Epilogue

Samuel

One Year Later

I proudly held Anatole in my arms as he gurgled and played with his saliva before trying to stuff his entire fist into his mouth. I chose an old Greek name, which meant rising sun, because my family was a new dawn for me. He gave me hope for the future.

Charlotte tutted before trying to wipe his mouth with a tissue.

"Give it a rest. Yae practically shat all over the photographer when you were ah bairn," Glenda said, eyeing her up. "My little Anatole is much more civilised than his mother, aren't yae?" she cooed to him.

"I was a baby, Granny," she said defensively.

I placed an arm around my wife and rubbed her arm as I watched her family shuffle around to where the photographer was directing them. I knew why she wanted this picture to be perfect, so I said nothing. Usually, I joined forces with Glenda.

She never went back to work because she wanted to spend all of her time with her family. She did donate and run charity events for the elderly in our area while I stayed at home with Anatole. My fellow vampires might poke fun at me, but I loved my time with my son.

Glenda looked up at me.

"I still say you should have named him Hamish."

"We did, just not on any official documents," I said to her with a wink.

She grinned at me.

"Aye, yae did well, Sammy," she said before she shuffled towards the rest of the family.

I kissed the top of Charlotte's head, taking in another moment and another memory with my loved ones.