Cherished by the Mountain Man – Bonus Scene

Twelve years later…

“He’s here!” Layla scrambles from her position at the window, almost bowling her little sister out of the way in her hurry to get to the door. But Fran beats the both of them. Before Jamie even gets in the door, she’s got her arms around him. His two little sisters join the hug, and Jamie lifts all three of them into the air with his strong arms. The girls shriek, which brings Angie in from out back. She jogs out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a dishcloth that she discards on the bar.

Jamie was back last semester, but the girls miss him just as badly as when he first went off to MIT. It was the proudest day of my life the day he got his acceptance letter. Now he’s studying astrophysics and interning at NASA over the summer.

“All right, give him some space.” Says Angie.

The girls fall off him and Jamie’s face lights up as Angie takes his cheeks in her hands.

“You look thin,” she says disapprovingly, giving a mother’s assessment. “You looking after yourself?”

“Mom.” He rolls his eyes. “I’m a student. Of course I’m not looking after myself.”

After Angie’s given him a motherly hug, Jamie turns to me. We embrace warmly, and I wonder when his arms got so thick. He’s the spitting image of Paul, and I wonder what his fellow science students think of the enormous mountain man studying alongside them.

I go out back to chuck the pizzas in the oven and let Laura, the bar manager, know that Angie’s not to be disturbed for the next few hours.

Laura manages the place now, or she will for the next few months until she goes off to have her baby. Fran’s been training to take over her position, although she won’t be able to serve drinks for another few months. Angie’s worried that Fran’s too young, but I have to remind her what a capable daughter she raised who wants nothing more than to follow in her mom’s footsteps.

I go back out front and stop at the bar. My family is seated in the large table in the middle, talking over each other. Laughter ripples through the restaurant, and other diners turn their heads and smile.

There’s a sting in the back of my eyes, and before I can stop them, tears of happiness leak out of the corners of my eyes.

The love I have for the people sitting around that table is so intense it hurts. I’ve been blessed with a wonderful wife and an amazing family. It’s more than I could ever have asked for. It’s more than I expected.

I’ve given them a happy life.

Paul is often in my thoughts, and I like to think he would be happy to see his family flourishing.

Lunch is just family, but tonight the guys from the mountain and their families are coming down to see Jamie. He’s a hero amongst the their kids, the mountain man reaching for the stars.

“Dad, you gotta hear this. Jamie’s got a girlfriend!”

Fran waves me over, and I take my seat at the table opposite Angie. Jamie goes bright red as Fran ribs him about his girl. Layla and Emily ask him questions about her that seem important to an eleven and nine-year-old, like what her favorite color is and what animal she would be if she could be an animal for a day. Jamie ruffles his youngest sister’s hair and answers good-naturedly.

There’s so much laughter and happiness around this table that I have to swallow hard to keep from choking up. I’m getting sentimental in my old age.

My gaze meets Angie’s across the table, and my breath hitches. She’s still the most beautiful vision I’ve ever seen, and I’m grateful for every day I have on this Earth with her and the kids.