Epilogue Wyatt

5 Months Later

"I can't believe you splurged for first class." Fern curls to face me on the comfortable bed in the plane. We've shifted things around a bit to be next to one another and the little pod is surprisingly cozy and private.

I tuck back a strand of hair that has sprung loose from the sleep mask she hasn't yet pulled over her eyes. "What's the point of earning all this pro soccer money if I can't take care of you?" She rolls her eyes and tugs the mask over her face, wriggling a bit under the downy blanket. Her body slowly starts to relax against mine, and I kiss the top of her head before tugging my own mask in place.

I only get a few days off between matches this Christmas, so if I'm going to visit my family with Fern, I want to be as comfortable as possible. Flying first class from London to Pittsburgh is the first big splurge I've made, and I don't think I can ever go back now that I've had the incredible food and lay-flat seats .

I don't sleep much on the flight, but I enjoy the long stretch of time with Fern in my arms. She technically lives in the student housing on her campus but spends what nights she can at my flat between my travel commitments. This cuddle fest above the Atlantic is a real luxury.

When we land in Pittsburgh, I try to play it cool, so I don't tip Fern off to the next round of surprises. We get to exit the plane first, which means we sail through customs to find my cousin Wes waiting to give us a ride, along with …

"Oh my god! Mom!" Fern runs to hug her mother, dropping bags on the floor. Wes grins and hugs me around my own bags before stooping to pick up Fern's. She and her mom are dancing around, crying, and squeezing each other. I try to gently usher them to the side, so we don't block people coming through the security doors.

"I missed you so much," Fern and Heather Montgomery sob in unison. Grand and Lolly finally helped Fern's mom get her passport, so she's going to fly back with Fern in January to tour around London a bit before the spring semester, or Hilary Term, as Fern tells me they call it. I'm sending them both first class, obviously.

The final surprise for Fern is our destination. Rather than exit the highway for Pittsburgh, Wes keeps heading east toward our ski house. Fern and her mom are so busy talking in the back seat that they don't notice until we hit the snowy side roads in the mountains. Fern presses her face to the window and coos. "Wyatt Stag Moyer, I thought we were staying with your parents?"

I grin at her from the front seat. "We are. We're staying with my parents in their ski house. Along with Wes's parents, Odin's parents, Petey's parents … Grand and Lolly …"

"Okay, okay. Wow." Fern clasps her mom's hand. "Are you ready for 21 people in a huge house? Because I don't know if I am."

Heather laughs. "I went to a Sunday dinner with all of them last week to help plan Christmas." She pats Fern's hand. "It'll be fun."

Wes navigates his Jeep carefully up the icy roads, and it doesn't take long before we see light glowing from the massive windows of the Stag Chalet. Fern and Heather both sigh. I can already feel the familiar, comfortable warmth. And then Wes opens the front door, and chaos slams into us. But I smile because that's familiar, too.

Aunt Alice shoves a drink into Heather's hand and ushers her off to sit by the fire with Aunt Emma and Lolly. Stellen and Gunnar grab all our bags and complain about having to stay in the bunk room while Fern and I get our own space in a new room we all agreed would be better served as a sleeping space than a room just for foosball.

I'm about to feel compassion for Gunnar, but he slings me over his shoulder and drops me in the hot tub, fully dressed as the rest of my family watches and laughs. I spit a mouthful of hot water in his face, grinning, and he strips to his boxers and climbs in with me. It's good to be home, with family.

The past few months have been simultaneously incredible and incredibly difficult. I've got a lot of mental stuff to work through, but I'm learning that therapy is a lot like any other sort of training. I put it on the schedule, I show up, I do the work, and I feel the results. I've been playing the best soccer of my life with West Ham, and they just bought out my contract for four years, which means Fern and I don't have to search for our next home base together until she's done with her PhD.

She emerges from the house with a huge smile on her face and fluffy towels draped over one arm. "Are you okay in there?"

"I'd be better if you were in here with me instead of this guy." I hook a thumb at my cousin, who tries to dunk me, gives up, and sprawls against the back edge of the tub.

Fern shivers a bit and looks at Gunnar. "No Odin this year?"

He shakes his head. "Not this time."

Fern opens her mouth to add something, but a door opens above us, and my mom pokes her head out into the dark. "Dinner is in five minutes. Whoever is out here, come in and wash your hands."

Fern laughs. "I love that washing hands is the important to-do item before dinner when you're fully clothed in the hot tub."

I hop out of the water and accept one of the towels from my ladylove. I consider taking them both and leaving Gunny to freeze, but I opt for kindness. By the time I'm changed into dry sweats and have clean hands, the entire family is seated at the huge wooden table.

Wes has his arm around Cara, Birdie steals sips from Dad's wine … even Uncle Tim seems relaxed with his whole family under one roof. A crackling fire and a massive pine tree decorated in silver-glitter popsicle sticks from our youth give the entire room a cozy vibe. Fern squeezes my leg, and I'm glad to see she doesn't look nervous at all. She and her mom are used to quiet holidays with just a few people, but everyone here has accepted them as part of the growing family.

I've got enough therapy under my belt to see it was always this way. I've always been welcome here, part of the fabric.

Uncle Ty approaches the table with a huge platter of meat, Aunt Alice right behind him with a massive pot of … something I'm sure I'm allowed to eat because she's amazing that way. Uncle Ty holds up the knife like a microphone and says, "Before we dig in, someone needs to hand me their phone so we can send a picture to Odin."

Alice sets her food on the table and reaches into her back pocket. "I've got you covered. But you've got longer arms."

He grins, turns, and extends the phone as far out as he can, squints at the screen, and then leans back to make more room. "I think we can get everyone in. Heather, Fern, squeeze in a bit more. More than that. Perfect."

He snaps a few shots, and I know half of us will have crossed eyes or pursed lips, but the result will be perfect: flawed and overflowing, with plenty of room for everyone.

Thank you for reading Forging Legacy! Up next is Odin and Thora in Forging Chaos .