Epilogue
“Mrs. O’Leary, would you mind standing a little closer to your husband for the photo?”
Haley happily sidled up next to Connor, whose arm tightened around her. They were having their photo taken in the new kitchen and dining room of the Shadow Creek Women’s Shelter for the local newspaper. The money he’d donated, along with the renovation that he and Jack had provided, had transformed the place into a true place of respite for the women who needed it.
Tonight was a grand re-opening party that she and Mrs. Bailey had helped organize. She was holding Rosie who was currently trying to swat Connor with her chubby hand. He took it all in stride, laughing and kissing her palm. In the last six months, he’d fallen into his role as father and husband as though this was who he was meant to be.
He doted on them. He called them “his girls” and he said he was pretty sure in the future that Haley and Rosie would be a tag-team against him and his sloppy ways. Haley wasn’t so sure, because Rosie seemed smitten with her daddy. But she was okay with that, because she was, too.
“Sorry I’m late,” Luke said, walking into the dining room and joining the Bailey clan. “The new maternity center at the hospital is getting pretty close to opening,” he said to everyone. They were all gathered here today because in one way or another they had a hand in fixing up the old shelter. It was one of the things she and Connor talked about late at night—how amazing it was to be part of a big family. Sure, they were loud. Nosy, too. But no one had their backs like the Baileys. Because of them, Rosie would know the love of many family members.
She smiled as her brother leaned down to kiss a very pregnant Gwen. She couldn’t believe that their dreams were coming true, that she and Luke had come out on the other side. Haley felt like she’d come so far. The maternity/pediatrics ward at the hospital was also going to have a fertility clinic and there were some days that she almost thought she could have that conversation again. Maybe she’d have the courage to try again. Maybe not, but she knew with Connor by her side, anything was possible.
“Here, why don’t I hold her a bit and give you a break,” Connor said, taking Rosie. She gladly went to her daddy and the three of them went to join the rest of the Baileys.
“Who is that? She looks familiar,” Julia said to them, nudging her chin in the direction of a beautiful woman who was talking to the director of the center.
“Oh, that’s who I was talking about, Molly Mayberry. She’s the pediatrician who’s going to be heading up the new maternity/pediatrics ward,” Luke said. “She had mentioned she was planning on stopping by to offer some kind of program where she stops in once a week or is available, free of charge, for any children who need a doctor. Most of these women don’t have health insurance.”
“That’s really nice,” Haley said, looking at the woman. She was very pretty, her long blond hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She was wearing a navy suit and matching pumps and had a great Kate Spade bright blue purse over one shoulder.
“You didn’t say it was Molly Mayberry,” Gwen said, poking Luke in the stomach.
“Why? Is she somebody we should know?”
“She’s Marlene Mayberry’s daughter. No one has seen her since…wow, I don’t even know. After graduation, she was long gone. All of Marlene’s kids left town. I’m surprised she’s back,” Julia said. “I should go say hi or something. We used to be close.”
But they all watched her walk out a moment later, not stopping to make eye contact with anyone. She looked like someone who didn’t want to be noticed, Haley thought.
“Luke, you’re going to have to get better with the gossip situation,” Gwen teased.
Connor pulled Haley from the crowd of gossiping Baileys to a corner nearby. “I wanted to let you know my GED came in the mail this morning.”
Haley threw her arms around him. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I didn’t want to wake you up before I left,” he said, bending down to kiss her.
“I’m so proud of you,” she said.
Rosie slapped him across the face and they laughed.
“I never would have bothered if it weren’t for you. But I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. It’s something I should have done a long time ago.”
“Well, you breezed through that course. It was really a formality, Connor. It’s a piece of paper, but I know what it means. You deserve it.”
He kissed Rosie and she gave them a slobbery smile. “A year ago, I wouldn’t have thought I was worthy of any of this. You, Rosie, this family we’re building.”
She smiled up at the man who’d given her everything; he’d given her his heart, his child, his home. He’d restored her faith in men and her confidence in herself. The last few months, she’d been religiously attending her weekly sessions with the other women at the shelter. Juggling her job as a part-time teacher and mom to Rosie had been the most gratifying experience. Being Connor’s wife was a dream she never would have even wished for a year ago. She had vowed to never marry again, to never put her trust in anyone again, but he’d made it so easy. Loving him, trusting him, had been easy when she finally surrendered her fears and allowed him to love her.
“What do you say we ditch this party?” he asked, giving her a quick kiss.
“No way, man. If we have to stay here, so do you,” Jack said, the rest of the family joining them and laughing.
“Here, I believe I owe you this,” Connor said, handing Jack a ten-dollar bill.
Jack frowned for a second then broke out into a big grin. “Looks like I’m the genius after all.”
Connor threw back his head and laughed. She and Lily smiled at their antics. She’d have to ask him about that later.
They all stood there, like they were all a real family, and if anyone were looking in on them that’s what they would have thought. She made eye contact with her brother and she saw the emotion in his eyes, too. They had been lost, on paths of self-destruction, but they were all here now, all whole again, all happy.
“I guess this is the one downside of family,” Connor whispered in her ear, before kissing her.
She laughed as she kissed him back, knowing this was only the beginning for them.
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