Epilogue
The boy let the pages fall from his small hands, shaking his head in amazement. They dropped gently onto the smooth wooden floor of his father's bedroom with only the faintest whisper of sound. All was quiet within the small space, the boy lost completely in his thoughts. Through the open window he heard the laughter of his younger brothers as they wrestled together on the grass outside.
A long shadow fell over the doorway. "Daeron?" came his father's deep voice. "Did you find what you were looking for?"
Startled, the boy looked up into the dark eyes of his father, eyes that were a mirror of his own.
"Daeron?" asked his father. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah..." he stammered. "Yeah Dad, I'm fine."
"Well, hurry up then. We're almost ready to go." The long shadow turned and disappeared around the side of the hallway.
He leaned underneath the bed, stretching for an object just a little out of reach.
"Daeron!" shouted the high, breathless voice of his youngest brother. "Come on!" The little boy ran into the room, followed closely by a bigger one. Their faces were flushed purple with exertion, and they panted, leaning under the bed after their older brother.
He pointedly ignored them, stretching farther until his hand finally closed about the end of his little fishing rod. With a shout of joy, he pulled it out and proudly displayed it to his younger siblings.
"Dad says I get to use it 'cause I'm oldest."
"Not fair!" exclaimed the little one. "You have to share!"
The oldest boy laughed. "Of course. You'll beat me up if I don't."
"That's right. I'm gonna be a great fighter some day, just like Dad."
"I'm sure. You just take it outside to him, and I'll be out in a sec."
Out ran the two small children, overjoyed at the prospect of an adventure.
Daeron was once again alone in the room. He slowly replaced the crumbling papers into the small box, gently replacing the lid and sliding the package back into its place under the bed, running through the words in his mind.
"Dear Someone. How disgustingly quaint."
"No regrets."
"I'll live forever."
"I think my heart still beats."
"If it were up to you, dear Someone, what would you choose?"
Daeron shook his head quickly and dashed out the door, only to be swept up easily into his father's strong arms, into a world of laughter. The letters were forgotten.
He was going fishing!
