53
3 Years Later
I had never seen such a blue sky on August seventh. I looked up at the trees from my new home and smiled. Dad and the boys bought us a new house for just Forrest, me and the kids. Howard married a woman named Lucy and they had four kids. Jack married Bertha and I know we all saw that coming. Forrest, Howard, and Jack still did their bootlegging, but were always sure to be careful and always promised to come back to their families. Ray married a farmer's daughter, Melissa, who is now pregnant. Arliss is dating a woman at the grocery store we always went to. Her name is Christine. All the women are very nice. Who would have thought all of this would happen in a matter of three years.
"Mommy, mommy!" I was taken from my thoughts and I turned from the window of the living room and watched as Eve played with a little doll mother had gotten her. Travis was sitting on Forrest's lap on the couch shooting him with a small toy gun, Mr. Capone gave him. He got to meet my husband who looked more shocked than I had ever seen. I smiled at the twins. Eve had a bush of curly hair and Travis had slick straight hair which Forrest loved to comb back. I moved over towards Eve and swept her off the carpet floor and she smiled and clung to me.
"We should head over to my folks now before they get worried and decide to come over here." I told and Forrest gave a light smile and nodded.
"Yeah I know how they get." he said and lifted Travis up and turned to me. "You ready?"
I nodded and we left the house carrying the twins in our hands. We got into his truck and I held on to the kids while Forrest started the truck. I smiled at him. He still wore the same shirt, sweater and dark green pants. His famous hat still rested upon his head. Three years didn't age him much, but it felt like it aged me. My hair was now a bit longer and tied back and I still wore my dresses of course. I put Eve in dresses even though she always seemed to tear them off and want to wear over alls. I figure she will want to be just like the boys. Travis himself was somehow opposite of an independent child. He was always near Forrest or near me. Sometimes he was afraid whenever we moved to another room for a few minutes, but it was to be expected of a three year old, but I knew both my children's future or at least I would like to know. Travis Dohn Bondurant will be just like his father, his uncles, and his grandfather. He will be strong and he will be prepared to protect those he loved and ready to die by the heat of a gun. Eve Summer Bondurant will follow her heart and tear off the dress that is her life and wear something just for her. I knew one thing though she will be defiant against her daddy as I was mine. She already runs from him when he tries to put diapers on her and she loves to hide his hat.
I looked up at the road ahead of us and wondered what life would be like for my children growing up with a white dad and black mom. Would they be accepted by everyone or rejected. Death would've come to me if I were the male and Forrest were the female, but it always seemed to be an ignored subject if it were a black female and white male. I felt Forrest's hand reach over and gently take mine and I looked at him and smiled. Nothing would ever break him or change the choices he made. As my fingers curled into his I looked down at the children who looked around at everything that passed the truck and I knew that everything would be okay as long as the Bondurants and the Kincades stuck together.
