Timeless

Epilogue

Epilogue

          

          “Star, come here please!” Mason called cheerfully. I put down the bills I was holding and ran my hand through my hair. So...many...bills...

            I ran downstairs, and instantly came in contact with my husband’s arms around my waist. But there was something else too. Another pair of small hands grabbing at my legs.

            “Someone misses you,” Mason smiled, which I returned when I kneeled down and picked up London in my arms, who giggled happily with a bright smile and endless happiness. Five-year-olds are always happy. Holding my daughter close, I made my way into the kitchen, Mason on my heels, and pulled out some peanut butter, much to London’s delight. She loved peanut butter. Setting her down, I was immediately met with another pair of hands grabbing at me. Kneeling down to pick up Hunter, I looked up just in time to see London press a kiss to her father’s cheek. Oh yeah, she was such a daddy’s girl.

            Mason walked over to me, holding London while I held Hunter. For a while we just looked at each other adoringly before Mason held out his hand and pulled me close, the four of us hugging.

            “Mommy! Tell me the story again!” London’s tiny voice squealed out. She loved stories. All kinds of stories; true, not true, sci-fi, adventure, but her favorite by far was Winnie the Pooh.

       “Which one?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

            “You know which one! The boy and the girl in school, and all the weird things in the girl’s lawn. That one! And you have to tell it too daddy!” London demanded, sending a curtain of dark hair flipping as she spun around in Mason’s arms. Mason and I gave each other looks, both happy and mischievous and sad and sympathetic. To my children, they were just stories. All of them. The true, the not true, the sci-fi, the adventures...but to Mason and I, they were our lives, a part of our lives that we wouldn’t forget.

            Mason and I made our way to Hunter’s room and sat down on the bed, both of us claiming our kids to us, afraid of the outside world hurting them.

            “There was a small girl,” Mason started, “that wanted to be a scientist. She always had stuff laying out in her lawn, experiments she was always working on. She had a brother too, who loved her very much, and admired her creativity and imagination. The girl was very happy and very carefree.” Mason gave a small nod in my direction, signaling my turn.

            “There was a small boy, who heard all the wrong things at night. He heard fighting, screaming, punching. He heard his sister being hurt night after night because she was different. When he started middle school though, everything changed.”

            “He met the girl in computers class one day when she smelled his shirt.” Mason continued. “They both thought nothing of it, but eventually they grew to be best friends, and then they fell in love.”

            My turn. “There were many obstacles that got in the way though. There was another girl, a fairy you might say, like a small pixie, who also claimed the boy’s heart—”

            “But he stays with the scientist, right? The fun girl!” London laughed.

            “Yes, you’ll see. Let mommy finish,” Mason smiled.

            “Sorry,” London whispered.

            I continued. “The fairy and the boy didn’t last very long though because the boy knew his heart belonged to the scientist.” London’s eyes lit up. “One day, the boy’s sister took an adventure to a calming place. It was supposed to help her get over being different.”