Breaking Boundaries (5th in Breaking Series)

Epilogue

Epilogue

Brody rocked on the porch and looked out over the many generations of his family gathered around the house. His children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and even a few great greats, along with all of his nieces and nephews and their children... At least those that were still living.

He'd lost a lot in his life but he'd gained a lot more. Now at ninety six he was older than most everyone else he knew. Jacob had passed away a few years back and so had Ellie leaving behind two daughters, one son and countless grandchildren.

Susie and Ryder were still living outside of town and Ryder was the most energetic eighty-nine year old that anyone had ever known. They had had four sons of their own and Brody didn't know how Susie had survived raising them since they had all been just like Ryder.

Sally and Thomas had moved out of Texas and gone to Wyoming where they had raised their six children and now lived peacefully on the ranch that Thomas had inherited and kept going through droughts, land disputes and changing times.

Ty had passed away at a fairly young age. A bullet had taken his life in the line of duty but Liza had faired pretty well without him, though she had never remarried. She had managed to raise their three children on her own with her teaching income.

Nick and Aiden were still together as well and still very much in love. They'd been all the children's favorite uncles and Aiden still was. Even the newest generations seemed to love the old man who smiled and laughed all the time.

The doctor's had trouble figuring out how Brody and Nick had managed to live past the age of ninety but the two men just chuckled when asked. The answer was simple. When you promised someone they'd never be without you, you kept your promise the best you could.

Brody stretched out his thin arms and clenched his aching fingers into fists. His hands that at one point could handle a gun more quickly than any other man in the country, now had trouble buttoning a shirt. He was old and probably would have given up on living years ago if not for the promise he had made to his Elizabeth to never leave her alone.

But now even she was gone. She had gone silently in her sleep nearly two months ago. His angel had slipped away to heaven and left him all alone in this big empty house. Some of his grandchildren had tried to have him put into one of those new fancy nursing homes but Brody had laughed at that. The day a man couldn't take care of himself was the day it was time to put a well placed bullet in his head. His grandchildren had also tried to buy him a shiny new automobile like they all drove now. He had laughed at this as well.

The way Brody had it figured, he wasn't about to sit his ass on anything that ran off something that was known to burst into flames. He preferred a horse and always had. He'd never once rode in one of those automobiles and he never would... Unless these technology crazed folks he called family put him in one once he was dead and gone.

The family was all gathered here for the annual reunion. Most everyone lived in their own places with their own busy lives but once a year they got together here at the ranch. Brody was a forgotten shadow up here on the porch. The youngest children were scared of him, his scars and wrinkles made him look like a ghoul in their eyes and the older ones didn't want to be bothered with the old man who didn't talk much. They figured he couldn't possibly have anything interesting to say.

He hadn't said more than five words in a row to anyone since his Elizabeth had gone. He was nearing the end of his life and he welcomed it. He'd lived a full life. Sure he had done a lot of wrong over the years but he'd gotten a hell of a lot of things right as well. He'd raised three good kids, he'd fought for what he thought was right and given two men a chance to live the life they deserved even when others said it was wrong and he'd loved one woman with everything he had every single day that they'd had together. Their love had never faltered, never wavered and never faded. Brody figured that was the greatest gift a person could ever get in life.