Epilogue



Well, I guess it's time to pick up writing in here again. In case you've forgotten me, journal, this is Aidan Bowman. Yeah, I'm still alive.

Aidan stopped writing and shook his head. "Can't believe I'm talking to my journal." He shrugged then continued writing.

I'm taking a break from my other writing to watch my two oldest kids, Samantha Carina and Daniel Ian, play in the yard. The youngest isn't old enough to play out there yet. Moira Rose was just born a week ago. Their mother, Carina Nottingham, now Carina Bowman is sleeping upstairs. I'm surprised she's still there. She can't wait to get back to her work as a private detective. And me? Well, just like Uncle Ian told my dad twenty years ago, I'm following in my mom's footsteps. I write here at home and take care of the kids while Carina is at work. I don't mind. In fact I love spending so much time with them.

He was right about Allanah as well. She takes after Dad. She's stubborn. Won't stop researching until she finds what she's looking for. The New York Historical Society is lucky to have her as their head historian. Although the older historians don't like it, they don't say anything anymore. She still likes to fight at the drop of a hat. At least J.J. has had a calming influence on her. So have their kids. They have two boys and a girl; Joshua Gabriel, Joan Ann, and Jeremiah Michael. J.J. owns one of the local riding stables. They're lucky to have each other.

Uncle Ian was right about Amie too. Right after she graduated from the Police Academy, she acquired the Witchblade. She's one of the best cops on the force. Uses her gift of telepathy, although at times she still thinks of it as a curse. Her and Ian, Uncle Ian's son, got married the day after she graduated. Ian has started teaching their three oldest kids, Bridget Caelan and the twins, Seth Gabriel and Sean Kieran, in martial arts. Their youngest, Fiona Elizabeth is only two. They have their fights, both are stubborn of course, but they've stuck together for the past seven years. I don't really think anything can split them up.

We always knew Parker and Rebecca would end up hooking up. They were the closest since they were old enough to talk. And both are in careers with children. Parker works with children with speech disabilities. And Rebecca is a preschool teacher. They have two children of their own. Aideen Renee is two, and Brian Jason is just a month old. They are the true meaning of the phrase, "opposites attract." Rebecca brings Parker out of his shier personality, and he tones down her stubbornness to a degree.

Meghan was the first of us to move away from New York. When she finished college, she moved down to Maryland and got a job as a high school English teacher. She comes back here for Christmas and our family reunion with her husband, Patrick Collins, and kids, Kevin Thomas and Brenna Kayley.

Amber married Keith Auley, a guy she graduated school with, and they moved to Kentucky to start a horse breeding farm. I've heard a few of the horses she's bred have won major thoroughbred races. We don't see her very often, but she still calls mom and dad and Amie at least once a month. She's happy now. Her father died last year. Instead of it devastating her, it actually seemed to lift a burden off of her shoulders. Guess she didn't have to worry about him getting out and coming after her anymore. She's a parent herself. Two kids, Dennis Keith and Brianna Amie. Dennis is starting Kindergarten in the Fall.

My baby brother, Wyatt, and his wife, Siofra Nottingham, my wife's sister, moved out to Montana the summer they graduated from high school. He works on a ranch out there as a horse trainer, and she's still in college. Mom wishes they would move closer, but she's stopped saying anything. She understands why he won't. She used to wish she lived out West. She never went through with that dream though. I don't think she regrets it, and is actually probably glad Wyatt's living somewhere where he's happy.

Enrique and Wyatt always did the same things. Even when it came to their plans after high school. Enrique married Michelle McBride, my wife's cousin, and they moved out to California. Just like his father, Enrique joined the F.B.I.'s Missing Persons department there. Michelle's still in college.

James Calloway, Nick and Sara's son, is still in high school. He's graduating in the spring. Planning to go to school to become a lawyer, I guess. He's a really good kid. Don't know anything about his love life, but I'm sure his parents do. They've given him a pretty loose rein over the years, but he hasn't strayed far from the path they want him on. Like I said, he's a good kid.

Mom and Dad still live here. They're both still working. Mom went through a severe bout of depression last year. Her father died; killed in car accident. We'd only seen him once. When I was a few months old. I don't know what happened between them. When he would call, she sounded happy enough, but then when she would hand up, Dad hugged her while she cried. But, she was absolutely devastated when she learned that he had died. Dad stuck by her, and she pulled out of it. We were all worried for a while though.

Uncle Jason and Aunt Dakota moved out to Colorado two years ago. They have a ranch out there. Uncle Ian and Aunt Darvi are still here. Uncle Ian started a martial arts training school. That's where Ian has been teaching his kids as well as others. Aunt Darvi works for a local racing stable. She trains their horses to run in races. Some have even made it to the Triple Crown Breeder's Cup races.

Sara retired from the police force about the same time Amie entered the Academy. When she retired, the Witchblade left her. Just because she retired didn't mean she slowed down any though. She started teaching self defense classes to teenage girls. Nick is planning on retiring from the F.B.I. in the next year. He doesn't want to, but he keeps saying he's getting too old for it.

Danny's still working for the F.B.I. He always says, with a wink at Caitlyn that they'll have to kill him before he'll retire. I hope he's wrong. Caitlyn teaches music at the elementary school.

Orla and Niamh McCarty moved to Ireland when Niamh was still in high school. Jake was killed during a bank robbery. Orla wanted to move back to her family after that, and she took Niamh with her. Niamh finished school there and married an Irish pub owner, Sean Duffy. She helps him with the business there. They have a son, Jacob Sean. Orla is a typical doting, spoiling grandmother. She takes care of Jacob while Sean and Niamh are at the pub.

Well, journal, I think I'm caught up on everything now. I'll try not to be so quiet in the future. My kids want to go inside. They're hungry, so I'd better make them something for lunch. Until later.

He closed the journal and stood up. Feeling his daughter pulling on his sleeve, he looked down. "What is it, Sam?"

"Can Titan come inside?"

Aidan glanced at the large Rottweiler that followed his daughter around. He shook his head. "Sam, you know your mom would kill me."

The little girl turned to the dog, petting its head. "I'm sorry, boy. You gotta stay out here."

Aidan lifted his son to his shoulders, and the three of them went into the house.