Epilogue

~January 2018~

 

Pastor Tim placed a comforting hand on Riley’s back. “She’s in a better place, son.”

“I just want her to be comfortable.” Riley said hoarsely. He said that he wouldn’t cry because this was Jewel Marlene Pranger’s going home ceremony and he wouldn’t look at it as her funeral. Hopefully now she would finally find rest.

Stella gripped his hand. He smiled at her thinking that she and Adam were the only family he had left—the only that he ever intended to recognize, that is. None of the other Prangers had shown up for the funeral not even his brother and sister. Both said that the weather was too bad but he knew the truth—they too had run away and cut themselves off from the bad memories on the mountain. And he didn’t blame them for that.

Adam was standing at the casket looking at the matriarch of the Pranger family. Stella worried that the sight of the woman might give him nightmares but he said that he wanted to see his great granny at least one time. She decided that she couldn’t deny him that request.

“Adam?” Stella called from the aisle. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes.” He gave the woman one last look and then headed for his mom and dad. Hidden beneath the sleeve of her dress and concealed by a bracelet of cheap white plastic was his witch’s finger. He had placed it there careful not to allow it to peek out. He didn’t need it anymore. His daddy was coming to live with them in the spring and his daddy was as strong and as tough as a super hero. Between him and his mom, nothing could ever hurt him.

But he did cast one last protective spell over his great granny so that she would be protected wherever she went next. 

 

 

Back at home nearly everyone from the mountain came to pay their respects. Adam couldn’t believe all the food that was in the kitchen, lined up on the dining room table and on the counters. There was even some of those green peas floating in that funny looking white sauce.

Brianna dared him to taste some but he refused. They went upstairs and played in his room. He had some new video games that she’d never seen.

Bodie and Shaun came with their three little girls. The littlest Matthew was named Madelyn and Stella stared down into her sweet little face while Bodie nudged Riley and warned him that it looked like Stella was planning on getting a few of them for herself.

“I hope.” Was his response.

Mr. Dunwitty and Miss Lemon came from the market and brought a huge fruit basket. Dale and Bear from the barbershop showed up with a group of old timers that told some good stories about his granny. Mr. Epstein even slapped him happily on his shoulder and apologized for being a judgmental ass. Old man Connors from the post office snuck in a bottle of moonshine, but Christopher spotted it and poured it down the drain before Mr. Pete saw it. He had a hard time knowing when to stop.

Mr. Harper paid his respects and told Riley that he’d finally found someone trust-worthy to manage the hardware store. He told him that if he changed his mind about moving to Cincinnati—and if it didn’t workout with Bodie he was always welcomed to come back.

Riley thanked him but told him that he had a job lined up working in an elementary school as a Phys Ed teacher. When Stella had first suggested it, he had almost told her that no one would want someone that sounded like him teaching their kids. But since he was sworn never to use the word redneck out loud he decided to consider it. Several schools were interested in him and would even help pay for him to complete the necessary college courses for him to get his Bachelor’s degree.

Stella had proudly informed him that once they got married she would finally gain another stream of income.

He’d laughed. “You’re losing one. No more child support, remember?”

It seemed that hundreds of people had come through the house but Riley was proud to have them. Once the last person had left he put away as much food as he could and ended up placing much of it in the stand-alone freezer when he ran out of room in the refrigerator.

“What are we going to do with all this food?” Stella asked once the last plastic container was placed neatly in the freezer.

“It’ll be here when we come back to visit this summer.”

“Ugh.” Stella said.

“I’m kidding. I guess Pete and Jace won’t need to cook for a while.”

His renters were going to stay on in the little gingerbread cottage. Pete agreed to maintain the larger house for them in exchange for the reduced rent—although he was willing to do it for free. But Riley wasn’t greedy. He just liked having the two streams of income—five now that he was marrying Stella.

Stella plopped down on the couch tiredly. Riley sat next to her, snuggling her neck. Adam had gone to the Jameson’s to spend the night so they had the house to themselves.

“Thanks for coming down, sweetheart.” Riley said while nibbling her earlobe. “I know you don’t like driving up here in the snow.”

“I don’t mind driving in the snow, I’m just not taking that hill until spring.” Pete had driven Riley down to Michael’s buffet yesterday where they all had lunch and then Riley had driven Stella’s brand new Lexus up the mountain. The insurance company had taken a look at the pictures—the ones taken by Riley all had blood in them, and hadn’t balked about giving Stella a great payout.

Stella turned to him. “Are you sure you’re not going to miss leaving Cobb Hill?”

He smiled. “I am going to miss it. I’m going to miss the way the leaves cover everything in autumn and the smell of the air. I’ll miss the taste of the spring water in the summer. I’m going to miss fishing in Mr. Tennyson’s lake, and listening to the people at the snake church hollering on Sundays. I’m going to miss Pastor Tim’s sermons and trying to out run First Lady. I’m going to miss the ice cream at the Twin and the fried chicken at Michaels. I’m going to miss Miss Birdie’s pies and seeing them old bag of bones sitting in the post office playing checkers.” He nodded. “I’m going to miss Cobb Hill. But we aren’t leaving it. We’re going to be back.”

 

The End