Solar Flares (book 2 in the D.R.O.M.P Trilogy)

Chapter Eighteen (Epilogue)

***JEREMI POV***

I hold onto the cake as I Bring it to the picnic table, a huge smile on my face. Today was Regan's First birthday and the whole family was here. My mom and dad, Oliver, Rolland and Allen, Kenna. And Lucas. I smile over at Him as he holds Regan in his lap Who had a giant silly grin on her face. I place the cake down, the bug number One candle flickering in the slight breeze.

It has been three weeks since I put everything on Hold with Lucas. Since then Officer Mike was able to get a full confession out of Arnold Gordon, explaining out he drugged Lucas and put lies in his head, knowing it would piss him off enough to become Violent. His confession made the jury go easy on Lucas, only sentencing him to a week in jail and then Probation for three years, during that probation time it was mandatory to go to anger management, therapy, and AA meetings. Lucas did it without fail. While he had been in Jail Fiona and I had moved his things out of the house and to her house so that when he got out he would have a place to stay. It killed me to come home to see his things gone, but it was the right thing to do. He needed to get better, and I needed to take care of myself and Regan while he did that. I was still here for him, as a friend. But it was hard. I tried to keep myself away.

Lucas puts Regan in her high chair and goes to sit next to Rolland. I look at Rolland and frown with worry. He had gone to the doctor's last week and his normal doctor had sent him to a specialist to do more tests. The poor guy, the doctors were saying that there was a 50% chance that it was Lung Cancer, but they wanted to do more tests to be 100% sure. Lung Cancer. When Oliver heard that he had broken down in tears. Rolland had just sat there stunned. Allen. Well Allen was saying much these past few days, He had been withdrawing from everyone. We were shocked he even came to the party, and Single for a change. But Today was a good day. A day to celebrate, all our worries were to be wiped away and just spend time with our dysfunctional family. I pick up the cake and bring it to Regan.

"Blow out your candle Regan, You do this." I say and show her how to blow it out. She giggles and makes a very loud raspberry noise, trying to blow it out. It doesn't the first time but she tries again and the flame disappears making her clap her hands with laughter. I smile and take it away handing it to Lucas. "here you cut it. I'll get the ice cream." I head back into the house and open the freezer grabbing the vanilla ice cream that was in there. I head back out and laugh when I see Regan messily shoving cake in her mouth, her face full of chocolate frosting. "Oh you silly silly girl" I laugh, grabbing my phone and taking a picture of her. She giggles and holds out a handful of smushed cake to Lucas.

"Dada You!" She cries. Since saying her first Word Regan has been saying a few more words. She says Mama, No, Yes, Dada, You Me, And Olly, only it sounds like she is saying Owwy, since she cant say her L's right. Lucas laughs and leans over, nibbling her fingers as he takes the cake. She shrieks and giggles, yanking her hand back to grab more. She spots me and holds it out to me. "Mama You!" She demands. I put the ice cream on the table and my mother opens it up to pass around. I bend down to my daughter and grabbing her hand take the cake, pretending to gobble up her hand. She yanks on it and giggles before stuffing her own face with cake, smearing the chocolate more. I Take my plate of cake and Ice cream and dig into the rich cake my mother made.

"Hey Luc isn't Fiona and the kids coming?" I ask. He nods. Just then we hear two small kids laughing and when I turn I see Fiona and the twins come racing into the back yard. "Speaking of the devils." I laugh as the twins rush across the yard.

"UNCLE LUCAS!" They shout. He laughs and opens his arms up for them. Even though they saw him every day. They still got so excited when they saw him. They barrel into him and knock him over as they hug him. I laugh and snap a shot of it. They get off of Lucas and turn to their baby cousin. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY REGAN!" They say at once and go over to each side of her. They each climb onto to the picnic table so they are the same height as the chair. Leaning down they each kiss one cheek making Regan laugh. I quickly Snap the picture and smile when it comes out just as adorable as the real thing. The part gets going and soon because of the heat I pull out the sprinkler for the twins who jump for joy and run through it. We laugh as we watch Regan with her chubby little one year old legs tries to keep up with them and giggles when she is splashed with the water. Lucas and I open some of Regan's gifts for her and I am happy when Oliver and Rolland got her some adorable clothes for the summer. Allen gives her a stuffed animal that is of an owl. Mother hands me a very small box and I look at her.