Author's Note: Well, here it is. The final chapter to "It's What We've Gotta Do." This story has been more than a year in the making, and I'm extremely sad to see it coming to a close. I've grown so much as a writer during this past year, and I hope you have enjoyed reading this story as much as I have enjoyed playing author to it. I cannot thank you all enough for your words of wisdom and encouragement along the way. On a lighter note, a few of you have asked for a sequel, and I'm excited to say that I have decided to take you up on that offer. The newest story will be called "The Dreamer's Child" and will follow a seventeen-year-old Halia who faces many of life's hardest and best times. Hopefully I will be able to post the first chapter soon. Watch for it! I guess I'll stop rambling now and get on with the chapter. As always, please read and review!
I love you guys!
Lorah
P.S. I know that some of the movie's dialogue in here is wrong...that was purposeful!
Epilogue
It had been four years. Somehow, amidst everything, Landon had made it through college and had been awaiting his acceptance into medical school. In fact, he had had finals today, and he felt pretty good about them. At the moment, though, he was driving back into Beaufort. There was something he needed to do before he went home for the evening.
Landon pulled up to the familiar house, parking in the street. He looked towards the porch that held so many precious memories. Opening the car door and stepping out into the road, he walked across it, up the sidewalk, and onto the wooden planks of the porch before taking off his sunglasses and knocking on the door. A minute or so later, a rotund woman answered the door -- Betty, Hegbert's housekeeper.
"Hello, Mr. Carter. Come in," she said as she ushered Landon inside.
"Thank you," he responded.
"Please, have a seat."
Landon made his way over to the old couch that he had grown so familiar with and sat down, looking around the room. It hadn't changed much in the last couple of years, with the exception of the picture that his father-in-law had taken of him and Jamie the day they got back from Boston and a picture his granddaughter taken on her first birthday. Both frames sat on the mantle of the fireplace amongst the others of the family. Suddenly, Hegbert walked into the living room from his office, where he had obviously been working on a sermon judging by the glasses that he wore.
"Landon." Hegbert took off his glasses and stuck them in the front pocket of his shirt before giving his son-in-law a hug and patting him on his back. He hadn't seen him in a week or so.
"Hey, you look good." The two men stepped away from each other as Hegbert gestured towards the couch that Landon had already been sitting on.
"Thank you...you, too. I'm getting by." They both laughed as they sat down, but both of them knew that the reason for Landon's visit wasn't just to make small talk. Hegbert took a breath before asking the inevitable.
"So, what's new, Landon?"
A smirk crossed Landon's face as if he knew that his father-in-law already knew the answer before he responded, "Well, I got into medical school."
Hegbert smiled at him in return. "Your mother told me that this morning. ...We're so proud of you. Jamie would've been proud of you, too," he added, nodding.
Landon almost let his emotions take over before he took a deep breath and reached into his worn messenger bag for the old book. "Listen..." He took it out of the bag and handed it to Hegbert. He looked him straight in the eye before nearly whispering as his voice cracked, "I want you...to have this..."
"Oh, Landon..." Hegbert reached for the book he knew all too well, turning it over in his hands gingerly. "Oh, my...thank you." He looked up at Landon with tears in his eyes and Landon looked back at him before looking at the floor.
"I'm sorry she never got her miracle."
Hegbert smiled. "She did...it was you." At that moment, Landon felt about ten feet tall. He could feel the hot tears welling up behind his eyes when Hegbert said with a smile, "Hey, why don't you come on upstairs? I know you've been waiting to see her." They walked into Jamie's old room, where Landon immediately saw a little ball curled up in her bed, fast asleep. Cynthia had brought her over earlier that morning after Landon left for school. He walked over to her.
"Halia, wake up, princess," Landon said softly, running his thumb along her cheek. The four-year-old opened her eyes slowly, rubbing them. She sprang up out of bed when she saw who was standing over her.
"Daddy!" she exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck. "...Are we going home?"
"Yep...you tell Grandpa thank you for letting you come over to play." Hegbert laughed as Landon grabbed the bag of toys his daughter had brought along.
"Thank you, Grandpa."
"You're more than welcome, honey. Come back soon, okay?" He ruffled her hair a bit and kissed her after Landon had picked her up.
"Okay," she replied, resting her head on Landon's shoulder.
Walking outside to his SUV, Landon put Halia's bag in the backseat and turned to face his father-in-law. "Thanks for watching her."
"Anytime, Landon. You know that," he replied as Landon strapped his daughter in. "I hope you two come again soon. Love you, Halia."
"Love you, too, Grandpa," she called from her car seat.
Sorry
I never told you all I wanted to say Never had I
imagined living without your smile
And now it's too late to hold
you
'cause you've flown away, so far away
Feeling and knowing you hear
me, it keeps me alive, alive
The sun was beginning to set as they pulled up to the docks where Landon and Jamie had had their first date. There were so many bittersweet memories associated with this place; Landon could already feel himself getting emotional. They both hopped out of the car. Landon grabbed Halia's hand as they went down to the water.
And
I know you're shining down on me from heaven
Like so many friends
we've lost along the way
And I know eventually we'll be together,
one sweet day
"Daddy, do you miss Mommy?" the little girl asked her father.
"Very much," he replied as he looked out at the water, just as the sun touched it.
Darling,
I never showed you, assumed you'd always be there And I know you're shining down on me from heaven
And I took your
presence for granted, but I always cared
And I miss the love we
shared
Like
so many friends we've lost along the way
And I know eventually
we'll be together, one sweet day
"Me
too," Halia whispered as a tear rolled down her face. Landon got
down on his
knees to her level.
"Halia, don't cry for Mommy. Did you know that she's watching over us now?" He looked up towards the sky.
"Really?" She looked up at Landon.
"Of course. And she left me something to cherish
forever," he said as he
patted Halia's head. "A lifetime
of memories, and one big miracle." His eyes clouded over as he
looked at the sky. "I love you, Jamie."
Although
the sun will never shine the same And I know you're shining down on me from
heaven And I know you're
shining down on me from heaven
I'll always look to a brighter
day
Lord, I know when I lay me down to sleep
You will always
listen as I pray
Like so many friends we've lost along the way
And I know
eventually we'll be together, one sweet day
Like so many friends we've lost
along the way
And I know eventually we'll be together, one sweet
day