Tears threatened to spill from my eyes as I watched the kids we had raised raising their own little ones. “Look at them. It’s like looking in a mirror,” I said.
Ellie reached for my hand and squeezed it. “Do you remember how we stood here and worried that we would drift apart? Look at this. Not only did we not drift apart, but our kids all ended up with each other. Of course, a couple added to the family.”
Laughter filled the air until a silence settled among us. I turned and looked at each one of my best friends. They were more than friends. They were my family. Not all of them stood in this spot and made that promise all those years ago, but when we told them about it, they vowed to hold the promise as well. And we did. As crazy as it was to get everyone’s schedules to work, we made it happen. My heart felt full. I was positive nothing would ever top this day.
I stood and opened up the ice chest and grabbed two drinks, a beer for me and a bottled sweet tea for Ellie. Handing her the tea, I cleared my throat. Everyone turned their attention on me.
Trying to talk, my voice cracked, causing me to pause for a moment and regroup. I was overcome with emotion and I knew the rest of the gang was as well. “We did it. We all went through times of happiness, sadness, anger, and fear, but son-of-a-bitch, we did it. There isn’t a day that doesn’t go by where I don’t lay my head down at night and thank God for each of you. You’re more than friends, you’re family.”
I turned and looked down at the river. Alex looked up at us and lifted her hand and waved. That prompted each of our kids to do the same.
There was no doubting how blessed we were.
I lost the battle and a single tear trickled down my face.
Ellie stood next to me and wrapped her arm around my waist. It didn’t take long for everyone else to stand. We all stood there, arms wrapped around each other, like we did all those years ago when we looked out over the same view and dreamed about our future.
Looking up at me, Ellie’s blue eyes shined with happiness. I was instantly swept into a memory from so many years ago. A young, beautiful, brown-haired, blue-eyed girl sitting next to me on my sofa watching Cars. I knew that day she would own my heart.
“This is what we wanted all those years ago when we made that promise. Happy kids, happy grandkids, and
one hell of a happy and blessed life.”
My voice cracked as I looked back out at our family. “This sight before us … this is it. All we wanted right before our eyes.”
“To the promise,” Jeff softly said.
We all repeated at once, “To the promise.”
It’s never the end … only the beginning of the next story.
To everyone who has supported me over these last four years! THANK YOU! I couldn’t do this without the amazing readers, bloggers, and friends who support me with each and every book.