Coming Home

Epilogue-Kenzi

Kenzi’s POV

“Do we have everything? Camera, keys, purse, kids?” I asked, running around the house frantically.

“Mom, chill. Your phone plus your cameras, all three of them, are in your purse, which is on your shoulder. Daddy has the keys and the rest of the kids are in the van waiting for you. We have to leave before we miss the ceremony,” my fifteen year old daughter, Kaysie, said as she appeared in the doorway laughing slightly at me.

“I’m being ridiculous, aren’t I?” I asked sheepishly as I joined her in the doorway.

“Just a little,” she admitted, wrapping her arm around my waist as we walked through the house towards the front door.

I laughed as I kissed the top of her head.

“It’s about time!” Cayden called teasingly as we walked out the front door.

“Mom over here was having a mini heart attack,” Kaysie explained with a grin as she broke away from me to climb into the van.

“What else is new?” ten year old Ryder asked, rolling his eyes jokingly.

“Is this Pick on Mom Day or what?” I asked with a laugh, sliding into the passenger seat.

“It can be,” seven year old Cameron answered with a grin.

I playfully shook my head at them as Cayden started the van and started to back out of the driveway.

“I really hope someone saved us some seats because we’re running late,” Cayden commented, flashing me a cheeky grin.

“Mom’s fault,” Kaysie, Ryder, and Cameron chorused.

“Mommy’s fault,” four year old Kodi piped up, not knowing what was going on but wanting to fit in.

“Yup, definitely Pick on Mom Day,” I joked, nodding my head.

“At least it’s not Pick on Dad Day,” Cayden commented from beside me, a smile on his face.

“Nah, we need Cain and Asher for that. There’s just too much to pick on,” Ryder said from the back seat, making his siblings laugh.

“I think I spoke too soon,” Cayden said to me, rolling his eyes playfully.

“I think so,” I agreed as he turned the corner and the high school came into view.

My heart clenched as I thought of what was about to happen. Today was the last day of school and Cain and Asher were graduating high school. I couldn’t believe that my babies were all grown up and graduating high school. They had turned eighteen the September before graduation and were leaving for college the summer after. I was having a hard time coping with the fact that they were leaving me, even though I knew it would benefit them.

“Don’t cry Mom,” Kaysie said from the back seat, reaching forward to wipe my tears away.

“I can’t help it,” I answered with a chuckle.

“Come on. Let’s go find everyone,” Cayden said as he parked the van and stepped out.

The kids scurried out of the van, running towards the football field where the graduation was being held. Kodi was having a hard time keeping up so Kaysie stopped to pick her up before continuing to run to the field. They disappeared from sight but I wasn’t worried. I knew the rest of my family weren’t far away and would keep an eye on them as soon as they came into sight.

“Are you ready for this?” Cayden asked as he wrapped his arm around my waist as we walked towards the field.

“No, I don’t want my babies to grow up. It seems like just yesterday that they were little toddlers running around,” I answered as I shook my head.