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“And there’s more,” he continues, a trace of the old determination back in his voice. “I’ve managed to keep the hospital incident under wraps. No one needs to know, and I want to offer your men their jobs back.”
Relief washes over me in a warm wave. The prospect of normalcy, of mending bridges, feels overwhelming yet necessary. “Thank you, Dad,” I whisper, the weight of our estrangement lifting ever so slightly with those three words.
I step forward, closing the gap between my father and me. My arms wrap around his familiar frame, pulling him into an embrace that carries all the words we haven’t said, all the love that’s been strained but never broken. His arms are hesitant at first, but then they come around me, strong and warm.
“I’ve missed you so much,” I breathe out, the tightness in my chest easing.
“Me too, honey,” he whispers back, his voice thick with emotion.
We stand there, in the doorway, holding each other. It’s a silent truce, a bridge over turbulent waters.
Stepping back, I wipe away a rogue tear, finding Levi’s concerned gaze on us. “You guys cool?” he asks, his tone hopeful.
My dad’s eyes shift to Levi, and it takes him a moment before he nods. “Yeah,” he says, his voice more steady than I expect. “We’re cool.”
The sigh of relief from Levi is almost audible. He steps closer, and Conrad and Grayson are not far behind. There’s a brief hesitation before my father opens his arms again, this time wider.
We converge into a group hug, enveloped in a sense of unity that’s been absent for too long. Conrad’s hand finds mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze, while Levi’s arm wraps around us both and Grayson’s hand moves in reassuring circles on my back.
“Family,” Conrad murmurs, his voice filled with gratitude.
“Family,” Levi echoes, his smile audible in his voice.
“Family,” Grayson says sincerely, like a promise.
“Family,” my father agrees, and it feels like the first piece of a new beginning clicks into place.
We stand there in the kitchen, wrapped up in each other—literally and figuratively. The warmth of their bodies, the steady rhythm of their hearts, and the quiet strength of their presence—it’s everything. It’s acceptance, it’s healing, it’s home.
“Let’s not waste any more time,” Dad says, finally pulling back. His eyes, bright with unshed tears, meet mine, and in them I see the future—a future where love doesn’t have to fit a mold, where my family, all of them, can be together.
“Agreed,” I respond, smiling through the tears that now freely fall. We’re stronger together, after all. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
EPILOGUE
BRIELLE
Flour spills. Eggs teeter on the edge of the counter. The kitchen is a battlefield of scattered utensils and spilled sugar, Minnie and Sonny at the heart of it all. “Cake! Cake!” they chant, faces aglow with eagerness.
“Alright, my little chefs,” I chuckle, scooping them up into my arms amidst their giggles. “Let’s make the biggest, yummiest cake ever.” I plant a kiss on each of their foreheads, accepting the impending chaos as part of our recipe.
“Momma, help!” Sonny extends his chubby hand, grinning up at me with those eyes so like Conrad’s—deep and filled with mirth.
“Me too!” Minnie’s voice rings out, insistent, her curls bouncing as she hops excitedly, mirroring Levi’s boundless energy.
“Of course, you two are Mommy’s best helpers,” I say, setting them down gently. I swipe a bowl off the shelf and hand them wooden spoons that look almost comically large in their grasp. “Let’s create a masterpiece.”
We’re surrounded by a cloud of flour within seconds, laughter filling the air as we embrace the perfect mess of shared moments.
Tiny hands fumble with the cocoa container, a puff of chocolate dusting the air. Minnie’s fingers close around a measuring spoon, determination set in her concentrated frown. Sonny, mirroring his sister’s resolve, wrestles with a bag of sugar, half of it cascading onto the floor in his earnest attempt.
“Oops!” he exclaims, and I bite back a laugh, not wanting to dampen his spirit.
“Good try, sweetheart,” I encourage, sweeping the stray granules into a pile with my hand. “Next time, let’s aim for the bowl, okay?”
“Okay, Momma!” Sonny beams, proud despite the mishap.
Minnie nods, taking charge as she scoops at the flour. A cloud escapes, settling over her like a fine coat of winter frost. Her giggle, so infectious, fills the room as she claps, sending up flurries of white.
