Ember got herself ordained and officiated the ceremony herself, it was amazing.
We built our house on Travis’ family’s land. It took some convincing, but he finally relented and we all pitched in on the design. He was so worried about the land being evil and penetrating our new home.
That couldn’t be any further from the truth. Our home is bursting at the seams with love, we can hardly contain it.
My life is nothing like I ever imagined it would turn out. I went to community college here in Whitsborough to stay close to my family and to help Sharla with the restaurant. I took Early Childhood Education classes and graduated early to attend teacher’s college.
Now, I am the current principal for Precious Blood Academy. Watching the teenagers there with all their angst and anger brings me back to my adolescence everyday.
Life is what you make it and I believe us resilient Greenes made it the absolute best we could’ve.
“You should’ve seen this bust.” I exclaim to Vin as we stand at the barbeque. “It was the biggest in Whitsborough history.”
“Bro,” Vin chuckles. “That can’t be that much.”
“Mountains of white shit, trust me.” I nod and take a sip of my beer.
I watch as the twins run through Ember and Vin’s lawn like two forces. Their laughter echoing back at us. Those two came from my sac, there’s no fucking denying it. Ivy stands and watches them, deep in thought, and I would imagine, planning their demise. So much like my sister, it’s uncanny.
I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life but I knew I wanted to do my part in keeping Whitsborough clean. So, I went into the police academy, started at parking patrol until I slowly moved up.
Now, I’m better known as Police Chief Torres. Plus, those handcuffs were a blessing.
“Is this going to be your last kid?” I ask Vin as I watch my sister waddle inside to answer the ringing phone.
“Not if I can help it.” He grins at me. “If I keep her pregnant, it keeps her from running off doing dangerous things.”
“That’s true, until she blows up from a life of normal activities. It may be your murder scene I stumble upon next.”
“You’re probably right.” He agrees and continues to grin. “But we always did like a little blood play.”
“Gross.” I gag and choke on my beer.
“Uncle Tommy! Aunt Mar!” Sammy comes running over. “Look Daddy, look who came.”
I turn and see a smiling Tommy with Marlana. They always remained close and even married into the same family. Marlana married Charles-our high school friend-and Tommy married his older sister Amy. Speaking of, I watch as they too come outside.
“What’s up?” Vin calls out. “Grab some beers and whine to me about that football game last night.”
“Fuck you.” Tommy grins and comes over to us. “Bro, Ember is a fucking whale this time around. How many are in there?”
“That’s an evil thing to wish such an atrocity on people.” I point at him.
His head tips back as he laughs. “True.” He agrees as he watches Sammy and Sonja tackle Marlana.
“Heard about the bust, Bro.” Charles says as he sits down in the chair beside me. “Fucking sweet.”
“Yeah man. Biggest in Whitsborough history. Bet you can’t top that.” I wink and take a swig of my beer.
“I’m a fucking Fire Chief, I couldn’t top that. Idiot.” He says as he chuckles and shakes his head.
“That’s right.” I say. “How’re the kids?”
“Carmelo is sulking because we dropped them off with my parents.” Charles says and shakes his head. “Sabrina is good, we just learned she’s gifted.”
Carmelo junior, yep that’s right, Marlana ended up being pregnant with Carm’s baby and there was no need for a DNA test, the kid came out looking exactly like him. When she came back here to Whitsborough, she saw Charles and they reconnected. Now they also share a daughter as well.
Thankfully, after Carm passed, no one else was buried in our mausoleum. We kept our promises to each other and lived our lives not just for ourselves but for the whole family.
Tommy’s plaque is still in there because we’re all a little morbid like that.
“Father, I didn’t mean to wet my pants,” Gabriel looks at me with his large chocolate brown eyes. “I just didn’t have time to come inside.”
“You have to make the time.” I chastise him as I towel him down from the bath. “This is your last change of clothes.”
“Okay.” He nods solemnly as I dress him.
He’s so much like Adri, it makes my chest hurt with how much I love him. Our twins are five and Gabe will be three in a month. Our kids are my absolute pride and joy, there’s nothing I won’t do for them.
I won’t lie, when I found out Adri was pregnant the first time, I panicked. My childhood consisted of physical and emotional abuse, and I thought, how could I do any better?
E could see the battle I was having within, even when no one else could, not even my husband or wife. We’ve just always been like that, connected on a level we could never explain. She took me aside and told me she had an idea.
She wanted to build a center for children who’ve experienced trauma and she asked me to run it. It was exactly what I needed, to be able to help children like I was never helped, and to see how far I truly came.
After our first year of being open, I decided to write a memoir, it has every detail of what happened to me and I’ve never felt freer. I can finally let go of all the hatred buried inside me and I have forgiven everyone for their grievances against me.
My father’s company is still in my name but I don’t have much to do
