Just want to say a huge thanks to those of you that have read, liked, or reviewed this little story of mine that came to me while I was watching Deadliest Catch one night. This is the final chapter!

Thanks for taking this journey with me and I will see you tomorrow for the next chapter of Journey to Find the One.

Sorry folks, I posted the chapter of the wrong story. I guess that's what happens when I'm doing stuff half asleep.

FINAL DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, SM HAS ALL THAT PLEASURE!

Chapter 16

EPOV

Watching my youngest walk across the stage to receive her high school diploma caused a huge face splitting grin to break out across my face as I called out to her "WAY TO GO TORY!" causing her to grin my way with a shake of her head.

"She's gonna murder you later tonight, Dad." Cayden said from behind me where he sat with his nineteen month old baby daughter in his lap while his wife held their two month old daughter. Cayden had met Sophie his sophomore year at NYU. They started dating two weeks into the semester and were married two weeks after they graduated and became parents the following year.

I just shrugged. "Haven't you learned yet that is part of being a father? Getting to embarrass your kids on their big days?" I asked him with a teasing grin.

He just nodded. "Yeah it's also my job as the big brother to try to protect them from said embarrassments." Big brother he was. To five younger sisters.

"I know, bub. Good try but dad outranks big brother in this case." I told him before turning back to watch the rest of the graduates walk across the stage.

In the years since Bella forgave and allowed me to be the best husband I knew how to be we had been blessed with seven beautiful children but our fourth baby had only lived a mere two days after being born. Cayden was now 26 years old. Annaliese and Tamara had come next and were now 24 years old, married, and expecting their first babies. Ethan was our angel baby that watched over our entire family in the arms of his grandpa Charlie but would be 22 had he lived. Lucy had come next and had just finished up her junior year of college at UCLA at 20 years old. Victoria was our shocker baby that would turn 18 in a few months, on my birthday.

"Are you ready to have our house all to ourselves in a few days?" My love asked from my side.

I just shrugged because we had never had our house to ourselves in 28 years so I wasn't entirely sure I would know how to handle the silence that was sure to bring. "I don't know. Are you?"

She shook her head. "No. All of my babies will be gone and I'm not going to know what to do with all that spare time. No more school functions, no more uniforms to wash, no more high school drama, no more "Mom have you seen my shirt?" or "Mom what's for dinner?"" She said leaning into my side with her head on my shoulder.

Kissing the top of her head I watched with a heavy heart as my baby girl tossed her maroon cap high up into the air along with the rest of her classmates. "I know baby, I'm scared too."

"She will be fine, y'all. It's not like you can't come visit all of us now that you are finished with the high schooler." Lucy said from beside her mother. Victoria was going to California with Lucy when she went back in three days. Lucy had a part time job, apartment, boyfriend, and cat she had to get back to so she was only in town for six days. Which was not near enough time according to her mother but we all understood having responsibilities.

I looked at Bella with excitement in my eyes. Other than our move from Texas to Montana 27 years ago and our move from Montana to North Carolina 15 years ago to open Ethan's Paradise when Tory wasn't quite two years old. "Hey, we can travel and visit everybody now."

She just nodded as the principal of the school started speaking. "I've been a mom most of my life now there is nobody left to mother…" She said softly after a few more minutes.

"They will always need their mother but now we get to be grandparents." I reminded her gently. "Plus we can rechristen the house without having to be quiet about now." I said hoping to get a happy grin on her face.

Once my words registered she looked up at me with a cocky grin on her face. "Are you up for that? The house is big with a lot of rooms, you know…"She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Since we wanted all of our kids to have their own private space we just bought land—15 acres with a pond—to build our dream house on. We ended up with an 8 bedroom 8 bathroom massive home that still felt like home instead of a luxury hotel.

"Oh, I'm up for the challenge Isabella. Are you?"

She just simply nodded. "Three days, Edward Anthony."

"Three days?" I asked confused.

"Until the last kid leaves."

"Oh."

"You guys are so gross." Matthew, Jake and Nessie's youngest boy said from his spot beside me. He was 10 years old so being sweet to girls was not in his knowledge yet unless it was to his momma.

"You'll understand one day, buddy. I promise." I told him with a ruffle to his hair.

He adamantly shook his head before leaning into Nessie who just laughed at us. "Hey, at least you still got it."

I nodded as we all stood to clap and congratulate the entire graduating class.

Later that evening our house was packed full of our friends and family:

Angela/Ben and their three kids—Lola, Leo, and Logan.

Jake/Nessie and their two kids—Matthew and Kaylee.

Alice/Jasper with their two mini cowboys—JJ and Alex.

Annaliese and her husband of two years Cody.

Tamara and her husband of one year Seth.

Cayden/Sophie with our two grandbabies—Lilly and Gracie.

Edward's old crabbing captain and crew with their families.

Two hours into the party Tory came up to her mother and I on the back deck where all of the adults sat catching up and sipping cocktails. "Can I leave now?" She asked as she slid onto my lap like she used to do when she was a baby.

"Where are you going?" I asked her quietly.

"Daddy, it's graduation night. I want to go out and celebrate with all my friends." She said with a slight whine in her voice.

I simply raised an eyebrow at her letting her know without words that I wasn't pleased with her answer and she should elaborate.

"It's a gathering on the beach. Samantha's parents got permission for us to have a bonfire and gathering out there for the night." She elaborated.

I nodded. "Thank you, baby girl. Is Brent going to be there? Is there going to be alcohol?"

She shrugged. "I don't know about the alcohol but yes Brent will be there, daddy. I'm almost 18 now and I know the rules. Trust me to be the dutiful daughter you and Mom raised me to be." She said with her own raised eyebrow almost as if daring me to question what she had said.

"I don't care but talk to your mom too." I said with a nod in Bella's direction since she was engrossed in a conversation with Angela and Nessie.

She popped a kiss on my cheek. "Thanks Daddy, love you." She said before hopping out of my lap and over to Bella's side.

I leaned my head back against the edge of the chair closing my eyes to the sounds of all my friends and family enjoying themselves on our massive back deck. Somebody sliding into my lap again caused me to snap them open in surprise only to see my cheeky wife sitting there with a shit eating grin on her face. "Penny for your thoughts, husband?"

I tugged her into my chest allowing her to snuggle into me as I wrapped my arms around her still slender waist even after five pregnancies. "Just enjoying the night and thinking of all the possibilities this big empty house is going to hold for us."

"Hmm…" She said before placing her lips against mine.