EPILOGUE
LOU
TWO MONTHS LATER
Ward is loading the last of our luggage into the car when I emerge from the house with Ramona.
“Mama, burr!” she says as a sparrow flits by overhead. “Burr!”
“That’s right,” I tell her with a smile. “It’s a bird. You’re going to get to see a lot of those on our trip.” I smooth back her curls as I walk down the steps to the front drive.
Ward pulls the trunk of the car closed and turns to us with a lopsided grin. “Are you ready?”
“What do you think, Ramona?” I ask her. “Are you ready for an adventure?”
It’s taken us a couple of months to get the final details of our road trip worked out, but I don’t mind so much—especially considering the new baby. Ward and I weren’t about to run off at a time when Calder and Lily really needed our help, but now that they’re starting to get the hang of the whole parenting thing, I can’t wait to set off on this journey.
I hook Ramona into her car seat, and when I straighten again, my brother and Lily have come out of the house. Little Noah is sleeping in Lily’s arms, and he’s already grown so much in the two months he’s been in this world. His dark hair keeps getting thicker and thicker, and he’s starting to look exactly like Calder did in all of his baby pictures.
“Be safe,” Lily says to me, leaning in for a one-armed hug. “I’ll miss you.”
We’re only planning to be gone for three weeks, but that feels like a lifetime. Noah will probably have doubled in size by the time we get back.
“Make sure you’re getting plenty of sleep,” I tell her. “And promise me you won’t work too hard.” Lily has started resuming some of her work at the Frazer Center—but only part time, and only the things she can do from home. Both she and Calder have the wild-eyed, exhausted look of new parents, but they seem to be doing just fine. Maybe even better than fine. They might be tired and scared and overwhelmed, but I’ve never seen either of them smile more.
“And you,” I say to the sleeping Noah. “You better go easy on your mom.”
I turn to my brother next. We’ve never been particularly physically affectionate with each other, but for some reason, all of that awkwardness seems to melt away from me now. I grab him tightly in a hug, and he hugs me right back.
“Have a good trip,” he tells me. “Try not to do anything too crazy.”
“Me, crazy?” I grin as I pull away from him. “Never.”
“I mean it, Louisa,” he says. “Stay safe. Don’t do anything reckless.”
“Just because you’re older than me doesn’t mean you get to lecture me,” I tease.
“Family is always allowed to lecture.” His tone is serious, but I see a glint of amusement in his eyes.
And maybe he’s right—we’re family, and that means looking out for each other no matter what.
Calder and I—along with our significant others—have some decisions to make in the coming months. Calder and Taran Harker each took a DNA test a little while ago, and the results finally came in last week. Once and for all, we know the truth—that Taran Harker is our half brother. We have another sibling.
I’m still trying to process that news, but Calder and I both agreed that there was only one right course of action from here forward—to treat Taran like family. He has yet to take us up on our invitation to meet again, but that doesn’t mean he might not change his mind. No matter what happens, we’ve made it clear that our arms are open. He’s family, and family is a rare, precious thing.
I glance back over at Lily, who’s giving Ward a hug. She hasn’t been able to get in touch with her mom since that dramatic day that Noah was born, but she hasn’t given up hope. And both her dad and her new stepmother have been extremely supportive—in fact, they’re coming to stay at the estate for a couple of weeks to help out while Ward and I are gone.
Yes, we’re going to make it, I think. Only a few years ago, both Calder and I each felt like we were alone in the world. But we’ve somehow managed to build ourselves a family again, and we seem to be welcoming new members to that family all the time. I’ve no doubt it will only continue to grow.
Tears of happiness burn in my eyes as I finally slide into the car to go. I wave to Calder and Lily as Ward goes around to the driver’s seat.
“Ready?” he asks as he buckles himself in.
In response, I grab him by the shirt and yank him toward me, pulling him into a fierce kiss.
When I finally break away, his eyes are bright and he’s grinning from ear to ear. “What was that for?”
“For everything,” I tell him. “For my whole world.”
We have a family, a home, a beautiful daughter, and a love that’s deeper and more amazing than I ever imagined love could be. I’m thrilled to be going on another adventure with this man, but if there’s one thing I’ve ever known to be true, it’s this: that this life, this family, is the greatest adventure of all.