Aspen In Alaska

Epologe

Aspen

I sat in my rocking chair watching all the squirrels play in the yard with a smile on my face before turning to my husband of 52 years. That's right. We've been together for 52 years, Liam and I. What all did you miss out on? Well I'll tell you this.. it was a lot of love, but some loss too. How about I just go in order, yeah?

My uncle ended up marrying the woman he was with who I never met since he started pushing Sandy out of his life after that. I cut all contact with his and it really hurt me, but Sandy was my best friend. I would always choose her. He ended up dying of Cancer five years later and his wife died at the age of 70. She never remarried and continued to love him.

Sandy married a nice man from California. That's where she moved after leaving home when her father married his lover. They settled down after two years of dating and had three children. Two girls, then finally a little boy. She named them Monica, Mary, and Max. They all eventually grew up and became a lawyer, doctor, and a max joined the army. They made her proud up until her last breathe at the age of 70. She went peacefully in her sleep with no pain, but that didn't make it hurt any less. Her husband still lives along side her beautiful babies who I know she watches over every day.

Ian proposed to Jenny a year later on their 5th year anniversary. She said yes of our and they got married just 6 months later. They were happy and so in love. They went of to have one little girl who had Ian on his knees in front of her whenever she cried. Her name is Darla. Jenny and Ian are both 75 now and they're retired and staying home these days. Time is catching up Ian's back. He can't hardly walk anymore. Darla works at Sarah's family's resort and then comes home to take care of them. She doesn't mind. She loves them both with all her heart.

Ryan proposed to May that next New Years. He said 4 years was long enough and he didn't want anyone else. They went down to the court house that following weekend and got eloped. They found their own place quickly after and moved out. They went on to have 5 boys and 1 girls. Theo, little Ryan, Marcus, Kade, Lyle and Lilly. Lyle and Lilly were twins and they took a lot out of her so they decided no more kids. All theirs grew up and started their own climbing business. The business has been successful and now people travel all over the wold to come to see them. Ryan sadly passed in an accident at the age of 52 due to a drunk driver and May hasn't been the same since. She is still her happy self sometimes, but you can always see the shadow of pain that surrounds. She's also 75 and she's probably the most healthiest out of us all. Her babies keep her sane and healthy.

Mel and Diego never did get married until they turned 32 and 33. They didn't want kids so instead they got a husky. They did however move out a couple months after Ryan and May. They had their own house build on some property a little under an hour away from home. Their dogs name was Trix, but he passed 20 years after they got him. It's just them now at the ages of 73 and 74. They still come around, but it's not easy ever since Mel had her hip replacement and Diego had his rotator cup replaced. They're living happily together, but they still take the time to spoil their nieces and nephews.

Kyle and Tory had their little girl. Tory let him name her and he names her Grace because she truly was his saving Grace. She changed his life for the better and he changed the way he looked at woman. Tory ended up following all her friends and families advice and going back to Dan now that she wasn't carrying Kyle's baby. She came around one a month, but Grace cut all contact with her at the age of 18. Grace was a daddies girl through and through. She supported him when he married her beloved step mom Tara when she was 14. Kyle is now 77. Tara lost her battle 3 years ago to Cancer when she was 78. That's right. He caught himself a cougar. She was 4 years older than him. He spends his time with Grace when she's not working at the hospital. She has became a successful woman and we all love her very much.

Bash.. oh our sweet Bash. He spent his life as a bachelor. He never wanted to trust another woman and he was okay with being alone, but that was short lived when he turned 43 and lost his game. He adopted a kid that was 12 and his name was Sebastian as well. Everyone on calls him Seb or Bj. Let's just say he stuck with Seb when his uncles were around. Seb grew up to become a police officer just like his dad, then when Bash turned 55 and Seb was 24 he move his father into his apartment with him to keep him closer to him. Seb see's Bash as his hero because he saved his from a live full of unhappiness and no family. He thanks Bash every single birthday for giving him a home and a much bigger family that he could ever hope to have and dreamed of. Bash is now 75 and he's going through chemo from lung cancer. The doctors say he's kicking the cancers ass so we all just keep praying.

Cara... yeah well lets just say after that day we only seen her every now and then in town. She ended up settling for the man she cheated on Bash with. They never had kids, but he cheated on her and got another woman pregnant after they got married. She stayed with him of course because she had no where else to go. She's died a year ago at 74 from a heart attack. Bash moaned her for like a week, then hoped she was in hell. She truly broke him.

Finally my best friend and "dad". Sarah and Tony. After that night we grew closer as friends. Jenn and I remained close, but where's Mel was Jenn's natural best friend, Sarah became mine. Tony married her 3 years later and we all bought a piece of property that was 2 acres and split it. They built their house and has a little boy and girl. Tj and Tara. They were also twins and were inseparable unless it came to girls night and guys night. Us four held our own girls night and guys night for the men to spend time together and us girls did the same every Sunday. They are happily married to this day at the ages of 57 and 58. They're kids both had cabins built for them on their property for their 18th birthday. Sarah's family ended up passing the resort down to their children and now the kids work their too.

Finally Liam and I. We were together for 2 years before he purposed on Valentine's Day after we went hiking back at hike lake trail where we had our first date. I was curious on why he wanted to go their for Valentine's Day, but it was nothing I could have ever imagined. He played it off well too. He knew I would say yes so he was confident up until it came time to purpose. He was a shaking mess while on one knee. I began to cry and he panicked thinking he did something wrong. I took that time to tell him yes, then told him that the adoption agency confirmed us. We went on to marry a month after Tony and Sarah on our property. It was a beautiful rustic wedding filled with our family and friends. There was only one fight that night and that's when Dan invited himself to the after party and brought Tory with him. Kyle freaked out when he seen Dan as Liam was telling him to leave. You would think that it was Kyle and Dan that got into a fight, but nope. It was Sarah and Tory. Remember when I said that Tory popped in and out of Grace's life once a month? Yeah well, she gave Kyle full custody choosing Dan over Grace and tried to call Grace every birthday. Gracie eventually stopped answering. Sarah would always babysit for Kyle and Grace would sometimes call her mommy. It just so happened to happen in front of Tory and Tory went off of Sarah until May. Took Grace in our house and Sarah punched Tory in the face. We never talked to Tory much after that. Now, look at us. Liam and I are 78 and 75 with one of our own. We adopted like Marissa and she eventually fell head over hills for Sarah's son Tj even though he was 5 years older than her. Let's just say, they're married now and I'm a grandma to 4 little rascals. 2 boys and 2 girls. They got lucky with those numbers. My sweet little girl names her first daughter after my mother, her first son after Liams father, then named her second daughter after Sarahs mother and second Son after Tony since Tony was named after his father. They have made us all proud and of course we had to tell them how their mothers used to make out back in our days just to tease their fathers. We are an open family's and except them and their sexual habits.

Our lives have been crazy, beautiful, and at times sad. We've found love and we've had loss, but at the end of the day we all remembered that we had each other no matter what. We are all happy and even though times can be tough in our old age, we remember all the good times and memories we have created over the years.

"Are you ready to go inside now, My love?" I turned to Liam and asked. He looked at me a little confused.
"I'm so sorry, but who are you again?" He asked the same question he always does every day at least twice.
"It's me, Liam. Your wife. Aspen." I answer while reaching for his hand. Recognition flashed in his eyes for a moment, but disappeared.
"I'm sorry. I must have forgot. Yes, I'm ready." He answered as he slowly stood. I watched him disappear inside with a broken heart. The dementia is getting worse these days and I fear I don't have much more time left with him.

I look at the sun set and smile. It's a happy life no matter and I'll take as much time as I can get with him.

The End