Under the Lights

Epilogue

Epilogue

5 Years Later

"Hey you got room for one more?" I said happily, walking in through the open front door.

"Jason Charleston!" Kent announced, turning to look at me with a huge grin on his face. "What the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Oh you know, heard you were having a little get together." I laughed, resting my hand on Carly's back.

"I need a seat. It's a million damn degrees out there." Carly laughed, resting her hands on top of her swollen belly as she walked forwards.

"Katie's out back with the kids." Kent said with a smile, giving Carly a kiss on the cheek. "Everyone's already here."

"Yea well this one took forever to get out of the door." I teased my wife, giving her a wink.

"You try being 8 months pregnant." Carly muttered under her breath. "Mary-Anne let go of your brother's hair." She scolded our 5 year old daughter.

The girl just giggled and ran out back to join the rest of the kids.

"Tommy let's go." Carly held out his hand for our son.

The three year old shook his head, sticking his thumb in his mouth as he wrapped his little arm around my leg.

"I've got him." I smiled, picking him up from the ground.

"Suit yourself." Carly laughed before making her way back outside.

"How've you been?" Kent asked, handing me a beer.

"No thanks man, I'm driving." I shook my head, resting Tommy on my hip. "But I've been good, yea. Dad's still living with us, it's been tough on him, but he's good. How are you guys going?"

"Good, good. Yea momma's doing great. It's been hard on her these past few months, but we're all managing." Kent nodded, leaning back against the counter. "I'm actually uh, I'm thinking about enlisting."

I raised my eyebrows. "No kidding." I laughed. "Are you insane? After what the war did to our families?"

"No you know it makes sense to me. Gotta protect the country." Kent shrugged. "Not everyone's got Super Bowls to win." He added with a laugh, gesturing his beer to me.

"Well, that hardly compares to fighting a damn war." I frowned. "Have you talked to Katie about this?"

"Not exactly." Kent shook his head, a frown forming on his face.

"You've got three kids here, man. You'd miss their childhoods." I said softly. "You out of anybody would know what it's like to have a dad gone all the time."

"I'm just thinking about it, you know? Do a little good for this country, do something my dad tried to do." Kent shrugged.

"Kent. Your dad died for this country, it doesn't mean you have to too." I said softly, carefully pushing my son's arm down as he tried to poke my eye. "Thomas." I frowned, giving him a look.

He quickly pulled his hands back, trying not to laugh.

"Let's just go outside. The foods probably already done." Kent mumbled.

"Who's cooking?" I asked, agreeing with the change of subject.

"Dane, but I'm sure he'll burn the damn back yard down without supervision." Kent rolled his eyes, walking ahead of me to the backyard.

"He still single?" I asked, setting Tommy down on the ground as we got outside.

He quickly shot off to join the other kids, tackling his sister to the ground immediately.