Giving her a kiss, Rick moves over my way, grabbing at his knees.
“You okay old man?” I quip.
“Man, I spend too much time sitting and not eating well. I can’t close games anymore. Shouldn’t have let you back in it.”
“I just gave you that lead to make you feel good about yourself. The outcome was already decided before we even took the court,” I tease him, causing him to just shake his head.
I carry Silas out of the sun and under a tree where we have a swing hanging and a few chairs. It’s a good opportunity for my wife to go inside and have some alone time, take a nap, and relax. She does so much of the heavy lifting when it comes to our boy. She deserves a break, especially now that I’m home more since Stevens Security has grown to a dozen employees. Not to mention she has her college work to attend to.
Although I offered her hundreds of times, she refuses to be a housewife. At least not until she fulfills a promise to herself and graduates. Hey, if her dream is graduating then it’s my dream too and as the patriarch of this family, it’s my job to make sure she achieves it because when one of us does something, it’s like we all did it. Together.
Speaking of patriarchs, Rick sits down next to me and asks for Silas.
I hand him over to grandpa, which is kinda weird considering grandpa is the same age as his father. But who cares? Age ain’t nothing but a number and Rick has really come around. Becoming a grandpa does that to you.
“You know, I was talking with Gwen the other night.”
I nod.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, especially out loud…and to you, but the more I think about it you’re the perfect match for our daughter.”
All I can do is raise my palms and shrug. Now isn’t the time to rub it in his face verbally. He’s trying to admit he was too quick to judge so it’s better just to let him air it out.
“All those years I always built you up like a hero to her…because you are. You protected this nation for twenty years. And you protected me when we were kids, which is one of the big reasons my dad wanted you to come live with us. He wanted me to get some of your toughness, even if by osmosis. I’m not sure if it worked or not, but things turned out okay…for the both of us.”
“Better than okay. They turned out amazingly well,” I say, offering him my hand.
Resituating Silas in his lap he accepts and we shake. Whatever feud was still hanging on by a string has now been officially severed. Things are back to how they were, and it only took a year, which in the grand scheme of things isn’t very long. Because I’ve known this man my entire life and will be with his daughter for the rest of it.
I can hardly wait. Hardly wait to spend each and every day of the rest of my life with her, with our family. What an honor to get to see her face each and every night, the last thing before I fall asleep, with her in my arms again. And then to see it again in the morning first thing. There’s no such thing as a bad morning for me. Impossible when I wake up with her by my side.
Silas dozes off in grandpa’s arms and I’m tempted to fall asleep in my chair. This is the life. A couple of best buddies sitting under a tree just talking, just like when we were kids making big plans.
Plans which came to fruition, even though my plan never entailed marrying my best friend’s daughter. But that’s the great thing about life. You can shoot for the stars and miss, but sometimes when you miss, you wind up ascending even higher. If you find the right woman that is because with her everything is possible.
A perfect family. A perfect life. A perfect wife.
Because she’s everything.
Extended Epilogue
Sadie
Eighteen years later
A tear streams down my cheek as Silas signs his Naval enlistment papers, his four brothers and sisters, and his father and I around him and his recruiter.
As a mother, I’m so proud of my son. He’s risking it all to protect our country and keep it safe, just like he did his final semester of school when he handled some boys who were harassing his sister, leading to his suspension from school.
Public outcry got him reinstated, but it wasn’t easy. Some days it feels like it never is when you’re trying to do the right thing. It’s like that famous book from years ago…The Hard Thing About Hard Things.
Although I never read it, the title says it all. Good thing our boy is tough, thanks to his father. The same man whose footsteps he wants to follow in.
I know his dad is so darn proud and I am too.
We wrap things up at the recruiting office and head out to a restaurant to celebrate.
The kids are having a great time, ordering whatever they want which is a rarity. Usually, we try to keep it healthy at home. Home…one of my favorite words in the English language.