413 Cherry Street

Finally, it’s time. “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” she says with a huge smile. “You may kiss the bride.”

The crowd cheers as I wrap my arms around her and lay a big fat kiss on her sweet mouth.

It was worth the wait. She was worth the wait.

Hazel Clarke is now Hazel Garret and that will never change.

She’ll be mine forever.

I’m never letting this sweet girl go.

Epilogue

Hazel

Twenty years later…

It’s the first day of school and I’m sitting in front of a big circle of nervous but adorable kindergarteners looking up at me with wide (and some of them red and puffy) eyes.

I soften my voice and tell them how much fun we’re going to have this year and that they have nothing to worry about.

I love my job. I’ve been a kindergarten teacher for eighteen years now and it gets better every year.

“When do we take our nap?” a little boy with messy brown hair asks.

I try not to laugh as I smile at him. “You’re all big kids now in a big kid school. We don’t take naps here.”

He looks outraged.

I can already tell that he’s going to be my favorite. He reminds me of my oldest child, Matthew. I could never get that kid’s hair to go straight. It was always as wild as he was. He’s turning twenty years old in a couple of months and his hair is never out of place now. I don’t know how he does it.

I smile as I think back over the years. I’ve been with Liam for a long time and he still looks at me the way he did when we first met. Even after all those anniversaries, all five of our children (he wanted seven! Seven!! But after five, I told him the baby-making factory was closed for good), and all those wonderful memories, we still get butterflies in our stomachs when we see each other. We really are meant to be.

Soulmates in every sense of the word.

I adore my job and my big family. I couldn’t do any of it without him. He’s my rock. He gives me strength, courage, and fills me with love. He’s all the good stuff in life.

I’m extra kind and gentle throughout the day to settle these cute kids’ nerves. The first day of school can be hard at any grade, but for kindergarteners, it’s extra tough. Some of these children have never been away from their parents for this long. So far, they’ve all handled it well.

We sing songs, read books, do some crafts, basically all fun stuff, so they’ll be excited to come back tomorrow.

It was a good day, but by the time I get home, I’m exhausted.

“What is that smell?” I ask as Liam’s famous lasagna hits my nose.

He’s such a sweetie. He knew I’d be tired when I got home today, so he left work early and made us a nice dinner. Did I tell you that he’s the best?

He never lets work dominate his life like he used to before we met. He puts me and our children first, and work second. He’s always home by dinnertime and rarely does any work on the weekend. I don’t say it enough to him, but I really do appreciate it. I couldn’t imagine having a husband who disappears all the time when I have five children to raise.

“Lasagna is in the oven,” Liam says as he walks over with a glass of wine. I swear this man is getting sexier every year. He’s fifty-four years old now and looking like a sexy silver fox. My mouth waters as he walks over in a dark navy dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up his arms. He has an apron on over his dress pants and I suddenly have a thing for hot chefs. “And this is for you.”

He hands me the glass of wine and I take a big gulp as he takes my hand and guides me to my favorite chair.

“How about I rub your feet while you tell me all about your day?”

See? The best!

“You don’t have to do that,” I say as I plop down in the chair.