Epilogue: Five Years Later
There is a beautiful, large house in the country of upstate New York. It is two stories with a two-car garage on the side. It has white siding and forest green window frames. At the front door there is a welcome mat and a lovely flowerbed with many different flowers like violets, pansies, and daises and a few rose bushes on each side. To the side of the house there is a smaller house with the same siding. A man walks out of the house eating something from a box. He walks up to the other house as a red SUV drives up into the garage. The man empties the box of food and throws it into the dumpster inside the garage. Cracker Jacks. The car stops and the driver, a tall male dressed in deep blue jeans and white under shirt with a another white button up shirt that is untucked and not all the buttons are clasped, walks to the back of the car where the other is waiting. A little boy, about 6 or 7 years old, gets out of the back and runs to the driver. The driver kneels down to the boy's level.
"Kyle, why don't you help your mother with Cat inside while Uncle Angelo and I get the groceries" says Jarod.
"Okay daddy." Jarod pats him on the back as he runs into the house through the garage door. Jarod stands and turns to Angelo.
"Mind helping me with these?"
"Sure." Jarod opens the trunk and they get out the groceries. He shuts the back and walks inside the house, carrying the bags. When they walk inside it reveals a newly furnished kitchen with all brand new appliances. They set the bags on the white, marble counters and begin to empty the bags and putting the food away. They are almost finished when a baby cries in the background. A woman walks into the kitchen wearing a loose flowing skirt, mid-thigh level--not a mini skirt, with a rose design on it, a pink button up short sleeve top, and no shoes carrying a baby girl dressed in a sun dress.
"Someone wants her daddy," says Rachel with a smile. Jarod takes the baby and she quiets down.
"How's my little Catherine?" Cat giggles. He kisses her on the forehead and carries her to her playpen while Rachel and Angelo put the rest of the groceries away.
"Syd called and said they should be here in an hour or so."
"Good. Has anyone else called?"
"No." Kyle comes running to Angelo with a few toys in his hand. He tugs on Angelo's shirt.
"Uncle Angelo! Uncle Angelo! Come play with me in the family room!"
"Okay Kyle." Kyle takes his hand and pulls him into the family room in the front of the house by Catherine's playpen. Jarod and Rachel smile at them and sneak into the living room and sit on the leather couch facing a fireplace. Jarod is sitting at the end of the couch and Rachel had her feet on the couch sitting sideways as to be at Jarod's side. He wraps his arm around her and kissed her on the forehead and rubs her hair as they look at the painting and pictures above the mantle of the fireplace. In the center above it is a 16 by 20 painting by Jarod of their mothers together, smiling. Below that is a series of picture frames along the top of the mantle mingled with candles and ribbon. On the far right there is a picture of Kyle (the brother), then Emily and JJ, and then his parents. In the middle is a picture of Jarod, Rachel, and Ethan. To the left of that is a picture of Ben with Angelo, then Sydney and his family, and last a picture of Rachel with her mother when she was little. Next to the couch by Jarod's side is an end table with a lamp and another picture. This is of Jarod and Rachel with Kyle and Cat in their arms. Jarod leans forward and picks up a photo album from the coffee table and opens it.
"I can't believe it has been five years since we were freed from the Centre" says Rachel looking at the first picture of them on their vacation. "I'll never forget that day you told us we were all finally free." Jarod points to the picture.
"I'll never forget that night" he says with a laugh. She laughs.
"Neither will I." They kiss. Kyle comes running into the room.
"Mommy! Daddy! Someone's here."
"Well go let them in like a nice young man," says Rachel as they get up.
"Okay." He runs to the door and they laugh as they follow him. Angelo walks in with Cat in his arms. Rachel takes her as Kyle opens the door.
"Uncle John!"
"Hey kiddo!" Broots roughs up Kyle's hair. Debbie, now 18, and another woman walk in. Jarod hugs Broots.
"It's good to see you Broots."
"You too Jarod." Rachel walks to Broots, hugs him, and kisses him on the cheek as Jarod hugs Debbie.
"It's nice to see you again. How long has it been now?" Rachel says looking in his eyes. He's still not completely used to her being so kind.
"You too, about 3 months." She smiles and nods and then looks at Debbie.
"So how is the college bound girl?" she asks as she hugs her.
"Good."
"Have you decided where you are going?" asks Jarod.
"Harvard."
"Wow! That's great."
"Thanks." Jarod hugs the other woman.
"How are you Melissa?"
"Good." Rachel hugs her now.
"Is the husband treating you good?" she asks jokingly glancing at Broots.
"John is wonderful."
"Good." She switches the position that she is holding Cat. "Well, let's go to the porch."
"Good idea," says Jarod and leads them to the glass doors in the family room. They hug Angelo as they walk by. Broots notices a bookcase on the wall as they walk through room that has many different books on it but the top shelf is completely covered with different PEZ dispensers.
"Still collecting those?" Jarod glances to what Broots is looking at and smiles.
"Yep." They walk outside to reveal and large wooden porch with a grill, a large table, many chairs, and a wind chime is twinkling in the breeze near some hanging plants. In the large, green yard below there is a vegetable garden and a swing set with a sandbox. They sit and Rachel sets Cat in a playpen set up under some shade.
"Rachel?" asks Debbie.
"Yes?"
"I have something for you."
"Really?" Rachel walks to Debbie and sits down. Debbie hands her a present. Rachel smiles and opens then nicely wrapped gift to reveal a book. Little Women.
"So you can read it to Cat when she's a little older." She says with a smile.
"Oh, Debbie. Thank you." They hug again. She looks at the book and sighs, remembering when her mother read it to her and when she read it to Debbie. She stands up, holding the book. "I'm going to put this on the shelf. While I'm in there would anybody like a drink?" A few nod and she walks inside. When she reaches the kitchen another car pulls up. She opens the door. "Emily! Michael!" Two other people get out of the car. "JJ! Lauren!" They hug. "How are all of you?" She asks as they walk into the house.
"Good," says Emily. "Michael
"That's wonderful." Rachel pulls out some drinks and places them on a tray. "What about you two?"
"I'm still a pilot and Lauren is wrapped up in the wedding plans" says JJ. Rachel smiles and nods. She picks up the tray and leads them to the porch. Jarod notices them following her and stands up.
"Em!" Jarod hugs Emily and then Michael. Kyle comes running and clings to Emily's legs.
"Aunt Emily!" She laughs.
"How's my favorite nephew?"
"Good. Will you come play with Angelo and me?"
"Sure." He takes her hand and they go play down by the swing set. Jarod hugs JJ and Lauren and they sit and talk. A little while later, another car pulls up and Kyle hears it.
"Daddy, someone is here!"
"Okay, son." Jarod goes to the door and opens it. Margaret, Charles, and Ben come to the door. "Mom, Pop, Dad, it's so good to see you."
"Jarod" says Ben. They all hug and Jarod leads them inside.
"How was your trip mom?"
"Oh, absolutely wonderful, so peaceful. How did you know we'd like Maine so much?" Jarod smiles and glances at Ben.
"Just a hunch." They walk to the porch and are greeted by hugs from everyone. Ben goes to play with Cat, who was still in her playpen. Margaret and Rachel start talking with Debbie and the rest of the women as the men discuss in a group. Kyle comes up to Charles and tugs on his pants leg.
"What is it Kyle?"
"I have the whole song memorized Grandpa." Charles smiles.
"Well then lets hear it."
"Okay. Geese walk bare foot, cree craw, toad's foot." He sings a couple times.
"Okay, Kyle that's enough. Very good. I'm proud of you. Now why don't you go play in the sand some more?"
"Okay." Kyle runs off and Charles and Jarod both smile as he jumps into the sand. Soon another car comes. Rachel "senses" it and gets the door.
"Ethan! Kelli!" She hugs them. "Come, come. Everyone but Syd is here." They walk to the porch and everyone greets them while Rachel looks at Kelli. When everyone settles down Kelli notices her looking at her.
"What is it Rachel?" Rachel walks up and lightly touches Kelli's stomach.
"I knew it. You're pregnant," she says with a smile. Ethan stands behind Kelli and smiles. Kelli looks at Ethan, confused, until Ethan smiles and looks in her eyes. She forgot Rachel had the same ability as her husband. She looks back at Rachel and smiles.
"Yes, yes I am, but I'm only three weeks." Rachel hugs her.
"This is going to be one of the best times in your life." They smile. Ben brings up Cat and Rachel takes her. "Someone needs to go inside for a while. I'm going to get the food ready."
"I'll help you," says Jarod. They go to the kitchen and set Cat down to crawl. Rachel pulls out the burgers to be grilled and buns, Jarod pulls out the side dishes. Rachel shakes her head and laughs when she sees what he pulls out. A box of Twinkies, some crackers and cheese in a can, a few things of PEZ, Oreos, and a few others. She'd try to get him off such junk food but she knows it's impossible.
"Take this salad too, we all can't eat junk food." She hands him a bowl of Cesar salad and he laughs at her comment. They pull out a few other items and carry them outside.
"Let me cook" says Ethan. Jarod smiles as he stands by the grill. He hands him the flipper.
"Okay bro." Jarod goes back inside and grabs Cat and plays with her. He goes to the couch and lies down with her on his stomach. "How's my girl?" She giggles but then yawns. "Tired are we?" He sets her so she can lie on his chest and rubs her back to help her sleep. She drifts off when Jarod notices the last car pull up. He slowly and carefully gets up and carries her with him to the door.
"Jarod!" Exclaims Sydney.
"Shh. Cat is sleeping," Jarod whispers as he half hugs Sydney and Michelle. "Hey Nick." He hugs Nicholas.
"Jarod I'd like you to meet my girlfriend Jennifer," says Nicholas. Jarod shakes her hand and smiles.
"Nice to meet you."
"You too."
"Well come on. Everyone is here and the food is almost ready." They walk to the porch.
"Syd!" Rachel jumps up and hugs him tightly.
"It's good to see you Rachel." As they let go Kyle runs from the yard, up the stairs, and jumps into Sydney's arms.
"Papa!" Sydney kisses him on the forehead as he holds him.
"Kyle, how's my boy? Have you been good for you mom and dad?" Kyle wraps his arms around Sydney's neck.
"Yes."
"Good." Sydney sets him down and he hugs the rest. Jarod smiles at Kyle being so happy to see Sydney.
"The food is almost ready," says Ethan.
"Okay," says Jarod. He sets Cat in his mom's arms and Rachel and him set the table with the tray of junk food and also dressing for the hamburgers. They set out plates, napkins, silverware, and glasses with jugs of lemonade. Ethan turns off the grill and sets the plate of hamburgers on the table. "Let's eat." They all find a spot around the table. Rachel and Jarod are sitting at one end with Cat in a highchair on Rachel's side and Kyle on Jarod's side. Everyone dishes his or her food, talking to everyone at the same time. Jarod gets Kyle's food and he begins to eat while Rachel gets the baby food ready for Cat. Jarod watches her begin to feed Cat and smiles. Rachel looks back at Jarod and notices him watching her.
"What?" She says but not in the tone she would usually say that word in, a loving tone.
"Nothing just...I love you." She smiles.
"I love you too." They kiss. While they kiss the view zoom back to show the whole table, then the whole house, and then that part of the country before fading to black.
The End
