Waiting for a Miracle

Epilogue

Three years later...

I woke up to Leona lightly slapping my face with a rapid tempo. “Duggan, wake up! Do you hear that?”

Trying to roll my head away from the assault, I said, “All I can hear is you slapping me.”

She stopped, smiling at me with a guilty expression. “Sorry babe, but—”

“Shush,” I said, because then I did hear something.

The room got quiet, and I smiled as I recognized the sound of a jeep engine as it clawed its way up our ‘driveway.’

We got dressed quickly, but Leona was faster, running down the stairs to the first floor of our cabin. I heard the jeep’s engine cut off and doors slamming. The front screen door slammed next, and then Leona squealed with happiness.

Laughing at her merriment, I took my time in descending the stairs and opening the door. By the time I was outside, Leona was hugging Greg, spinning around fast enough to make his legs swing out behind him.

Greg shouted protests that he was too old for such treatment, and Maggie giggled at her son’s misfortunes.

As Greg untangled himself from Leona’s arms and tail, I saw that four years had given him a growth spurt or two. He looked quite dashing, and it seemed like he had taken up some kind of sport, judging from the size of his shoulders.

Walking out to help everyone unpack, I waved to Maggie, noticing that a little version of Leona was standing behind her. I smiled at Maggie and waved to the girl, who ducked behind Maggie to avoid my gaze.

“Is this Sarah?” I asked.

Maggie nodded, stepping aside and waving a hand to present the lovely teen girl to me. “Her parents said she could come camping with us, since they’re going to be too busy to take a vacation this year.”

Offering my hand, I said, “Hi, Sarah. My name is Duggan. How do you do?”

“I’m fine,” Sarah whispered as she gingerly took my hand.

She never once looked at me, and the moment I let go of her hand, she stepped back behind Maggie.

Laughing, I said, “You aren’t scared of me, are you?”

“She’s always like this around new people,” Maggie explained and tittered soft laughter. “You should have been there when we first met her. We had a heck of a time getting her out from behind Greg to see what she looked like. Once we did, she charmed the heck out of us, didn’t you, dear?”

The girl smiled and blushed as she whispered, “Yeah, I guess.”

I looked at Maggie, who mouthed the word “later.”

Shrugging, I went to the back of the jeep to help Wallace, almost gasping as he stepped around the side with several sleeping bags tucked under his arms.

Four years had added some more grey to his hair, which gave his blue eyes an even sharper contrast. He was quite a bit heftier too, and I don’t mean fat.

“Wallace, have you been working out?” I asked with obvious admiration.

“A little,” he said.

Maggie laughed, and Wallace gave her an odd look, like there was a topic they weren’t going to discuss around me. Maggie stopped laughing, but there was still a smile tugging at the sides of her mouth.

I decided to let it go for the time being. After all, we had all the time in the world to catch up, and I myself had a few secrets that were going to wait until later.