Hated (21 page)

Epilogue

Stephanie Wilson

Brazil 12:23 p
m Wednesday May 27
th
2037

“Noah, what are you doing?” I asked my son smiling down at his drawing. It’s been eight years since we moved out of Boston and in to Brazil. When we first go there the house was a complete mess. But we cleaned it up and built a couple other houses on our 10 acres of land.

“I’m drawing Mommy, Daddy and G
randpa,” Noah replied excitedly, and then he pulled out some other pictures. “I already drew Uncle Andy, Uncle Tony, Uncle Kevin and Uncle Ken.”

“They are very pretty, Noah,”
I commented. “But why don’t you go outside and get some fresh air when you’re done, ok?”

“Ok, mommy,” Noah agreed reluctantly
, but continued with his colouring. I chuckled and ruffled his hair before I went to the kitchen to work on lunch. I was making some spaghetti and meatballs, with a homemade tomato sauce recipe.

Just as I was finishing up with the pasta and was about to put it into the sauce, there was a knock at the door.
Then I heard the creak of the door opening and the thumping of boots on the floor. I heard the soft shuffle of sock feet on the floor that was getting closer.

“How was work today, Antonio?” I asked not turning away from my task. I felt huge arms come around my waist and out of the corner of my eye I saw his head on my shoulder.
Antonio groaned and moved the hair away from my neck with his nose. I felt his lips brush against my neck.

I smiled and tried not to laugh.
I could feel him smile against my neck. I finished up with the pasta as Antonio felt around with his hands and his lips.

“So work was annoying
today?” I asked as I turned around to look at Antonio. He was smiling as he leaned down to kiss me on the lips.

“Ew!”  We both turned around to see Noah in the doorway to the kitchen, and he looked appalled. “Mommy, Daddy that’s gross!”

Antonio and I both laughed, and then Antonio went to go pick up Noah. Noah started giggling and then he hugged Antonio around the neck.

“I missed you, Daddy,” Noah commented, sadly. Then his head sprang up like he had got an idea. “Can I go to work with you tomorrow, please?”

“Well that’s up to your mother,” Antonio replied and both of the boys looked towards me. Oh so I had to make the decision now, great. I turned back around and grabbed the pasta off the counter to give me some time to think.

“I guess you can go,” I relented at last with a smile, “but you have to do whatever your father tells you to do, and stay close to him, ok?”

Noah nodded eagerly and started to wiggle in Antonio’s arms so Antonio put him down. I brought the pasta over to the table that was still covered in paper and pencil crayons. I put the pot down on the only clean spot on the table and quickly cleaned up the rest of the stuff on the table. I went back to the kitchen to grab some plates and utensils to set the table with, when there was another knock at the door.

I heard Antonio walk up to the door and open it.
Then there was a bunch of talking but I couldn’t make out the exact words. However I knew who was at the door without even having to see them. I chuckled to myself and went to set the table. The rest of my family had come over for lunch too.

A
s I thought about that Kevin and Ken walked into the dining room, holding hands and smiling. Behind them came Anthony, Andrew and my dad, who Antonio had found out was Devin his Mafia doctor. I motioned for everyone to grab a seat around the table. Noah had been running around and talking to everyone but now he took a seat beside his grandpa, and waited for lunch to be served.

We said grace and then dug into the food on the table.
We all chatted about our day, how stuff was going in each other’s lives and how things were coming along with everyone’s land. We laughed and joked with each other and soon all of the food was gone. But still no one moved from the table, we were all just enjoying each other’s company.

“I propose a toast to everyone to live a long, wonderful and happy life together,” I announced holding up my wine glass.
Everyone agreed and drank whatever drink they had on them. I looked to Antonio who was at the other end of the table and raised my glass to him in a silent oath. Here’s to the rest of our lives together. He raised his back and nodded, and then we both drank out of our wine glasses at the same time.

Antonio Caine

Brazil
8:47 pm Tuesday August 18
th
2037

I don’t think that I’ll ever get used to this, to having a family, a real family. I never thought that I would ever have something like this. All of the pain and sacrifice was actually worth it. I even have a beautiful wife and a wonderful son. I finally had figured out what had happened to my family, my real family. But there are some days that I wonder what has happened to David and the rest of the guys from the Mafia.

Apparently though, Stephanie had given the book with all of the Mafia secrets to the police. I’m not sure when she did it but
all I know is that things are going to be very bad for the Mafia. David more so than most other members I’d think. But I guess it would probably cover most of the high ranking Mafia members if not all of the members. From what I had been able to read in the book Stephanie’s parents had wanted to take down the entire Mafia.

I shouldn’t be worried about them since they have done nothing for me.
They just tried to shape me into a weapon that they could use at will. That’s not who I wanted to be, well at least now it isn’t. I actually have something to live for now. Stephanie had made me realize that I could be so much more then I was letting myself be.

All the
screw ups and the hardships, I can take them as long as I have her by my side. The best part I think about this whole thing was that her family actually accepted me. Maybe it was because of all that we had been through together or maybe it was because they were just that kind of people. Either way I actually felt like I belonged with them.

“Antonio
, are you coming or what?” Kevin called from the front yard.

“Yeah, I’ll be out there in a second,” I called back and quickly finished what I was writing on the computer.
Stephanie had caught me writing scribbles here and there on whatever I could find, so she had gotten me a computer to do my writing on. She had thought all of the things that I had written were very good, but I’m never really sure of my writing.

But there was one story that I was very sure about, and that story has yet to reach
its ending. If you’re reading this then I hope that you can find the same happiness that I did. And whatever you do don’t let the one thing that makes you whole world seem more liveable get away so easily.

‘
Cause I can tell you this, there will never be another one like that no matter how hard you look.

I saved what I had typed and then shut off the computer. I got up off my chair and stretched before going out the front door to meet up with everyone else.
Kevin and Devin had set up a whole whack of fireworks outside and were waiting anxiously to set them off. Markus, Angie and their kid had even showed up for today’s firework display. I found Stephanie and Noah sitting on the grass off to the side.

Noah was picking flowers and weeds to make a bouquet, and Stephanie was just watching him with a smile on her face.
She was wearing a green summer dress that stopped just above her knees. She didn’t have any make-up on or shoes for that matter. But she was beautiful and I could feel my heart stutter in my chest. I didn’t mind not being in control anymore. I just let my feelings some now, it took a while but it worked.

Stephanie must’ve heard me approach because she turned her head and smiled at me.
I smiled back and went to sit down beside them. Kevin looked around to make sure everyone was there before he lit the first set of fireworks.

Now that I think about it life is kind of like fireworks. There are some big things, some small ones and some ones that
you want to cover your ears and wait until they’re done. But each one is beautiful in its own way.

I wrapped my arms around Stephanie and Noah, and held them close.
Stephanie snuggled into my side and Noah looked up at me, smiled and then returned his attention to the fireworks display. I smiled to myself and watched the bright colours flash across the sky. My life may not have started out great but I like where I ended up.