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Epilogue - June 28 - Kevin

“Mason what else do you want to bring?” I asked calmly.

Mason sat in the middle of his bedroom, surveying his toys. He looked at me with his sweet innocent eyes and began to point. He watched as I packed all of his favorite things into his suitcase.

“Where we gooooin?” he asked for the hundredth time.

“We’re going to Florida. Daddy’s friend is getting married,” I explained with a smile.

“Is Addy coming?” Mason asked. Again.

“Yes, Addy’s coming,” I repeated.

“What about Santa?”

I shook my head.

“No, Santa’s going to stay here and make sure all of the horses get fed.”

“Can’t we take the horses?”

I smiled. “Nope, they have to stay here.”

I finished packing his toys and zipped up the duffel bag. Mason ran over and sat on my lap.

“Hey, speaking of Santa, you want to go for a visit?”

He looked up at me. His face was still red from the cherry Popsicle he had just eaten.

“Yup!” he said happily.

I loaded Mason in the car and took the short drive to the Selinski’s.

“Hey daddy?” Mason said from the backseat.

“What’s up buddy?”

“It’s almost my bird-day.”

I smiled. How could I forget? It was just hard to believe he was going to be four years old.

“I know that buddy.”

“Do I still get my bird-day in Florida?” Mason asked.

“Of course you do,” I said.

We had a busy itinerary ahead. Our flight left late the next day for Tampa. I figured we’d stay at the hotel, have dinner, and let Mason swim in the pool. The next day I was introducing Addy to Brian and Leighanne. The day after that was Nick’s bachelor party. July 2 was Nick and Olivia’s wedding.

On July 3, Mason’s birthday, I had plans to surprise Addy and Mason with a trip to Disney World. We’d head back to Tampa on July 4 for the fireworks display.

And that’s where I was proposing to Addy.

My palms began to sweat nervously just thinking about it. I had the ring packed safely in my suitcase and I had the whole scenario planned out in my head.

In the course of ten months, I have gone from a married father to a single father. I had lost the right to wake up every morning and see my son. I had met a girl I didn’t think I could stand and fallen in love with her. We had helped each other get through some of the most horrible times in our lives.

Now it was our turn to find happiness. As nervous as I was, I knew in my heart that she’d say yes. She had already agreed to go to Florida for the wedding. She was excited about getting an apartment with me when I recorded the next Backstreet album. She had even been asking questions about what it was like to be on tour.

As we pulled up to the house, I glanced in the rearview mirror at Mason. He was already pointing towards the barn. Abby was cleaning out stalls, her whole body strong and muscular. I laughed.

Blessings came in all different shapes and sizes, from tiny little Mason to beautiful Addy.

I knew that Addy’s heart would always be in Sadieville. In a way, so would mine. This was the place that allowed my heart to start beating again and my wounds to heal.

Some called it nowhere, but I knew different.

It would be the place that Addy and I married; it would be where I would raise Mason. And no matter where we went I would carry it in my heart.

Forever.