Page 118 of Ashes of the Past
The doctor hesitates, looking at his clipboard. “We’ve done some tests, and unfortunately, yes, the dementia is worsening. It’s progressing faster than we expected. I’d recommend that you start looking into memory care facilities.”
I feel like the floor is falling out beneath me. The tears that I’ve been holding back since the moment I found out about John’s diagnosis are finally starting to fall.
“But there’s nothing we can do?” I ask, my voice breaking. “There has to be something more. Something to help him.”
The doctor gives me a sad look. “There’s not much more we can do at this stage. We’ll continue to monitor him, but I think it’s time to start planning for the future. I’m giving you some pamphlets for local facilities that specialize in memory care. It’s important that we make arrangements sooner rather than later.”
I can barely breathe. My chest feels tight, my body aching with the weight of it all. Jack’s arm is around me, holding me close, but I still feel so alone in this moment.
After the doctor leaves, I hold the pamphlets in my hands, staring down at them, feeling the weight of the decision that lies ahead. Jack stays with me, his presence a quiet comfort, but I know we both need time to process everything.
We take Dad home a few hours later, and when we tell him the news, he’s confused at first. He doesn’t fully understand what’s happening, but when I mention that Jack proposed, his face lights up with recognition. He’s still there, in some small way. And that small spark of him is enough to give me hope.
Later that night, after everyone else is in bed, Jack and I sit on the couch in the living room, the silence between us filled with a heaviness neither of us can escape. Finally, Jack speaks, his voice soft, almost like he’s afraid to break the fragile calm between us.
“Brynn,” he says, taking my hand. “What are we going to do about your dad? What’s the next step?”
I squeeze his hand, trying to push down the lump in my throat. “I don’t know. I don’t know what to do. I never thought it would come to this, Jack. I never thought I’d have to make these decisions for him.”
He leans forward, his eyes full of understanding, and he cups my face in his hands, brushing his thumb gently across my cheek. “We’ll figure it out. Together. Whatever happens, we’ll do it together. You’re not alone in this, darlin’. I’m not going anywhere.”
He pulls me close, and I bury my face in his chest, feeling the warmth of his embrace. The kiss he places on the top of my head is gentle, full of care, full of promise. We don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re in this together. And that’s enough.
In the quiet of the night, I know that no matter what happens with John, no matter what comes next, we’ll face it together. Jack will be there, and that’s all I need.
Epilogue
Brynn
Two years have passed. It feels like a lifetime, and yet, no time at all. Some days, I catch myself blinking, trying to wrap my head around how much has changed and how far we’ve come. How many different lives we’ve touched and how far we’ve come to find the kind of peace we now have.
The house is busier than it’s ever been, but in a way that fills me with joy, not chaos. The laughter of our twins, a boy and a girl—Bennett and Beatrice—fills the halls. They’re one now, and their little voices echo in every corner of the house. They’re sweet, curious, always on the move, toddling after Olivia, who, at fourteen, is on the verge of becoming a full-fledged young woman. And yet, somehow, she still holds on to that spark of youth that reminds me of her when she was younger.
I glance at the kitchen table where Jack is helping Olivia with her homework, explaining something in that gentle, patient way of his. I’ve always admired how he handles everything—our kids, our ranch, me. He’s a rock. The kids love him more than I ever could have imagined. Olivia’s laughter fills the house as Jack’svoice rises in that playful tone he’s always using with her, and it makes my heart swell.
The ranch is thriving, too. We’ve added racehorses to the family business, following Jack’s lead, and the land feels alive with possibilities. Our work is steady, but there’s always something new to focus on. The flower shop continues to bloom, too, thriving even more than I could have hoped. I’ve kept my father’s legacy alive, making sure the ranch is still as much a part of this community as it ever was. I put that same love and pride into my shop. Every flower arrangement feels like I’m giving a little piece of my parents’ legacy to someone else.
And as if our family needed more life, more love, our place is a sanctuary. It feels like the world we built together—Jack and me—holds everything we ever needed. And somehow, it continues to grow.
I’m outside in the garden now, watching the twins play by the flower beds. I can hear them babbling to each other in the way toddlers do when they don’t yet know all the words but want to say something so badly. Bennett reaches for a flower, and I rush forward, gently pulling his hand back and giving him a soft smile.
“Not the flowers, buddy,” I say quietly, brushing his hair back from his face. “Mommy’s got to keep them pretty for the shop, okay?”
Bennett tilts his head at me, his big brown eyes curious, and I can see him processing the rules in that little mind of his. Beatrice, on the other hand, has already moved on, trying to scoop dirt into a little bucket, her giggles contagious.
“Mom!” Olivia calls from the porch, Barney right on her heels, her voice filled with excitement. She jogs down the steps, her long legs carrying her with ease. “You’ve got to see this!”
I smile and stand up from the garden bed, wiping the dirt from my hands as she approaches. The moment she sees me, herface lights up, and it reminds me so much of the little girl she used to be—full of energy, full of ideas, full of love.
“What’s going on, kiddo?” I ask, brushing a strand of hair out of my face.
Olivia pulls a piece of paper from behind her back. It’s her school project—her science fair project. “Look! I made it. It’s about plant growth and flowers. I used some of your plants in the experiment. I thought it would be fun to combine school and what you do!”
My heart swells with pride. I take the paper from her, my fingers tracing the neat handwriting. “This is amazing, Liv. You really combined your love for nature with your science knowledge. I’m so proud of you.”
“I thought you’d like it,” she says, her eyes lighting up.
“I love it,” I respond, giving her a big hug.
