The rest of my former pack didn't have much to say in the years that followed Mother's death, and Father admitted he didn't want to run a pack again. Since he was now making great strides in his rehabilitation, Jethro offered him a place in the Misfits, and, fifteen years after being sentenced, Father was released into his custody.
He began making himself useful around the house, and when we took him to the forest for the first time, he was in awe of the place and its denizens. Xavier, who was now a teenager, often took his grandfather on long walks, and I was pleased to see they got along so well. I'd been a bit worried Father's rehabilitation had been an act just so he could get close to my son, but as it turned out, his relationship with Xavier helped heal him in ways none of us could have imagined, and Adam decided to bury the hatchet and offer Father forgiveness, which was gratefully accepted. 176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDxahTGlka
I also found it in me to let go the last of my lingering worries, and I was beyond pleased to finally have a father who actually gave a damn about me. I did sometimes wonder about my birth father, but figured there had to be a good reason why he'd never tried to claim me. In the end, it didn't matter; I had a father, and he was proving to be a truly wonderful addition to my life.
Time passed, and Xavier married his betrothed, Georgia, who gave him twin sons the following year. They were named James and Stefan, after my father and Jethro's father respectively, and this brought the both of them to tears. Father was moved he had a namesake, and Jethro admitted he was glad to see his father's name would be carried by someone who wouldn't cruel to him like his father had been.
James and Stefan grew into thoughtful, caring men, and in time, they married and had children of their own. Father got to hold his great-great-granddaughter - named Mary, after his mother - before passing away two days after her birth. I was much more saddened over his death than I had been over Mother's, and we all mourned his loss. He'd proven his mettle in the end, and I was glad I'd gotten to know him properly, without Mother's shade getting in the way. 176Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRd4R9rG7dj
As for Jethro and myself, we were happy, and we were beyond pleased to see our family grow and expand over the years, welcoming each addition as each child grew up and had children of their own. Being a witch and a dwarf respectively, we could live on as long as we wished, and I counted it a great pleasure to run and play with my many-times-great-grandchildren, never once being slowed down by age or infirmity. And Jethro never tired of playing hide and seek with the latest youngsters, who declared him the best grandpa ever, even if he was a bit old, which made him laugh heartily and tickle the author of such savage comments against his person, making the victim shriek with laughter.
Life had never looked sweeter, and since I could cross the Wheel any time I wished, I had no fear of dying. And so long as the family wanted me around, I was happy to stay. My long years gave me plenty of advice to pass on to each new generation, and they, in turn, passed it down to their children and grandchildren, and so on. I'd made a vow at Mother's death to never let bitterness take hold of me, and in after years, when Jethro and I finally crossed the Wheel together one sunny morning, I often lingered on the wind, listening in delight as my name was praised. I'd never expected to get as far as I had, and to hear a new generation declare me as wise was a true blessing. Jethro often teased me for having a swollen head, and our playful fights often sparked off small wind devils, or brief bursts of rain, which made our descendants start, before laughing when they realised their grandparents were getting up to mischief from the other side of the veil.
And it was all I could ever have asked for.
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