Epilogue

* Seven Years Later *

"What do we do if we see a snail or a frog?"

Our four-year-old grins up at me, tugging at the bottom of his little jean jacket. "Tell you, but don"t touch it."

I grin. "Perfect. And do we drop anything on the trail?"

"Nope." He"s heard this one a million times already and shakes his head vigorously. "Never mess up the woods."

"That"s right, sport." Barrett scoops up the miniature version of himself to reach for the outline of a hand on the sign. "Ready?"

Noah high fives the sign, his sweet rosy-cheeked face beaming. "I"ll be good."

We"ve all spent a lot of time in the forest from day one and he"s bouncing with excitement to be going out on the trails with us on his own two feet today, not in a sling or piggybacked by Daddy. "All growed up," as he put it.

His father and I got married in one of the little wildflower-strewn fields, with a small party back at the house afterward. By then I"d met over half the town, all of whom were pleasantly surprised that Barrett was getting married and settling down.

Even though he"s always had a reputation as a loner, it"s obvious that they respect him. All of Old Hemlock Valley knows that they can call Barrett for help any time of day or night and he"ll be there immediately to fix any situation.

Nearly everyone I"ve met on this section of the mountain is ready to help each other out at a moment"s notice. It feels incredible to have a circle of people who genuinely care for their neighbors, and the town.

The first Christmas Barrett and I were together, I called Carl on Christmas Eve. He didn"t answer. The next year his number had been disconnected. The following year, Barrett somehow got some of his acquaintances to track him down, so that I knew he was all right.

It turns out that several of his friends got busted for a certain delivery, but Carl was late for it, so he wasn"t there at the time. He was very lucky there.

He took it as a sign that he needed a fresh start and moved to New Mexico to work in a restaurant belonging to an old high school friend. These days, the only deliveries that he"s concerned about are fresh vegetables.

My brother is now exactly how I want him: happy, healthy, and thousands of miles away from us. Our Christmas Eve video calls are just the right amount of contact…at least, for now. Someday, after he"s been stable and responsible for several years, Barrett and I will decide together when it"s right for him to meet our family properly.

Noah"s little feet pad gently over the leaves and twigs in his miniature hiking boots as we walk slowly, staring in awe at a squirrel, a chipmunk, and a goldfinch. We"ve reminded him repeatedly to be quiet in the forest, so his sudden squeal of delight is thankfully at half the usual volume. "Mommy, look – the bird has a triangle!"

We all pause, watching as the blue-winged warbler flits from branch to branch. Barrett crouches down to murmur, "That"s probably the great-great-great grandson of the bird Mommy was chasing on the day we met."

Noah"s eyes are huge as he waves. "Hi there, birdie!"

Instead of flying away, the warbler looks at him with interest, hopping one branch closer to stare.

Slowly raising my camera, we all stay still as I quickly snap several shots. Then I cautiously back up and to the side, getting a shot of Noah pointing out the bird to Barrett, with the triangle-shouldered warbler in the frame too.

It"s the best photo of my entire life.

Then I feel a kick from a tiny foot deep in my belly, and correct myself.

It"s the best so far. But maybe an even better one is yet to come.

You'll meet Barrett"s brother Baz in the Wolfe Mountain Chalet series.

You'll meet Riggs again in Possessed by the Surly Pilot, and Jace in Found by the Surly Ranger.