Epilogue

 

 

Kyler woke to the scent of something burning, and it felt like his heart stopped in his chest. Launching himself out of bed, he raced down the hallway into the smoke filled kitchen to find Monica coughing and desperately trying to open a window to release the acrid air. A skillet sat on the stove, with something more black than brown in it, and a cookie sheet was in the sink with solid black hockey pucks stuck to it.

“What the hell?” he grumbled, moving to the sliding glass doors to let fresh air in. “What happened, Monica?”

His irritation over the rude awakening fizzled when she turned wide eyes his way. “I was trying to cook breakfast.”

Before he could respond, his mother stepped into the kitchen doorway, her worn robe hanging on her thin frame. While it would take time for her to regain the weight she’d lost, he had high hopes that she’d recover her health quickly now that she was retired and living with them.

“Oh dear, this doesn’t look good.” Amelia moved to the stove and eyed the burnt food in the skillet. “Um, what exactly was this?”

“Sausage gravy. I got the recipe from Lauren, and I wanted to surprise you with biscuits and gravy, but the biscuits didn’t rise like the card said they would, and then the sausage and flour just turned into one big clump of…well…ick.”

Amelia’s shoulders began to shake, and Kyler had to bite back a laugh himself. Monica was a terrible cook, but the fact that she was trying meant the world to them. It had been a huge concession on her part to allow his mother to move in with them, but they’d purchased the house almost a year ago, and with Amelia struggling to deal with the every day effects of lupus, she’d needed the extra help.

“I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I screwed this up so bad.” Monica dropped her head in her hands.

“Shh…” Kyler reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “It’s okay, love. I’ll help you clean up and then we’ll figure something else out. It’s the thought that counts.”

“Exactly so,” Amelia agreed. “Besides, you shouldn’t be in here cooking, you just came home from the hospital.”

“I just wanted to do something nice for you two. You’ve taken such good care of me and—”

A wail filled the air, and all three adults turned toward it instantly. Amelia was the first to speak up. “You go check on her, I’ll see what I can do with the gravy and make some toast in place of the biscuits.”

“Thanks, Mama.” Kyler kissed his mom on the temple as he grabbed Monica’s hand and led her back down the hallway to their daughter’s room. As Monica pulled out a fresh diaper, he picked Annie up and pressed his nose against her sweet blonde curls.

“She probably heard all the commotion. I was really hoping she’d sleep a little longer,” Monica said, retrieving a tiny outfit from the dresser nearby. “I swear this nursing thing is going to kill me.”

“Is she still eating every hour and a half?” Kyler asked, passing the infant to Monica so that she could quickly change her.

“Like clockwork. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s possible to have calluses on my nipples,” Monica grumbled.

Kyler stepped up behind her and pressed his face into her neck, breathing in the sweet smell of Monica combined with Annie. These two were his entire world, and what a world it was. He’d come from the bottom to the top, and he had no right to so much joy, but he certainly wasn’t going to let it go.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. I’d take over if I could.”

“I know.” Monica lifted her face for a kiss and then bent and kissed Annie. “Little Miss and I just need to figure out a routine. We’re both still new to this.”

Kyler offered to take Annie, but Monica shushed him and settled into the rocking chair with the baby at her breast. His heart ached with the beauty of his wife and child locked in that special moment. He’d never imagined this kind of happiness.

Leaving them, he wandered down the hallway and out the front door in search of the newspaper. As he was walking back up the sidewalk a horn honked, and he turned to see a parade of vehicles parking in front of their house. The entire Crawley Creek gang poured out, greeting him with congratulations and well wishes before they piled into the house in search of the baby. At the back of the pack, Kyler came face to face with Drannon, who pulled something from his pocket.

“I found this in your old cabin, and I thought you might want it. To remember what you’ve overcome.” He held up an empty bottle of Jack Daniels that was coated in grime and dust.

The sight didn’t even appeal to Kyler, and he gave his friend a wry grin. “The best thing I ever did was come back home. Guess some things belong in the past.”

“You’re right about that, man. Now, let me see that new baby girl of yours! Lacy’s already talking about wanting another one.” Drannon clapped him on the back, and Kyler led him into the house and dropped the dusty bottle in the garbage pail on the way.

 

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