The Ties That Bind

epilogue

b r o n w y n

eighteen years later...

"Bronwyn! Come on, sweetheart!" My mom calls from downstairs.

"Coming!" I quickly curl my lashes then apply some lip gloss. I stand up and walk over to my full-body mirror in my closet. I have on a red blazer dress paired with the Christian Louboutins my parents gifted me for my seventeenth birthday earlier this week.

I look like a younger version of my mom, well at least that's what everyone says. I have her long legs, slim frame, and sharp facial features. I grab my clutch and head downstairs.

"Finally," my younger brother groans. "You took like thirty minutes!" He stands in the foyer looking quite dashing in his suit and tie.

"Well, Greyson, some people like to look presentable," I mess up his shaggy brown hair. Greyson and I look pretty much identical except for our eyes. Unlike my baby blues from dad, he got mom's big brown ones with golden specks. If anything, he's the splitting image of my mom. At fifteen-years-old, he's 5'11" and still growing. When he's dressed in his hockey uniform, he resembles much of my dad though.

"Let's go before we miss the ceremony! Your father is awaiting our arrival," my mother says. Even after birthing children, she can rock a red gown and some stilettos like no other.

After she retired from modeling, she decided to create a clothing line for children called Ollie. Like anything my mother does, she succeeded. She now owns several stores in New York, New Jersey, and California.

"Wait! I'm coming!" A high-pitched voice shouts from upstairs. A few seconds later, my littlest sibling comes running down.

When she gets to the last flight of stairs, she jumps off and onto the floor. "Ta-da!" She twirls in her maroon tulle dress that falls just below her knees. Her outfit is much different from her usual oversized t-shirt and sweatpants. We're polar opposites in that I'm a girly girl and she's more rambunctious and sporty. She followed in my father and brother's footsteps and joined hockey.

"You clean up nice, Leighton!" My mom exclaims. "Now, we're really going to be late! Let's go!"

We rush out the door and into my mom's white Tesla. My dad told us she didn't learn how to drive until we moved into our house just outside of the city, which was a surprise considering how good of a driver she is.

We all hop into the car and drive to the arena. When we get there, the place is packed with people waiting to get in. My family goes to the back exit where the players enter. The security checks us then we're escorted into the building.

The hallways are bustling with people, but we finally manage to find dad. He looks sharp in his black suit and tie, and the beard he grows during the playoffs has been shaven off.

"Dad!" Leighton rushes over and we follow in her lead.

"Wow, nugget! You look beautiful in that dress." My dad playfully pulls on her blonde hair. A huge smile overtakes her face, showcasing her braces. Not only does she look exactly like my dad, but she has his kindhearted and caring personality as well.

"Dad, are you excited for retirement?" Greyson asks.

"It's a bittersweet moment. Hockey will always be a part of my life. And one day, it'll be us watching you from those stands," my dad motions to the seating area and Greyson smiles.