Page 218 of A Courage of the Chosen

It’s not Ishbel waiting for me.

And nor is it just one person that stands smiling.

It’s Granny.

And Mom.

And behind them, hand in hand, Brodie and Rach.

Further back is someone I don’t know, but looks an awful lot like the man at my side, whose eyes are locked on his sister.

“Did we die in that cave? Am I dead? If you guys are here . . . that means we’re dead. SHIT!” I start to panic.

Granny rushes forward, reaching to place her hands on the tops of my arms. There’s a strange tinge to her skin, a faint blue that coats them.

“No, sweetheart. You did exactly what needed to be done. You were perfect.” Her voice. The soft Scottish accent I’ve all but forgotten, is like coming home and putting your comfiest pajamas on.

Granny hugs me and I can feel it, I can feel her. She’s a little cold, but she’s solid and here.

“R-Rachel?” Callahan stammers.

“Stating the obvious, Brother,” Brodie chuckles.

Callahan storms in their direction, our bond entirely still, and yanks his sister close as Brodie claps his back.

“Mom? Is it really you?” I say over Granny’s shoulder as she holds me tightly.

“Yeah, honey. It’s really me.”

I throw myself into her heather-scented embrace. It’s been two and a half years since I heard her, and time hasn’t dulled the ache she left behind. I’ve just learned to live with it, because it’s all I had left of her. My love for my mom took on a new shape in my life.

“I miss you. I miss you so much.”

My mom runs a hand over the back of my head. “I miss you, too.”

The man hovering at the edges moves toward Cal, Rach, and Brodie, and Rachel steps out of Callahan’s arms to stand by his side, leading him closer to my husband.

“Cal, this is . . .” Rach begins.

Callahan cuts her off. “I know who this is.”

There’s no mistaking him. He has the same strong jaw as Cal. The same tilt of his eyes as Rach.

They never met their father. He was killed in the same attack that took Murdoch and forced Granny from her home. I don’t even know his name.

Callahan nears him slowly, eyes scanning the face that gave him life but is a stranger. Whatever conversation that unfolds between them doesn’t reach me, and ends in Cal’s dad holding both him and Rach.

The man’s gaze finds mine just once, and he dips his head before he hugs his children a final time, disappearing as I bury myself further into my mom.

After a few more minutes, I peel away to look up at her. “Bet you had a lot of questions for Granny when she got there.”

She laughs, and I savor the sound. “Oh, we had words.”

“Aye. Don’t think she’s ever cussed at me so much,” Granny says, joining the two of us in one big tangle of Aitken limbs.

“How are you all here?” I ask them.

Rach and Brodie walk in my direction, Callahan joining me as he feathers an arm around my waist. Granny hugs him, too, but he doesn’t let me go while she loops around his neck.