Howling at the Moons

CH 66: Epilogue - Ten Years Later

WAYO'S POV

It's still dark outside, but light is beginning to glow along the horizon. The sun will probably rise in about 10-20 minutes. The waters are dark and still showing only the reflection of the setting moon on its surface. The quiet sounds of crickets and awakening birds fill the air around us.

Pha and I are sitting side by side on the veranda of the small cottage, enjoying our time together.

"Daddy, why do you and papa bring us out here to sit in the dark?" Little four-year-old Achara asks me. Our daughter is so beautiful. She is so loving and sweet.

"Because me and papa want to show you how wonderful the world can be while we snuggle with our little cuddle monsters."

"But daddy, it's dark. We can't even see anything. Uncle Kit and Uncle Ming don't make Somchair sit out in the dark with them, and Uncle Forth and Uncle Beam don't make Chai do it either. I know, 'cause I asked them." Our four-year-old son Preed states from Pha's lap. He's so tough and sure of himself.

I remember the day we adopted them. Their parents were pack members who'd been killed in a head on collision with a drunk driver. They were both so small, not even a year old then. I looked at them and knew they were supposed to be mine. I didn't even have to say anything to Pha, he knew what I was feeling. He simply grabbed Preed's baby carrier and told me to grab Achara's so we could go home.

My eyes still well with tears at the memory. It was one of the happiest days of my life. Pha reaches across the short distance between our chairs and runs his hand across my cheek. His soft smile is full of love and I give him a loving smile in return.

Breaking myself free of the memories, I listen as Pha says, "I'm sure it's too hard for your Uncles to even catch those little hooligans, much less get them to sit still for five minutes."

Achara turns her little face up to me, "Daddy, what's a hoo... hol... hoogan?"

Reaching over, I smack Pha's arm before answering her. "It's hooligan, baby girl. It means your papa thinks Somchair and Chai are little troublemakers, but they're not. They just have a lot of energy."

"A lot of energy?" Pha questions in a shocked voice. I give him a stern look, but he just smirks at me.

"Ooh, daddy does that make me and Preed, hoogans? You always say we have too much energy."

"No, that doesn't make you hooligans either." I smile at her question. She's just too cute, I start tickling her and she squirms around trying to escape me.

"Daddy, stop!! It tickles!! Papa, Preed, help me!"

"Oh no, little girl, I have my own cuddle monster I need to tickle and there will be no escape for him now." Pha says as he begins tickling Preed.

"Papa, stop!! Achara, help me!"

Achara jumps from my lap, grabs her brother's hand and pulls him from Pha's lap. They're both out of breath and have huge smiles on their flushed little faces. They stand there just looking at us, waiting. They know what's coming next.

Glancing over at Pha, I say, "My love, I think our children need to be caught and tickled some more."

"I absolutely agree, mate. Ready." He starts us off.

My turn, "Set."

Weboth yell, "Go!" and we're out of our chairs and chasing our children as thefirst rays of the morning sun peak over the horizon.      

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A/N:

Ok, call me silly, I might have actually have cried a little as I hit the completed button for this book...   :-[

Ending this story is bittersweet for me. It was my first book and I have received so much support from readers, that I hate to stop. But I have so many other ideas for books trapped in my head, that I have to end this one to move forward. As they say, "In every ending there is also a new beginning."

Thank you so much for going on this journey with me. I hope you will join me again for my next book.  ;-}

11.04.2017

Edited:  04.06.2018   10:27 pm  US CST