Slim: Book 6

Epilogue

Since I've got some readers who have been hopping on the moment they see an update, here's the Epilogue early. :) I wanted to thank you all so much for reading my stories. I put a lot of effort into them, so it means a lot that someone enjoys it. Stay tuned for the next book, "Boon"

About three months later I was typing out a report of one of Naru's most recent investigations in the office, when he came out sipping a cup of tea I had just made him and reading something in a manila folder.

"Add this to the Greenhouse case," he said, closing it with a thumb and dropping it on the desk.

Since I was in the middle of a sentence, I just nodded. Now that I was off of field work (for the most part), Naru had released all the office work he had been keeping from me to my responsibility in an attempt to help me not feel left out. He also asked me to look over all the footage and sound records for 'a second opinion,' but I was getting the increasing impression that he was paranoid that I'd force my way into a case in order to escape a particularly bad episode of cabin fever.

And don't even mention whenever I get one of 'those' dreams while he's on a case and I'm back home. This weird spiritual connection we have both fascinates and terrifies him. Not that he'd ever admit that he freaks out inside whenever he hears that his cases somehow reach me all the way back in our safe little apartment. They weren't even all that bad. Just a lost little girl who wanted to tell her mom sorry for a fight they'd had before she died and a rather confused old man who didn't know he was dead.

Frankly, the one who was most bemused to how well I was adapting to 'office work and housewife' life was me. I couldn't believe how much I had to do, even more than before. Not to mention a little something on the side I had yet to reveal to Naru...

When I looked up from the computer screen to take the folder, Naru was still there, watching me.

"What?" I asked.

"I am legally and socially allowed to stare at my wife whenever I want," he said over the rim of his mug before taking a sip.

"Creep. What do you really want?"

"I've managed to set up appointment with a tutor of Ms. Hara's recommendation Wednesday evening. And lavender is a very nice color for your skin."

I groaned and leaned my elbow on the desk to rub my forefinger and thumb over my eyes. "Sure thing, boss."

"Also..." he hesitated.

I stopped rubbing my eyes long enough to glance up at him, and found his face to be pensive.

"What?"

"About that 'project' you said you're working on while I was gone last month...you didn't say it was with my mother. Or that she was funding it."

I let loose a bark of laughter-or more like a cackle-that made Naru jump.

"Oh, we're just deciding how to best milk your family jewels for super sperm-I'm aiming for triplets."

I laughed even harder when he almost dropped his mug. His following show of distaste at my teasing didn't help. It was adorable.

"Why can't I get a straight answer out of you anymore?"

"Because this is way more fun." But I considered telling him as I calmed down. It wasn't like I was trying to keep it a secret from him. I just knew how sensitive he got when the media got involved, but we were married, after all. And I had already agreed with Luella that changing all the names would be for the best.

I cleared my throat. "I'm writing a book."

His eyebrows rose. "Oh?"

"A series of books, actually. You're mom is helping me self-publish them." And just so he didn't think otherwise. "I was all for doing it the traditional route, querying editors and all, but when I shared my idea with her she just sort of jumped on me, you know?"