“Easy,” Gage whispers my way.
But I don’t pay any attention to my brother. I don’t pay any attention to anyone under the sun but that angel striding my way with her flowing hair, a crown of roses on her head, and that smile, that ear to ear grin that is just for me.
Laken comes forward and I marvel at her.
“Flawless.” It’s all I can say, the only word I can muster. It’s the truth—one hundred percent gospel. I steal a kiss from her lips before we ever turn toward Dudley. Laken and I share a kiss for the ages and the crowd goes wild. We pour all of the pain from the past and all of hope of the future into that soul-churning exchange.
Soon enough, Dudley does his thing and Laken and I exchange rings, vows, and kisses once again.
It’s done. Now and forever, Laken is my precious, precious wife.
We eat, drink, and dance right here at Rockaway. And at one point in the night, I see my brother and Skyla dancing close, intimate, whispering to one another, sharing secret smiles. My heart breaks for him—not as much as it breaks for Coop. Gage is still a lucky bastard. As far as the grand scheme of things goes, our time on Earth will quickly fall away and eternity will be at hand. Coop will be back in the game, and so will Gage.
I pick up Tobie, Charlie, and Eli—and Laken holds little Wes and Mally, and we dance with our brood, all of us laughing as we move to the music. I would have never imagined something like this, not sure I could have. But here we are, with so much still ahead of us. So much joy, so much love.
So much love we’re drowning in it. I hope Cooper can see us. I hope with everything in me that he approves.
I look up to the sky just in time to see a shooting star blaze through the sky, and Laken follows my gaze as we slow down for a moment.
“Daddy!” Charlie shouts as she points to the tail of that magnificent trail of light.
Laken and I hook our gaze and I nod her way.
That was Coop’s way of saying all is well, that he more than approves.
Laken’s mouth falls open and I see her teetering on that dark abyss once again so I do what I do best. I comfort her.
Laken and I share a kiss under a starry Paragon sky with our brood wiggling between us, the baby in her belly kicking to life.
All is well again.
And one day, in the great by and by, things will be even better than this.
31
Skyla
September 13th
“Push!” Ezrina roars.
And I bear down with everything I have.
“Just a moment.” Ezrina suctions out the baby’s nose. “Take the baby,” she instructs Logan, and in a moment he’s holding up our shiny pink angel.
“It’s a girl!” Logan gives a jovial shout.
Ezrina gives the little princess a brisk slap to the bottom, and she lights up like a baby lamb bleating for all she’s worth as both Logan and I share a laugh of relief.
Ezrina cleans me up and lands her on my belly.
“Call the nurses.” She winks my way.
I nod to Mia and my mother and they do their part. I wanted a hospital birth this time, but I also wanted the hospital staff to have very little to do with it. Ezrina assured me she could deliver without their assistance, and since I had experienced that firsthand before, I thought this was the best of both worlds.
“Oh, she’s perfect,” I whisper as I take in my sweet angel. Logan and I weep tears of joy as Gage leans in from behind and lands a kiss to my cheek.
“Well done,” he whispers.
