Jupiter

Epilogue

The next day, which is Saturday, the situation with Jace last night felt like it lasted an eternity, which only lasted like five minutes in reality. After he pulled the knife on me, Cole shot Jace in the thigh which was enough to distract Jace long enough to pull me away from Jace. I didn't walk away unharmed, Jace managed to cut my throat enough to need stitches. 

Once Cole had me away from Jace, Cole took him down onto his stomach, with his face smashed into the floor. Ms. Pearl had been on the phone with 9-1-1 dispatch, and Blake had been texting dad to let him know what was happening. Once I was away from Jace, Blake had rushed to me with his shirt off, which he pressed onto my neck until the police and paramedics arrived. 

The two police officers arrived, took Jace into custody, and then took our statements and the video footage of what happened with them when they left. Dad had arrived in a frenzy, and he came inside when the officers learned who he was, as the paramedics came inside to asses Jace's thigh wound, and my neck. Jace received stitches there as the bullet went clean through and didn't knick any arteries in his leg, and I recieved seven stitches. I refused to be taken tot he hospital, but Jace had been before he was taken to jail. Once the police, Jace, and the paramedics left the bookstore, I took Galexy from Henley, and I stick to Cole like glue.

Even with Jace in police custody, I convienced Cole to sleep on the couch at home, and he knew I needed him there last night. He stayed until this morning after he had breakfast with all of us - dad, Exy, Blake, Henley and Ms. Pearl. I needed all of us at the house to feel safe, and we all slept in the living room - Cole on the couch, Ms. Pearl in the recliner, Exy in the portable crib, and dad, Blake, Henley and me on the floor. 

Ms. Pearl, Cole, and Henley all left a half-an-hour after breakfast was finished, and Blake is staying until Rain arrives later today. Yes, Rain is aware of what happened last night, but he couldn't come then or even this morning as he was five hours away at a family function, and he didn't drive himself there. Once he arrives home, and changes his clothes, he is planning on coming right over for our date. He is planning on being here no later than 4 p.m.

3:55 p.m. -  

"He's not coming, is he?" I ask Blake and dad while I pace the living room where all of us are. 

Galexy is sitting on the floor playing with his toys with Blake, and dad is sitting on the recliner chair. The two of them stare at me like I'm nuts, but why would Rain want anything to do with me after the events that have recently happened. 

"Jupiter, it's not even 4 p.m. yet, so calm down," dad says from the brown leather lounge chair. 

"But my life recently has been crazy, and no normal guy is going to volunterr for that," I say, biting my fingernail from my left hand in anxiety.

"Dude, look at me!" Blake commands, instantly drawing my attention to him. 

He stands from the floor to walk over to me, and stops directly in front of me with a small scowl; "He hasn't run has he? No, he hasn't, and he has only been here for you and Galexy, as much as he could be. Now what makes you think he's not going to show?" 

Sighing loudly around the fingernail I'm still chewing on, I finally respond; "Nothing. I guess I'm just nervous."

"Well," Blake starts, but stops when there is a gentle knock on the door. 

Inhaling deeply, I answer the front door, where I find Rain, who has a bright smile as soon as he sees me; "Hi Jupiter."

"Hi Rain, come in please," I return, almost fully relieved that he's here, and seems happy to be here. 

"Thanks," he returns, while stepping inside the house, where he promptly removes his coat, and toes off his shoes by the rest. 

Once he hangs up his coat, I introduce him; "Rain, this is my dad, Jaxson, my best friend, Blake, and of course you know my sweet baby boy, Galexy."

"Hello, it's nice to meet you both. Jupiter speaks highly of the three of you all the time," Rain cheerfully greets them.

Dad and Blake talk with Rain for several minutes before Blake heads out for his own date with Henley. When Exy crawls over to me, I pick him up, and kiss his chubby cheek as he cutely waves at Rain, who instatnly waves back at him with a gentle; "Hi Galexy."

We settle on the couch to spend time together, as dad excuses himself to the den, where he is planning on spending his evening. Cole is coming back in an hour or two to spend time with dad, and I seriously think those two like each other. An hour and a half later, Cole arrives with four pizzas and four 2-liters of soda, and he leaves two of each with us, before joining dad in the den. 

The three of us spend until midnight when Rain has to head home, by eating dinner together, talking, playing with Galexy, and he helps me with my son whenever he needs anything and at his bed time, before we settle back on the couch together to watch a movie before he has to leave. 

One of the best nights ever, even with everything that has happened recently.

2 years later - 

Galexy is 3 years old, I'm 19 years old as is Blake and Henley, Rain is almost 21 years old, and dad is 38 years old. 

Jace has been in prision since that incident at the bookstore. He has been charged and found guilty of harassment, endgerment of a child (Galexy), intent to cause bodily harm, attempt to kidnap and harm, and causing bodily injury. When Jace was being questioned by the lawyers, he was seen by a psychotrist, who diagnosed with multiple-personality disorder, and he is recieving help while he's serving his ten year sentence. 

Dad is still a lawyer with uncle Jeff and Mr. Owen, who felt and still feels horrible for the actions of his son. Dad and Cole started dating a month after the incident with Jace, and are still together. Dad has sold my childhood home to Rain and me, as he has moved into a six bedroom home with Cole. They are fostering four siblings with the intent to adopt - Andrew, who is 14 years old, Amelia, who is 12 years old, Adam, who is 9 years old, and Abigale, who is 5 years old. Their father died in a trucking accident, and their mum became abusive toward them after his death. The kids had been in the foster care system three months before dad and Cole started fostering them. 

Rain moved in with Galexy and me a year ago when dad and Cole moved into their home. Exy called Rain 'da-da' around the time he moved in with us, and at first I thought Rain was going to be upset by this, but instead he cried tears of joy. Rain doesn't want to replace Kyler, but he loves Galexy as his own son, and wants to help raise him, and is all for telling Galexy all about Kyler when he's old enough, so Exy calls Rain 'daddy' still.

The murder trial of the men who had murdered Kyler, were sentenced to life in prision without the chance of parole. The trial lasted three weeks, and only took the jury an hour and a half to deliberate, and come back with a guilty verdict. 

So, Ms. Pearl retired and left me the bookstore, as the owner, but she still resides in her apartment above the store. She likes to come to the store and visit with Galexy, Rain and me. Rain works with me at the bookstore, as my co-owner. We've expanded into the empty store to the right of the bookstore, and use that extra space as a cafe'. We've hired to employees to help us - Sammy, who is 19 years old and a college student, and Ali, who is 21 years old with a two-year-old daughter, Amanda, who comes to the store/cafe and plays with Galexy. 

Mister Kai died six months ago in his sleep. When the three of us arrived to his funeral, his family instantly knew who were were, as Mister Kai always talked about us. 

I'm also eight months pregnant with a boy, who we are naming River Kai Brown, as Rain wants our children to all have the same last name. Blake and Henley are marrying on December 31st of this year. They have a seven month old daughter named Harper Marie, and she's also my goddaughter. 

There have been some bumps in the road of my life, but there will always be those rough patches. I'm happy with where my life is currently, and I think these bumps, along with the happy ocassions, have shaped me into the person I am today.