Page 111 of Two Wrongs

Wren’s business acumen has Hale and Storm Automotive doing better than we ever imagined. Julio took over the Harriston location and runs it with his high school best friend, and now husband. They got married a couple years ago, and adopted a little boy.

Centralia is a more urban location, and with it comes a different clientele. Turns out there’s a lot of demand to customize cars. So much so that Charlie and Liam moved their families here and we’re all back together again.

Wren even expanded our lobby to a full scale coffee shop, and now we are never short on business. College students come in for anything from oil changes to custom wraps. Last week I turned a truck pink and glittery. I hated every minute of it, but the reigning rodeo queen loved her new rig. All that new business, along with the merchandise line Wren developed, means my princess gets a pony.

“What about when the boys turn ten?” There’s a hint of fear in her voice.

“Dirt bikes.” I nod. My boys won’t be missing out.

Our nine-year-old twins run past us, and I manage to scoop up Clark before he gets away. “Hey little man, where’s the fire?”

“Liam is home!” he shouts, as his little legs continue trying to run in the air.

“Lemme down dad! Logan is going to get to hold the baby first.”

I thought raising one son was hard. My twin boys are holy terrors, and I love every minute.

I put him on his feet and he races off to see his big brother come over with his wife and their new baby, Griffin.

That kindergarten teacher, Claudia, that Charlie insisted Liam meet, really did love babies. After dating for two years, they got married and had another little girl a year-and-a-half later. This one is their only son, and all the kids love to take turns holding him. Audrey never came back, and eventually signed away her parental rights so Claudia could adopt Natalie.

Our old patterns are broken after all. My grandchildren will grow up in a house with two parents, and Liam no longer looks at Wren like losing her was his greatest mistake. Thank fuck for that. Being jealous of my son got old long before she was mine, I don’t handle it well now that she is. I guess I am a bit of a caveman after all.

Charlie is no longer the most infamous bachelor around. He set his sights on Hattie and now he no longer has to satisfy his parental longings by taking my kids. Although he still relishes being their favorite uncle. The best part is he no longer gives me shit for preferring to stay home with my wife.

Natalie and Parker walk through the party holding hands with Morgan and Anna, Charlie and Hattie’s girls. Natalie is a few months older than Parker, and I may have made sure there were two ponies in the stable between our houses. Wren will get over it as long as I am the one who cleans out the stalls.

Liam and Claudia live on one side of our house and Charlie and Hattie have the one on the other side. Since most of the kids are only a few years apart, they spend a lot of time running back and forth.

The boys run past again, this time they’re joined by Bess and Donovan’s son, Jack. He’s a year younger than them, but the three of them are thick as thieves. With Wren’s help Donovan expanded his business to a new location up here as well, and now we’re surrounded by family, both those by blood and by choice.

Life is fucking fantastic. Wren and I were both lonely people longing for family, and now we’ve got a full house. The sound of kids running and playing is the best sound in the world.

“Isn’t it grand?” Dolores strolls in with her cane. At ninety-three she’s slowed down a little, but the cane is the only visible concession she’s given to aging. Her kids finally convinced her to sell her big house, after she fell one day while Bess was working. She discovered the retirement village here in Centralia is actually a fun place to be. I swear she’s got a more active social life than the rest of us.

“Hello, Dolores,” I say and bend down to kiss her wrinkled cheek.

She pats me on the face. “Aren’t you glad that old house had pests?”

I laugh. “You’re the only pest I know of in that old place.”

She harrumphs. “I’m old, I’ve earned the right to meddle. Besides, how else was I going to get more grand babies?”

“Hey, it’s granny D!” Bess shouts.

“Looks like you adopted all the ones your kids didn’t give you,” I point out.

Dolores nods. Proud of herself, as she should be.

“Hello Rainbow Brite. How are all my grand babies?”

Hearing her voice all the children swarm her, and each of them calls her granny D like aunt Bess.

Wren rushes over and gets wrapped in a fierce hug. Dolores is freakishly strong for an old woman. Probably because she’s taken over our yard so she could still have her flowers.

“There’s my beautiful girl,” Dolores says to her.

“I got some more flowers from the nursery the other day,” Wren tells her, and they stroll off to plan even more gardens.

---