Your Time

Epilogue

{June 2071}

Harrison and Carrie sat against a tree in the backyard, watching their kids and grandkids all run around. Adam's two daughters chased around Emma's two sons Travis and Brady. Billie and her husband Taylor sat at the picnic table with their twins. Ben and his wife Chelsea pushed their son Justin on a swing.

Carrie leaned her head against Harrison's shoulder, playing with the heart shaped necklace he'd gotten her for their 50th anniversary.

"50 years," she whispered aloud.

Harrison put his arm around her. "I can't believe it's been 50 years."

"Me either Harry."

Across from where they sat, Travis and Brady started a game of catch with their cousins. Billie's twin son Josh and daughter Jessica ran over to join their cousins. Travis and Brady then moved on to coax Maddie and Jaina to play as well.

Carrie watched them all run around while moving closer to her husband. Her life was complete. She'd found Harrison when they were just 18 years old. They had four kids of their own. Then their kids had their grandchildren. She had everything she ever wanted. A family. A husband, kids, and grandkids.

"What are you thinking about?" Harrison asked quietly, kissing her cheek gently.

"All of it," she answered. "You, our kids, and grandkids."

Harrison reached to his right and grabbed a book. "What's this?"

"Take a look."

She took the book from him. It was then when she realized it was a scrapbook full of pictures taken throughout their lives together. "The kids got it for us."

Carrie opened to the first page. It was full of pictures from high school, from that state championship game he'd won all those years ago to graduation. The following page was when they first built their house and Harrison's early NFL career.

After that came the pages with their first dog Chance. The pictures showed him laying on their bed and him playing with Adam in the backyard. Adam's birth came next. The first one was a picture of Carrie eating her chocolate covered pickles, which Harrison used to tease her about. Then there was one of the two of them holding Adam in the hospital and Adam taking his first steps.

Harrison turned the page. It was a gallery of photos of Emma. One was over her giving Harrison a bloody nose, which Carrie couldn't help but laugh at. Others pictured Emma holding a softball for the first time and her and Adam at the beach.

Next came Billie. Carrie couldn't help but smile at the picture of her and little B with both of them wearing pigtails and smeared makeup. There was Billie on her daddy's shoulders, dunking a basketball. And there was one of her smashing cake in Harrison's face.

The next page was about Ben. One of the images pictured him laying on Harrison's back with his head rested in his hands just as his daddy laid below him. There was Carrie holding little Ben in the shower. That one time she didn't want to go to the hospital. Next to that picture was him and his daddy holding the first fish he'd ever caught.

After that came pictures of the kids growing up. There were pictures of Adam and Ben playing football from high school all the way to the professional level with the Cowboys. Both Emma and Billie were pictured playing softball together. There was one from the state championship they'd won together and the college World Series. Adam was even in the memory book pitching for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as he'd done for a few years after retiring from football.

Then came all the grandkids. The end of the book was filled with so many pictures of their 7 grandkids. The funniest picture on the page was of Leia jumping in the pool and catching their ball as all of them looked on in awe.

Carrie turned to the last page of the book. The left side was a picture of her and Harrison with the kids walking into the sunset. Adam and Billie stood to the right of Harrison while Emma and Ben were on Carrie's left. There was a small space between Harrison and Carrie where the sunlight shown through. They were holding hands in that picture. The outline of their hands together stood out in the sunset.

On the right side of the last page was a picture of her and Harrison kissing after he'd won his first Super Bowl. The picture was darkened just a bit to reveal to quote in the bottom right corner. It read, love begins in a moment, grows over time, and lasts for eternity.

On Harrison's side of the picture was another quote that read, I swear I couldn't love you more than I do right now, and yet I know I will tomorrow.

Carrie looked up at her husband. "This is beautiful."

He wiped the tears off her cheeks with his thumb. Harrison then took his hands in hers and kissed her gently. "I love you Carrie. Thank you for everything you've done for me over the last 55 years since we've met. You're my everything, and I can't wait to see what else the future has for us."

Carrie hugged him. "I love you Harrison."

Then they kissed passionately once again...