Feather

Epilogue

Peyton walked into the large house, Michael right behind her. They smiled as they heard giggles echoing through the house. "You know he spoils that kid." Michael chuckles lightly. He helps her to remove her jacket, hanging it on the coat hook as she shuts the door. He takes her hand as they walk through the hall to where the noise is coming from. They jump back as they turn the corner, "Elliott... come on, no skateboarding in the house!"

"Oh, don't spoil all her fun." Peyton smiles, kissing his cheek. She pulls him into the large living room. "Hey, dad." She says happily, going over to where he sat in his armchair, giving her father a kiss on each cheek. "Skateboarding in the house, really?"

"Hey," he shrugs, "I'm a sucker for a pretty face." She shakes her head with a smile, and sits down on the couch next to Michael. "So, Michael. How's everything at the office?"

"Good. We have a few events coming up. It's not the same without you though. You should come by sometime." He casually wraps his arm around Peyton, pulling her close.

"I might just do that, but I must say, this retirement thing is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Plus, I get to spend more time with my granddaughter." He says contentedly.

They heard a crash come from the hallway, and then the skateboard roll into the living room followed by a strained, but happy sounding, "I'm good," from Elliott. Making the three of them laugh.

"She reminds me of you, you know." Peyton's dad told her, "you weren't ever afraid of anything. I always admired that about you. I always thought that you got it from your mother, but then I realised that that was just you. My very own little power house." He coughs loudly, composing himself.

"Have you heard from mum at all?" She asks hesitantly.

"Not since the divorce was finalised, and that was only because she had to be in the room for the settlement of assets." Mr. Lanson rubs a hand over his face, in frustration. "I just can't believe she chose to miss out on all of this."

"It's not your fault, Mr. Lanson. She still didn't like me after the wedding, when Peyton got pregnant, I guess it was just more proof that we were going to stay together."

"That's still no reason to ignore your granddaughter for ten years."

"Wow." Peyton chuckles lightly, "I can't believe it's been ten years." She squeezes Michael's knee, "our baby is going to be eleven next month."

"And I want to go to Colorado." Elliott skips in happily, sitting on her grandfather's lap. "You'll take me, won't you, gramps?"

"If mummy and daddy say it's okay." He raises his eyebrow at them.

"Please, please, please." Elliott begged.

"Why Colorado?" Michael asked.

"Because that's where they have the best rodeos, obviously. Honestly, dad." She huffs, shaking her head.

"Like I said," Mr. Lanson smiles, "just like her mother."

"I guess we're going to Colorado then?" Peyton looks at Michael, and he shrugs. "I'll have to talk to Ashton, get the time off work. I'm guessing you have some days you can take?" She looks at Michael once more.

"Yeah. I can get Luke to watch over the running of things for a week or so."

"How is he doing by the way? And Calum too. I haven't seen them since they came over for Christmas." Mr. Lanson says, smiling at Elliott as she grabs her skateboard. Running out of the room.

"He's doing really well, I think he's exactly what the company needed. Fresh eyes in a place that was used to a routine."

"And Calum loves working with the kids. He's really happy. You can see it in his smile." Peyton smiles, "it makes me happy seeing him like that."

"Daddy!" Elliott called out from somewhere in the house.

"Well, that's my cue." Michael laughs lightly, getting up, and going to find his daughter.

Mr. Lanson looks at Peyton as she watches Michael leave the room. The smile on her face still as bright as the first time she told him about Michael, thirteen years ago at her birthday dinner. He had never felt so proud of her. She took her life into her own hands, not caring that it was different to what she was used to. It was her choice, and it helped her find her happiness.

"You okay, dad?" Peyton pulled him from his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm good." He chuckled. "Walk me to the door?" He stands up, and she quickly follows.

"What's going on?" She asks him, hooking her arm around his.

"Why would something be going on, Pumpkin?"

Peyton stops in her tracks, facing her father. "Okay, now I know something is wrong. You haven't called me that since my wedding day. What aren't you telling me?"

"Peyton..." he sighed.

"What is it, dad?" Peyton began to panic. "Tell me. Did something happen with you? Are you sick?"

"No. No, it's nothing like that. Not for me, anyway." Peyton furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "It's your mother that's sick. I only found out today. She sent a letter."

"What did it say?" She took a deep breath.

"It was rather long, do you mind if I just paraphrase?"

"Of course not." She shakes her head.

"She has cancer." Peyton gasped slightly. "Pancreatic. It's incurable. She hasn't got long left, and she wrote how sorry she was at the way she treated Michael, and she wanted you to know that she regrets the way she told you about... about my affair. About how she isn't your biological mother." He looked down, sniffing quietly.

"Dad. Hey, it's okay." She rubs his arm comfortingly.

"She's extremely proud of you. She really wanted you to know that." He smiled sadly at her.

"Where is she?" She asked.

"Somewhere in South America. She always loved the culture."

"Yeah." She smiled, watching the expression on his face. "You still love her, don't you?"

"As much as the day we first met." He kissed her forehead, "I'll see you at home tomorrow for dinner? It is your birthday after all."

"Yeah, dad. We'll be there." She hugged him tightly, then opened the door for him.

"Oh, and we can discuss that Colorado trip for Elliott's birthday." He called out as he walked to his car in the driveway.

"Sure. We can definitely do that."