Chapter 33

Before I confuse anyone, this a time jump/epilogue of seven to eight years later. I really wanted to include some section like this for clarity. I also would like to apoligize for how long this part took, and I pray you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have stayed, I owe a big thanks to you all.

    “Mama!” Remington whined at me. I rolled my eyes at the little girl, glancing down to see my daughter looking up at me expectantly. The little girl had red hair that I had styled into pigtails and big blue eyes like mine. She was a spitting image of me, I heard it all the time. However, sometimes, I wished she had those hazel eyes.

    “What, Remi?” I hummed, picking her up and settling her onto my lap.

    “I want a story,” The five year old complained.
    “Go play,” I laughed. She was just like me when I was younger. I wouldn’t play, I would nag my mother relentlessly, sticking by her side until she persuaded me or tricked me away from her.

    “Story!” Remi giggled.

    “Go play with everyone,” I hummed. A loud squeal sounded from the front yard from one of her little cousins roaming around.

    “Listen to your mother and go play,” A man cut in beside me as Remi went to complain again. I turned to my father with a smile, shaking my head in amusement. Still the same old man, most certainly, but a much better grandpa. When Ellie and I returned from college on winter break, our big, secret, gay affair was out. We couldn’t hide it as well anymore, and everyone suspected, but no one said anything. By the time we graduated and got our own jobs – me as a college English professor and Ellie as the owner of her own car shop now – everyone was aware. We got an apartment together to avoid anyone further finding out, and hit a rocky spot when Ellie was panicking over her company and I was applying for jobs to secure myself. However, we made it work. I got a job I adored and I loved my students. I loved nothing more than English, this was my dream, even if I had to drive nearly an hour and a half out of the way. Ellie got her shop into a better part of town and business went above anything I expected. I almost wanted to apologize for doubting her and that damn business degree.

    “Babe!” Ellie shouted obnoxiously. She stumbled out the front door, holding a cake with her Uncle John’s help. It was Remi’s birthday, and we had our families over to celebrate as I had always wished for. “Where are the candles?” She questioned, walking backwards.

            “Watch it, Els,” Oliver laughed as Ellie nearly ran into her mother.

    “Honey, why did you take that out here?” I snorted in amusement.

    “Put it on the table?” She shrugged, swerving around Ollie with an apologetic smile.

    “Why don’t we just take everyone inside…? That will bring bugs,” I insisted.

    “A lil bug never hurt no one,” Ellie scoffed. She was clearly the same Ellie as well…

    “Story!” Remi repeated. I sighed, looking down at her and then to Ellie.

    “The candles are in the kitchen drawer, second one down,” I yelled after Ellie.

    “Okay!” She shouted across the yard, glancing over her shoulders as she walked to our picnic table, trying not to trip over children. “Will you get them?” She yelled. I let out a weary sigh, shaking my head at her as I stood, settling Remi onto my hip. Our family sat around in the yard and the porch, laughter coming from every angle. It was hard to believe I had set up a life such as this for myself with the help of Ellie, my faith, and my family. Most surprisingly, my family. I still remember the day Mom revealed she knew about Ellie and I. And even more surprising, revealed that she was not mad. I cried, and I cried hard, and I was even more terrified for her to tell my father. I remembered his words so vividly, telling me once again I would always be his little girl. Still, I remained such in his eyes, his little girl, with a family and a child.

    “Wanna hear a story?” I asked.

    “Yes!” Remi nodded.

    “Fine, I’ll tell you one about this silly girl I met,” I hummed. I entered the kitchen, opening up the drawer and rummaging through it. “Once upon a time, I met your Mommy. I thought she was sooo cute and good at basketball and I married her – end of story!” I teased.

    “No!” Remi complained. I giggled, smiling at her as she squirmed in protest. I glanced over to the wall where we had Ellie’s college jersey hung in a frame, reminding me of all the times I just absolutely wailed like a crazy girlfriend at her games. Remi loved to talk about her mother’s basketball skills. Her other mother, because I was never and never will be that coordinated.

     I walked back out of the house with the number five candle in hand, walking back to my wife and handing it over.

    “Thank, lovely lady,” she murmured through a mouth full of cupcake.

    “You’re as bad as Remi,” I sighed. Ellie laughed while I gave an unimpressed look, wiping white icing from her cheek. Remi laughed, reaching out to pat her mother’s hair.

    “Child, I tell you. Child,” I scolded playfully.

    “You love it,” she chuckled, covering her mouth with her hand. She grabbed Remi’s hand with her free one, winking at our daughter, amking her squeal in delight.

    “Gross,” I smirked as she spoke with her mouth full. “Cmon, sing happy birthday,” I laughed. She grabbed her lighter from her pocket, sparking up the candle as everyone gathered around. I settled Remi onto the bench, straightening up again. I looked around, seeing everyone smiling and laughing as a family and my eyes began to sting with brewing tears because I was so lucky. Seventeen year old Eve dreamed of this. Twenty-seven year old Eve lived it. I had faced all my fears, I married the woman I loved, I had a child, and I still had a family that adored me…

    “Happy birthday…” I whispered to Remi, kissing her cheek as they clapped.

    “Cake!” Remi exclaimed.

    “Growing up like all my other girls…” Mom said quietly. I turned to her with a grin and watery eyes as she wordlessly pulled me into her, resting her head on my shoulder.

    I made it.

    It was no longer a maybe someday.

    It was today.

Omggg? You made it to the end! Again, please correct grammar and writing mistakes, and a reminder there probably will be slight tweaks made. As always, a huge, huge thanks to anyone who made it this far and genuinely enjoyed and was invested in this story. I hope I did not disappoint. Y’all are lovely. Truly.

However, if you are not satisfied or you feel as if there could have been something added on then you can go onto my page and find my series Preacher’s Daughter: An Insight Into Relief. You can make requests for chapters and such and I will try to write them best I can ❤️

If you fell in love with certain characters then feel free to request more of them in An Insight To Relief!