Swagger (Radioactive Tales of Love) (19 page)

Epilogue

Roxie

Six months later

I’m taking a breather on the Boardwalk bridge, checking out the seals while waiting for Cruz to bring me back some salt water taffy and a drink. I think back to the past year and what we’ve gone through. Cruz and I did finally settle into a wonderful new life.

His writing has taken off and he’s in the midst of writing a book on his experiences in the war, along with his experiences as a child in the system.

I’ve given Candy the position of manager at the motel and I now go to school full time.

Life seems to actually be going pretty well and we’ve decided we’ll be getting married soon, though we aren’t rushing it. Both of us are in individual counseling and life is working itself out. The ordeal with Kathy brought Cruz and I closure on the past in so many ways. Even his anxiety is lessening to fewer attacks. Who knows? Perhaps soon, it will be a thing of the past. The one thing I do know—is that we are happy now.

“Hey, pretty lady.”

I turn to look at my man, walking up to me.
Yeah, my baby has swagger.
I giggle, taking the drink and taffy from him while lifting my lips up for his kiss.

We are going to be okay and we’ve already proven to the naysayers—even though we’d been down—there’s nothing but up for us both now.

The End