Extended Epilogue

REX

Ten Years Later

“Psst. Daddy.” A tiny voice beckons me out of my sleep. The shaking from the tiny hand that belongs to that tiny voice is a lot stronger than I remember.

One eye cracks open to see college football playing on the TV. I turn over to look at the play area just outside the den to see an insane amount of toys on the floor, but most importantly, Raina’s markers are scattered about.

Fuck.

“What did you do, Rock?” I ask, Raquel, our seven-year-old who’s hellbent on getting me off the sofa.

“Nothing, Daddy. Swear it. But the babies–” Her voice trails off while I sit up and wish for my wife to come home so I can get a decent nap.

My feet swing over the edge of the couch, anchoring me to the light hardwood floors that cover the entire first floor of our sprawling home just outside of Colwood. I hated to give up my old house, but after Raina got pregnant with Riley, our five-year-old, it was time to get something bigger.

We’re still on the same property but further back from