"So they all lived happily ever after?"
"Yes they did honey. Charlie and Don got married a few months later, and Mandy and Finnegan had a beautiful baby girl later that year."
"Aww, good, I wanted them to have a girl" the little girl admitted. She suddenly got a weird look on her face.
"What's wrong?" Finn asked.
"Nothing, I'm just thinking."
"About what?"
"Your story" the girl added.
"Do you want me to change something about it?" Finn asked, intrigued by the seriousness in her voice.
She didn't answer right away, but suddenly got a look of astonishment come across her face. "Daddy?" She asked.
"Yes?"
"This story…it's about you and Mommy isn't it?"
"Now, what makes you say that?" Finn teased.
"Mommy's name is Amanda, right?" She asked.
"Mmhmm."
"And that's close to Mandy…and…and Aunt Willa is Wilber? And Uncle Maybeck, I heard Aunt Charlene call him Donnie the other day…" she continued to ponder as the smile on Finn's face continued to grow.
"Wait a second" she paused again. "You never told me the name of the other baby girl…"
"Hmm, I guess I didn't" Finn continued to tease.
"Daddy" she impatiently pushed him.
"Ok, I'll tell you. It was a beautiful baby girl named…Wendy."
The little girl gasped so loudly and jumped up so fast she almost fell off her bed. She jumped into her Father's arms and squeezed him tight. "That's me! I'm in your story!" she giggled.
"You sure are baby girl" he chuckled "you sure are."
"What is going on in here?" a voice asked from the doorway.
"Mommy Mommy I'm in Daddy's story!"
"You are? Well, isn't that something" Amanda grinned, picking Wendy up and setting her back down into bed.
"You were there too!" Wendy squealed with excitement.
"Well, thank you my dear for including me in your story" Amanda winked at Finn.
"Daddy's a hero…and so is Uncle Phil, and Aunt Willa and…"
"Ok honey, I get it" Amanda smiled "but it is WAY past your bedtime" She glanced around at Finn.
"Can't put a time limit on story time sweetheart" Finn pointed out, getting a nod from Wendy in agreement.
"I'll let it go this time" Amanda sighed dramatically, and leaned down to give Wendy a kiss. "Good night baby girl, lights out Daddy" she joked as Finn followed suit.
"Night Mommy. Hey Daddy?"
"Yes?" he asked.
"Are you glad you had a girl?" She asked seriously.
"Since the day you were born" he grinned, kissed her forehead, and turned off the light.
"Night Daddy" she yawned.
"Goodnight Wendy" Finn replied, smiling at the little girl who had turned his whole world upside down, just like her mother had all those years ago. Finn thought about his life and how everything had led to this. A little girl who called him Daddy; a wife who would never leave his side; and friends, Keepers he should say, who would be there whenever he needed them. They'd grown up together. They'd seen the best and worst moments together. They conquered every aspect of life that had been thrown at them without being torn apart.
Best times of his life, which he'd never forget, as long as he lived.
Epilogue is next! After that, I will post a LONG author's note Stay tuned folks!