MANNY©

Chapter 69

Epilogue, pt. 1

Ten years later...

She pulled into the driveway and parked her jeep then unbuckled her seat belt. She glanced up at the huge property with the two grand homes before inhaling and exhaling deeply. She was home and it felt so great. It had been only seven months since she had left from here. After graduation, her parents, family, and friends of the family all told her she needed to break away from the nest. 

Except for one time that wasn't her choice, she had never really gone far from home. Even when she went to college then graduate school, she chose NYU and lived at home. Her family worried about why she was such a homebody. It seemed like she was afraid to go into the world. But for her, it wasn't that. She experienced enough of the world as a child. She had decided long ago she wasn't missing anything that didn't involve living, working, and studying. She could experience life and still live at home.

For her, she was afraid to leave home and find out life went on without her. And she was so glad she stuck to her gut by staying close to home. She was right there when her Grandpa Edward met a nice lady who owned an animal hospital. The woman was the sweetest thing and was three years younger than him. They met in a cliche romance story-like way. At a coffee shop on a rainy afternoon.  When they realized life was too short to wait and got married the next year, it was an important moment in her family and her life that she didn't miss. Her grandpa Edward and then newly grandma Adeline always make it over when they weren't busy or acting like a couple of teenagers.

Speaking of acting young and living life, she would have missed out on wishing her grandpa Todd and grandma Alyssa off on their whirlwind trip. She cringed at the thought of saying bye on the phone on webcam. No, she wanted to feel the hugs and kisses they gave before they took off trying to see every country on their list. And missing out on her sisters and brothers getting older was out of the question. No, she wasn't about to miss out on any holidays or birthdays. Not at some college faraway. She had a perfectly great room and it suited her fine.

She knew someday she would have to get her own place, when or if she ever had a family of her own someday. But no worries, she'd move into a nice house in the same neighborhood. A smile appeared on her lips knowing if her dad knew that, he would buy the house right now. She chuckled, grabbed her purse, then got out when a ten-year-old blue Escalade pulled up.  She was just opening the back door to her jeep to gather her bags, the car stopped and a group of kids got out. "Maddy! Maddy!" They yelled then tackled her slightly, causing her to tumble some.

"Hi!" She smiled before hugging each of them as much as she could with her hands full. "Hey, sis." A teenager with blonde hair cut in a trimmed cut and deep blue eyes came up to her. He flashed a smile then he grabbed bags from her hold before leaning in to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Welcome back, Maddison." He said before walking off to the front. "Thanks, Micah." She said watching him knock on the door.

Maddison focused back on the three boys and three girls still hugging her. "How are you all doing?" She said when they finally let her go so they could speak at the same time. "Maddy, I got the winning ball at our game last month." Tyler Jr beamed.

"I got second place on my science fair project, a week ago Maddy," Trent said before he shrugged. "I would have gotten 1st place, but some of my earthworms wanted to move onto the judges' sleeves." " Maddy, I lost my front tooth finally." Raya grinned for her big sister. " I see that, sweetie. Beautiful as always." Maddy said before she turned to Trent and TJ (Tyler Jr}. "TJ, great job little brother. Sorry, I missed it." She ruffled his brownish-black hair.

"And great work, Trent. I am proud of you and your worms. Did you put them back in grandpa's Todd's favorite spot?" She asked him. "Yes." He said and nodded. "Under the oak tree. That's where are his best worms are for fishing." She kept smiling as she touched his cheek. "Maddy, welcome home." Todd II aka Toddy beamed before she leaned in to give him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Toddy. Hi, Nyssa and Lyssa." She said to her young twin sisters. TJ, Trent, Toddy, and Raya ran towards the front door before going inside. 

"Maddy, we missed you so much," Lyssa said as Maddy pulled them into her arms and gave them a tight, big hug. "I missed you too as well. I missed all of my family. "Maddy," Nssya whispered to her. " Mama had our special day a month ago." Maddison's eyes went wide some as her smile fell. "What? " She said in a sad tone. "It's too soon. I missed ice cream floats, talking, shopping, and laughing all day." 

"Don't worry we plan on redo the day, for you, when our time of the month happens this month. Mama showed us how to mark our calendars." Lyssa said. " Well, my baby sisters are getting older.  And I, for one, can't wait." She told them with a bittersweet expression. The girls happy at the news ran inside as well.

Maddy exhaled a deep breath and felt her eyes water. She then noticed the person standing to her left, waiting for their turn. "Hello, baby." A soft voice cracked. "Hi, mama." She lightly sobbed before falling into her mother's embrace. "I missed you, mama. I missed everyone." Maddy cried out to her mom. "I know, sweetie," Rachael replied while soothing her eldest child.  The mother then smiled softly to herself. She was glad her baby was back home.  She knew her father and the rest of her siblings would be happy also.

"Where's everyone else, mama?" Maddison, wiping her eyes, said as they broke away. "Actually, everyone's at home. And your dad is inside the den, probably watching tv." Rachael told her. Maddison nodded then leaned into her mother's shoulder while they linked arms together. "I'm so glad to be back, mama," Maddy said as they began to walk towards the front door. "We are too, Maddy. Welcome back, baby." Rachael smiled as they walked in their home.