The Good Life

EPILOGUE

2045

"And he told me as he finished this that he still loves her as much as the first day they met. Even right here, right now, he loves her like he did the day they met. These letters reflect their love. And their ups and downs. Our family. The good and the bad and how much we love each other." A short 33 year old Rosie said standing in front of a small crowd at a local book store. She gripped tightly to the podium and could feel her palms getting sweaty. She quickly wiped her forehead. Oh god. Don't sweat like your father. It's not even that many people. She thought to herself twirling a strand of hair at the same time she tapped her feet looking up to see her own small family, a one year old son and a caring husband sitting next to her father. She looked over at her father, took a deep breath and smiled. "My father and I have always been close. When my mother got sick the first time it was just the two of us. Even though I was only three years old, I remember sitting in a hospital holding onto my frog laying in his arms falling asleep to his silly songs, the same silly songs that would soothe all five of us, even today." Rosie looked over at her twin siblings, now 28, and her youngest siblings, Lazlo, 26 and her baby sister Cece, 22. She saw Angelo and Lazlo laugh and lower their heads. She's the one that's going to talk. Rosie could hear them all saying when they discussed the book. "When my mother passed away, one of the first things my father did was show me the letters they had written each other, from the very first letter that he wrote her pleading for her health, to the very last letter he wrote, giving her his heart and soul, the day after her passing. I didn't know what to think, except that the quiet nights I remembered, coming home late from school, weren't filled with anger or sadness, as I had thought, but that they were filled with everlasting love that they would share with us. For some reason, Hope and I had decided, after she turned 11, that when we went to bed that our parents really hated each other. They rarely talked to each other after we all went to bed. If one of us was sick we'd find them at opposite sides of the house writing. We never knew exactly what, but at times we thought it was how they were going to kill each other. This, of course, made no sense because they were always so in love with each other during the day. They always kissed each other good morning, and even when we were old enough to realize that our dad was going to be gone for a while, on tour or working with someone else, they would skype with each other like teenagers who just started dating. Their love was so beautiful. When my father opened the chest that was put away in their closet for so many years I was in shock. I had no idea what to think. I spent a rainy Saturday in November reading through every single letter. They were touching, they were tear inducing, they made me throw up a little in my mouth, especially when they talked about their not so quiet evenings when we were babies....but they were my parents and through each and every one of those letters was a type of love that I only hope my husband and I continue to have through our long lives together. After reading through the letters I asked my dad if I could share them with my brothers and sisters. He said he had to think about it. He wasn't sure what he wanted to do with them. He took the chest back to his bedroom that night. I thought for sure that it would be the first and only time I would ever get to read through their lives together. He asked me not to tell anyone about the letters that night. And just like the good daughter I am, I didn't. Until a few weeks later when I saw CeCe sitting on the floor with everyone else reading through them. I was with Ava, my daughter, and wasn't sure what exactly was going on until I saw a bright purple sheet of paper in Hope's hand. I remembered that letter. It was the last note my mother had written to my father." Rosie sniffed away a tear and began reading from the thin book:

Brunz,

I know I make all of you cry. I hate making you cry. I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know where I'm going to be tomorrow, or next week, next month or next year. I know you all are going to make it, though. Rosie is just the best most amazing mother in the world. We raised her right. I know you know that. Hope has always been our troublemaker and I don't think that is going to ever change. Please make sure she is safe. Angelo is going to follow in your footsteps. He is so talented. Laz is so smart. I can't believe that he passed the Bar. Make sure that whatever happens that everything goes to him to handle. He will be able to take care of it. Has he even cried since he was 5 years old? Keep an eye on him too. I don't know what his reaction will be like when this is finally over. And my baby Cecelia....she is going to do some amazing things too. I have the shirt she made me on right now. Her creativity has no bounds. Please encourage her to continue to do whatever her heart tells her to do. And you, my love, my heart and my soul, please know that you have made my life what it is today. I know there were days when I didn't know what to do or who to talk to or who was important or if I was a mother and wife or if I was just pretending to be those things. I want you to know that you showed me that I am a wife and mother. I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know where I will be. I don't know where we will be. Just please, if you remember anything, I will always be with you all. Forever.