Epilogue

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Naomi Williams

Six and a Half Years Later

"Are you guys on your way?" I scoffed at Griffin's voice. Natalie looked over at me and chuckled, clicking her tongue. "Griffin, does it look like we even made it out of the house yet?" I slammed the refrigerator door closed, the fresh coloring pages hanging on by a meer magnet.

"Get in the car! Don't forget the passes!" He lectured her through facetime. I watched as Natalie stressed herself out. I bit my lip, walking over to her watching her say her goodbyes and hitting the red end button.

I frowned as my eyes traced over her under-eye dark circles.

"I'm going to lose my mind." She muttered as I cracked a smile. "Nope you're not going to do that, I won't let you." I back her up as she packs up the kit she was pumping with.

Bottles littered the countertops.

"You know— you could just tell her to be a big girl. She's eight now, Natalie. And you have a newborn." She stands up from the table. "I can't just tell Chandler to grow up because she has a brother. She's old enough now, she will think that I love him more!" I let out a loud laugh.

Natalie Reagan.

One of the many mommy friends that I had in my life. However, the only difference between me and the other mommies was that I only had one. Do I wish I had more than one?

Yes.

It was early in the morning, too early for the kids but they would have to fucking deal with it.

"Just give Cooper a friend? Chandler has a bestie," She bats her eyelashes at me. I furrow my eyebrows, shaking my head. "You gotta take that one up with the boss, he wants to wait." She gave me a look of Ludacris.

"Wait? Mattison Williams wants to wait to have another baby? That's why you haven't been knocked up again? Have you seen that man with your child?" She tries to speak quietly, but towards the end, her voice goes up an octave.

It was early and the kids were awake— however, we didn't want to summon them.

I shrug, "He's a psycho. He thinks that if he has a kid every so many year he can dedicate his time to them. But if you asked me–" I cut myself off as I leaned towards Natalie. "Every five to eight years there is a good chance the football roster gets recycled." She snorts.

At least that was what Uncle Bud and Aunt Helen's theory was.

"Building a team?" She teases as I nod.

"Apparently. However, he just wants to wait a little bit longer. I'm not in a rush though— you look exhausted and I definitely don't miss looking like that." She gives me a flustered look.

"He didn't let you lift a nipple, Naomi! It was like he was the mommy!" I chuckled at her accusations. I winked at her, taking a sip of my organic orange juice.

"Yeah, but look at where that has got us now! She absolutely despises me because I'm not him! It's a whole 360!" I whisper out the words.

The tiny ears would pick up any noise–even a pin dropping.

My six-year-old was a walking, living, breathing demon.

This all being caused by her three biggest fans.

Grandpa Bud.

Uncle B.

And Daddy.

"Oh shush, that little angel doesn't hate you. But, if you were to have another baby–there is no way she would share Mattison." I nod, placing my hands flat on the granite countertops.

"Damn straight," She chuckles at my agreement.

Her phone let out rapid vibrations and she glanced at the screen. She let out a sigh, "The boys are losing their fucking minds that we haven't left the house yet." I shrug. "Let them lose it— they were fucking late to my wedding. All of them." I seethed as she smirked at me, typing back on her screen.

"You thought he was leaving you that day, you remember that?" She let out a round of laughter, placing the phone down.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my legs over each other. "Well, I fucking walked down the aisle and he wasn't at the altar!" I argued as her laughter got louder.

And that's when we knew we made a mistake.

"Mommy!" My eyes shot open wide at the terrifying toddler screams. Natalie looked at my reaction and chuckled, curling over in laughter. I glared as I heard the heavy footsteps pounding on the hardwood floor.

"Mommy!" Her screeching got louder as I bit my lip. "In the kitchen!" I called back to the nightmare.

Natalie shook her head but stopped when she heard the second set of tiny footsteps.

That's when I turned to look at Natalie and flipped her off. She got too cocky too soon.

Chandler Alora Johnson was the cutest six-year-old. She had a heart of good, curly dark hair, tan skin, and bright eyes. There wasn't anything she couldn't pair with a matching bow in her hair.

"Mommy! Chan stole my freaking doll!" My hand slapped over my mouth in embarrassment as my child spewed out her foul language. My head snapped to the doorway as my dark-haired, blue-eyed nightmare stormed in.

"Stella! You can't say that word!" I lectured as she stormed over to me before climbing on the chair next to me. Her adult small blue football jersey met at her ankles as she climbed up to the table, slapping her hands on the countertops.

"Yeah? Well, Uncle B says it all the time!" She teases. I rolled my eyes, "Just because Uncle Blake says it doesn't mean it's okay for you to say it." I argued with her as Chandler skipped into the room.

My child's blue eyes were like laser beams on the other child.

I cleared my throat as a warning.

She wasn't going to attack another kid.

"Well Uncle Blakey is a very powerful man so I think that it's okay to freaking say freaking." She teased as Natalie nearly spit out her water in laughter.

I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Estella. Enough." I lecture as she bats her eyelashes at me before blowing me a kiss. "Love you, girlfriend." She winks at me as I shake my head.

She was all Matti's.

I watched as Chandler climbed into Natalie's lap to sit, looking at her mom in adoration. I watched in envy.

My daughter couldn't go two feet near me without being mean. She did have her nice moments, but she was young and still was learning to be kind. She had a relationship with Matti the way that I wished I had one with her.

I hoped one day we would be as close as Natalie and Chandler were.

But deep down, I knew she loved me. Her personality was too much. She wasn't a spoiled brat—she was just a brat. She did have loads of things that would make her seem spoiled, but she wasn't.

She was just a mini Mattison.

But in girl form.

However, she looked nothing like Matti aside from the eyes.

She was tiny.

Long hair to her hips, straight dark brown hair.

Thick eyelashes and eyebrows, loads of freckles, and pale skin.

The only thing she had inherited from Matti; her eyes, her smile, and she had dimples at the bottom of her back.

She did have a heart of gold.

She was just a brat.

"Can I call daddy?" She asks as I shake my head. "No. Daddy is busy right now," She stuck out her bottom lip.

And here they came.

The biggest thing she inherited from me; the ugly crying face.

As she burst into hysterics, I watched as Chandler looked over her best friend before shushing her. Natalie looked down at her in amazement. However, Stella didn't get any quieter—she got louder.

And Chandler's shushing got louder.

But Chandler was kind, prim, and proper.

"Stop freaking shushing me! I'm angry!" Stella's face turned red as Chandler's eyebrows shot up. "Well, it's my breakfast time! And you're interrupting it! This is supposed to be my time with mommy and not with my brother and you'll wake him up if you don't be quiet!" Chandler whispered out her words.

Stella glared at the other six year old and before she could jump counter to her, I collected her tiny body in my arms. I shushed her as she tried to climb out of my already outstretched arms.

"Stella James! Quit that!" I lectured her as I carried her towards the stairs of the house that belonged to my best friend.

The stairs that were too familiar to even begin to comprehend why I let my child roam these hallways when I knew what went down in them.

I walked into Matti and I's room that was connected to Stella's. Stella was out of my arms before I could even tell her to slow down. I walked over to the mirror, picking up my brush and running it through my hair before placing it to the side.

"Mommy!" I heard Stella call my name from her room, I followed her calls.

I walked into the temporary room, mentally shaking my head at the sight of the many new Penn State clothed stuffed animals.

She stood on her tiny princess stool struggling to get on her necklace.

"You gonna just stand there or help me?" She sassed as I chuckled giving her a look. She batted her eyelashes, "Please, mommy." I walked over to her, gripped the chain, and clipped it in the back. I looked at the pretty six-year-old in the mirror, she moved the locket to the left of her instead of in the middle.

"Stell, it goes in the middle," I suggested as she glared, huffing out air. "You and daddy always say this! But Mimi will be closer to my heart if she goes this way!" She rushed out her theory as I looked at her with sympathy.

I brushed the hair out of her face with my fingers before kissing her cheek, hugging the sad little girl.

"Mimi will always be with you, Stell," I reassure her as her bottom lip starts to quiver again with her chin.

To say she was taking Mimi's passing rough, was an understatement.

I took it horribly. It hurt the entire family. Matti took a week off playoffs, I took a week off work, and Stella would cry herself to sleep, sleeping in one of Mimi's beds laid around the house.

Mimi passed away almost three years ago.

Funnily enough, on my mother's death day.

Stella and Mimi were instant best friends—instant. They ate every meal together, and not to mention the fact that Mimi would go on walks with Stell. Mimi had a diamond harness, collar, and matching leash.

"I want to talk to daddy," She hiccuped as I frowned, crouching down.

"But I'm here," I recalled as she shook her head.

"No— I want daddy." I narrowed my eyes. "Stella, he's busy right now. You'll see him in a couple of hours. Can we wait?" I begged as she huffed, shoulders slacking, and her belly protruded.

"I guess," She moaned out as she pushed my arms off of her. She grabbed her tiara from her dresser before placing it perfectly on her thick head of hair. She stepped off of the stool before walking over to her tiny table, sitting with the Penn State apparel-dressed animals.

She quickly distributed teacups, placing imaginary tea inside of them.

She sat in her seat and nodded.

She picked up the cup, making a toast. "Pinkies up, bitches." She proclaimed as she pretended to drink the tea.

My mouth dropped open before walking out of her bedroom door.

What happens in her bedroom, is her bedroom. I'm not going to punish her for something that happened in her sanctuary.

But I was going to kill my friends and husband for teaching her this language.

"Naomi! We gotta go!" Natalie called from downstairs. "Okay!" I called back as I heard the eight-year-old stumble out of her room. Her Nittany Lion in her left arm as she ran downstairs, blowing smoke past me.

I followed suit behind her, I had already packed everything to go to the stadium.

I watched as Natalie placed Cooper in his car carrier, her diaper bag right next to her. "Thank god for press box suites or I would never." She comments as I chuckle.

"Do you need me to carry anything?" I ask as she shakes her head. "No, let's just load everyone in the car." I salute her orders before grabbing the bag I packed filled with organic juice boxes, metal straws, bandaids, coloring books, crayons—everything you needed I had.

We rushed out to the newest car of Natalie's vehicle family.

The Cadillac Escalade.

I opened the black SUV'S door as my kid groaned. "Does this thing have a DVD Player? I don't wanna listen to the baby whine." I flicked the back of her head as she climbed into the seat.

"No, and—" She cut off my lecture before holding her hand up to stop me. "Yes, mommy. I understand, I sound like a brat. I shall be thankful for this lovely car. I could be poor like you were," She hugged me as I heard Natalie let out a loud screech of laughter.

"Damn Stella, who taught you to apologize like that?" Natalie teased as Stella smiled.

"Uncle Blake, he called it a backhanded apology." I nodded with a smile.

As much as Blake didn't want me to have her— we all knew that Stella would have him wrapped around her tiny finger.

And it was true.

She went to work with Blake on some days, well virtually. They had tea together through FaceTime—he loved her so much her name was tattooed on his body.

However, her GodParents were Natalie and Griffin.

They were the only stable ones to get the job done.

"We'll work on them? Okay?" I asked, my voice holding so much promise.

She nodded, a smile on her face.

"Love you, mommy," She kissed my cheek as I nodded. "Love you too, now get in and buckle up. We have to go." She nodded before climbing all over the seats.

I heard Chandler sigh, "This is a new car and she just climbed all over it, Aunt NJ!" She lectured me. However, before I could answer Natalie cleared her throat.

"Naomi—your kid is a bad influence on mine." I shrugged.

"Yeah, her attitude is bad. It's because of Mimi's anniversary and Matti isn't home since football is in season." Chan climbs in, making sure to not touch anywhere that Estella's shoes had touched.

Stella and Matti were two peas in a pod.

He was so gentle and attentive to her— it was almost like college Matti didn't exist. Father Matti was a whole new breed.

They did everything together, and to my surprise, Matti spent more time with her than he did with football in the beginning.

This is exactly why I'm not her favorite person because she would rather have Matti.

She wasn't always an angry mean child, she just missed her father who had temporarily been spending his time more focused on his football career rather than his love child.

Natalie proceeded to buckle in the car seat as I opened the passenger door, climbing in. Natalie arrived in the driver's seat a few moments later. We drove down the familiar avenue before pulling into the VIP parking.

After flashing our badges, finding a parking spot, putting a cranky baby into a stroller, and collecting two children— we were on our way up to the press box suite.

Before we could even open the door, it was opened for us.

"Grandma!" Stella screamed, dropping her stuffed animal on the ground. I quickly caught it before it got too dirty for me to not allow her to touch it.

"Estella!" Aunt Helen squealed, hugging her back.

We entered the fancy suite which had snacks covering the room. Bottles of alcohol and water laid in fresh ice. The back of the room was a wall of windows. The view was over the top of the familiar stadium.

"Where's grandpa?" Stella asked as Helen chuckled. She grabbed Stella's hand before walking her over, pointing to the field. "Look, he's there. And Penny is down there too!" Helen pointed out her favorite person on the earth to her as she squealed.

I stepped back from the two of them and let them both enjoy their time together. It wasn't often that she was able to see her family because of the difference in locations.

Natalie disappeared from the room, Chandler sat at the bartop eating grapes. I assumed that Nat had taken Cooper with her since the stroller was gone. I strolled over to Chan.

She gave me a tiny wave, her blue bow matching her Penn State cheer uniform.

"Hi," She greeted me as I nodded. "How do you like Happy Valley?" I asked as she smiled. "I love it! Did you meet mommy and daddy and Stella's daddy here?" She asked in excitement.

I nodded as she cheered.

I pointed to her uniform. "You want to cheer here one day?" I ask as she shrugs. "I don't know," She states, bummed out as I frown. "Why? You'd make an excellent college cheerleader! You look awesome at all of your dance and cheer practices now!" I try to urge the little girl.

She swallows another mouthful of grapes before nodding. "Chan and Stella are a packaged deal. If she doesn't want to cheer here— I'm not going to cheer." I furrow my eyebrows.

"That's a while away, hopefully, we try to convince her to cheer by then." She shakes her head at my wishful thinking. But deep down, I knew that would never happen.

Estella James couldn't walk without falling and more importantly, Estella James would rather throw the pigskin than cheer for boys filled with cooties.

"Yeah! Take that sac!" My eyes flew to my child who was screaming down the field from the glass windows. Aunt Helen sat back, watching in adoration at the tiny kid.

"Flag! A freaking flag!" I placed my head in my hands as I heard Chan chuckle.

"Estella! We don't say that word." I heard Aunt Helen lectured. Instead of Helen receiving the same backtalk that I did, Stell bats her lashes. "I'm sorry grandma. Mommy told me it was okay," My mouth dropped open as Helen turned to face me in shock–her face showing utter judgment of my parenting.

I shook my head in denial as Helen stood up from her chair walking over to me. Her steps are now becoming slower. It was sad watching everyone grow old.

"Naomi Jade," She sang my name wrapping me in a hug, placing a kiss on my temple. "Oh what? Now you want to pay attention to me?" I tease as she chuckles. "I was loving on my babies baby, calm down." I snort at her answer.

"Games over! We won that shiznit!" Chan hops off the chair to go cheer on a win with her best friend.

Football has consumed everyone's lives more than what I would like at this point.

"Where's the other girls?" Helen asked as I shrugged. "They'll be here soon I'm guessing. I talked to Sloane and Finn earlier today. I bet Ellie is somewhere around here," She hummed as I reached for my bag.

"Okay. So when am I going to get another baby?" I blow air out between my lips from her bold question as she looks at me for an awaiting answer. "Well?" She continues to hound as I shrug.

"I'm ready to roll, Matti isn't. We're a team." I remember as she shakes her head. "You need to baby trap." My mouth drops at her words. "No!" I responded in shock.

"Why? He's already your

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