Uprooted (COMPLETED)

Epilogue

Sierra's POV:

I was sitting under the sun a little too long, but I couldn't help it. Autumn usually brought overlapping clouds and a gloomy gray sky. And when the scarlet leaves took flight, I would be surrounded by a red haze of Fall's sweet, chilling breath. But not today. Today the sun began with shafts of faltering light beneath thread-spun clouds and lingered until it kissed our home.

The tree reminded me constantly that no matter how much we may grow in different directions or how much we branch out from one another, we'll always return to our roots. The tree knotted its arms around the sky and its huge roots twisted around me. Its hoary fortress stood proudly and serenely despite that it was almost bare boughed and dripped its leaves to the ground. Its foliage wasn't thick and lush as it was before, but it held its majesty as a skeleton. The branched arch above my head was washed with a tender glow in the shade. Around me the tree skirted waves of autumn's crisp colored leaves.

Ross and Daisy were running in and out of the shady glades, screaming 'tag' over and over, and crushing the blades of grass that had grown freely on the clumpy, green mattress of the floor. Despite this, the peace of the morning remained the same.

Leaves flecked over the blanket of plush grass in a cunningly woven web of color that cushioned the sound of running footsteps around me. I watched a single golden leaf perform an elegant pirouette and spiral on top of the wind and spun in the air. As it settled on the ground it looked to be whisked away by the breeze's strong grip at any moment, but it stayed. Its delicate bronze animated slightly and out shined all the rusting colors around it. Finally the rustling and simpering wind calmed the gentle frolicking and I could smell yard's refreshingly aged perfume. It gave me comfort, reminding me of the yard at the Lynch's.

My fingers caressed the suede-soft flowers and the sun glinted kindly against the silver diamond secured on my finger. I closely watched Daisy chase after an orange butterfly. She shouted with glee, unable to grab at the insect because of her small hands and lack of coordination. It dipped away just in time from her grasp and floated away with wings that rippled like the tide.

My eyes batted closed, my flowing stream of consciousness drifted off to the sound of Daisy's orchestra of laughter. My favorite sound.

We entered the quaint home, only a few blocks from the Lynch's original home. The real estate agent was blabbing on about square footage, but I only really needed to see one place.

"So which room would you like to see first?" The real estate agent smiled at Ross and I. He knew exactly what I was thinking too when we had that same playful sparkle in our eyes.

"Ready?" Ross smirked, taking his hand in mine. The real estate agent just watched us, more confused than ever.

"Go!" We shouted in unison, bolting to the backyard, hand in hand with my heart beat and leaving that poor woman in the dust.

"Ross," I breathed, squeezing his hand with more force as we both stopped in our tracks to gaze up at the humongous tree in the middle of the yard.

"I know," He smiled, knowing exactly what I was thinking. "This is it."

I nodded, "And once we adopt Daisy, she can play over there," I pointed to an empty spot in the yard.

"Yes! And we can put some flowers in over there." He pointed to another spot, electrical excitement surging through our veins, "Oh! And there, right there, they'll be a slide for us to use when Daisy isn't looking."

I leaned over with a smile and kissed his cheek, "Exactly. This is it. This is our new home."

"Well, to quote a certain someone I know, I thought I was your home." He laughed, elbowing me slightly in my side.

"Always." I slowly set my head on his shoulder and held his hand tighter than ever.

When I awoke to the sound of the haunting melody of Ross and Daisy's voices I suddenly couldn't remember my dream, but soft silvers still lingered in my memory.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look what daddy did!" Daisy jumped up and down, tugging at my sweater.

I got up carefully and shielded my eyes for a moment as my body was flooded with gold light not granted in the shade. My heart was light and the tree had fell away from view as I climbed away from leaf and limb.

"Ross, what'd you do this time?" I teased as he looped his around my hip and nodded towards our daughter. Daisy was smelling the flowers and commenting on their scent, but I couldn't stop staring. My mouth gaped and my eyes welt up with tears.

There sat a bush of freshly planted roses and young daisies. The flowers' petals around the new plants had already curled brown slightly, covered by a few gold leaves. But looking at the new flowers truly showed the world unfolding into vivid colors and even the roses were alive. The roses and flowers would continue to grow and so would we.

I glanced down at my wrists only for a second to look at the resemblance of my rose tattoo for my mother and my daisy tattoo for my daughter. "Oh, baby!" I swung my arms around his neck and sniffed into his chest, placing grateful kisses on the fabric of his shirt. I couldn't believe how long it took me to figure out that he had planted something incredible in me and managed to be the only one to let the sunlight in.

In a wonderful riot of reds and gold, the air was set on fire. And when I finally risked a glance over his shoulder I watched my life in a freeze frame, my family together enhanced in the Fall light. And they really are my family, a little broken, sure, but I've never felt so put together.

Author's Note: Yay, I finished my second book ever! I'm so glad all of you stuck along here with me. Thanks so much for the 1k reads and kind rates/comments.

So what'd you guys think of this book? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Next book: Ultraviolet (I just redid the first chapter so go check it out)