Chasing Freedom {Book 3: Chasing Butterflies}

Chapter 30: Hopes

Hey guys! I know, I know. It's been a couple days. But I still think seven chapters in ten days is pretty impressive. This is probably the last chapter I'll get finished before we move this weekend, so I hope you all enjoy it. I have at a minimum three more chapters for this story (maybe four, depending on how I feel about writing some more really sappy chapters lol). It'll be all over soon, and in some ways I am happy about it. Anyways... I'll save my emotions for the last author's note. I hope you all like this chapter. :)

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"You pray all their lives that someday they will find happiness. Then they do." ~Then They Do, Trace Adkins

          And it was just the beginning.

            A year and a half had passed since that fateful day on the beach, and every day had brought her another adventure with Artemis. Every day had made her love him even more and the little family they had created. Nothing made her happier than seeing Artemis and Scorpius spending time together. Her son was just over two and half years old now, and it was scary how quickly he was growing up. Artemis had taken him out for the day with his father and brothers, leaving Audrey at the manor with his mother, Angeline, for a rare girls' day.

            The two of them were enjoying a strangely warm and dry day for Ireland outside in the garden, seated at a small table nested between some of the flowers. Both had a book in their hands, and had been reading for quite some time. It had been a while since Audrey had found time to read a book other than a children's book, and it was incredibly refreshing.

            Audrey's reading was interrupted when she heard Angeline sigh. She looked up to see her boyfriend's mother setting her book down on the table that was between them. Angeline caught her gaze, and spoke.

            "Is it okay if I talk to you about some things?" she asked.

            Audrey nodded, unsure of where this was going. She placed a bookmark in her book and sat it down. "Of course you can," she responded. "What's on your mind?"

            "Well, it's about Artemis," the older woman started.

            Audrey frowned slightly, definitely confused now. "Alright... what is it?"

            "You don't have to sound so unsure, love," Angeline promised, pushing some of her hair back with her fingers. "All I have to say is positive, and I've been wanting to talk to you about it for some time now. Just haven't had the time until now."

            That made Audrey feel a little better, but she was still anxious about what it was. She hadn't had many heart-to-heart conversations with Angeline, surely not as many as she had had with Narcissa, who was off visiting family somewhere. Audrey took a deep breath, preparing herself for whatever it was that she was going to say.

            "Well... mostly, I want to thank you," Angeline began.

            "For what exactly?" Audrey asked, confusion still apparent.

            "Before you came into Artemis' life, he was so... glum, and I was afraid he was going to be like that for the rest of his life," she explained. "Ever since the incident, he hadn't been himself. My son was always intelligent and motivated to be the best in everything he did... and that all changed. He had these episodes of depression, and he seemingly had given up all his academic and career-focused endeavors." She paused for a moment. "And then Draco started coming around, and with that, so did you. Of course, then I would've never imagined you would end up romantically involved with Artemis. But it was around then I started to see some of the Artemis I knew come back. This is the first time in his entire twenty-one years that he has been truly happy, and it's all thanks to you."