Page 123 of Fractured

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They are the one.’

– Frank’s life lessons to his kids.

Epilogue II

Frank

Even now, all these years later, I still feel bad for the times that we had unknowingly mistreated Talia.

I had hoped that over the years, we had helped lessen the scars we had put on her heart.

Not that it affected her in the slightest.

Because I sat there as I watched Talia smile at Isaiah, Ryder, and Zada and tell them stories of their older angel, grandmother and their honorary grandmother.

And every year, on their birthdays, we got together so the kids could send up balloons.

One of the babies that Dominik hadn’t gotten to know.

He and Talia had gone over the paperwork Dominik still had and figured out what would have been the baby’s due date.

One for Zada Davis.

One for Henrietta Alcott.

And you could tell me it wasn’t true a hundred times, but I will argue with a brick wall over this.

On their birthdays, when that happens, a breeze always blows by.

Misty

I snickered next to Talia as we did it again. Made Dominik’s birthday cake.

But this time, we used raspberries.

I snickered.

She giggled.

And then little Zada came in and snickered and asked if she could help.

His face when he took a bite... freaking perfect.

He gagged.

We all busted out laughing.

I was sitting in the living room with Frank as we watched a movie with all our grandkids and the kids we viewed as our own.

We did this once every two weeks.

Melanie, Granger, Lola, Zaden, Hattie, Cole, Madalyn, Sage, Krispin, Isaiah, Ryder, and Zada.

And I knew that when they all were on their best behavior, it was because I had raised them right.

However, I wasn’t thinking that when Frank let out a fart and all the kids followed suit.

Compliments to the chef rang out.

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