Bonus Epilogue Part 3, taking place 15 years after Jacob Benjamin was born.

Bella

My eyes opened to dim camper lighting. I climbed out of bed and peeked through the blinds to see who still sat out there. Seth and Jacob were alone at the fire pit. I slipped on some workout pants and a sweatshirt to go outside with them.

Reaching for the screen's handle, I stalled at the door when Seth said, "Bella is furious, isn't she?"

"I don't think she's furious. Just disappointed in you, and in both of you, for not trying harder to work it out," Jacob said.

I stepped back and away. Seth and I weren't as close as we once were, for obvious reasons, but the opportunity to hear his side presented itself, so I held motionless to listen. I assumed he'd never open to me about Angela, anyway, because of our longtime friendship.

"Angela thinks you've been cheating for a long time. Way before the straw that broke the camel's back. I told Bella, you're a better man than that. Hell, I'm still shocked."

"It's not the first time I heard her accusations, but she's wrong. This is the first time I crossed that line, even though we drifted apart long before. She was pulling away from me ever since we suffered the first loss. It didn't matter that I gave up boxing to be there for her. It still didn't show her how much she meant to me."

"You could have talked to someone. Jasper probably could have referred you guys to someone for help."

"I suggested it and told her it didn't have to be Jasper to refer us. But I guess neither of us wanted to talk to anyone, because when she said no, I didn't push her. Maybe I should have."

"She told Bella recently, she thinks you were with someone the night of your big title fight, seven years ago. We were all there, so we didn't believe that, but she said you acted strange when you got home, acted guilty."

"So, what you're saying is all I did was justify her accusations and wrong assumptions, confirmed what she thought she knew all along?"

"I'm just saying... What is everyone supposed to think now?"

"I know what she's talking about. Because that was the beginning of the end of boxing for me. If I acted weird, it's because I came so close that time. The temptation became too much at the after-fight party when you guys left. But I'm not stupid. At least not then. I loved her, so I didn't go through with it. After that, I knew I needed to give up boxing. Stay home to make our life together work, because she was never with me."

"Maybe she just loved you too much to watch you get pounded on."

"I knew that. That's why I didn't pressure her to come. I didn't want to quit boxing. I didn't feel I accomplished enough. It weighed on me for months, trying to decide. Then it bothered me months more after I told Eleazer I quit. I could have defended my title a few times. I could have chased some bigger belts like you did, made serious money."

"You could have. Should have. I never believed you were sick of fighting and training when you told me that. It made less sense when you opened your fitness center and started training more. Maybe if you would have told me the truth, we could have helped. Bella might have been able to talk to her."

"Angela would have got pissed off if I brought anything up to you and Bella, and it got brought back up to her. What should I have said, 'Oh, I'm retiring, because I'm afraid I might cheat on my wife one of these times.'"

"Yeah, that's exactly what you should have said."

"Okay, so tell me this. I saw all those eyes on you all the time. All those women making themselves available, just like it was for me. How did you put up with it?"

"I'm not superhuman. It's hard not to look."

Jacob's words rolled through me like a fire in a dry prairie field, tempting me to fling the screen open. But I couldn't reveal my eavesdropping, especially in such a personal conversation from Seth.

"I noticed, but I never got tempted. All I had to do was remember what it was like when I didn't have Bella in my life. Those are dark times to look back on for me. By the time I was twenty, I felt old, bitter... dead inside sometimes. I feel younger now than I felt back then when I think about it."

"It's no wonder why you felt old. You practically raised yourself, making all your own decisions since Aunt Sara left." He chuckled. "You were only ten."

"True... But if I ever did something like that, it would hurt the entire family, not just Bella and the kids. So, I don't put myself in dangerous positions. I never went drinking or celebrating without Bella. I never talked to anybody alone. I love Bella and my little family and my entire life too much to fuck shit up."

I smiled. I'll cut him some slack.

"I barely could stand going to them after-fight parties to mingle with fans, especially if Bella didn't come. I'm lucky she wasn't squeamish about boxing and came to almost all my fights."

"I couldn't get Angela to do that, not even my most important fights. And I did not have that kind of relationship with my in-laws. I think they're happy we're over. I always thought she disappointed them for marrying a Native."

I frowned at Seth's words. Even though tolerance, education, and change occurred over the decades, a lot of prejudice still lived within towns bordering reservations. More than should have existed in modern days.

Seth said, "I know what you mean, though. Jasper and Emmett are family, but I know how I'd react if Jasper ever hurt Leah that way. I'd take her side and never talk to him again. I don't doubt that would affect my relationship with the rest of the Swans. Adds another level to stay on the straight and narrow." They fell silent, then Seth said, "Picking me and Angela's life together apart, I think I resented her for my choices. That fling seems like a tool I used for getting out, driving the nail in the coffin. I don't I think I even cared when her boyfriend called Angela and told her about us. Being found out relieved me... Sometimes I think Angela wanted me cheat as her way out."

"That's fucked up. On both your ends if that's true..."

"As much as it hurts, it's probably best it's over, and we never had kids. The first miscarriage was bad enough, but the second one destroyed her. I wanted to try again after a few years, but she didn't want to, didn't have the faith or the courage."

"Sorry to hear that."

"She has her dream job now and is ecstatic with her move to New York. And I bet you any money... when she finds someone else and falls in love again, she'll brave it for him."

"Maybe you shouldn't give up on her so easily."

"She won't take my calls. We're done. Granted, it's the worst mistake I could have ever made. But all my life I've been the good guy. I did the right thing. How does one terrible mistake wipe that all away?"

"It doesn't."

"Then why do I feel so fucked?"

"I know exactly how you feel. Believe me! I've been there. Just give it time."

Silence ensued.

"Shit... I said too much. Despite how I sound, I'm not trying to blame it on her. It wasn't all bad. We had great times or we wouldn't have lasted this long. It just died at some point in the past couple of years. And neither of us wanted to be the person to call it quits."

Listening, my heart ached for them. Maybe if they had children, it would have brought some change into their lives and their relationship would have progressed instead of dying.

Jacob said, "Another mistake I made back then was trying to handle all my problems myself. I didn't lean on anyone, except Old Ben occasionally. I should have leaned on you guys. Maybe then, I wouldn't have had it so rough. I'm just saying... We're all here for you."

"I know."

I heard nothing for a few minutes, then Jacob said, "You could still get back in the ring. You'll only be thirty-seven. Bernard Hopkins did great up to his late forties, and Manny Pacquiao probably won't stop until he's well into his fifties. I bet he'll still be kicking the asses of guys half his age."

I knew he was trying to give Seth some positivity.

"That's a thought. I feel like I'm in better shape now than when I boxed. The benefits of majoring in Sports and Exercise Science and minoring in Nutrition. I could take your weight class now that you retired."

"Seriously, dude. Then, once you hit the top, I'll come out of retirement. We can fight each other. I bet we'd draw in a lot of Pay-Per View money, beings we were always in each other's corners."

I heard the tease in Jacob's voice, but I wondered if some part of him was serious. Seth found monetary success on his own. But it would help him with a huge pay day if he wanted that.

Seth laughed but said nothing.

Deciding to let Jacob and Seth have their time, I crept into the bathroom and quietly got ready for bed. I couldn't fall back to sleep, so I put in my earbuds and listened to music.

The camper shook as the door banged closed and Jacob moved around. Several minutes later, he came into the room. The August full moon penetrated the thin camper shades enough for me to watch him stripping off his clothes.

I removed the ear buds when he talked at me. "What did you say?"

He climbed into bed. "I asked if you were up. I checked on the kids. They're out like lights."

"Swimming all day exhausted Will, but I'm surprised Jacobi went to bed as early as he did," I said.

"I'm surprised he wanted to go with Leah and Jasper to Crow Fair today. He never seemed interested in powwows before."

"I think it had something to do with Koah. She looked gorgeous when she came out of their RV wearing her regalia. I saw him staring at her. She has the most beautiful eyes."

"She's lucky she doesn't take after her uncle Embry. I told her that."

My eyes widened as I twisted my head toward him, a small laugh bursting out. "You better not have!"

He snickered. "She knew I was joking. Jasper and Leah said Crow Fair is an amazing sight to see. All the attendees and dancers camp in teepees, so they arrange rows and rows of teepees in a giant circle. Let's go to tomorrow for a few hours. So Will can see it, and we can watch Charlie dance. It's time for me to get back to my Native Heritage, teach the boys more about it."

I nodded, then asked, "Is Seth okay?"

"He's depressed. Even though he paced himself, I never saw him drink so much."

"He's probably uncomfortable being with all of us after everything and without Angela. But everyone seemed like they drank a lot. Even me. So, when I came inside for a sweater, I laid down for a minute. But I didn't expect to fall asleep, staying inside for the rest of the night."

"Emmett got raunchier with his jokes after you went inside, especially after Leah and Rosalie left, so you dodged that..." He pulled me into his arms. "You were rude to Seth tonight."

I frowned. "I know. I'll talk to him tomorrow. Apologize. He's family, and I was wrong to take Angela's side to the extent I did."

We wound our bodies together, and I rested my head against his chest. "Jake, do you think we would have hung on for so long if it would have been easy for us to get together and stay together when we were young?" The question popped into my head from thinking about Seth and Angela giving up on their life together. When he said nothing, I said, "Think about it. We were kind of untested as a couple back then because we never got to be together. Maybe that's what kept us hanging on, for the opportunity of it all. We didn't get to... you know? See if we'd tire of each other. Run a course that killed us worse, or anything like that."

"Are you tired of me?"

"Of course not. I'm just thinking about how things went for us."

"Untested, huh? I feel like our course was the biggest test we could have had."

I gave his words thought.

"Before you came back to me, I thought I'd change everything if I could. But now. If I was given the chance to go back to correct some wrongs, and I did something different; that didn't land me right here where I am today, I don't want it."

I could have done without some of that, but to what end would I risk it? None, I decided. "You're right." I lifted my eyes to him. "Our road taught us to appreciate each other as special gifts..."

He brushed his lips against mine. "You smell and taste like alcohol."

"Sorry. I already brushed my teeth."

"That's all right. I don't mind when it's on your mouth. It's the only time I like the taste." Nibbling on me, his hand snaked beneath my pajama tank top.

"What are you doing?"

"What does it feel like I'm doing?"

"I don't care how big this RV is, it'll still shake."

"We'll tell them it's windy outside like we used to."

I let out a soft laugh. "That might have worked when Will was a toddler and Jacobi was five, but we won't fool them now. Especially not Jacobi." We started calling Jacob Benjamin, Jacob B when he was a baby, then it shortened to Jacobi. Now most of his friends called him Jack, shortening his name even more.

"We can do other fun stuff?" I guided his head from nibbling on my neck and shoulder and brought his lips back to mine.

The kiss waned as he caressed his hands from my breast, down my ribs, and out from under my top. "I'd love that, but I just realized how exhausted I am. Seth's depressing vibe drained me." He lay flat against his pillow, closing his eyes. A few moments later, he rolled over, asleep.

Annoyingly wide awake, I snuck out of bed to get some water when a large glow of light seeped through the blinds. I separated them and looked out at Seth's cabin on the hill. He had lit the fire pit with what looked like all the logs for the weekend. Imagining his loneliness, I thought he still needed to talk, admitting it was about time that he and I had a heart to heart.

The fiery shadows ghosting his face emphasized his somber mood as he watched me hiking up the hill.

"I took a nap, and now I can't sleep," I said when I assumed I reached his hearing range.

He was quick standing up. "Want to sit down?" With a brighter demeanor, he dragged another chair over, setting it a safe distance from the fire and from himself.

I summoned my warmest smile. "And I'll take one of those beers, too."