Yes. Hunter should have been there.
Braydon checked his phone and grinned. “He’ll be here in a little bit.”
Her heart jumped in surprise. “What?”
Braydon smiled. “It’s his home too. I wanted him here, but I also wanted to show you the house first. I arranged everything with Kevin and he’ll be dropping him off in about an hour. We’ll get everyone cleared out by then so things are peaceful, and then we’ll welcome him to his new home.”
She wasn’t sure if a heart could break from happiness, but hers was so tight in that moment she feared it might burst like a star turning into a supernova, more brilliant than a thousand suns and powerful enough to outshine an entire universe. That’s what he did to her.
For years, time passed with tears, but with Braydon, moments went by in brilliant flashes of joy. The tears had gone by and now the sun was finally shining as if to say there would be no more rain.
She took Braydon’s face in her hands and smiled up into his incredible eyes, so full of vitality and ideals. “Thank you. Somewhere along the line I forgot heroes existed in real life, but you reminded me. You saved me from myself, Braydon. I can’t imagine my life without you. I just wish there were words for how much you make me feel.”
His forehead pressed to hers as he whispered, “You don’t need to explain it, angel. I feel it too. It’s messy, unconditional love.” And with that, he leaned close and kissed her deeply.
Epilogue
“Fourteen chocolate chips!” Hunter shouted, his smiling face smeared with melted chocolate.
“I thought there were sixteen,” Braydon said, flipping the pancake on the griddle.
Hunter rocked and gave a hardy laugh. “I ate two.”
Braydon smiled at him, head over heels for the delightful ray of light Hunter was in their world. “Okay, we’re ready for the next one.”
Braydon’s hand curved over Hunter’s as he lifted the ladle full of batter and carefully poured the next pancake onto the griddle.
“Careful hot,” Hunter warned.
“Right. It’s hot so let’s be careful,” Braydon agreed.
They were still settling into the house, but Hunter had made the transition beautifully. He came home every day, energized and full of different experiences from his new school. The family had welcomed Hunter and Becca with open arms, each relative taking the time to get to know them.
At first, he and Becca feared the McCulloughs would overwhelm Hunter, but as it turned out, he was more than capable of adapting to their presence. He even seemed to thrive under all the energy they supplied to his daily life.
Braydon’s mum had reintroduced herself to Hunter, as Nanna, and he adored the woman who had once given him blue gloves. With innate affection, his mum managed to slowly breach Hunter’s physical limits and they were all amazed at how quickly his tolerance for physical contact began to change. Though Hunter still couldn’t be held or hugged, he was learning to tolerate touch, slowly grasping that contact was a show of affection. This moved Becca in immeasurable ways.
“Okay, drop the chocolate chips in. We’re about ready to flip this one.”
“Only ten, Braydon,” Hunter said as he fisted the morsels.
He sent him a sidelong glance and smirked. “You get your sweet tooth from your mother.”
“These are my teeth,” Hunter said, giving him a cheeky grin.
Once the chocolate chip pancakes were complete, Braydon shut off the griddle and pushed it back on the counter to cool. He carried the plate to the tray waiting on the table, already set with chocolate milk, flowers, and silver wear. “Where’s your card, bud?”
Hunter ran into the playroom, his footfalls heavy with excitement. When he returned he held a handmade card. The front showed an origami pinwheel incorporating every color of the spectrum. “Can I see?”
Hunter handed it to him. Pulling the card open, Braydon found a picture inside with three people and a yellow house. “Is this us?”
“Yeah.”
He smiled, noting that each person had a heart drawn on their chest. A family. “She’ll love this, Hunter. You did great.”
“Hearts for Valentine’s Day.”
Braydon nodded. Hearts for Valentine’s Day.
As he carefully carried the tray upstairs, Hunter already bouncing by the bedroom door, he took a moment to let his gratitude sink in.
It seemed like yesterday that he’d come home from college for summer vacation with expectation of his future falling into place like a perfect puzzle. As the years passed, he’d lost a bit of faith in himself and the happy future he’d hoped for. But meeting Becca and Hunter had changed that.
They redefined his purpose, brought him more joy than he ever assumed possible. Though Hunter seemed to embrace their new home, there were still curious moments of silence. Those moments would always be there, but underneath it all would be the foundation of their love and family. Of all the things Braydon could build, this was where he defined his pride. Not in a house, but in a home.
And through all the spins and twirls and laughter and tears, he’d come to understand that, sometimes, love spoke without words, and if one listened to the silence they could catch glimpses of all the colors that painted the world as an exceptionally beautiful place.
Giving Hunter a nod, he whispered, “Let’s wake her up.”
*The End*
Dear Readers,
I want to thank all of you for taking this incredible journey with me, and allowing me to introduce you to perhaps the most phenomenal family to ever exist. Creating the McCulloughs has brought me immeasurable joy and I’m so grateful you’ve let them travel from my heart to yours.
I also want to thank all of the mothers out there that helped me give an honest portrayal of Autism. Your personal stories helped bring Hunter and Becca to life. I hold the highest admiration for all of you, as your strength, patience, and love is the definition of a true heroine.
Throughout this family saga, we’ve laughed, cried, been enraged, heartbroken, and elated. We’ve treaded over fragile ground and stumbled on some deep issues. The authenticity of these characters has become so lifelike to me, I find it hard to say goodbye. That is why I’ve decided to write one last McCullough story—a very special romance that takes us back to the beginning.
I will finally unveil how this incredible family began, as I share Frank and Maureen’s love story. You will get a chance to revisit each McCullough for an unforgettable farewell. Please join me, as you are all invited to the happy couple’s Fortieth Wedding Anniversary! Don’t miss this exciting anthology and don’t forget to share the McCullough love with your friends. Thank you so much for reading and loving my characters as much as I do!
See you at the party,
Lydia Michaels
About the Author
Award winning author, Lydia Michaels, writes all forms of hot romance. She presses the bounds of love and surprises readers just when they assume they have her stories figured out. From Amish vampyres, to wild Irishmen, to broken heroes, and heroines no man can match, Lydia takes readers on an emotional journey of the heart, mind, and soul with every story she pens. Her books are intellectual, erotic, haunting, always centered on love. Lydia Michaels loves to hear from readers! She can be found of Facebook or contacted by email at
[email protected] Other Books by Lydia Michaels
Sacred Waters
Skin
Chaste
Faking It
Forsaking Truth
As Tears Go By
Call Her Mine
Simple Man
Breaking Perfect
White Chocolate
All 4 You
To Catch a Wolfe
Chasing Feathers
Secret Cravings Publishing
www.secretcravingspublishing.com
Lydia Michaels, As Tears Go By
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