Epilogue - Loving One's Past and Present.

Epilogue:

"I told you to stay out of my room!" And I heard a door slam upstairs.

I rolled my eyes as Trent chuckled next to me. I sighed and made my way up the stairs.

I knocked on our daughter's door "Paige? Its me."

"Come in."

I walked in to see her sitting on her bed angrily and couldn't believe how much she looked like Tillie. Over the years she had turned form an adorable toddler to a beautiful young woman, much to our despair. She'd also seemed to have forgotten about that traumatic time.

"Whats going on Paige?" I asked as I sat down on the end of her bed.

"Nothing. Your son is annoying me."

"I love how he's my son when one of them is annoying you." I chuckled and noticed that her mouth twitched slightly. "Which one is annoying you today?"

"Caleb."

I sighed "Okay. But what is really going on? Is it Owen? I know you love that boy, but I also know he's a dumb jock sometimes. We can cancel the BBQ tonight with Elise, Jason and Owen." It had taken a few years, but Elise had remarried to an awesome man Jason. They lived down the street from us now, and Paige and Owen had been dating for over a year much to our chagrin.

Elise had struggled to let go of Grant, as any grieving widow would, and the circumstances of his death, much like Trent with his brothers. But we all visited their graves once a year without the kids, and it seemed to give some kind of closure to them both.

She laughed "Yes, he certainly can be. But no. We're fine."

I raised my eyebrow and stared at her "I haven't raised you for the past 17 years to not know when you're upset honey."

She smiled "Just drama, I'll be fine dad."

I looked at her and wished that the last 12 years had not almost flown by, but not regretting a single second of watching her blossom, grow and develop who she was meant to be. "Are you sure honey?"

She climbed onto my lap and smiled before giving me a hug "Yes dad. I love you."

I squeezed her tight and told her just how much I loved her to before leaving her in peace. I shut her door behind me and made my way across the hall to the twins room. Yes, twins.

Trent and I had adopted them about 9 years ago, when they were both a year old. Caleb and Parker were both a blessing and a curse. Don't get me wrong, I loved them. But they definitely had too much curiosity and smarts for 10-year olds. It was almost hard for both Trent and I to keep up with them.

I opened their door and sighed at the mess. They had built a Lego city and used all the extra Lego's as hot lava again.

I looked at them and they gazed at me innocently, both with light brown hair and bright green eyes. I scoffed "Why are you guys bothering your sister again? And why is there another Lego city? We both know your dad almost broke his leg with the last one."

"Hey! I almost died, is what happened."

I laughed as I felt Trent wrap his arms around my waist from behind.

The twins cackled before both diving into the city and screaming "Godzilla!"

We chuckled and went downstairs to start prepping food for dinner. Soon Elise and her husband showed up with Owen and we had a relaxing night of BBQ, beers, and hearing about teenage drama.

We all cleaned up and I kissed Elise on the cheek goodbye, promising to see them again next weekend.

Trent and I made our way upstairs, stopped in the twins' room and watched as their deathly Lego city still stood standing.

Trent and I looked at each other before sighing "Clean this up when you're done boys! We mean it. And go to bed."

They nodded before resuming their antics.

Trent and I made our way to our room down the hall. I turned on the light while Trent took his shirt off. I stared and although I loved so many other things about him first, I did love how muscular he still was to this day.

I stripped down to my boxers and laid down, exhausted. I felt the bed dip as he laid next to me and sighed in contentment as he wrapped his arms around me again.

He kissed my neck and murmured "I love you."

"I love you too." I whispered back.

I closed my eyes and felt my body relax.

Before I felt my body pass out, I couldn't help but think of Tillie again.

"Our daughter is so beautiful; I wish you could be here." I murmured. Smiling when I heard Trent whisper into the night "Because you helped make her that way, T."

Who knew that meeting this man would make my life feel so full and complete? That he would love my daughter, and her Mother for helping me to create her. That he would welcome more hellions into our house and love me so completely. God, was I lucky to meet this 'bad boy'.