when all is said and done | e.d.

final epilogue

before we begin, i just want to personally thank every single person who's ever read or voted for this book. i love you all. your comments make my DAYS and it's seriously so amazing that we're all friends and stuff 🥺 thank you for reading this book. it's my favorite now.

i'm so excited to write more.

luv,
d🌙

harper

*eleven years later, chicago suburbs*

"no," i say, taking the soccer ball from eli's hands. he starts to groan, but i cut him off with a stern finger. "i said no balls in the house. uncle grayson's out back. go ask him to play."

he sighs, but takes it back from my hands. "dad lets me play in the house."

i snort. "dad let's you do anything. he doesn't have a spine, elijah."

"dad can hear you," ethan says, walking into the kitchen, his stare pointed directly at me. "funny how that works."

i laugh and go back to cutting up green and red peppers on my wooden cutting board.
"go find your daughters and tell them dinner is ready, pleasseee?" i stretch the word out, making it sound extra sweet.

he brushes past me, placing a kiss on my cheek as he does. "not my job. don't even know where they are. eli?"

we both turn to the 11 year old, and he looks between us with widened eyes. "i was told not to tell you their whereabouts."

"how far can they be? they're 14," ethan points out.

"14 year olds can drive in most places, honey," i shake my head, handing him a knife to help me chop vegetables. "god help us all when they take drivers ed."

he laughs, taking an uncut pepper and beginning to watch how i cut mine, and trying to imitate it.
"no, seriously, eli. where are they?"

he takes a step closer, leaning in as if he's about to tell us a big secret. we both pretend to look both ways cautiously, and slowly lower ourselves to his height.

"they're in their room," he whispers loudly. "i heard them talking."

"to who?" i furrow my eyebrows.

"a camera."

ethan stands up straight and gives me a funny look.

"a camera? what are they talking about?"

he shrugs, bouncing the soccer ball on his foot. "don't know. don't care. i just know i wasn't supposed to tell you."

my husband laughs. "you failed. you're officially the annoying little brother."

i'm too curious for my own good, so as eli leaves the kitchen to go outside, i grab ethan by the hand and sneak us upstairs and down the hallway.

their door is closed, but i can certainly hear muffled voices from under it.

we both press our ears up to it, trying to hide giggles like we're teenagers. ethan looks to me as if to ask if i can make out any words, and i shake my head.

i point at the doorknob with a mischievous look in my eyes, and he teasingly eye-rolls, but nods.

"one... two..." i mouth silently.

on three, we rip open the door, laughing as we stumble into the room and hear them scream.

just like eli said, an old video camera on a tripod is displayed in the front of their room as they sit on stools, laps full of stray makeup items.