Save Me 18+ Sequel to Protect Me✔️

Chapter 28 Peace Found ✔️

A/N

We are so close to the end.

Enjoy this short chapter as our story begins to draw to a close.

I wanted to add this chapter because of the one towards the end of Protect Me where Sky thought she would never truly find peace. When I was originally writing this book, I wanted to make sure that it had a proper exit. And all of my precious characters to have the ending they deserve.

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"So kids, what are your plans now?" Noah asks, leaning back in his chair and wiping his mouth with his napkin, taking a break from his plate.

"For work?" Drew asks, to which Noah nods.

"I think as far as Drew and myself are concerned, we are going to keep doing what we have been doing." Anytime you need us, we'll be here. And for the girls, you'd have to ask them."

"Ms. Debbie has agreed to help us out with Ry so that I could start helping out and doing more with the folks at Safe Haven." Dar smiles at Debbie.

"Any excuse that I can find to keep my precious grandson, I'll take." Ms. Debbie speaks proudly as she smiles down at Ry.

"Well, what about you, Sky?" Maddox asks.

They all turn to look at me, waiting for my answer.

"I'm not sure yet. I know I still want to be out in the field, but for now, I think I'm going to focus more on Safe Haven and helping survivors."
I shovel a forkful of potatoes into my mouth, hoping they will leave it at that. There is a reason that I have come to this decision, but I can't tell them that just yet.

"These are the best damn potatoes I've ever eaten, Dar." Ryland says happily  as he continues to stuff his face.

"Umm, actually..." She begins with a grin.

"Actually, I was the one to make the potatoes." River says, raising his finger in the air.

"Well, hell." Ms. Debbie says taking us all a little by surprise. "If you can cook so well, son, why am I always making you these damn apple pies?" She teases, gesturing towards the perfect-looking pie in the middle of the table.

"Because," he says, leaning over her, reaching for the pie, and giving her a big kiss on the cheek. "You make the best damn pies of anyone I know." 

We all take turns passing around the sides and eating until we can't possibly eat anymore, the conversation flowing freely.

I don't remember whose idea it originally was to make this dinner with all of us a biweekly tradition, but I am so thankful that we did.

Every Sunday since I got back home, we have made it a priority to meet up at one of our houses, alternating turns, forming our own little tradition that we all intend on keeping.

This meal is particularly special, as we celebrate Ryland's birthday, both of them.

Sixty years may separate them, but just as we all are, they are connected at the heart through life, love, and our own definition of family.

After the events that took place over five years ago went down and we were left dealing with the aftermath and determined to turn our negatives into positives, I remember thinking about peace.

Peace that, at the time, I didn't believe would ever exist for the three of us.

Peace just wasn't in the cards.

Now, after everything that has happened, I realize I was wrong.

There is peace.

It is attainable.

Looking around at the smiling faces of my family sitting around the dinner table, I realize that this is peace.

This is happiness and joy. All of the things I thought I would never truly feel are here, surrounding me, surrounding us.

For the first time in our lives, it shows, even without any of us saying anything, the peace that now resonates in and from our souls.

After we finish our food, I lean over and whisper to Dar, who then leans over and whispers to Debbie.

I have been keeping a secret, and I can't keep it to myself a moment longer.

"Where are you girls running off to?" Noah asks with a lighthearted laugh and a suspicious grin.

"Just girl stuff." I say, winking, grabbing Darlene and Debbie up from their seats and giggling as I take them into the other room to fill them both in on everything.