VIRAGO

eumoiriety

eumoiriety (adj.) - happiness due to state of innocence and purity

Samantha laid out the large University of Michigan blanket out on the grass, the early spring air somewhat warm. She smiled as she kneeled down beside his tombstone, resting her forehead against the edge of it. She cleaned up the area in front of it and placed new roses on the front of his grave.

"Hey Cowboy." She greeted as she sat down on the blanket. "I hope you like the roses, Dana picked them out." She said with a smile. "There's someone that you need to meet, and I'm sorry I haven't been able to let you two meet sooner. Nash, this is your son, Adam James Reed. I hope you don't mind that he has my last name, but he has your family name so I thought it was even." She chuckled to herself as she looked at her son, the two month old munchkin sitting in the baby carrier. He reached out to her and she let him grab onto her finger, and she smiled. "He has your eyes, poop brown, but he got my blonde hair, which I hope doesn't fade to brown."

"He's really liking this life, his godparents in Dana and Rick are spoiling him crazy. We're still in Seattle. Dana, my dad, Claire, and Hannah actually all came out to live with me for the last couple months of my pregnancy. I'm back in Michigan for a couple weeks to visit with Rick, Tom, and Jason, Nicole, and CJ so they could all meet Adam. To think we've got a CJ and an AJ, those two are going to be thick as thieves. Your dad is in love and is already talking about getting him on the back of Hera.

"You know, Vlatko was pretty pissed that I didn't tell him I was pregnant, but in the end he forgave me and said AJ is technically a gold medal winner. They let me go on the victory tour to celebrate since I could not play with the Reign, which was a lot of fun having a break but still getting to be with the team for fun. Beth and Sofia are thrilled and have also already been spoiling AJ, but it's good to know he's not alone.

"I've already been working my way back to the field and I should be back with the Reign come the start of the season. Maybe one day your son will be a rodeo king and a soccer star just like his parents. Which reminds me, Hera, Bandit, and Major are all doing good in Seattle. Luckily I got a little pay raise so I can still board them and take care of them, but Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael like the company and have offered to help out with AJ once I get back into the swing of soccer.

"You know you were right, that I'm nothing like my father. I guess my fears came true though, that he's going to grow up without his father. To think that I don't get to raise this child with you breaks my heart, but your memory will live on and he won't know a world without you. But you better keep your end of the promise of protecting him from all the cruelness this world has to offer. I wish you were here Nash, but I know spiritually you are. I never believed in ghosts, but I know you keep saying hi in your little ways. I hope you and my mom have met by now, being my guardian angels and all. But now you two have double duty, so you better be up for it. I love you Cowboy, I'll be back soon."

Samantha gave the grave a tearful goodbye and made Adam wave. She easily picked the blanket up, parts of it warm after having sat there talking with Nash for the last two hours. She carried him back to her car and then buckled him in before getting in the driver's seat. She gave one last look to Nash's grave and smiled before pulling away to start her - their - journey back to Seattle.

--

Thank you all for such an incredible journey of writing Samantha's story. I really hope you all enjoyed it, and please, if you haven't already, check out my other works that I have published! As for when I will be publishing again, that I am unsure of. I don't have any solid ideas on deck, but I do want to take a step away from the soccer world and write something new. 

As always, my inbox is always open, whether it's to bounce ideas off of me, need someone to talk to, or just wanting to say hi. Be on the look out for new updates for other works! Thank you.

- Jess