Spy School King's Cage (Completed)

Epilogue

The image above is what Erica's wearing btw

10 months later...

Erica's POV

"Erica!" Luke yelled. "How long will you take? I can't wait forever!"
"Then don't wait," I yelled back. Tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, I checked my outfit one last time before securing my hoop earrings in place. "I'm ready. I just need my phone."

"Girls take forever," Luke complained. "Come on!"

Luke and I were headed to the Annual Hale Family Reunion. By 'headed', we were upstairs in the giant four-floor mansion Grandpa Cyrus owned, and we had to go downstairs. We were on summer break in the mansion, which Grandpa had nicknamed 'safehouse'. It was large with about twenty bedrooms.

"Erica! Luke!" Dad called when we descended the stairs to the ground floor. The giant open area at the base of the stairs was lined with food tables, and people, all Hales, stood in clustered groups, eating, drinking and talking. The front door was open, revealing the gardens and the enormous parking lot. Hales came in and went out, greeting and smiling.

"Hi, Dad," I said casually. As usual, he was dressed in a bespoke three-piece suit.

"Hey, Uncle Alexander," Luke said with a smile, shaking his hand. "It's good to see you."

Dad smiled. "How's school?"

Luke is my dad's sister's son, and his Dad works for Mi6, so he attended the Mi6 version of Spy School.

"Hard," he replied. "I've failed my parachuting classes three times in a row."

"Just like Erica," he said. "Apparently it runs in the family."

I nudged Luke, dragging him away from Dad before more embarrassing secrets got revealed.

"Erica!" came a voice. "Lucas! How are you?"

We spun around. "Aunt Catherine!" Luke yelled. I smirked.

"You look lovely," Mom commented. "The family reunion is the only time you opt for a dress with lace. Though it's black, and full-sleeved."

"I can't help it," I said. "Black is my thing."

She laughed. "You still look stunning."

I blushed. "Thanks."

"Where's Cyrus?" Mom asked. "I haven't seen him around."

Luke smiled. "He's probably sitting in a corner of the house, sulking. Grandpa hates people."

As Mom walked away, I turned to Luke. "Where's your family?"

"Dad's over there," he replied, pointing in the general direction of people. Still, I could see Uncle Robert's blonde hair poking out of the cluster of Hales. "Mom's dealing with Hannah outside. She's having a fit."

"I mean, she is four years old," I said. "Of course she's throwing a fit."

"Weird that's coming from you," he replied. "You're definitely less icier than the last time I saw you."

I laughed. "Yeah. It's also weird that you're in formal wear. I bet if you could pick what you wanted to wear, you'd show up in Basketball shorts and a t-shirt."

He nodded. "Instead, Mom made me wear this disgusting tie." He tugged at his collar uncomfortably.

"Family reunion is the only time everyone leaves their work to come together. As a family." I smiled at Great-Aunt Martha as we moved to stand in a corner of the house.