Thank you all!

Epilogue

Three Years Later

"Yes! Arya! Go! Go!" Anna and John screamed from the bleachers at the football game. Arya was running down the field kicking the ball toward the goal. Then she kicked the ball, which passed right past the goalie and into the goal. Both Anna and John jumped up and clapped.

Arya turned toward them and gave them a thumbs up that they returned, before she ran back with her teammates.

Anna sat back down, adjusting the nine month old little boy back onto her lap. He was smiling brightly, clapping his little chubby hands. Anna bent down to kiss his blonde locks and then sat closer to her husband.

"Hey, Johnny," Gracie then said to her little brother, as she handed him a small puff. "Want one?" The little boy gladly took it from her hand and smashed it into his lips. "Can I go and play with the other kids down there?" She then asked, showing the younger siblings down by the field.

"Yes," John answered to the six year old, who had traded in Peppa Pig for all things princess. She was decked out in a bright yellow princess dress and had a crown and fake dangling earrings on. Despite trying to convince her that she would be more comfortable in a tee shirt and some shorts, the little girl insisted on dressing up like a princess every day. "Just stay where we can see you."

"Okay, Daddy."

Gracie carefully made her way down the bleachers in her dress.

"Here," Anna offered their son over to John. "He's getting antsy. Perhaps you could hold him for a bit?"

John gladly took little Johnny into his arms. The little boy smiled up at him and grabbed at his nose. When Anna found out she was expecting their son, John was thrilled. They would now have three children and the girls would get to be big sisters. Both girls were enamored by their little brother and they took great care of him.

Anna stood. She glanced around and twisted her lips. John could see the disappointment on her face.

"No show?" Anna shook her head and sat back down.

"Not that I should be surprised. He was sent a schedule of Arya's games. He knows when they are."

Over the past three years, Jake's part in his daughters' lives had narrowed down immensely. When the pandemic hit, he used it as an excuse not to show up to visit his girls even though Anna had come up with some ways to keep them all safe. Anna still tried for Arya and Gracie's sake. But he only showed up about two times out of the year to see the girls. It was just enough to give the girls some hope, before he would disappear for months again.

Arya was beginning to catch on, though. Often times, she would decide not to visit with him and he and Anna had decided not to force her to see him. Jake would grumble about how unfair it was, but in the end, he wouldn't do anything to make it better. Anna had offered him more time with the girls, more visits, but he never showed. However, they couldn't cut him completely out of their lives. It was a tricky rope they had to walk on. Anna knew that it had to be the girls' decision if they wanted him out of their lives completely. He was their father.

Thankfully, the girls learned not to expect him. Jake had promised he would show up today, but they all knew he wouldn't. He had promised too many times and not followed through.

"The girls have you," Anna then added, kissing John's cheek, before Johnny gurgled. "And you, little one." He was a happy baby. He brought joy in their lives. Their family was complete now.

The game ended and Arya ran up the stands with a snack within her hands.

"Mum? Dad? Can I go with my friends to the movies?" She was breathing heavily and there was sweat dripping down her cheek. Anna grabbed a wipe to wipe her face, making Arya give her a face for embarissing her in front of her friends.

"What movie?" Anna asked her.

"I don't know. We haven't decided yet. But we're going with Lane and her mum doesn't allow anything with bad language. So it won't be a bad," Arya promised her. "Dad? Can I?"

John chuckled. The girls knew that he was the softy.

"Sure."

Right then, Arya's friend came up beside her to ask if she could come along.

"They said yes."

Lane then glanced at Arya's parents and pointed to John.

"Is he your real dad?" It was only pure curiosity and she wasn't meaning to be rude, but Arya quickly responded,

"No, he's imaginary," she rolled her eyes. "Of course, he's real! Come on, let's go." Arya turned to follow her friend back down, but then remembered that she should tell her parents goodbye. She kissed both parents on the cheek and then tickled Johnny's cheek.

"Bye Mum, bye John! Bye Johnny!" Arya went between calling John: Dad and John. It didn't bother John at all. He had come into her life when she was seven and they were very close. He never wanted to pressure her to call him something she wasn't comfortable doing.

They then stood and called for Gracie. She waited for them at the bottom of the bleachers. Her hands and face were covered in dirt.

"You had fun," Anna observed.

"Yep!" Gracie declared. Anna took Gracie over to the bathroom to clean her off, while John waited for them by the car. He buckled Johnny into his car seat and rubbed his cheek as he fell into a deep slumber. It was past the little one's naptime.

"All done!" Gracie told John, as she ran up to him and asked to be picked up. John lifted her into his arms and walked her over to where her seat was. Anna was a few steps behind. Once he had buckled Gracie in, Anna wrapped her arms around him and gave him a big kiss.

"I love this life we've made for ourselves," Anna said to him. John's hands came up to rest on her cheeks, as his lips curled into a bright smile.

"Me too, my darling. What a life we have. I love my girls, my boy, and my wife." Anna brought her hand up over to rest on top of his.

"Good, because you're kind of stuck with us."

"I'd have it no other way."

The End

Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed this journey with me :)