he’s just had built for the area school and for the community. The new library we’re sitting in, hosting the whole event for not only Luke’s class but the whole school that’s turned out.
Luke’s principal is looking at her watch and lets me know it’s time for something to start, with or without our famous architect.
Conor comes in though, baby Emma squawking in his huge arm, her sisters Jasmine, and Penny, all towing along behind holding hands. Connected to his free one that grips the eldest of our girls, Jessica.
My instinct is to get up and go to my babies, to help my husband. But his look is one I know only too well.
He’s got this. I know he does.
With eight dogs at home and five kids, with ten years of practice. I think he knows what he’s doing by now.
It still makes my heart leap when I see him, wrangling the family or just seeing his huge V-shaped frame come into a room. He has presence and the whole room turns to watch as he makes his way up to the front, sitting the kids down one by one, and handing baby Emma to my dad who’s been waiting patiently in the front row.
With a nod from him to the principal and a little silent ‘sorry’ to me for being late, I can see our son Luke’s eyes shining with pride already, counting the minutes before his hero, his daddy gives his speech about the new library and about what it’s like to be an architect.
There’s a bit of waffle from the principal, then the local city councilor, and then the mayo, all taking credit for the new library, even though it’s not being called the Fox Family Trust library and center for learning for nothing.
Anyway, what’s in a name?
Luke’s whole class and their parents are here, all about to give a little speech about what they do and how it helps their family.
Conor and I are up first, with Conor taking center stage before I do. Meaning I can watch his fine ass from behind as he speaks.
The man hasn’t aged a day, and if anything I swear his ass is getting tighter.
Fortunately, Luke appears and reminds me what we’re all here for as he takes his special seat beside me while his dad gives his speech.
Once Conor’s done, he helps Luke up to the microphone so he can say a few words, which aren’t too many. He seems to have my side of the family’s public speaking skills, which aren’t great at the best of times.
