Chapter Seventeen
Lana
We decided to marry the next day. We didn’t need a fancy wedding to prove our love. We married in the town hall with mom and dad as our witnesses. The day after that, Gabe was transferred the title and inherited the farm.
Mom and dad were relieved to still have a home and couldn’t stop thanking Gabe. It was nice to see them finally able to relax after everything that we had gone through.
A week later, we asked Matt to come over to the farmhouse. I had to admit I was worried about his reaction, but he seemed to have calmed down, and was genuinely sorry for all the trouble he had caused.
Gabe handled the meeting well. He offered Matt a portion of the land to develop in any way he chose, as well as funds from the estate to help him build his own house. Gabe also asked him to stick around and help with the management of the farm, since dad was nearing retirement. Matt was genuinely shocked to be offered anything and left the farmhouse in tears. We all agreed it would be best if he stayed with a friend for a while so that he could get his head straight.
A few weeks later, I asked Gabe to come on a special journey with me. He agreed, and so we came to be standing at Kyle’s grave in the cemetery. I slid my arm around him as we looked down at the headstone.
“You must be wondering why I brought you here?”
“I’m not sure, but I can guess.”
“Well, I just wanted you to be here with me as I say goodbye to my old life. I will never forget Kyle and he will always have a special place in my heart.”
“I know that. I wouldn’t expect it to be any different.”
“Good. But just so you know, Gabriel Dawson. Until you came back into my life, I didn’t think I would ever have the capacity to love again.”
“You’re not the only one.”
I nodded. “So we can both stand here today and say goodbye to Kyle and Rebecca. They’re the past. We’re our future. And I, for one, am happy that we went through everything we did to get to this stage.”
Gabe looked down at me and smiled. “Me too.”
“You know something else?” I said, as we walked away from the past.
“What?”
“I think your dad somehow had this in mind all along.”
Gabe stopped walking and turned to face me. “What makes you think that?”
“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I get. And I reckon he’s up there somewhere now, a cold beer in his hand, feeling pretty smug that everything turned out all right.”
Gabe considered this for a moment. “Yeah, Charlie was a wily old dog, that’s for sure. It would be just like him to have engineered this whole thing.”
“Like our fairy godfather or something,” I agreed.
Gabe tipped his head back and laughed. “I tell you, when I finally meet up with him at the end of my life, I’m gonna bust his ass for the stress he put us all through.”
I reached up to kiss him. “And I’ll be right there beside you, darling husband!”
We walked hand in hand back to the car and drove back to the farm. Louie was out in the field playing with mom and dad. When he saw us, he skipped for joy and raced towards us.
Gabe picked him up and twirled him around. His laughing screams made me giggle. Once his dad stopped spinning him round he held his arms out to me.
“Lanabear, I want to give you a squishy hug!”
“Oh really, Louie-monster? Come on then!”
I took him in my arms and cuddled him close. Gabe stood and smiled at us, a look of sheer love on his face.
“Daddy, come on in. Let’s all have a squishy cuddle!”
Gabe roared as he opened his arms wide and Louie and I laughed as he enveloped us in his arms. I closed my eyes and savored the moment. Three years ago I thought my life was over. I closed my heart off to ever finding love again. Now, I was being half-squashed to death by the most amazing man I had ever known, and his adorable little boy.
Gabe’s hand snaked into mine and he stole a tender kiss.
“Love you,” he whispered.
“Love you,” I responded.
“Love you!” Louie shouted in glee.
We all burst out laughing and made our way inside the farmhouse, and set about the business of making family lunch.
As I set the table, I looked over at a picture of Charlie hanging on the wall. I could swear he winked at me. I shook my head and cursed the wily old fox under my breath, before pointing a fork at the picture.
“That’s quite enough nonsense out of you, Charlie Dawson. You got your way. And as usual, you were right.”
I nodded at the picture respectfully. Gabe sidled up to me and slid his arm around my waist. “Is my father bothering you?” He asked.
“No, Gabe. He’s simply telling me that he approves wholeheartedly.”
With one last look at Charlie, I kissed Gabe on the cheek and we wandered back to the table to eat. Looking around the table at mom, dad, Louie and Gabe, I felt wonderfully content. There was nothing fake about anything in this farmhouse anymore.
*****
THE END
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