Hidebound

Epilogue

"Mum?"

"Yes honey?"

I hear him before I see him as he calls out for me and when he enters the kitchen I have to glance up as he towers over me now at fifteen - sorry, sixteen.

I click my tongue when he dumps his school bag in the corner and goes straight to the fridge like a typical teenage boy.

"How was your day? Did you have a good birthday?" I ask as I lean on the counter and my other hand finds my hip. Teddy curls his tail around my leg and stands close. He's almost seventeen and completely blind now, but he's lived here long enough to know his way around without sight.

"Yeah, it was chill" I roll my eyes at his vague answer and watch as he starts to shovel food into his mouth. His eyes look up at me when he registers the silence. "I'm so hungry."

I snort and a laugh escapes me.

"Are you doing anything this weekend? I was thinking w could-"

"Actually mum" he cuts me off "I want to see dad" I feel the smile starting to slip off my face. I turn to hide it and to rub at the spot on my chest. "But I can... I can reschedule if you have something else planned?"

"No Jax, you should see your dad, it's been a while. I'll let West know." I keep up the cheeriness in my tone but I know that if I look at him he'll see everything I'm hiding so I fidget with the miscellaneous things on the counter.

No, West and I are not dating, he's very much married to the church after becoming a pastor many years ago. He's my best friend again and I couldn't be more thankful for the help he had shown me and the love he had shown Jax.

I struggled after Hex was incarcerated and when Jax was five years old I was on the verge of a breakdown trying to juggle everything by myself, I was afraid we'd have to live out of my car for gods sake. Mum and Brian had tried their best at helping but they had done enough for us. I remembered West telling me to call him if I ever needed anything and I figured why not? After that West moved in with us and became the second pair of hands I needed, that was eleven years ago now and we have no plans to live separately any time soon.

"No mum" I turn to look at Jax in confusion. "I want you to come with me" I feel like the air has been taken from me, I knew this would happened eventually but I didn't expect it to be today.

My mind runs crazy with the last time I saw Hex, sixteen years ago.

"I feel like I'm falling out of this dress, Harley" I complain as I try my best at reaching down and pulling it past my knees but my seven month pregnant belly gets in the way and I nearly fall forward until Harley grabs my arm.

"You look fine, Poppy" she rolls her eyes and wraps the faux-fur coat tighter around her as she shivers. Its cold but I can't feel it, a symptom from pregnancy I didn't expect.

More cars roll up behind us as we stand in front of the coffin that's ready to be lowered into the ground. The baby photo of Hex and Harley that was in Wyonna's room sits on top.

"Can't believe today is finally the day" Harley murmurs from beside me. I feel the mood drop, she hasn't cried yet. "Sorry it took so long, mum."

Faces I have never seen before start to appear around us, some greet Harley and others stay in the back. Are these Hex's friends and family? I had never met any of them and I start to feel dejected.

"We gather here today to celebrate the life of Wyonna rose. A friend to all and a mother to two." Another car pulls up behind us and it annoys me, if you're going to go to a funeral at least be respectful and show up on time.