Deserve [H.S.]

Epilogue, pt. 1

ONWARD

-Five years later-

"Where the fuck has the time gone?"

That relatable question received an amused laugh in response, followed by a quick sip of beer.

"No fucking idea," Harry replied to Ray's rhetorical question as the men glanced around the people sprinkled around Harry's backyard.

The Fourth of July wasn't much of a holiday that Harry or Noah enjoyed celebrating by any means, so they simply used the day as an excuse to have everyone over for a get together in their backyard. They didn't do anything remotely celebratory for the day, besides grilling and spending the majority of their time in the backyard. That was like any other backyard party, though, so it wasn't necessarily indicative of the holiday.

They just loved hanging out with their friends and family, and the Fourth of July was a day where everyone had the day off, so they were pretty much all available for a get together.

Among the attendees to the get together were: Noah's mom, Noah's step-dad, Noah's dad, Noah's step-mom (Vincent had remarried a few years ago), Noah's half-brother Holden and his husband, Colette and her spouse Riley, Deon and his now-wife Cora and their two kids, Noah's other friends Nia and Jasmine who were also married with one child themselves, Kaleb and his pregnant wife with their daughter, Ray and his wife Christina and their daughter Scarlet as well as their son Carson, and Isaiah with his wife and two kids. There were also a few new friends they had picked up over the years, including families they became close to from their children's schools.

To say the least, the party was lively.

Harry and Ray were on grilling duty, since they insisted on it every get together. Everyone else was scattered around the yard, with some sitting around the non-lit fire pit on the grass, some by the beach, and others jumping off of the boat dock into the water. Harry and Ray were on the deck with the extensive grill Harry had bought a few months ago, which he had an extensive conversation about with Ray when he got it.

"I mean, Leo is starting high school this year, right?" Ray continued, referencing the growing up their children were doing.

That made Harry groan outwardly, involuntarily shaking his head. "Don't remind me. That is actually terrifying. How is my oldest already in high school?"

"Beats me. Scarlet is graduating after this year and then she's off to college. I might actually have a breakdown if she chooses a college far away."

Sighing, Harry said, "yeah, I don't envy you, mate. Thankfully Leo has said he wants to stay somewhat close by for college, but he's still so young, so that could change when he's older."

"That's promising," Ray nodded as he took a sip from his beer bottle. "At least you still have a young'un still around, you know? Is Owen going into preschool after this summer?"

A sound reminiscent of a whimper left Harry's lips. "Don't remind me of that, either. My youngest kid is starting school. It's gonna be my last first day of school with my children. For the past fourteen years my kids have been dependent on me and Noah, and now they're all just becoming independent and spending large chunks of their time at school? I don't like it one bit."

Ray let out a gentle laugh as he clapped Harry on the back. "They grow up way too fast, bud. "

Harry scoffed while he lifted up the lid of the grill, seeing that it was time to flip the meat over. Busying himself with that, he muttered, "you can say that again."

"They grow up way too fast, bud."

Before Harry could yell at Ray for being an embarrassing typical dad, River came running up the stairs to the deck, immediately approaching his dad.