“Mabel …”
She dropped her volume a little, even though everyone could still hear us.“I’m a product of rape.Dr.Douglas helped me come to terms with and accept that reality a while ago.You’ve made sure I’ve known from day one thatyouwanted me.And that’s enough.I don’t want Kyla, and she doesn’t want me.And I’m okay with that.”
“Damn, you’re mature,” Maverick said, bringing over glasses of water for Naomi, Mabel, and myself.
I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into me, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.“You were always wanted, kiddo.You might not have come at the most opportune time, but I’m so glad you’re here.You’re my whole world.”
“I think we can all agree that our past does not define our present,” Gabrielle said, having recovered from her rush of emotions.Naomi just sat on her knees next to her cousin.“It has shaped us into the people we are today, but it doesn’t control us.”
“And has no power over our tomorrow,” I said.
Mabel leaned into my side, and I caught Naomi’s eyes on me from across the room, and for the first time in a long time … I didn’t feel like I was waiting for something to go wrong.
I wasn’t that boy anymore.
Surrounded by noise and laughter and people who chose us, I realized I didn’t have to keep running.
I was home—with them.
EPILOGUE
Naomi
3weekslater…
It was Mabel’s fourteenth birthday, and we were all gathered that evening at Tom’s house after we had worked at the vineyard all day.Today we would be releasing Oakley the osprey back into the wild.
A little banged up, with a crazy story to tell its bird friends, but otherwise as good as new and ready to spread its wings and fly again.
In the weeks following the Kyla incident we’d all been a little on edge.
Not snapping at each other, or anything like that.Just … emotional.Easily spooked, and not particularly fond of being alone.Especially me and Mabel.
She was over at the house every day with Damon now, while Lennox was at work, and I made sure I always had someone accompany me home if the kids were at school and I needed to pop to the cottage for something.
I hated that I didn’t feel safe.That I’d lost my independence.
But as Dr.Harvey Douglas said, that feeling wouldn’t last.It was still just fresh.
For the first week after it all happened, Austin and Honor both slept in my bed with me.It was cramped and hot up in the loft with all three of us, but honestly, I kind of liked having my babies so close to me.
The silver lining to all of this though, was how close our families grew after this ordeal.Mabel and Lennox were undeniably a part of our crew now.We’d gone through some seriously traumatic shit together, and even though they say trauma bonding isn’t healthy,theycan go fuck themselves.We’re closer than ever.
Gabrielle baked Mabel’s cake, because she’s the mama bear of the family and the baker, but I liked to think I helped too by staying out of her way.
It was a perfect summer day with a warm sun, no delinquent donkey trying to bite anybody’s elbows, and a butt-scratch-loving pig sniffing around for dropped snacks.
Mabel was adamant that we not sing to her.Instead, we just started cutting the cake and serving it up.She wanted pizza from Slice of Heaven, snacks, sparkling water and juice, and a carrot cake with cream cheese icing.
Who were we to deny her such an easy request?Especially when she’d become such an important member of the family.
Apparently, Damon had been struggling with what to get her for her birthday, so Maverick suggested he go hang out with Man Patel and maybe whittle her something with a bird on it.The kid came back with an impressively carved wooden bird, and Mabel clutched it tightly in her hand as she ate pizza with the other.I’d say the gift was a huge success.
“How you doing?”Lennox asked, coming up behind me as I stood on Tom’s porch, sipping rosé and staring out at the glittering water.
“Blessed,” I said with a sigh, leaning my head against his shoulder.He wrapped his arm around me.
“Yeah?”
