Today's Promises (Promises #2)(56)

We’re done with school now, though, and both of us are gainfully employed, working in our dream careers, actually.

How cool is that?

Jaynie is a counselor and special investigator, but not for the state foster care system. She works with kids, just as she always planned to do—deeply troubled kids, in fact—but she does so with a non-profit organization, one that vehemently stands by its mission statement to help and protect children who have been left behind or have been mistreated in any way.

I should mention here that we’re still in touch with Bill Delmont. He owns two sandwich shops now, one located right here in Morgantown. That’s important to the details of our life now, but more on that later.

Bill’s the same as he always was. That means he’s still helping kids who are over eighteen and out of the system. He gives them a chance at a better life. Just last week, Jaynie sent him a runaway who needed help, a kid who was living on the streets of Morgantown, too old for foster care, but too young to make it on his own.

Bill hired the kid on the spot and he now works at the same sandwich shop we once worked in and lived above.

But back to my and Jaynie’s current lives…

As mentioned, I now have a degree. And it’s in teaching.

That’s right, I actually followed through on the plan I devised that day long ago when I was working construction.

I currently teach a class of forty eager-to-learn fifth graders. And man, I love it.

Speaking of kids, it wasn’t all school and the prospect of future work that lured Jaynie and me up to Morgantown. Another reason we made the move was to be closer to the twins. After Mandy and Josh ran off and got married, and then officially adopted Cody and Callie, we knew the twins would definitely be staying with them. Jaynie and I decided we didn’t want to miss out on watching them grow up.

And we haven’t.

The twins are fifteen now. And, wow, all I can say is that they’re a handful. In a good way, of course.

Callie is a blast. She makes me laugh when I think of her rebellious heart. I don’t know if Mandy would agree, though. Callie’s been driving her crazy lately. From what I’ve heard, she’s trying to persuade her mom to let her date some sixteen-year-old skateboard dude.

Mandy doesn’t approve of him, but that’s no surprise. They butt heads a lot, since Callie is like a mini-Mandy.

The skateboarder is a decent dude, though. I know this because you bet your ass I vetted him. Josh did too, but he’s a little bit of a pushover when it comes to the kids. I know that if I give my stamp of approval on the skateboarder dude, Mandy will come around. I will, but I’m going to let the little princess Callie sweat it out a little first.

Cody is also doing great. He finally found his strength—making music. I should’ve seen it coming, from that day long ago when Jaynie and I taught him math with colored dowels. All he really wanted to do that day was use those dowels as drumsticks. He made an awful racket back then, but he sure does make beautiful music now. He plays all the time too, often filling his family home with electric guitar riffs.

I have to laugh.

I bet Josh rues the day he bought Cody his own guitar. But then again, probably not. When Cody and Josh play together, which they do now quite a bit, they sound incredible. Josh knows it too. That’s why he’s promised to take Cody out with him when he plays some gigs this summer. Mandy gave them the go-ahead, but only if Cody picks up some extra shifts at the Morgantown Delmont Sandwich Shop.

And we’re back to that—the other piece of info I promised you a while back. Mandy partnered with Bill a couple years ago, and when he opened the shop up here he gave it to her to run.

Funny how life turns out sometimes, right?

Mandy was the one who first connected us with Bill, and here she is running his store.

Full circle and all that.

I guess I should share with you what happened to Mrs. Lowry and Allison, though I’d just as well not. But those two people who caused so much pain, you must be wondering what became of them.

Well, I’m pleased to report that Mrs. Lowry is still behind bars, and will be for a long time.

And Allison, well she’s gone. Yeah, you read that right. The girl is dead. She was stabbed during a prison fight four years ago. Sorry, but I have to confess that no tears were shed for that one.

Okay, enough about those two. Let’s return to the here and now and all the positive shit that’s been happening in our lives.

Like, did I mention Jaynie and I got married this past weekend?

What? No?

Well, we did.

Jaynie and I exchanged our vows of devotion under the stars, on the cliff that remains our special place.

A reverend who’s a friend of Bill’s officiated the late evening ceremony. Josh was my best man, and Mandy was Jaynie’s matron of honor. Callie was our flower girl, and Cody, the ring bearer. Bill and Detective Silver came to the wedding, and Crick, sitting front and center, stood and spoke a few words, adding his own special flair.

All in all, our tiny wedding was perfect. And afterward we partied at the sandwich shop.

Man, I love married life. Though sometimes I can’t believe Jaynie is really my wife.

How did I ever get so lucky?

My cell beeps, interrupting my rambling thoughts.

Hey, it’s Jaynie, texting me, telling me she has something important to tell me…