Epilogue
Rip
Weeks later
“Uncle Rip, when can we ride our bikes again?” Eva pulls on my pant leg while Tim tries to climb my other leg. He finally stands on my boot and holds on to my pocket.
“Tim, it’s snowing now,” his mother says. “I’ll take you another time.”
“I want to go with Uncle Rip. He knows everything.” He looks up and asks, “Will you take us?”
It’s my fault for getting them custom-made, miniature versions of my motorcycle, complete with boots, leather jackets, helmets, leather gloves, and sunglasses. After breakfast, we spent over an hour in the library parking lot riding. We only came back in because it started to snow.
“Uncle Rip, guess what?” Eva asks. She answers before I can respond. “Santa got us swimming lessons at the rec center. Group and private lessons. Micah is going to be in the baby class.”
“Santa did that?” I look at my wife and wink.
“Yup,” Tim says.
“Well, that fat fuck never got me anything when I was a kid.”
“Ripley!” several adults say at once.
Sighing, Eden rolls her eyes.
“That’s because you are good kids,” I add as an attempt to clean up my words.
“Tim, Eva, take off those leather jackets before you eat,” Sylvie says.
“I’m never taking mine off,” Tim tells his mother.
“Me either,” Eva adds.
“What about when it’s time to go to bed?” Sylvie asks with a sigh.
“I’m sleeping in mine,” both kids say at once.
“You can’t sleep in your jackets.” I shake my head in disapproval. “You know, those are winter jackets. If you take good care of them, I’ll take you to get fitted for spring cuts in a few months.”
Both kids look up at me with expectant eyes.
“Let me have them, and I’ll hang them up next to mine.”
Both jackets come off and are handed to me in record time.
“Kids, come here. I have another present for you.” Eden gestures for them to come, and they both sprint to her. She points to two large gift bags.
My wife leaves the couch and walks to me. She wraps her arms around me, gets on her tiptoes, and offers me a kiss. “We’ll be out of here in another hour.” She rests her head on my chest. “Thank you, Ripley.”
“For what, baby?”
“Taking care of me.”
“That’s my job.”
“And that hot tub.”
“I figured that’s some shit you’d like.”
