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Maci: Morgan Waylon. Are you losing your mind? I’m roaming in and out of service, though. Have fun with Hank. Do everything you can with him, and don’t worry about me. I have a good story coming.
Oh my God, this is about a story? I glance toward Hank. “How did she get out of the diner at the same time the bikers left?”
“Maybe it had nothing to do with the bikers. You said she was desperate for a good story. She’s being wild and young. That’s… good for her.”
The amount of stress I’ve felt over the past few days over her disappearance has led me into the arms of my brother’s best friend, so I don’t hate that she pulled this, and I am happy that she’s found something to write about. Besides, I’m about to write a pretty decent story of my own.
Epilogue
Hank
Five Years Later
The sun is high, and the kids run back and forth along the lake shore. They’ve been chasing each other for at least thirty minutes. People say this age is hard, but I love having two three-year-olds. They play so well together and everything amuses them. Plus, they still like our company. I hear that ends sooner than later.
“Did you remember the pineapple?” Abby digs through the picnic basket next to me before pulling out a container of cut watermelon. “Oh, I think I packed this instead. Never mind.” She’s pregnant with our third, a baby girl. I think Noah and Allen are happy they’re having a baby sister, but we won’t know for sure until she gets here a few months from now. “I’m craving the pineapple, though. What’s with that?”
“Not sure. Want me to Google it?”
“No. I’m sure it’s some weird hormonal thing. Plus, I like our no phone policy when we’re by the water. It’s nice to get a break from everything. You’ve been swamped at the bike shop lately. I still can’t believe my brother asked you back.”
“He grew a soft spot for the kids is what happened. He’s taking the boys camping this weekend so that gives us some time to ourselves.”
She drags in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “About that… I don’t know if I can leave the boys that long. He wants to take them to the creek. They’re little still and they run fast.”
“They’ll be fine. It’s good for Duke and the kids. They need to bond with other people.” I tug her into my arms. “Besides, it’s our wedding anniversary. Four years. That’s a pretty big deal. I thought we could look at the wedding album, eat some cake, and then each other.” I grin wide. “I’d take you out for a ride, but I think that’s on pause until our baby girl gets here.”
“You had me at eating each other.” She smiles sweetly and leans against my chest as we watch the kids splash back and forth in the waves. “I can’t believe it’s been four years since we were here getting married. You in that black button up, me in that little pink sundress.” She smiles sweetly and shakes her head. “You make me want to wear pink again.”
“Me?What did I do?”
She smiles. “Hmm… I think it has something to do with the massive cock.”
“Oh.” I dig my feet into the warm sand as waves lap against the shore and the scent of sunscreen and fresh fruit lingers in the air. “That makes sense. I do remember reading somewhere that a good dicking can change a woman’s life.”
She laughs hard. “Well, you gave so much good dick that I’m wearing pink again, so that’s a pretty big deal. I didn’t think that would ever happen.”
“Well, I love you no matter the color you’re in. Black, green, pink, orange, stripes, cream, putrid yellow—”
“I do love putrid yellow.” She grins laying back on the blanket. Her stomach curves upward, and she circles her hand over the top of it, searching for a kick. “Oh, there she is.”
I join her, holding my hand over the same spot. “I think she’s dancing. With all those records you’re playing every day,it’s no wonder. You think any more about taking a break from the store after she’s born?”
“I don’t know yet. Part of me wants to be home all the time, but the other part loves the time off from mom duties. Plus, work is fun with Nicole, and the record store is so busy.”
I drag my hand over her stomach, and lean in, kissing our baby girl. “Your mama is the sweetest, most hardworking woman around. You’re about to be a lucky little human.”
Abby smiles and holds her hand over the top of mine.
I’ve tried searching back over the years for the exact moment that my life changed for the better, but I can’t figure which one it was. Was it the moment I sat next to Abby and taught her how to tighten bolts, was it the moment I watched her take my leather jacket off the back of a chair at her party, or was it the moment when we laid together playing cards that night at the clubhouse? I guess it’s good that there are so many to choose from.
My sunny girl nestles against my side as the boys grab their pails and dash back toward the shore. The lake shimmers under the afternoon sun, reflecting a life I never thought I’d have. A wife, three kids, and a little cabin tucked away by the water. I don’t know what I did to deserve this. God knows I’m no saint. But as I watch my family, laughter spilling into the air, I know one thing for certain. Whatever mistakes I’ve made, whatever paths I've roamed, they led me here. And for that, I’ll forever be grateful.
Oh my God, this is about a story? I glance toward Hank. “How did she get out of the diner at the same time the bikers left?”
“Maybe it had nothing to do with the bikers. You said she was desperate for a good story. She’s being wild and young. That’s… good for her.”
The amount of stress I’ve felt over the past few days over her disappearance has led me into the arms of my brother’s best friend, so I don’t hate that she pulled this, and I am happy that she’s found something to write about. Besides, I’m about to write a pretty decent story of my own.
Epilogue
Hank
Five Years Later
The sun is high, and the kids run back and forth along the lake shore. They’ve been chasing each other for at least thirty minutes. People say this age is hard, but I love having two three-year-olds. They play so well together and everything amuses them. Plus, they still like our company. I hear that ends sooner than later.
“Did you remember the pineapple?” Abby digs through the picnic basket next to me before pulling out a container of cut watermelon. “Oh, I think I packed this instead. Never mind.” She’s pregnant with our third, a baby girl. I think Noah and Allen are happy they’re having a baby sister, but we won’t know for sure until she gets here a few months from now. “I’m craving the pineapple, though. What’s with that?”
“Not sure. Want me to Google it?”
“No. I’m sure it’s some weird hormonal thing. Plus, I like our no phone policy when we’re by the water. It’s nice to get a break from everything. You’ve been swamped at the bike shop lately. I still can’t believe my brother asked you back.”
“He grew a soft spot for the kids is what happened. He’s taking the boys camping this weekend so that gives us some time to ourselves.”
She drags in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “About that… I don’t know if I can leave the boys that long. He wants to take them to the creek. They’re little still and they run fast.”
“They’ll be fine. It’s good for Duke and the kids. They need to bond with other people.” I tug her into my arms. “Besides, it’s our wedding anniversary. Four years. That’s a pretty big deal. I thought we could look at the wedding album, eat some cake, and then each other.” I grin wide. “I’d take you out for a ride, but I think that’s on pause until our baby girl gets here.”
“You had me at eating each other.” She smiles sweetly and leans against my chest as we watch the kids splash back and forth in the waves. “I can’t believe it’s been four years since we were here getting married. You in that black button up, me in that little pink sundress.” She smiles sweetly and shakes her head. “You make me want to wear pink again.”
“Me?What did I do?”
She smiles. “Hmm… I think it has something to do with the massive cock.”
“Oh.” I dig my feet into the warm sand as waves lap against the shore and the scent of sunscreen and fresh fruit lingers in the air. “That makes sense. I do remember reading somewhere that a good dicking can change a woman’s life.”
She laughs hard. “Well, you gave so much good dick that I’m wearing pink again, so that’s a pretty big deal. I didn’t think that would ever happen.”
“Well, I love you no matter the color you’re in. Black, green, pink, orange, stripes, cream, putrid yellow—”
“I do love putrid yellow.” She grins laying back on the blanket. Her stomach curves upward, and she circles her hand over the top of it, searching for a kick. “Oh, there she is.”
I join her, holding my hand over the same spot. “I think she’s dancing. With all those records you’re playing every day,it’s no wonder. You think any more about taking a break from the store after she’s born?”
“I don’t know yet. Part of me wants to be home all the time, but the other part loves the time off from mom duties. Plus, work is fun with Nicole, and the record store is so busy.”
I drag my hand over her stomach, and lean in, kissing our baby girl. “Your mama is the sweetest, most hardworking woman around. You’re about to be a lucky little human.”
Abby smiles and holds her hand over the top of mine.
I’ve tried searching back over the years for the exact moment that my life changed for the better, but I can’t figure which one it was. Was it the moment I sat next to Abby and taught her how to tighten bolts, was it the moment I watched her take my leather jacket off the back of a chair at her party, or was it the moment when we laid together playing cards that night at the clubhouse? I guess it’s good that there are so many to choose from.
My sunny girl nestles against my side as the boys grab their pails and dash back toward the shore. The lake shimmers under the afternoon sun, reflecting a life I never thought I’d have. A wife, three kids, and a little cabin tucked away by the water. I don’t know what I did to deserve this. God knows I’m no saint. But as I watch my family, laughter spilling into the air, I know one thing for certain. Whatever mistakes I’ve made, whatever paths I've roamed, they led me here. And for that, I’ll forever be grateful.