Chapter 19
Megan and Ethan got married in the backyard of the general’s house, on a warm spring day in May.
Lila was the flower girl again, this time five years old, wearing a white dress with pink ribbons, throwing rose petals and yelling "KISS HER, EFAN!" so loud the whole neighborhood could hear.
Ryan was there too.
He sat in the back row, wearing a nice suit, smiling, clapping when they said their vows. He had brought Lila a new dinosaur for a wedding present. He stayed for the reception, ate cake, danced with Lila, and left early, not wanting to intrude.
Megan found him by his car, getting ready to leave.
"Hey," she said, walking over. "You don’t have to go. Stay. Have another drink. Dance. You’re family now."
Ryan smiled, shaking his head.
"Nah. This is your day. You and Ethan. I don’t want to be the third wheel. But thank you, Meg. For everything. For letting me be in Lila’s life. For giving me a second chance. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to pay you back for that."
Megan looked at him.
The man standing in front of her was nothing like the boy she had married.
He was kind. Humble. Responsible. He loved his daughter more than anything. He had spent the last five years making amends for his mistakes. He had changed.
Really changed.
"You don’t have to pay me back," she said. "Just keep being the good dad you are. That’s all I ever wanted. For Lila to be loved. And she is. More than anything."
Ryan nodded, his eyes wet.
"I will. I promise."
He got in his car and drove away.
Megan walked back to the party, where Ethan was waiting for her, holding Lila on his shoulders, both of them covered in cake. The general was laughing, talking to Torres. The unit was there, drinking beer, playing cornhole. The sun was setting, painting the sky pink and orange. The music was playing. Everyone was happy.
Megan stopped, looking at all of them.
She thought about that night three years ago.
The kitchen floor.
The bl00d.
The pain.
The fear.
She had thought her life was over that night.
She had thought she would never be happy again.
But look at her now.
Married to the love of her life.
Mom to the most amazing little girl in the world.
Promoted to full Colonel.
Running a program that had helped thousands of people.
Surrounded by family and friends who loved her.
She had been broken.
But she had put herself back together.
Stronger.
Braver.
Better.
Ethan saw her standing there, smiling, and walked over, Lila still on his shoulders.
"You okay, baby?" he asked, kissing her forehead.
Megan looked up at him, then at Lila, grinning and waving at her.
"Yeah," she said, her heart full. "I’m perfect. Everything is perfect."
Lila leaned down, wrapping her little arms around Megan’s neck, kissing her cheek.
"I love you, Mama," she said.
"I love you too, baby girl," Megan whispered. "More than anything in the whole world."
They walked back to the party together, as the stars came out.
The future was bright.
May you like
And Megan knew, without a doubt, that no matter what came next, they would face it together.
As a family.
