Epilogue

Ashleigh Long sat on the porch of her ranch style home with a cup of coffee warming her fingers on a cool November morning. It was the ten-year anniversary of all charges being dropped by the state against every member of the Long family. The initial case had lasted a whole week thanks to Hamilton’s brilliance. Mix that with the Ashleigh’s panties that had somehow been Miles’ lucky charm, the case concluded quickly. Hamilton did have a case, one that garnered him a conviction for negligent use of a deadly weapon. All three were given house arrest for five months. Hard labor by her standards, since they spent the whole time setting up the solar field that now powered almost three hundred thousand houses.

The sun was just beginning to light up the horizon and her oversized sweater dropped on her shoulders.

A swoosh sounded behind her and Miles came out with a fussing bundle in his arms. “I’m not cutting it this morning mama,” he said passing her their newest child, Atticus to her. Barely a month old, he’d been welcomed like all the grandkids in his generation. Warmly and without reservation, despite his early arrival and weak heart. He would be a challenge for the family with surgeries on the horizon, but unlike her parents who saw the imperfect child that would complicate their lives, Miles and Ashleigh treasured every minute with him. Their other two children were born healthy and the obstacles for them came from their own want to be more grown than they were.

“Hey fussy butt,” she said as she kissed his forehead and started to rock in the chair. “Beautiful morning.”

“Best spot on the ranch.”

All of the wives said that because there wasn’t a bad place really. The beauty of the land was all around them and although Miles chose to build closer to his MeMaw than his parents, they had a good road now that circled the property.

“Are Gatsby and Silas up yet?” she asked.

“I heard stirring.”

She wrapped Atticus tighter in his blanket and continued to rock. “What are all these babies going to do when they get big?”

“I don’t know, even with dad getting a hundred head of cattle, I don’t see them being ranchers, well Gatsby maybe, but Silas…” Miles shook his head at their three year old who rarely had a book out of reach.

Ashleigh enjoyed the moment, but as with everything on the ranch, she needed to do something. Even though she, Harper and Sierra ride shared to the office in El Paso, it seemed as if the ranch was always the priority. The settlement they received from Federated a few years ago could keep them all comfortable for decades. But it had never been about the money. Instead, it helped pay back the loan and helped the community grow. Tender Root had hit a new population hike up to thirty five hundred souls. The Longs helped with that too.

“Well, we better get them up. You know your mother treats this day as more sacred than Thanksgiving.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Miles leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss before heading back inside.

“This is going to be your first big party,” Ashleigh cooed at her newborn. “You thought coming home was crazy. Nope, you better get used to never being alone.”

Two hours later, the family pulled up in front of Walter’s house. All the kids were home, even Walt Jr. came back from college. It was the one day of the year when a Long child could skip school. Ashleigh was greeted with hugs, kisses and hellos.

Then Loretta spotted her and pushed them all aside. “Where is my grandson?” She beamed.

“I’m right here,” Gatsby said as he gave her a big hug. “Or did you mean the crier?”

“Don’t talk about your daddy that way Gatsby,” Loretta teased.

Gatsby laughed then went skipping off to find his cousins. At seven years old, he’d been not only born in wedlock, but perfectly planned. Silas on the other hand, well Ashleigh might have started a fight with Miles just so he would finish it one too many times. He really didn’t like conflict and it took very little for him use his favorite method of silencing her.

“Give me my new grandbaby.”

Ashleigh passed Atticus off to her. Loretta had become the mother Ashleigh and Harper needed. Once Harper and Monty moved to their home, Ashleigh and Sierra took their rooms. For a while, Ashleigh was just like Harper, not wanting to leave the home to start fresh, but eventually she too moved out with Miles. Sierra still lived at Henry and Loretta’s as if she were their fourth child. No longer did Ashleigh have to carry the worry about her sister on her own. Instead, she had support and was allowed to take time off.

“I said knock it off!” MeMaw howled as she smacked Uncle Clevon on the hand. “I swear to all who will listen, if you don’t quit treating me like some piece of China around here, I’m gonna show you what this walker can double as.”

The grandkids all rushed the woman who was over ninety with a propensity to forget that and act fourteen at times. She’d been caught wandering a few times, but the one time Ashleigh found her it wasn’t from being lost, it was to remember her husband. “This land is special Ashleigh, don’t you ever forget that. Each rock and turn holds a memory of the Longs. You’re a part of that now. It’s a lengthy walk, but worth every step if one day you want to see it all. Take the kids and camp. Find a spot and make love to that grandson of mine. Heck, make me a few more Longs, but do it under the stars or with the wind in your hair.”

Ashleigh found a spot between Miles and Silas at the table. Across from her, Sierra was chattering away with Maggie, Harper and Monty’s oldest of two girls. The table was filled with family. What had been a family of three brothers, one that was lost, had turned into a family of five boys and a girl. Now it took three tables lined up end to end to get the Long family all together. Even JT and Betsy came back with their four kids on this day. This was family. Big, loud, and becoming a mess and when Sunny and Mel’s middle son, Matthew dropped his plate on the floor. they didn’t scold him. They laughed, teased and made him clean it up.

Turning her head to her husband, they quickly caught a glimpse of his mother cradling Atticus and Ashleigh let out a little sigh. “I love you Miles,” she said as she nuzzled against his neck. At long last, she had found her peace with a man who never thought he would know what it was to be loved fully and deeply. They had written their own story. It would never be a best seller or be taught in an English class, but one day, maybe Miles would write it down. He would get it published, sell a handful of copies and someone would pick it up at a garage sale for twenty-five cents. They would escape from the world and discover that love comes in every hue, but it never colors inside the lines.

 

The End