Epilogue

Eva

The sound of Jace calling me interrupted my train of thoughts.

I looked over my shoulder and saw him running toward me, holding something. It appeared to me like his toy superhero was broken again, and he sounded like he was going to cry. “Mommy, look!”

I took the toy from him and offered him a gentle smile. “When Daddy comes home, he’s going to fix it, okay? I don’t know how to.”

My son looked at his toes and made a disheartened noise in the back of his throat. I knelt in front of him, grabbed him by the arms, and said, “Hell be back soon. He just went to get something.”

He huffed an, “Okay.”

“Why don’t you sit down and I’ll bring you something to drink,” I said. “What do you want? Some juice? Soda?”

“Juice!”

Just like that, he was cheerful again, the broken toy completely forgotten. I lured him some juice and snacks, and then he sat down and amused himself with eating. I watched him from the kitchen, happy beyond reasoning.

The last few years weren’t easy for any of us—but the