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EPILOGUE

NINE MONTHS LATER

HALLIES FALLS

GAGE

“Anyone got an extra pair of gloves?” Cord asked, holding up a torn leather work glove in disgust We’d been clearing out debris fro, and while we hadn’t ress overall This was i into town next weekend to help us put up a new building Our goal was to raise the clubhouse in four days Totally doable, provided we did the right prep work in advance

“I’ve got soloves to the supply list The building hadn’t been covered by insurance, but we’d gotten a lot of support fro and our sweat equity, things were looking good Walking over to h as I searched for the gloves Like everything in Hallies Falls these days, the truck was filthy Noto everything

There were signs of life though, too

New grass poked through the barren landscape, and the other day I’d seen a deer and her fawn carefully picking their way down a hillside The sound of construction filled the air, and while we’d lost a huge chunk of the population, people were starting to come back and rebuild

My phone rang, and I pulled offit under my arm as I answered

Tinker

“Hey babe We’re getting good work done here—”

“It’s time”

I froze “What? But I thought we had a couple more weeks?”

“Apparently not,” she said, her voice full of excitement “Meetnow”

“Okay,” I said, feeling almost dizzy Fuck It was too early I still had sothe back bedroo I had to pull ht I’ive him a ride?”

“He’s withhappier than I’d ever heard her “I can’t tell who’s more excited, me or him”

“Drive safe,” I told her, but she’d already hung up Then I turned to look at Cord, who’d come to stand next to me, a puzzled expression on his face

“Everything okay?” he asked I nodded slowly, trying to think

“Yeah The baby’s co”

“Now? But don’t you have a couple—?”

“Apparently nobody explained that to the kid,” I told him “Stubborn already I’m so fucked”

Cord grinned at me, then slapped my back