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Epilogue

Ansley


Iclose the book and look out at all the sleepy little faces and smile.

“What did you guys think?” I ask.

Three hands go into the air. I point to a boy with a gap-toothed grin and tiny black-framed glasses.

“I’m happy the giraffe found his spots,” he says, and the room erupts in cheers.

“I’m glad too,” I tell him.

Another hand goes up.

“Yes, Tori?”

“I liked the flamingos,” she says.

The book is about a young giraffe traveling the world and meeting lots of animal friends, trying to find where he fits in. It’s a great book about acceptance and that being different is not a bad thing.

The children start chattering away, and it takes me a moment to get their attention again.

“Okay, guys, everyone get in a line and bring your books up, please.”

I began giving each child a book to follow along with the story when I realized some of them had trouble seeing when I turned the book around for them to glimpse the illustrations.

“Then, we have treat bags for you guys to take home with you,” I announce.

One by one, they stand and walk up to where I’m seated. The first little boy grins at me and hands me his book. There is a slip of paper sticking out of it, and I take it and unfold it.

It reads, I love you.

I take the note and hold it to my chest. “Aw, James, I love you too.”

He trots off, and the next boy hands me his book, which also has a note tucked inside.

It reads, I’ve loved you since the day we met.

“Thank you, Joshua,” I return.

Cindy Lou is next, and her note reads, I can’t imagine a life without you in it.

And the next says, So, I don’t intend to.

The next child in line doesn’t even have a book. He simply hands me a handful of blue and white irises.

Tears begin to gather in my eyes as I take the flowers and bring them to my nose.

The next note comes from a little girl in pigtails.

So, will you?

I take in a sharp breath as I clutch the paper in my hand, and when I look up, Garrett is there in a gorgeous suit, on bended knee.

“Garrett,” I gasp.

“Hey, Foxy,” he whispers.

“What are you doing here?”

He extends his right arm, and there is a velvet box perched in his palm.

A cry escapes me as he opens the lid, and tucked inside is a brilliant diamond ring.

I look up into his shimmering green eyes. They are so full of emotion, and I want to leap into his arms and comfort him.

“I live in a big world. One full of big cities and crowded arenas. It can be scary and lonely sometimes, even when I’m surrounded by faces. But the world is a lot less scary when you know where you belong and who you belong with. No matter where this career takes me, no matter what stage I find myself on, as long as I know you are somewhere, waiting for me to come home to you, I’ll never be lost again. Ansley Humphries, will you marry me?”

A symphony of giggles and cheers fills the air.

Garrett turns and brings his finger to his lips. “Shh, guys. She hasn’t said yes yet,” he tells the kids.

“Say yes, Miss Ansley!” one small voice yells.

Then, they all start chanting, “Yes, yes, yes!”

I begin to laugh through my tears when Erin, Jena, and Taeli step up behind the kids, also chanting the same.

“Foxy?” Garrett calls, and I look back to him.

“Yes,” I cry.

He takes the ring and slides it on my finger. Then, he stands and picks me up into his arms and whirls us around.

“She said yes!” he shouts, and a dozen little bodies come running for us, wrapping their arms around our legs.



Garrett


I lead her into the beautifully decorated glass room at the top of Misty Mountain Ski Lodge. It’s the only thing complete on the lodge but it is the perfect place to celebrate our engagement with its three-hundred-sixty-degree views of the valley and the beginnings of our future home on the other side of the mountain.

Our mothers and Leona spent all of last evening stringing the space with twinkling lights and my brothers lugged the wooden tables and chairs up. Erin, Jena, and Taeli decorated the tables with floral arrangements and beautiful place settings.

My good friend and fellow up-and-coming recording artist, Baxter Paige, and his band are the entertainment for the night.

As soon as she takes in the scene, she begins to cry. I wrap her in my arms and she buries her face into my neck.

“Hey, those better be happy tears,” I whisper into her hair.

She nods, too choked up to speak.

Everyone starts to clap and holler when they notice our arrival and our parents hurry to meet us at the threshold.

Ansley releases her grip on me and collapses into her mother’s open arms. “Congratulations, baby,” her mother coos.

Pastor Humphries greets me with a handshake and then a tearful hug. “Welcome to the family, son.”

“Thank you, sir,” I say.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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