The Bone Collector

Epilogue

I was sat beside Miguel as we watched our youngest child throw his graduation cap high in the air with the rest of his Cornell class. I jumped up and cheered for him shortly followed by his siblings. Miguel had more class than us and stood up to clap with a proud grin.

As we waited in the car park for our newest law graduate to arrive I looked over our group. It was one of the rare times everyone was able to make it to an event.

Cristobal and his wife were standing under the tree at the front of the car, keeping their daughter cool in the shade. I couldn't have been prouder of the man he had become. He had taken ownership of Galindo Enterprises seven years ago after graduating Cornell's Business School, just like his father. Everything was legal now, no more Galindo Cartel just above board business.

Albert, the hopeless romantic, was singing along to a love song on the radio, serenading his boyfriend who was trying not to laugh because he was tone deaf at the best of times. I can still remember the day he came out to us as a teenager. He had hidden behind Cristobal just like he did as a child when he was about to confess to breaking something. We had just laughed at him; we had known he was gay since he re-enacted All That Jazz for his school talent show. Now, he was a leading architect who designed most of the new homes for movie stars.

Amelia was in a deep discussion with Miguel to determine which was Charles Dickens greatest novel. It was surprising she didn't end up the lawyer given her stubbornness and inability to lose an argument. Instead, our only daughter had become an antiques dealer - specialising in books. She travelled the world looking for rare books and restore them to their former glory. She loved her family but books held her heart. Miguel preferred that over a man.

I heard the loud booming laugh that was infectious across the car park and found Harry, a head above everyone else. He caught my eye and waved over the crowd of girls that gathered around him. It seemed that other than the wild curls that fell to his shoulders he had also inherited his father's charm.

I had loved coming to New York to visit our sons during their time studying here. It was a reprieve while Miguel and I were working but after Cristobal took over it became a second home. We had a place on the Upper East Side that we spent many weeks of the year staying in. I knew it wouldn't be long until we came back.

I felt an arm fall across my shoulders and I had to tilt my head up to look at my youngest, but definitely tallest, son. Ernesto. Like his siblings, he was a surprise. Miguel had grinned proudly when the doctor told him his vasectomy wasn't 100% successful. I had to pay a builder to fix the doctors door after I slammed it off it's hinge.

"I'm proud of you mijo." I said hugging his side. "I hope you are happy."

"Thanks, mom." He smiled and kissed my cheek before looking past and grinning widely. "I gotta go, can't have Harry taking all of New York's finest."

I watched him lope over to the group of ladies and greet his cousin. Immediately, a large portion of the girls turned their attention to Ernesto and they all had their phones out. I chuckled and turned away to see Miguel wave me over. He pulled me into his side with a smile that hadn't faded all day.

"Ready to go, mi amor?" He asked me as he too cast his eye over our family.

"Not nearly." I answered softly. "Are you sure about this?"

"Look at them. They don't need us anymore." He chuckled as he rubbed my arm.

"But I'm going to miss them." I sniffled.

"So will I but they have their own lives now, jobs, families. It's time for us to have a moment to ourselves." He said wiping my tears away. "Let's say our goodbyes so we don't miss the flight."

I nodded and took a deep breath before following my husband. He was right, as usual. I had waited almost 30 years to show Miguel the places I had travelled to and wanted to see. This world trip was going to be our graduation gift to ourselves. We had successfully raised and set free four children and now we had an empty nest.

"Where's the first stop?" I asked as I caught up to him.

He turned with a grin that sent my heart fluttering just like it did almost three decades ago.

"Where else?" He asked winking. "Paris."