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Epilogue

"Macie?"

"Macie!"

"MACIE?"

"MACIE!"

"LUKE, IF WE LEFT OUR DAUGHTER ON THE PLANE, I SWEAR—"

"I'm right here!"

A head popped out from the lump on top of the suitcase, and I gasped. It was at that moment I realized that my daughter's jacket was the exact same shade of blue as my suitcase. "Oh, my gosh, I thought that was a part of the suitcase," I said under my breath. Calum, however, had a different reaction.

"MACIE JOY HEMMINGS, YOU NEARLY SCARED YOUR FATHER AND I TO DEATH!" Calum then scooped the little girl in his arms, holding onto her for dear life. It looked like he was going to squeeze poor Macie to death. "Never, never do that again, you understand? I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you, sweetheart..." Calum rested her on his hip and kissed her cheek.

Macie frowned as she started at my husband's face. "Are you crying, Papa?"

"Crying? No, no, I'm not crying, sweetheart. I just got a leaf in my eye. It's really windy, you know."

I looked up at the grey sky, letting the crisp, cool air hit my face. It's been a while since I've set foot here. I didn't know how much I missed it here until now.

"Daddy?" Macie called. I turned to her and held her hand.

"Yes, sweetheart?" I asked.

"Is Papa okay?"

"I'm fine!" Calum exclaimed. He held onto our daughter a little bit tighter. "I just—I just love you so much, Macie, you know that?"

I kissed Calum's cheek, and I admired Macie as she played with his beanie. "She is totally going to be a daddy's girl," I told him.

"She has two fathers, Lucas," Calum sassed, cocking an eyebrow at me.

I just smiled. "You need help with the suitcases?" I reached for Calum and Macie's suitcases behind Calum, and he shook his head.

"I'm fine," he said.

I frowned. "You're already carrying May, baby. Let me take the suitcases."

Calum sighed. "Fine. But I'll take May's, okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay!" Calum exhaled. He readjusted Macie so that she rested her head on his shoulder, and she wrapped her small arms around his neck. Calum pulled our daughter's suitcase behind him, and I pulled both his and mine. We made our way out of the airport, and Macie shivered against Calum's body.

"Where are we going?" Macie asked.

"We're going to see Grandma and Grandpa, sweetheart," I told her.

"But Grandma lives with Auntie Mali, and Grandpa lives with his family close to our house!"

"Those are my parents, sweetheart," Calum said. "We're going to see your other Grandpa and Grandma."

"I have four grandparents?"

"Yes, you do," Calum explained. "Grandma Joy and Grandpa David are my mom and dad. You're going to meet Luke's mom and dad today!"

Macie kept quiet after that. Knowing her, she was most likely thinking of what her grandparents looked like. I could see it in her blue eyes. Then she opened her mouth again.

"How are we going to get to Grandma and Grandpa's house?" Macie asked.

"Uncle Jack is going to pick us up, sweetheart."

"Is Uncle Ben coming, too?"

"Uncle Ben is going to be at Grandma and Grandpa's house," Calum explained. "We'll see both of your uncles, okay?"

"And Auntie Celeste?"

"Auntie Celeste, too," Calum said.

"And Zoe?"

"Zoe, too," I said.

✘✘✘

"Lucas?"

"Hi, Mom."

Liz stared at me for what seemed like the largest time. Her blue eyes were almost clear now—she was aging. Her roots were turning white. The crinkles by her eyes were a little more evident. There was no doubt that she was getting older. Then again, I haven't seen her in thirteen years.

When I looked at Liz, I was surprised I didn't feel any resentment. I didn't feel any hatred. I didn't want to pull away. However, I didn't see a mother in her, either. I looked at Liz and I saw a person I haven't seen in a long time. But I knew very well I couldn't go back to feeling the way I did before, or to forgive her for what I used to think she'd done to me. I just needed to get to know her again.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. Her eyes were teary. Liz then looked down at the ground, and she shook her head. "I'm sorry, come in, come in."

"Well, actually," I said, pausing a little. "You didn't come to the wedding—"

"I'm very sorry about that," Liz said.

"No, no, it's okay," I said. "It's just, after you told us you weren't able to come, after a while, we finally came to meet you."

Liz stared at me. There was no repulse in her expression. No frowning. She just stared at me in confusion. "I'm fully aware of your husband, Lucas. There's no one for me to meet."

"No, there is," I said. I turned around, and I smiled at Calum. He gave me a reassuring smile. Calum wasn't afraid to meet my parents, even though this was his first time. I knew I was a nervous wreck when meeting Joy and David. Calum kissed Macie's head of brown hair, and they walked inside.

"Mom," I said, "this is my husband, Calum."

Liz smiled and nodded at him.

"And this is our daughter, Macie."

Liz let out a small gasp. Calum still had his arm around Macie's small body as she clung onto his collar, but her body was turned. She was looking directly at Liz, and Liz at her.

Macie turned to Calum and asked him to put her down. Calum did as she asked, and gently let her down on Liz's oh-so familiar hardwood floor. I held Calum's hand as he rose up to stand erect. Macie stood on the floor, right in front of Calum's feet. She looked up at Liz, examining her for a while. Macie then ran to Liz and embraced her legs.

"Hi, Grandma."

Liz laughed, and I was afraid she would start crying right then and there. She picked Macie up and rested the toddler on her hip. "Hi, Macie."

"Where's Grandpa?" Macie asked.

"Oh, he's probably reading in his bedroom," Liz said with a smile. "You wanna go see him?"

"Yeah!" Macie said excitedly.

Liz and Macie went to the bedrooms, and I stood with Calum in the living room, and I let out a heavy breath. I never thought I would see Liz or Andrew again. Burying them with my past was something I had tried so hard to do. But Calum convinced me they were a part of me I had to embrace, and I needed to see them again. He was right.

Calum wrapped his arms around my waist, and he smiled. "You did well, Babycakes. You did well."

I turned to look at him. "I just—"

"I know," he said, pressing his lips to mine.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" I asked him.

"Only every day," Calum said.

"I love you," I told him.

"To forever and back," Calum said.

"To forever and back."