Page 94 of Sunny Skies Ahead
“Thank you,” I said, not knowing what else to say. Thank you wasn’t powerful enough to describe how meaningful this gift was. This was more than I could have hoped for.
Imogen’s phone dinged with a new email, and her face lit up as she briefly read the subject line. Her gaze snapped to mine as I exchanged closing niceties with Candace before.
“Is she serious?” Imogen said. The excitement and wonder in her eyes made me weak in the knees.
We’d done it. Not in the way we’d originally planned, but we’d done it.
“I think so,” I said, still slightly dizzy from the emotional roller coaster I just got off.
Imogen let out a whoop of excitement as she launched towards me, hugging me tightly.
“Wait, what’s happening? Explain yourselves!” Abbie cried. “Are we celebrating or crying?”
“They gave the grant to someone else, but they extended us another offer. It’s funding and mentorship, the same as the Warrior’s Grant, but it sounds like it will be more personalized. They really see potential in us,” I said, not fully believing it, even as I wrapped my arms around Imogen and buried my face into her shoulder. The comforting scent of her perfume mixed with the fresh mountain air enveloped me.
“This is really happening,” I said. “Am I actually getting everything I want?”
Imogen’s laugh was bright and beautiful as Connor, Abbie, and Lucas came over to swarm us in a big group hug.
“There’s no one else in the world who deserves it more, Kam,” Lucas said, and for once, I believed him.
Epilogue
Fairy lights twinkled above me as I gazed at the farmland before me. A gentle breeze blew past, bringing with it the smell of wildflowers and wood chips and late summer nights. The crickets chirped in the tall grasses beyond my farmhouse porch. Glassware clinked as Connor and Kameron brought silverware and plates to the table.
This would be the last time we gathered together on my back porch. After two months of the house being on the market, I’d finally found a buyer who wasn’t a developer. This house would become a home for a young family that wanted to move to Watford to start their life over. They were excited at the prospect of renovating an older home; of giving something historic new life.
I couldn’t think of a better way to close this chapter of my life. To know that this house and all of its memories would live on in the form of a new family brought me a joy I couldn’t explain.
“If everyone’s here, we can eat,” I said. “Everything is set.”
“I’ll call them out here,” Connor said, poking his head inside the farmhouse and calling for everyone to come outside for dinner.
Kameron came to stand at my side, wrapping an arm around my waist and pressing a kiss to my uncovered shoulder. I shivered involuntarily. Everything was different now, and I reveled in the beauty of it.
“It’s the perfect night for a family dinner,” I said. “I still can’t believe how nice it is to have everyone in one place. I’d always dreamed about having this kind of friend group, but considering this time last year we were mostly strangers, it feels. . .”
“Dreamlike,” Kameron said. “It feels like it’s been a whole lot longer than a year.”
“We do have a strange setup though, considering some of us knew each other long before the rest of us.”
“They had a head-start,” Kameron agreed, jerking his head in the direction of Connor and Abbie as they stepped onto the porch. Connor offered Abbie his hand to help her down the tiny half step, and while she rolled her eyes at the gesture, she still accepted it. Kevin and Kyrie stepped out afterwards, followed by Lucas.
Kyrie walked over to me first and enveloped me in a crushing hug. The girl used to get on my nerves, but even I could admit she was growing on me. Kevin had taken over most of the operations of Watford General Store since Abbie and Connor had been married and Malcolm had been focused on his recovery. Throughout it all, Kyrie had matured a lot.
Some of that had to do with getting older—I knew as well as anyone that there could be a big difference between the person you were at eighteen and the person you were at almost twenty.
Whatever the reason was, Kyrie was spending more time thinking and discussing her future options. She was working on finalizing portfolio pieces to finally submit some of her art to trade shows. It filled me with joy to know that her future options focused on what she wanted. She didn’t see Kevin as a means to get her out of Watford.
Selfishly, I was glad she didn’t seem to be making many of the mistakes I did in my eagerness to leave this small town.
I returned her hug and gestured for her to have a seat next to Kevin. I sat at the head of the table, with Kameron to my left, and Abbie at the other end of the table. Kevin, Kyrie, and Connor were seated on the right bench, with Kameron and Lucas on the left. There was a plethora of food before us—namely, a lush salad with fresh greens with what was going to be the final yield from my homestead. There was also an overflowing home style broccoli and cheddar casserole, and golden rolls baked to fluffy inside, crispy outside perfection.
“Before we eat, Abbie and I have an announcement,” Connor said, almost sheepishly. That was when I noticed Abbie’s hand draped casually over her stomach. “Since we have everyone here, we wanted to let you know—”
I screamed as the dots connected in my head. Kameron jerked next to me, letting go of my hand like it was burning as I leaped towards Abbie.
Connor didn’t seem phased by my complete overreaction and opened his mouth to continue. “Abbie’s—”
