Page 109 of When to Call a Blitz

“Yeah. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one like it, actually.”

The butterfly spreads its wings, fluttering them slowly, the tips tickling my skin. “It feels like a kiss from the universe,” I joke, but Emmett merely smiles. The beautiful butterfly opens her wings once more before taking off into the sunset. “You know what they symbolize?” I ask.

Emmett shakes his head.

“If I’m remembering right, it’s transformation and coming change. I’m not sure what that means for me, but I’m ready for it.” I sigh. The last few months have been great, but with changes to my job and my desire to start my freelance photography business, I’m not quite sure how what’s in store for me.

Emmett clears his throat. “Whatever it is, I know it’s going to be great.”

“I think so too.”

EPILOGUE

HEIDI

EIGHT YEARS LATER

The carrot cake is almost iced when there’s a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it!” Juniper calls, coming down the stairs. She has her face in her phone, barely watching where she’s going.

“I think it should be Briar and Leo,” I tell her, and sure enough, the second the door is open, Elara is whispering with Juniper, gossiping about the latest news at school. Or maybe it’s about the first date Juniper went on the other night.

“Make sure you guys are listening for when I call you for brunch!” I call after them, and they wave me off.

“I smell carrots,” Leo says, sniffing the air.

“Itiscarrot cake.”

He winces. “I’m not sure vegetables belong in cake, actually.”

“Leo shut up,” Briar mutters with an eye roll, pulling him into her.

“I’m just telling the truth!”

Emmett chooses now to come out from the new and improved garage, his smile widening as he sees his best friend.

“Are you giving my wife a hard time?” he asks with a laugh, embracing Leo before slapping him in the back of the head.

“I’m not giving anyone a hard time other than my wife,” he responds.

The men start talking loudly about what the team is doing these days.

Emmett retired a year ago after suffering an injury. He loves football so much, but he didn’t want to put his body through even more. It’s a tough sport, and a hard position to play with life-long consequences.

The day he sat me down and let me know he was ready to retire, I knew he meant it. The tears in his eyes told me everything I needed to know.

It’s hard to give up something you love. But it’s harder to admit when it’s time for you to go, and getting that first step over with was a giant leap.

Leo is still playing football, and he’s now considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league with four Super Bowl rings.

They didn’t win the year Emmett and I got together, which was a huge bummer. I remember how sad we all were after the game. The way Juniper asked her dad if Uncle Leo was going to be okay. The way Emmett let himself cry when he thought I was sleeping.

It was heartbreaking.

But two years later and they were back in the same spot, blowing out the opposing team in historical fashion.

There were two more after that.