“It’s okay. I’m not going to get angry or fall apart anymore. Life is too precious to waste.” She reached for their hands. “Boys, I need to tell you something.”
She took a deep breath, then expelled it. “I realize that I’ve spent the past five years angry at your father for dying, feeling betrayed that he hadn’t lived long enough to see our dreams come true. And that wasn’t right. Your father was an amazing man who made me happy from the time I was sixteen years old until the day he died.”
And even after that, but she couldn’t tell the boys about Jack’s sudden reappearance in her life. First off, they’d never believe her and second, she knew this magical gift had to be kept between her and Jack. “But your father will never really be gone unless we forget him, and that I won’t allow to happen. I don’t want you to do it either. Remember him, remember his smile, the way he used to play catch and soccer with both of you when you were younger. Remember how much he loved you.”
Ron pressed a hand over hers. “We knew that already, Mom. We’ve never forgotten Dad, or ever stopped believing in how much he loved us. It was just…”
She knew what he was going to say, what he didn’t want to say. So she said it instead. “It was just that I was so miserably unhappy after he died that you felt guilty talking about him around me.”
“Yeah,” J.J. said.
“Well, that ends right now. I don’t want a day to go by without talking about your Dad. We’ll keep him alive by remembering his love for all of us. And I will love him with all my heart until the day I die.” Fighting back tears, she smiled at her sons. “Now, you two have to make me a promise. Promise me that you will live your lives to the fullest and never take for granted how tenuous life is. We know better than most how quickly it can all be taken away from us.”
58
Dream On
They nodded, and she felt their love pouring through her. She and Jack had done a great job raising the boys. Now that the cloud of denial had been lifted, she realized what a wonderful father and husband Jack had really been. It hadn’t all been bad. In fact, other than the fact he was a total workaholic, they’d had a fabulous life together. The time for regrets was over. It was time to live again. She thought a lot that day and well into the night as she prepared for bed. She showered, fixed her hair, sprayed on perfume and slipped on the scandalously sexy lingerie she’d bought at one of the shops today. Exhausted, she drifted off immediately. A warm hand caressed her cheek. Something soft brushed her lips. She inhaled and caught the sweet scent of roses.
“You look hot tonight, babe.”
“Jack,” she sighed, welcoming him with a smile and open arms. 59
Jaci Burton
Epilogue
Thirty-Five Years Later
Kate finished dictating the last chapter of her latest book, making a note for her secretary who would transcribe it in the morning. She’d long ago lost the ability to type, but she made enough money to hire a staff of people to assist her. She smiled and shook her head, unable to believe how successful she’d become. Touted as the number one writer of romance in the world, she still managed to wow her readers even though she’d just celebrated her eightieth birthday. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren had thrown her a party, and she realized while surrounded by everyone she loved what a remarkable life she’d led. But the best part was yet to come. Dragging her worn-out body into bed, she shut out the light and waited. She was tired now. Way too tired to engage in the mad, passionate sex that she and Jack had enjoyed when he’d first returned to her. He, of course, had never aged, while she’d grown gray and wrinkly and riddled with arthritis. He’d still come to her every night, his eyes filled with love and desire for her, despite her advanced age. To him, she was still exactly the same woman he’d fallen in love with
She took a deep breath, then expelled it. “I realize that I’ve spent the past five years angry at your father for dying, feeling betrayed that he hadn’t lived long enough to see our dreams come true. And that wasn’t right. Your father was an amazing man who made me happy from the time I was sixteen years old until the day he died.”
And even after that, but she couldn’t tell the boys about Jack’s sudden reappearance in her life. First off, they’d never believe her and second, she knew this magical gift had to be kept between her and Jack. “But your father will never really be gone unless we forget him, and that I won’t allow to happen. I don’t want you to do it either. Remember him, remember his smile, the way he used to play catch and soccer with both of you when you were younger. Remember how much he loved you.”
Ron pressed a hand over hers. “We knew that already, Mom. We’ve never forgotten Dad, or ever stopped believing in how much he loved us. It was just…”
She knew what he was going to say, what he didn’t want to say. So she said it instead. “It was just that I was so miserably unhappy after he died that you felt guilty talking about him around me.”
“Yeah,” J.J. said.
“Well, that ends right now. I don’t want a day to go by without talking about your Dad. We’ll keep him alive by remembering his love for all of us. And I will love him with all my heart until the day I die.” Fighting back tears, she smiled at her sons. “Now, you two have to make me a promise. Promise me that you will live your lives to the fullest and never take for granted how tenuous life is. We know better than most how quickly it can all be taken away from us.”
58
Dream On
They nodded, and she felt their love pouring through her. She and Jack had done a great job raising the boys. Now that the cloud of denial had been lifted, she realized what a wonderful father and husband Jack had really been. It hadn’t all been bad. In fact, other than the fact he was a total workaholic, they’d had a fabulous life together. The time for regrets was over. It was time to live again. She thought a lot that day and well into the night as she prepared for bed. She showered, fixed her hair, sprayed on perfume and slipped on the scandalously sexy lingerie she’d bought at one of the shops today. Exhausted, she drifted off immediately. A warm hand caressed her cheek. Something soft brushed her lips. She inhaled and caught the sweet scent of roses.
“You look hot tonight, babe.”
“Jack,” she sighed, welcoming him with a smile and open arms. 59
Jaci Burton
Epilogue
Thirty-Five Years Later
Kate finished dictating the last chapter of her latest book, making a note for her secretary who would transcribe it in the morning. She’d long ago lost the ability to type, but she made enough money to hire a staff of people to assist her. She smiled and shook her head, unable to believe how successful she’d become. Touted as the number one writer of romance in the world, she still managed to wow her readers even though she’d just celebrated her eightieth birthday. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren had thrown her a party, and she realized while surrounded by everyone she loved what a remarkable life she’d led. But the best part was yet to come. Dragging her worn-out body into bed, she shut out the light and waited. She was tired now. Way too tired to engage in the mad, passionate sex that she and Jack had enjoyed when he’d first returned to her. He, of course, had never aged, while she’d grown gray and wrinkly and riddled with arthritis. He’d still come to her every night, his eyes filled with love and desire for her, despite her advanced age. To him, she was still exactly the same woman he’d fallen in love with
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