What If This Storm Ends
Epilogue
BPOV
Today C.J., Sara and Rebekah are graduating from high school.
I can't believe it.
My babies are all grown up.
Rebekah had a rough starting the beginning but by the time they were five, her health problems all but disappeared.
She is still a tiny thing, barely 4'8" and 98 pounds, but she ate all the time. Then we had Sara, she was the spitting image of her aunt Esme and although Esme doted on all of them, Esme spoiled her a little extra. And C.J. was his dad through and through. He was even going to be a doctor like Carlisle and his big brother Garrett. Garrett and Garrett's wife Kebi were letting C.J. live with them in Seattle while he went to college at U of W. Kebi was a professor there, so they lived in close proximity to the school, and this was C.J. would be able to have his truck.
Garrett had bought all his siblings a vehicle of their choice for graduation.
C.J. had wanted a Dodge Ram, Sara got a Mazda 3 and Rebekah got a Nissan Altima. To say that their big brother was at the top of their list was an understatement.
Sara and Rebekah were going Cornish College of the Arts in for Interior Design and hoped to open up their own business when they graduated.
They'd always had a flare for that sort of thing.
Their first project was Kebi and Garrett's house, which was a huge deal. Kebi and Garrett had very different tastes, but they blended their soft and hard choices and the house was beautiful.
"Bella, please stop crying." Carlisle kissed my neck.
"I can't help it, my babies are leaving me." I sat on the bed.
There was a knock on the door.
"Mom have you seen my silver…" Rebekah stopped and ran over to me. "What's wrong mom? Sara, come here! C.J.!" she yelled.
They came running in and Carlisle chuckled as they all piled on our California King.
"Mom, are you OK? Dad, what's wrong with her?" C.J. asked worried.
"She's just having a small panic attack because you are all graduating and going off to college." He smiled.
"Mom, I'll be here for a couple of weeks and the girls have all summer." C.J. reminded her.
"I know, but you won't be here anymore." I sighed.
"Dad is retiring in a few months, why don't you two move to Seattle. Kebi is having the baby soon and I know you want to see that grandbaby all the time mom." Sara hinted.
"Carlisle?" I asked him.
"I suppose we could look into something smaller. We don't need such a big house anymore." He smiled.
"Oh, what about Edward and Esme?" I asked.
"I believe his assistant is going to be buying the clinic from him next year. I'm sure if we tell them we're moving, they'll move too." Carlisle smiled.
10 years later…
"Mom, stop crying. You're going to make me cry." Sara giggled.
"I can't help it." I dabbed my make-up.
"Rebekah is going to need you to be strong mom, you know she'll cry if you cry." Sara scolded.
Carlisle walked in at that time.
"How are my girls?" he kissed us all.
"Mom won't stop crying." Sara sighed.
"You know how she is Sara. She cried for 3 days straight when you eloped." He admonished.
"Because I knew she'd do this." She rolled her eyes.
The hairdresser and make-up artist were finished with Rebekah and she walked out in her dress.
"You're beautiful." I gasped.
"Thank you mom." She smiled.
We finished getting her ready and then Garrett came and walked me out before the wedding started.
Rebekah had met a wonderful man 10 years her senior, while remodeling his home.
Surprisingly he'd never been married, he was a brain surgeon and actually friends with Garrett.
His name was Jared and treated her like gold. They were quite a site too. Jared was 6'3" with a nice build, he was pretty health conscious and worked out, which Rebekah had gotten into as well to try and build a little muscle onto her tiny frame of 4'8". He literally had to pick her up to kiss her at the end of the ceremony. It was so sweet.
Now all my children were married to wonderful people.
C.J. was married to a spunky woman who kept him on his toes.
Her name was Madison and she was an elementary school teacher. They just found out they were expecting their first child next year. C.J. couldn't be more excited. He loved kids and had been around Rory, Garrett and Kebi's little boy while he lived there.
Sara was married to a painter. He was as free spirited as her and often worked on a lot of the jobs with her and Rebekah. Micah was a great guy, lost his parents when he was young and had no family, was raised in foster homes and had it pretty rough, but managed to make something for himself regardless. He fit into our family perfectly.
Garrett and Kebi were doing great, Rory was growing fast and they'd just welcomed Cecilia four years ago, she looked just like her mom, she was the sweetest thing.
I was very happy that all my children had great careers and spouses and were happy.
It made all the years of hell that I endured seem like a lifetime ago.
Garrett had brought it up once and asked if I ever thought about it.
And I often did when I'd volunteer at the shelter and I often shared my story with the women there.
But, I also shared with them my story now and let them know it was possible to get out and be happy and safe.
All my children volunteer there as well, they know my story and know what Garrett and I went through when he was little, when they were older, I showed them the pictures. I never wanted my children to go through that or their spouses, and I made that clear.
They were all thankful to me for sharing that with them.
My life had done a complete 180.
And although my dad had passed away and my children didn't get to really know their granddad, they had their aunt Esme and Uncle Edward who couldn't have kids and spoiled them rotten.
We all lived close together and once they retired, they bought a condo close to our townhouse and we continued to live happily.
And now we spoiled the grandchildren.
What was once a far from perfect life, was now the perfect life.
AN:
So glad you took this journey with me…
I hope you enjoyed it.
Reviews=Love