Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
I was still getting used to him calling me Dad. It had happened one day while we were at the garage. I was working on a car and asked him for a socket wrench. He handed it to me casually.
“There you go, Dad.”
I lifted my head so fast I almost hit the hood. I met his wide eyes. “What?”
He cleared his throat. “Dad. That’s okay, right?”
I had to blink. “Absolutely.”
“Okay.”
I lowered my head, not wanting him to see how emotional I was feeling. “Okay.”
I stood, brushing off my legs. “I’m being summoned.”
Cherry laughed. “Off you go, Dad.” She knew how much I loved hearing him call me that.
I headed to the water with a grin. I looked around me.
Friends. Family. My son.
He was surrounded with love. So was I.
The sun was warm, the water cool, and life was good.
And I couldn’t ask for anything more.
EPILOGUE
Three years later
DOM
Happy birthday to you!!
The last line was loud and boisterous, everyone singing at the top of their lungs.
Josh grinned at the group, catching my eye and rolling his. He pretended to be embarrassed, but he loved it.
All our friends and family were there. The food was abundant, the tables almost groaning with the platters and dishes. Center spot was Rosa’s lasagna—still Josh’s favorite. Rosa and Mack were pseudo-grandparents for Josh. Maxx, Charly, Stefano, Gabby, Brett and Kelly, his aunts and uncles. Hannah and Chase were his adopted siblings. Especially Hannah. The two of them were incredibly close. Mary was another grandparent, always spoiling him. And all the kids were his cousins and friends. They all got along, despite the differences in their ages—the older ones looking out for the young. It was a great group, and we were blessed to be part of them.
Josh’s mom had passed two years ago, cancer winning the battle, although she had fought valiantly. We had found a plateau in our relationship and coexisted well, Josh our main focus. The last months of her life were spent happily, always included in anything to do with our son. Even Christmas. She was no longer bitter and angry, having found some sort of peace within herself. I was glad her last months on earth were content and she passed knowing Josh would be cared for. He had grieved hard, acting out on occasion, but everyone was patient with him, and he found himself again.
I smiled as he hugged Cherry, towering over her. He had a new name for me, and she was, of all things, Mumsy. I knew Mom was out of the question, but one day, he’d simply called her Mumsy, and when I looked at him quizzically, he had shrugged.
“Cherry isn’t right anymore. She’s more than that. Mumsy fits her. Just like Dad-D fits you.”
“Dad-D?” I questioned.
He grinned. “Yeah. I like it. You sound cool.”
And from that day on, it was Mumsy and Dad-D. We both loved it. It was the way he said the names. Affectionately, while rather teasing. It suited him and us.
He had grown, now over six feet tall. Thanks to Maxx and the guys, he loved to work out, so he was muscular, although still lanky. He was growing into his body as well as his brain. He was clever and still inquisitive. He loved to read, and his favorite spot to be was in the garage. He had promised his mom to think about the future carefully and had informed Cherry and me that he planned on taking some business courses, as well as training to be a mechanic. We would support him in every way possible. The life insurance that came to him after Roxanne passed was in an account, slowly accruing interest, and would cover his education. I knew she would be thrilled about that.
He leaned over, blowing out the candles. Sixteen. My son was sixteen.
Cherry looped her arm around my waist. “How did this happen?” she murmured.
I chuckled. “We’re getting old, Cherry.”
She elbowed me. “Speak for yourself, Dad-D.”
I laughed, leaning down to kiss her cheek and whisper in her ear. “You know I love it when you call me Daddy.”
She elbowed me again, color flushing her cheeks. It amused me that after all our time together, and the things we’d done, I could still make her blush.
“I’ll show you old later,” I warned. “Josh is going out with his friends. I’ll have you all to myself. Maybe we can skinny-dip again.”
She laughed. The house had changed a lot since we’d moved in. We’d renovated to suit us, and Josh had the entire basement decked out, with a huge TV and gaming console, as well as his computers. It was constantly filled with his friends. Upstairs, we’d gutted the kitchen and opened some walls. Outside, there was a large deck, and we’d added a pool, which was another draw for the kids. We loved hosting and having everyone over. Cherry especially loved having our grandkids spend the night to give Hannah and Chase “a break”—whether they asked for it or not. Their two children were spoiled rotten by my wife, but they were good kids and we enjoyed having them around. Maxx had three kids, the youngest a huge surprise. Stefano had three as well, and Brett had one child, so it was always a houseful when everyone was around, and the pool was well used.