EPILOGUE
Lena
“Ouch!” I exclaim as I sit on the chair as Rollie, Michelle, and Helen giggle. I start giggling as well, but we manage to contain ourselves before the waitress arrives. The Daddies will be here in a few minutes, but a beautiful girl about my age walks up and sits down before they get here. The other three don’t seem to think that’s strange. I’m about to say something, but then Vanessa sits down. I’m always shocked by the sight of her. She’s got gorgeous red hair and looks like a goddess, some kind of Irish forest goddess complete with stormy eyes and the voice of an angel.
“This is my friend Lyric,” she says. She chuckles. “Is it any wonder we became friends when she has a name like Lyric?”
I smile brightly. “I’m Lena,” I say and extend my hand.
Lyric takes it and says, “My name is Lyrica, but Vanessa always drops the a.”
“You know you like Lyric better,” Vanessa says.
“Maybe,” Lyric says, and she blushes. I decide I’m going to love her.
“Show us the ring!” Rollie whines. I stick my hand out to the center of the table, lifting myself a little so everyone can see it. The diamond seems to sparkle more brightly than anything I’ve ever seen, and I feel so proud and happy. When I sit back down, I yelp and blush myself. That leads to more giggling, and Rollie says, “I wonder if you’ll be able to sit down on your honeymoon.”
There are more giggles, and I roll my eyes.
“Guess what came in the mail for me today?” Michelle asks.
“Did you finally get that cute hat you wanted?” Rollie asks.
Lyric says, “I bought her that hat a few days ago.”
“Look at all these little girls,” Carl says as he walks up to the table.
Rollie squeals, “Daddy!” and leaps up to throw her arms around him. Within minutes, the other Daddies arrive, and there are more hugs and squeals. I jump up and hug Waylon. Lyric looks a little embarrassed, and I feel bad that she’s left out, but my Daddy brought a guest.
“Phillip,” I say. “This is Lyric.”
If she minds that I used the shortened version of her name, she doesn’t show it at all. She says softly, “It’s nice to meet you.”
Phillip says, “It’s always nice for me to meet a beautiful little girl.”
Lyric blushes, but Rollie pouts. “Don’t you want to know what came in the mail for me?”
I laugh. “Okay, tell us.”
She smiles and reaches to her lap, lifting a book and setting it on the table. My eyes grow wide as I look at it. It’s my book! Mine! It has my name on the cover and everything. I just stare until Vanessa says, “You look like you’ve been bewitched by a fairy, Lena.”
“Maybe I have,” I say with a soft smile.
I sit back down. “Ouch!”
There’s a lot of giggling from the little girls, a confused look from Lyric, and knowing smiles on the faces of the Daddies.