EPILOGUE

"Well, uncle Jimmy isn't police anymore. He left there and took a job as something called an investigator for an insurance company. I don't know what that is, but he says it's a lot like being police . He still does detective stuff, but it's not like what you and him did before. I wish you were still here so he could explain it. And so you could see that uncle Jimmy and aunt Erin finally got married. I live with them now."

Standing before his mother's grave, Tanner shuffled his feet and looked around.

"I miss you, mom. But at least daddy's not alone anymore. You two are together, again. So, I'm happy about that. Oh yeah, remember when you said uncle Jimmy couldn't take care of a goldfish? Well, he has a big black cat named Mr. Purdles. He's not like other cats, he's really nice. And uncle Marcus has been taking me fishing on weekends. He still hangs out with uncle Jimmy. And, I'm doing good in school, too, because I want you to be proud of me."

Tanner looked across the grass and saw his uncle Jimmy leaning against the car. He was holding Erin in his arms and both of them were looking back at Tanner and smiling.

"Well, mom, that's about all there is for now. We're going to have pizza tonight. So, I want to go eat. I miss you and wish you were still here. I'll come back soon, I promise. Bye, mommy."

Tanner turned and started walking toward Jimmy and Erin. As he approached, they both hugged him.

Erin asked him, "Did you have a good talk, buddy?"

"Yeah, it was okay. I told her that you guys adopted me. I think she would like that."

"I think so, too," Erin said with a smile.

"Can we come back here soon," Tanner asked. "I promised that I would come back and see her soon."

"You got it, buddy," Jimmy said. "We'll come back anytime you want to."

"And are we still having pizza tonight?"

"Oh yeah," Jimmy said. "With peanut butter and anchovies!"

"Ewwwwwwww, gross," Tanner exclaimed.

"Hey, I thought you liked peanut butter," Jimmy said in a shocked tone.

"Not on my pizza," Tanner said through his giggles.

"But you're okay with the anchovies, right?"

"Noooooooo," Tanner said, still giggling.

Erin turned to face the backseat and asked, "How about an extra cheese pizza?"

"Oh, yeah," Tanner said. "Now that's the good stuff."

- FINIS -