Guns and Mirrors

EPILOGUE

VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR's NOTE!!
As mentioned in the Acknowledgments, Ramiro will be receiving his own story. However, according to the timeline in which it takes place this Epilogue will be mentioning Ramiro and the ending of his story indirectly. In other words, you'll already know the overall ending to his story but without any details.
If you'd prefer to not read the epilogue to avoid this (although I'm sure you would have forgotten by the time his story comes out), you can skip to the last page where I'll summarize the main points of this chapter.
Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this chapter because it's certainly one of my favorites!

5 years later

The aroma of Paella wafts around the kitchen, the sizzling of the shrimps in the pan filling the noise alongside the sounds of cutlery and pans clanging together. Matías lifts the pan up, stirring the seafood before tasting the sauce accompanying it. Just before he can go for seconds, Rosalyn enters with grocery bags hanging from her arms.

"Hey! No double dipping mister!" Her voice rings out as she places the packets on the marble island counter. After moving to Spain, San Sebastián,
Rosalyn picked up the language of the country and began speaking it fluently. It was a wonderful thing for the both of them as Rosalyn could finally speak to Matías in his mother tongue.

"I wasn't going to." Matías replies coyly, placing the pan down and leaving the spoon on the side. He wipes his hands down on the black apron attached to his clothing before walking over to his wife. Matías still found it mind blowing how he could officially call Rosalyn that- his wife. While they've only been married for a year, he knows that they're a forever kind of thing.

Their wedding was small. With them not having many people to invite it was intimate and quaint... They had simply invited Audrey and Caleb, Mason and Samantha and Ramiro and his girlfriend. Enrique was there too, along with a few other members like Keva and Bruno. A few friends they've made here in Spain were there too and it was wonderful having everyone they appreciated in one place to witness such a memorable moment. Rosalyn and Matías had settled with a wedding on the beach where they got to say 'I do' with the golden sand between their toes and the salty air blowing Rosalyn's long, chestnut hair around her face. It was a beautiful day. Even Mia and Olivia were there for Rosalyn eventually got back in contact with her mother and explained her story. Details- like the murder committed- were left out and it was a good thing...

"Where is Catalin?" Rosalyn asks, raising an eyebrow at her husband as she begins to unpack the items she bought at the store. Assisting his wife with unpacking the packets he replies: "He's taking a nap in his bedroom. Apparently school was exhausting today."

"Well with the way he runs around with his friends I'm not surprised he's so tired. Also, did you see how Josie performed during her dancing recital?" Rosalyn throws over her shoulder as she puts milk in the fridge, before she laughs to herself. "I'm still stunned that Audrey put her in ballet instead of hip-hop."

"She's only six amado. Maybe she'll grow up to hate ballet."

"I think Audrey would actually prefer that." Rosalyn snickers.

After leaving America, Audrey gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who they named Josie. She- just like her mother- has ginger hair but took the blue eyes from her dad. Josie is also mischievous like her mother but quiet like her father. She is a cutie that Rosalyn loves to spend time with whenever Audrey and Caleb come visit- which is every year. It's also nice because with Catalin only being two years old, Rosalyn is still new to the mothering thing and Audrey often helps her out and eases her mind.

Matías set up his own mechanic shop and finished his studying while Rosalyn completed her studies too, going on to become an editor for one of the major newspapers in the city. With their monthly incomes, savings, and the amount Enrique gave them when they left the gang, they never have to worry about finances. Which helped them a lot. With Rosalyn falling pregnant three years after leaving Oregon, she wasn't yet established in her career and wasn't earning nearly enough to support a child. Neither was Matías. However, savings had served in their favour. Along with that, Rosalyn was attending therapy. Still is. And she is making progress... the therapist turned out to be a friend of Enrique- his cousin, actually, which is why he recommended her to Matías in the first place- so Rosalyn could speak about everything, from the murder she committed to how she joined a gang, without fearing that her therapist would rat her out. It was a good thing because Rosalyn wouldn't have been able to make the progress she's made if she was forced to leave out all those details which was what she was struggling with in the first place.