He’smybest kisser.
And for the first time in years, I know that everything—for me, for Junie, for Flint—won’t befine.
My life, my future, my family—it will all be so much better.
Epilogue
Flint
For the second time in my life, I’m giving a eulogy for a cow.
Difference is, today I’m standing in front of a newly unveiled bronze statue of her inside the doorway of the newly rebuilt barn at Wit’s End, with the love of my life and the daughter of my heart at my side.
Weather’s a little nippy, even for late spring, so June’s in a long-sleeved Colorado School of Mines shirt and matching beanie. Maisey’s hiding her emotions behind massive sunglasses and a Hell’s Bells Demons ball cap.
Most of the town’s come out for the dedication to the statue of Gingersnap, and I’m proud to say there isn’t a dry eye in the crowd as I wrap up. “So may we all be as fearless and full of life as Gingersnap would’ve wanted us to be.”
Laughter ripples through the crowd, mixed in with the sniffles.
Gingersnap was loved, and she’s now the official cow of Hell’s Bells.
The mayor said so.
Maisey takes my hand and squeezes as I cede the mic to Charlotte, who’ll be directing us all to the refreshment tables around the outside of the barn.
“That was beautiful,” Maisey whispers. “It almost made me want to get a cow.”
“Mom,” Junie sighs.
“What? You’re taking the dog. I’m going to need a new pet.”
“You have Flint.”
They both look at me.
I try to stifle a snort of laughter, which earns me a look from Charlotte. “Is there something else you’d like to share with the crowd, Mr.Jackson?”
The students situated on the temporary stands hoot with laughter.
I clear my throat. “No, ma’am.”
“I thought so.”
She flashes the crowd a cheeky grin and gets back down to the business of explaining where we have volunteer students manning lemonade and ice cream tables.
“I still don’t understand what’s so special about the damn cow that they had to have a whole hullabaloo for it,” Maisey’s mom mutters behind us.
“Because it’sGingersnap, Grandma. Come on. We saved a special seat for you between the sheriff and the mayor.”
Yep.
Maisey’s mom is out of prison and has moved into the original cabin on the land. We’ve installed the same software on her computer and phone as they use on the kids’ laptops that get distributed through the Hell’s Bells school system, so Maisey can monitor her mother’s activities.
Junie just finished her senior year and is headed to engineering school just a few hours away.Withher driver’s license. For the record.
I won’t say helping her through driver’s ed was my favorite part of the past year and a half, but it might be one of my proudest accomplishments.
That, and being in the stands beside Maisey when Junie led the Hell’s Bells soccer team to the state championship win this year.
