Epilogue

EPILOGUE

COLLIN

One Year Later

" W hat the hell were you doing? Skydiving?" Danielle says into the phone.

We're heading toward the largest hospital in Pittsburgh, making the drive from D.C. to the other end of Pennsylvania.

Mrs. Brogan's voice bellows through the car's sound system. "I finally listened to you, Dani. And don't rush, you're a thousand months pregnant and don't need to get scared into an early delivery."

That gets a laugh out of me, letting her mom know that I'm in the car, too. I ask, "How are you, Donna?"

"Oh, Collin, honey, I'm just fine. You know I never sky-dove before. Is that a word? I never skied or dived through it, and well, I listened to Dani's advice. You should know that she's amazing at her job. Of course you do, she helped you with your stage fright."

"Ping pong, Jelly Bean," I whisper to Dani.

"Mom." Dani pinches the bridge of her nose and inhales deeply. "What happened?"

"I tripped getting out of the taxi when I went to the sporting goods store and got a she-split for real." Donna laughs. "Oh, this medicine is delightful. I can't feel a thing."

"I think that's a splint, Mom, a shin splint," Danielle mumbles.

"Does it matter? The splint split my bone, and now here I am in the hospital, waiting for Josh and his firefighting lady friend to come help me get out of here to come home."

"Do you want us to go home or come to Pittsburgh?" Danielle asks.

"Go home. I'll be back in Heffen's Bluff in a day or two. Love you. Gotta go, there's a hot nurse coming to take my temperature."

The phone call drops before we can say anything else. My hand reaches over to rub her growing belly, our bundle of joy just beginning to flutter.

"How are you feeling, Jelly Bean?" I ask her.

"Like we could have stayed in D.C. the rest of the week like we planned to help that charity. You know how much I love working with those kids, but when Mom?—"

"No, don't you go second-guessing yourself. You wanted to be sure, and we'll head home to the shop until Mom gets back to Heffen's Bluff. I want to check on the extension we're building off the house anyway. I hate living in a construction zone, and it should have been done over a month ago."

"How did I get so lucky to find you again?" Danielle rubs my hand as I rub her stomach.

"You? I'm the lucky one here. One call to my shop on a day I was supposed to be closed, called me out to a car conked out on the side of the road. I never knew I was going to meet the love of my life again. I love you, Jelly Bean, and our Lil Bean. I'm the luckiest man alive."

"Even with me getting as big as a house?"

"You're pregnant, darlin’. If I could do it for ya, I would. Since I can't, you just sit back and relax and let me take care of you." My hand moves from her belly to her lower back, where I rub in tight little circles.

She moans and lets her head tip toward me, a peaceful smile on her face. "That feels so good, Collin. And yes, I love you too. A thousand times over. You always know how to hit just the right spot."

"Damn right, Jelly Bean. Damn right."

The End

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