Good Girl Gon' Bad

Epilogue

*16 years later*

"I tried to save him with all my heart, but I couldn't. Jake got to the emergency room but he didn't make it. I was devastated. When you love someone so much, its hard to see them go. It's damn hard to see their life taken away because a piece of your life goes along with them. Coby and his companion were caught just in time and were taken to jail. They got years till they die, and I hope they rot in there. You can't say that you hate someone because its a real strong feeling, but God I hated Coby. He made my life miserable. He's the real reason for all this pain. Except for you baby girl, you have been the greatest blessing in my life.

After all this happened I went back to school. I was 17 in 10th grade but I didn't feel bad because I learned more out there in the big ugly world than I would have ever in a hundred years going to school.

I graduated and got my high school diploma. I got myself into a city college and studied nursing to take care of new born babies. Got my bachelor's degree. You are 17 now, a beautiful grown young woman. I see Jake everytime I see you. It feels like a piece of him is still here. He was your dad, your father who worked hard for you, and risked his life for you.

In college I found a really nice guy who cared about me and loved me. I married him and we now have two more kids, my beautiful twins. And us five make a great family.

My dad died soon after my high school graduation. I missed him so much. I barely spent time with him so it hurt to see him go so quickly. I wish I could've done more for him.

I've never lost touch with your uncle Max. I love him to death and Ikeep that dog tag really safe and always with me.

I'm happy right now. I always think back to that time in my life. All the hurt, all the pain made me a good strong woman. I have to say, I'm really proud of myself.

Baby girl I just want you to know that life isn't perfect, and if it was, it would be boring. I love life, I love the pain, I love the hurt, the fights. Because when nice things happen, I learn to appreciate them, to appreciate all that has happened. All the tough times were lessons learned. Even if I think every night about that one guy that isn't mine anymore, I'm grateful to have a good man who cares, and have such a beautiful family like this with him. And yes, he knows my story."

We sat on the floor of a boxed room with a projector displaying my life ever since high school. I think it was about time that Hope knew more about me and herself. She knew that my husband wasn't her father, she knew that Jake was her father. So I took her on our field trip to Jake and my favorite special place. It still worked with me because it knows that I never stopped loving him.

"Mom, why haven't you told me any of this before?" She asks. "Because I didn't want you to think differently of me. I wanted to wait for the just right time to do this baby girl. After all you been through, I wanted to show you this. Maybe as an inspiration, I don't know, it just felt like the right time." I gave her a warm smile. She looked me in the eye and smiled then gave me a big hug. I really needed that hug at the moment.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I turned around I saw him, I saw Jake. Hope went running up to him and gave him a hug. I slowly stood up and gave him a big hug then I kissed those lips I so dearly missed. We stay hugging as a family looking out onto the beautiful sunset and listening to the delicate roar of the beach. Then as a matter of time, Jake went back.

He was able to meet his beautiful daughter, and would be seeing her often. He came every time I did, only for a few minutes, and then he had to go.

Now that he left, it was just Hope and I left on this beautiful beach. Hope and I and the rest of the world ahead of us.