Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23633 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 118(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
My body hums with excitement.
This is going to be a hell of a good day!
EPILOGUE
William
* * *
Seventeen Years Later…
* * *
When I finish my chapter, I lower my book and look around.
The fire is crackling, filling our log cabin with warmth. My beautiful wife and our three gorgeous kids are lazily laying on the couches each with their noses in a book, their feet wrapped up in thick wooly socks.
I take a deep breath and feel my chest expand with gratitude for this wonderful life. Dinner is slowly cooking in the oven, Norah Jones is singing softly at her piano through our speakers, the calm lake is spread out before us in the spectacular view, and all of the fall leaves are breathtaking hues of orange, red, brown, green, yellow, and gold. I’m feeling overwhelmed in the best possible way.
Our oldest, Kirsten, giggles as she reads a young adult book. Her cheeks are blushing, which means she’s probably falling for another book boyfriend. She’s collected many of them over the years. I smile as I watch her.
Our middle child, Aaron, is reading an adventure book full of pirates and missing treasure. He’s got the biggest imagination out of all of us and sometimes I find myself staring at him, wondering what is going on in that overactive brain of his. I wish I could experience it with him.
Our youngest, Carrie, is curled up with Anna. She’s reading a spooky book with a witch and an owl on the cover, so she might be sleeping with us again if she gets all freaked out. That’s okay. I don’t mind. It won’t be long before that phase slips away and I wouldn’t mind clinging onto her childhood for a little bit longer.
Anna’s loving brown eyes dart to me over her book. We gaze at each other with warm smiles on our faces, our eyes full of the gratitude I know we’re both feeling.
It’s incredible what we’ve built—this relationship, this family, this life full of love.
We have a nice home and a small vacation cabin. I still can’t believe this is real. I can’t believe I got a second chance.
That fact is never lost on me. I never take it for granted. Not for one second.
Every day I’m appreciative of what I have.
For my home, for my job, for my kids, but especially for Anna. She’s the light of my life.
She’s the love I never thought I’d get to experience.
She’s everything.
My sweet beautiful soul.
* * *
The End!