Reckless Bonus Scene

A streak of brown and white fur zipped past my legs. I sidestepped to miss the cat just in time to trip over the dog as he zoomed past with Lily hot on his heels. She paused in her chase of our family pets. “Okay, Mommy?” Her little face puckered in concern as she placed her tiny hand on my belly. “Is baby Wedwick okay?”

I nodded as I caught my balance, clutching the counter in the kitchen. “I’m fine, Lily Bear. And your baby brother is too.” She was already proving to be the most attentive older sister, concerned about each stage of the pregnancy as we’d gone along. Between Lily, Jude, and Brennen, I couldn’t so much as grimace without the offer of an extra pillow, a foot rub, or a teddy bear to make it all better.

The stampede of animals reversed direction, rushing past my giggling daughter. She dashed after them, her blonde curls bouncing with each step.

“What in the world is going on down here?” Jude asked as he narrowly missed being bowled over on his way down the stairs. His smile warmed his face as he stared after our daughter, deepening as his eyes met mine. It still did things to me that should be illegal, even more so now that his love for me shone so brightly.

“Oh, you know,” I replied with a shrug, “just an average day in the ever-growing Malone family. The cat being chased by the dog, both of them being chased by the girl, and all three of them almost killing very pregnant me in the process.”

Laughing, my husband crossed into the kitchen and captured my face between his hands. “How is it that you get more beautiful every day, Sweet Snow?”

He leaned down to kiss me, one hand caressing my back, the other gently kissing my cheek. I loved the taste of him. The feel of him. He was safety and strength and security. Our relationship had deepened the last three years and even though our start was unconventional, I had no doubt we had the kind of love that would last forever.

A tiny fluttering and thumping caught my attention. I pulled back, smiling as I ran a hand along my stomach. “The baby’s kicking. Right here.”

Grinning, Jude put his hand next to mine, cocking his head as he closed his eyes to wait. “That’s a strong one,” he said after a minute. “I think Frederick Malone is gonna be a soccer player.”

I stifled a laugh. “On that note. Even Lily is starting to call him Frederick. Maybe it’s time to come up with his real name?” When we discovered we were having a son, we’d disagreed on what to call him, so had settled on using the joke name Jude suggested when I was pregnant with Lily. Unfortunately, it seemed to have stuck.

“It’s probably time.” Jude’s face lit up. “And wouldn’t you know it, today is the perfect day to find some inspiration. We can take notes on our favorites at the ceremony.”

I gave Jude a watery smile, equal parts pride, expectation, and sadness. “I can’t believe Brennen’s graduating.” The last three years had zoomed by almost as fast as the herd of pets being chased by my toddler. It felt like I’d just gotten him, and now it was time for him to move on. “And as valedictorian, no less,” I added with a shake of my head.

“I knew that kid was something special.” Jude shoved his hands in his back pockets. “I saw it in him the first day we met and he proved it every day since.”

The bing-bong of the doorbell started another stampede in the living room followed by the heavy thumping of teenaged feet on the stairs. “I got it!” Brennen called, his deep voice sounding more and more like Jude’s by the day.

“Ready to get this show on the road?” I asked my husband.

“You better believe it.”

We linked arms and stepped into the living room as Brennen opened the door for his girlfriend Maya. Her long blonde hair hung over her shoulders and even though she wore heels, he still dwarfed her by a good four inches. The two beamed at each other, lost in puppy love and the excitement of stepping into the next chapter of their lives.

“I know you guys have to leave soon, but I need pictures.” I waved my phone. “How about out by the maple in the front yard? The light’s always amazing there.”

We stepped outside, Maya in her white cap and gown and Brennen in his black. He draped an arm around her shoulder and leaned in, his posture reminding me of the way Jude liked to hold me close. In some shots, Lily stood between them, in others, Brennen held her to press a kiss on her cheek. But in most, it was just Brennen and Maya, looking too grown up for their own good. I took picture after picture and all things considered, the teenagers were incredibly patient until Jude put his hand on my shoulder.

“I think that’s probably enough, don’t you?”

“Probably,” I replied, as I snapped another shot. “They’re just so photogenic.”

“They are,” my husband agreed. “But they’re also too polite to tell you you’re making them late.”

The truth was, I wasn’t quite ready to let them go. I loved our life. Family dinners with Jude narrating his recipe in a ridiculous voice. Brennen teasing him every step of the way and doting on Lily like the best older brother you could ever want. And oh, how she looked up to him. The Malone family had grown from something hastily thrown together to a relationship built on the strongest foundation I could possibly imagine: love, friendship, and the willingness to put in the work when things got hard.

As happy as I was for Brennen to start his adult life, today’s graduation ceremony indicated that his chapter in our story was coming to an end. It was time for him to pick up the pen and begin his own story. His first chapter was just beginning. And while kids leaving the nest was the way life went, and I was so stinkin’ proud I thought my heart would burst, I was gonna miss him like crazy when he left for college in a few short months.

While I wrestled my emotions back under control, Maya and Brennen joined us in the driveway.

“Okay,” said Jude, with a wicked grin. “I have my bullhorn, a foam finger, and a giant sign that says ‘We love you Cheesebreath.’ Am I forgetting anything?” He rubbed his hands together as he waited for Brennen’s reaction.

I punched him in the arm. “Don’t tease, Charming.”

“I’m not teasing. It’s all in the truck as we speak.”

Brennen let out a long sigh. “How about you forget to bring everything you just listed and sit quietly in the audience like normal people.”

“But where would be the fun in that?” Jude asked with a laugh.

Brennen turned to Maya. “It’s okay if you want to break up with me to avoid this embarrassment. I’ll totally understand.”

“Oh, heck no,” she said with a mischievous grin as she punched him in the arm—exactly like I’d just done to Jude. “I helped him make the sign. Do you really think I’d let my handsome valedictorian get his diploma without doing something over the top to bring him down a peg?”

We laughed, then handed out hugs before they climbed into the car.

“You doin’ okay?” Jude asked, his arm around my shoulder as they pulled out of the driveway.

“I’m super proud of him.” I nodded, swallowing past a thickening throat. “But man, these dang hormones are gonna do me in.”

He put both hands on my shoulder and met my gaze. “It’s okay to admit you’re gonna miss him. I know I am. We’ll make the best out of this last summer together and then we’ll have Frederick to focus on.”

I held his gaze, nodding my agreement, as the name Frederick tumbled through my head. “What about Ryan? Or Jacob?”

“I’m tellin’ ya,” Jude said with a laugh, “we’ll take notes at the ceremony. It’ll be so much better than pulling ideas out of thin air.”

We played a quick game of hide and seek with Lily and the animals, made sure she was sufficiently snacked, then headed over to the ceremony where we found, Ginny and Tim waiting with Mom and Dad. Greetings were passed around and I had to admit, with three years of practice, you almost wouldn’t know Dad came from planet Never Hug. After Lily said hello to each grandparent, we made our way into the auditorium and found our seats.

“I can’t believe he’s graduating,” Mom said from her place beside me. “And valedictorian, too! He’s a fine addition to the family.”

“We’re very proud of him,” I agreed as Lily climbed into Jude’s lap to pepper him with questions about everything she saw.

Mom put a hand on my knee. “You’ve been very good for him, Izzy. That child came into the world with goodness in him, but you nurtured it and fostered it and he’s where he is because of you and Jude. I’m very proud of you.”

My jaw dropped and I blinked back tears, turning to my husband as Lily listened raptly to a story he whispered in her ear. He met my eyes with a gentle smile that said he heard the whole thing, then returned his focus to our daughter.

“Thank you,” I whispered to my mother as the ceremony began.

As Brennen stepped out to the podium to address his class, I swallowed hard, beaming while tears pooled in my eyes.

“When I found out I’d be giving a speech,” he began, “the first thing I did was look up advice on the internet. Apparently, I’m supposed to reflect back fondly over my years as a Wildrose Warrior and share an anecdote or two, with enough jokes scattered through to make you guys laugh.” He shrugged. “But I took a strange path to get where I am today, so it only makes sense that my speech will be a little different too. As you probably know, I didn’t grow up in Wildrose Landing. In fact, I spent most of my life in a kind of upside down world where everything’s mostly the same as it is here, but also a whole lot different. When I was younger, I learned that if I wanted something, I had to get it myself, then guard it carefully because someone else might want it more and take it from me. I learned that I was the only person I could count on, so I set out to be the best possible version of myself to have the best chance. But then, through the kindness of my brother and his wife, I ended up here. On my first day at Wildrose High, I met Maya Anderson and she went out of her way to make sure I knew where all my classes were. She let me sit at her lunch table and I made friends with her friends. It didn’t take long to realize that I wasn’t on my own anymore. That I had a whole team to support me…” He paused and cocked his head, a smile identical to Jude’s brightening his face. “Oh, look. I guess that was an anecdote about my time as a Wildrose Warrior.”

Laughter filtered through the auditorium.

Brennen grinned. “And there was the joke the internet said I should make.”

More laughter.

“In the end, just like this speech, my path isn’t all that different, after all,” he continued as the auditorium quieted. “Each and every one of us needs to learn how to go after what we want with everything we have. We need to remember that in the end, what we do and where we end up…that’s on us. We’re in the driver’s seat here and it’s imperative that we challenge ourselves to grow into the best possible version of who we might become. And that way, when we run into someone kind enough to lend a helping hand, we’re ready to accept that investment and return it tenfold. It’s on us, friends. Each and every one of us. And that’s a heavy, hard, wonderful realization. It’s heavy because we have to do the lifting. And it’s hard because sometimes you just want to rest, but it’s wonderful because at the end of the day, we’re all in charge of our destiny.” Brennen’s gaze swooped over the crowd. “So thank you to my brother Jude and his wife Izzy for extending their hands when I needed it most. I hope I’ve earned the help you gave me. And to the rest of you, thank you so much for an amazing three years. Let’s step out into the world and show everyone what Warriors are made of!”

As cheers and applause broke out through the crowd, Jude took my hand, gripping it tightly as Lily leaned her head against his chest. “I love you, Isabelle Malone,” he whispered.

“I love you back,” I replied, swiping tears off my face.

“And me?” Lily asked, lifting her head.

“And you,” we replied in unison.

“And Wedwick?” she asked, a little louder than before.

I nodded, laughing as I met Jude’s eyes over her head.

His great ideas had a history of blowing up spectacularly…until this one. The two of us getting married was the best great idea he ever had and I counted my lucky stars each night I climbed into bed with him.

“Oh!” He pulled out his phone as the announcer began calling names. “Mateo’s good.”

“Mateo Malone?” I rolled my eyes. “You’ve got to do better than that, Charming.”

The look in his eyes said the game was on. Jude Malone never backed down from a challenge. And thank goodness for that, because our son would end up with the best name in all of Wildrose.

I was sure of it.