Remembering Red {Book Three} The Mentalist

Epilogue

*Alexis' pov* 

I sat in my room thinking about him. It's been two years since Dad was taken by the Red Stars, two long years. It was clear to all of us that he was dead. Even if he wasn't, it was clear that he was never coming back. I didn't want to think like that, but I just couldn't help it. Even Brayson saw this, and he held out hope much more than I did. 

Only one person believed they could find Dad. That was Mom. She changed a lot after that day we found her. She become more in closed, more depressed. She wasn't like the woman I grew up calling Mom, but more of a woman who was going to grieve her whole live. Don't get me wrong, she was still a great agent of the CBI, but she just wasn't the same at home. Everyone who knew her knew this. 

I sighed and went downstairs. Brayson was now a freshman in college and I was now a junior. When I walked into the kitchen I was greeted by the smell of bacon and eggs. Mom sat by the counter drinking something, but I knew it was either coffee or tea. I sat next to her, seeing the white hairs that Mom hid when going to work. Worry can make a person look older. 

"Hey Mom," I said taking her hand looking into her cup of tea. 

"Hello Alexis," she said with a smile. 

"Is that my plate?" I asked looking on the counter and Mom pushed it over to me. I saw another empty cup that had coffee drops in it and a dirty plate in the sink. "Hey Mom, do you have to work today?" 

"Not today sweetie," she answered. "The CBI is closed to be sprayed for termites. Why?" 

"Do you think that maybe we could do something? Maybe see a movie or go for a walk?" 

"Sure Alexis. We can do that." 

"Really?" 

"Of course. What do you want to do?" 

"Could we go see a movie? Something simple." 

"Okay. Eat your breakfast and then go get dressed." 

"Yes Mom." 

I eat pretty quickly making Mom laugh. I could see that she was going to put on a good act of me, acting like Dad wasn't on her mind. I knew better. Dad was always on her mind, no matter what we did. I looked at the movies playing and I picked out one that had to make her laugh. There was no way that this movie was going to make her think of him. I hoped it didn't make me think about him either. 

______ 

"Wasn't that movie great Mom?" I asked her walking out of the theater. She had a smile on her face and she was holding her keys. 

"It was very good Alexis," she answered laughing. She unlocked the car and I got in with her. "Is there anything else you would like to do?" 

"Maybe we could go get some lunch," I said and she smiled. 

"Anyplace you would like to go?" 

"You pick Mom." 

"Alright. I hope you like it," she says pulling out of the parking lot and driving to a restaurant. It didn't look too fancy, but I could tell it was a place that served pretty good food. I got out and waited for her. Then I heard someone call my name. I looked up and saw Brayson and Kasey walking up to me. 

"Hey little sis," Brayson says and I smiled at him. I wrap my arms around him and he hugs me back. 

"Hey Brayson, hey Kasey," I tell them and Kasey waves. 

"How's Mom?" Brayson asks seeing her trying to get her purse unstuck from the spot she put it. 

"She's doing fine for a person who's husband is gone." 

"So what are you guys doing here?" Kasey asked. 

"Getting lunch. What about you?" 

"We're on a date," Brayson answered. I smile at them, and then he looked at her. "Do you want to have lunch with my family?" 

"I would love to," Kasey answered looking at Mom who was now looking at us with a smile. "If it is okay with Mrs. Jane." 

"I would love to also," Mom says walking over and hugged her son. We walk in and get a table for four. It is big enough for one more person, and I think of how Dad would be that other person if he was here. But he's not, I tell myself trying to think happy thoughts to keep my smile. 

"So what are you up to Brayson?" Mom asks him. "Doing anything exiting or is it just school work?" 

"Since finals are coming up it has mainly school work," he answered. "This is about what I've been up to, studying and going on dates with Kasey." 

"What about you Kasey?" I ask. 

"Same," she answered. I smile at the two. 

"How's work going?" Brayson asked mom. 

"Same old. People are killed, we go in and solve the crime. There's not too much to say about it," she laughs, making us all laugh. We talk and eat for a while, catching up. I think it made us forget about Dad for a while. But I know that we could never forget him. 

I guess when you love someone and they disappear, your heart breaks. That they leave their mark on your heart that you can never heal because of what they did for you. Sure Dad might be a pest to all of us, but he was my father. I can't just toss him out of my life and forget he was ever here. Though someone like Mom might never relearn to love like she used to. He was the one who re gave her a family when it looked like it was taken away from her. He gave her more to live for, and more to love, and now he is gone. It still didn't seem real. I knew one thing though. Patrick Jane was somewhere, and he was smiling because he had a wonderful family. 

RR is over now!!! D: So RTL will be posted sometime either today or tomorrow. It all depends on when I get it written. I hope you enjoyed this book, it was so much fun to write. If you are a big fan of the Mentalist, please don't kill me! You will have to read the next book to know what happens to Jane. So look out for Relearning to Love. Peace out my Stars!