Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29349 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 117(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
I smile. Missy. We decided on the name almost as soon as we found out I was pregnant. Apollo still misses his sister, and recent events have only brought her more into his mind. It was my suggestion that our first daughter should be named Artemis, and I didn’t think he’d ever stop hugging me. When the doctors told me that I had to avoid any more pregnancies after this one, he said he’d understand if I wanted to name her after my mom or my grandmother, but I just smiled and shook my head. There was no way I would take that away from him, not after seeing how much it meant.
“Can you watch her if I catch some sleep?” I ask, and see him grin like he won the lottery.
“I’m not letting her out of my sight,” he says, pulling her closer as I settle down into the bed. “Or you.”
I smile. I know that’s the truth. Barely a moment goes by that I don’t feel him there, protecting me like a shield.
And I know that nothing ever gets past my husband.
Second Epilogue
Apollo
Eleven years later
They say that “sorry” is the hardest word but they’re wrong. Sorry is easy. It’s the person on the receiving end that has the hard job. They’re the one that has to say, “I forgive you.” And believe me, it’s been harder to say that to the man I see in the mirror these past two years than it ever was to admit I was wrong.
How could I ever ask my children to forgive my past misdeeds if I couldn’t even forgive them myself?
Cassandra says I’ve grown since she met me, and she’s right. But it’s all down to her. Without her in my life, I would have continued down the same path, no doubt would have driven my one remaining child away and ended up in an early grave with nobody to mourn me but the guy I buy my suits from.
She changed all that. She’s given me a reason to change myself. She’s taught me to say sorry, and she’s taught me to forgive.
I’ve even forgiven my parents for what they did. I’ve put flowers on their graves and told them to rest easy.
But there are some sins that can’t be forgiven so easily. Some things require an act of retribution.
Eight years ago, once the heat had died down and his people had begun to relax his security, the body of Deputy Assistant Director Andrew Jackson of the FBI’s Detroit field office was found in an abandoned warehouse in Grosse Pointe. The very same warehouse where they found my sister Artemis forty years earlier. His end was quick, so they say. Much quicker than he deserved, I can tell you that. A bullet through the back of the head is the way you’d want to go if you had the choice.
Not that he didn’t beg for forgiveness before the end. But I wasn’t in a place to grant it. After it was done, then I forgave him. I even sent a bouquet to his widow. I don’t think she knew who I was.
“Are you ready for this?” Cassandra says, slipping her arm into mine.
She’s calmer right now than me. A stepmother about to meet her stepchildren—and step-grandchildren—for the first time, but she’s in her element. Organizing, talking, making plans, that’s what she’s good at. Me, I’m more of an act now, think later sort of person, but we all have our strengths. We decided on a restaurant, instead of cooking at home. Neutral ground. There are a lot of bridges to be mended, and that won’t happen if anyone thinks I’ve got the home advantage.
They’re all going to be here tonight. I need to apologize to each of them in person. To Amara, Samos and Penelope—Scamp and Pip, as I keep reminding myself to call them—Roman and Oz. Camilo doesn’t know it, but I’ll be including him in my contrition too. I haven’t always treated him as I should have, and he’s stuck by me nonetheless.
I’ll be apologizing to their partners, too. I know I didn’t hurt them directly, but I hurt the people they love.
Hopefully, they’ll know that I mean it. Hopefully, this will be the first family meal of many. And hopefully, I’ll get the chance to find out all about my grandchildren and have them in my life.
I take Cassandra’s hand in mine, lift it to my lips and kiss her fingers. “Where’s Missy?”
She laughs, then turns, and I follow where she’s pointing to see the wait staff gathered around, being regaled with tales from the schoolyard. “Charming everyone, as always,” Cassandra says. “She’s going to break hearts, that one.”
Camilo is already here, sitting at the bar with his fiance. I know he’s had boyfriends over the years, I’ve even met a few, but I can tell there’s something very different with Jay. He makes my son happy, and that’s something I love to see. Happiness isn’t something I ever expected for myself, but now that I have it I know what a difference it can make.