Fate and Destiny (31 page)

Doug grinned as Nancy found
her way through the crowd to stand next to him, her arm slipping
around his waist. Betsy smiled at the joy shining from both of
them.

“
Mom. I’m fine. I’ve told
you over and over. Matt’s told you. The doctor told you. I’m really
fine. No. I’m better than fine. I’m absolutely
wonderful.”

Destiny turned to see
Andrew watching her over his mother’s head as she hugged him yet
again. His arm around her shoulder, Andrew walked his mother around
the car so she could pour her love over Destiny again. After that
round of hugging, Matt took his turn embracing Destiny, Doreen
quickly following suit, chattering the whole time. Destiny lost
count and track of who hugged her. Andrew kept one arm on her the
entire time until his grandmother finally called everyone off,
steering them all to the house for dinner.

The talk around the table
retold the story repeatedly. Matt raced to save Andrew and Destiny,
only to discover Charles already dead when he got there. Doreen and
Doug sitting in the Bronco, watching as a flurry of police activity
surrounded the scene. All charges against Destiny were dropped once
the Vegas authorities received Sammy’s acquired information and
became aware of Charles showing up on Millers Mountain. Listening
to the story being told again, Andrew and Destiny drifted into
their own little world. Andrew leaned over to speak in her ear so
she could hear him over the din of the people filling the
house.

“
I hope you like
California.”

Giggling, she talked into
his ear.

“
It will do for now, but I
want to live here. In the cabin.”

Andrew was surprised. He
hadn’t thought of living in the cabin as a home. He put his lips
back to her ear.“It’s too small. We would be crawling all over each
other all the time. You would get tired of me. We could live in
Vegas. You are responsible for a casino now. You don’t want to be
there?”

She shook her
head.

“
Nope. Here is where we
both belong. There is nothing for me in Vegas. Management runs the
casino very well. I trust them. Besides. I’m wealthy now. We can
live anywhere we want to. You don’t have to go to work. You can do
something else that would make your grandfather proud. Although I’m
positive he would be proud of you no matter what you
did.”

Confused, Andrew drew her
ear again.

“
What else can I do?
Following in my grandfathers footsteps is the only thing I have
ever done.”

Destiny graced him with a
brilliant smile. Her eyes shining, matching the love that welled
within him also.

“
We will live here and
build onto the cabin. Make it bigger and fill it with children who
will continue the legacy of all of your family. There is nothing
more important in this world than that.”

Andrew kissed her, drawing
cheers from the house full of people. Sitting back in her chair,
Andrew’s arm securely around her shoulders, Destiny listened to the
endless noise of the large family and smiled. All of the tragedies
in her life had led her to this time and place. Finally, after so
much heartbreak, fate smiled upon her, revealing her
destiny. 

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