The Guarded One ✔

Epilogue

2021

Laura's p.o.v

Jason and I stood in the maternity ward's waiting room with Ned and his girlfriend Andi.

I clear my throat. "You're going to miss your flight, Jason" I remind him, "say goodbye to Sam and Evangeline and the baby then call the uber"

"Okay, mum" Jason mocks me before entering Evangeline's room, leaving me with Ned and Andi.

"How is your family?" I ask him, "I heard about Gina, I'm sorry for your loss"

Ned furrows his brows in confusion "thank you...She was like a mother to me..."

I nod "I was at the funeral, stayed at the back...I should have spoken to you or Chris..."

"Y—you were at the funeral?" His blinks just as Jason comes out of the room.

"Bye guys" Jason waves at Ned and Andi before kissing my cheek, "I'll call you later"

With that, he vanishes in the distance.

New still stands stunned while his girlfriend kisses his lips quickly, "I have to get up early for work, I'll call you when I get home"

And she too leaves, leaving Ned and me alone.

He has grown so much since I first met him.

"How did you know Gina?" Ned asks.

"Before she was your nanny, she was mine" I admit, "my father was a busy lawyer and my mother a night nurse...Gina lived with us for a while...She taught me and Evangeline's mum Spanish...Evangeline's Aunt Gabbie was friends with my sister and your mother...When Gabbie got married, your parents were at the wedding and so was Gina...that's when she become an addition to your family"

"You can come back in" the midwife calls us.

I enter the room with Ned behind me.

"What?" Ned's voice goes quiet and cold before looking over to Evangeline, "did you know this?"

I lower my voice. "Oh, you don't know the half of it..."

"Know what?" Evangeline smiles warmly in our direction, holding her baby in her arms.

"Gina was your mum's nanny" Ned explains simply.

"Who?" Evangeline blinks.

"Abuelita Tita," I tell her.

"Who that old Spanish lady at mum's funeral?"

"Abuelita Tita?" Ned raises his brows, "wait, you're that lawyer?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam asks Ned.

"When I was a kid, my dad threw some lavish party...First one after my mum left...and there was this lawyer there who called my Gina Abuelita Tita..."

"So?" Evangeline asked, "what's the big deal"

"She made my Gina cry" he folds his arms, "What did you say to her?"

"Ned, it was twenty years ago—" Sam rolls his eyes.

"I told her that Isabel had an affair with Johnathan...Caroline's husband" I clench my jaw.

They all pause.

"Oh no," Sam takes a seat, taking the baby from Evangeline.

"My dad slept with Ned's mum?" Evangeline blinks in confusion.

"...And conceived a child" I announce, "a little girl who looked so much like Caroline's babies...I had to meet her just once"

"Oh my God" Evangeline gasps.

"What" Ned widens his eyes. "My dad said that he thought it was, he thought I wasn't his...but it was Elise?"

"She was my sister?" Evangeline raises her brows. "I dated her boyfriend! You let me date her boyfriend?"

"Who else knows?" Ned asks.

I clear my throat "well uh...Rafferty Marcus and Jason..."

"Raff knew?" Ned cries.

"So did Jason?" Evangeline widens her eyes.

Sam raises his hand.

I furrow my brows. "You knew?"

"Sam!" Evangeline cries.

"Chris uh told me"

"Chris?"

"How does he know?" I ask.

Sam shrugs "he told me while I was in juvy...after Elise died, he came to see me"

Evangeline clenches her jaw "and you didn't think to tell me?"

"I wanted to...but I promised Chris..."

"Oh God" Evangeline looks down at the child.

"I'm sorry to put all this on you now" I sigh.

Ned shakes his head violently before pulling out his cell phone. "No! We finish this now"

"What is he doing?" I widen my eyes.

"Chris! Hey, asshole, your cover is blown" Ned screams before pulling his phone away from his ear and directing it at the rest of us.

"What are you talking about now?"

"I'm with Eva and Sammy and the weird aunt and we all know that Eva and Elise have the same father" Ned cries, "Eva and I know that you knew and told Sammy years ago!"

"Shit, uhh" we hear his footsteps. "Look...I...Fuck...I..."

"You never told me" Evangeline sobs.

"Crap, Eva?" He sighs. "Crap..."

*
*
*

When I arrive at the cemetery, I place down a dozen roses at Caroline's grave.

I take a step back, sliding my hands into the pockets of my coat.

Her picture is displayed in the centre of the tombstone. She looks so damn happy in that picture. Her blond hair long and curled, her blues eyes are happy.

"You're a grandma now, Care..." I sigh, "Evangeline named him after mum, you know...Sterling...God, I miss you so much, Caroline...We all do...You told me that we'd always be together for the big moments in our lives..." my voice cracks, allowing tears to run down my cheeks, "you didn't have to leave us, you know...I could have helped you get better...I'm sorry, I couldn't save you...Or Trisha...But I'm trying over here, I'm trying so fucking hard to protect them from the legacy you left behind...Maybe I couldn't save you, but I think I've managed to save them..." I wipe away my tears, "I love you, Care...Descansa en paz mi hermana"

With that, I turn around and slowly walk away from her grave.