A Second Chance - 16. Epilogue

Epilogue:

Charlie…

We completed the new buildings on the ranch, and under the skillful hands of Mike, we did well. He was a great asset to us. We are raising a few hundred head of Black Angus cattle and some wonderful Quarter Horses. The Lazy L was a working ranch at last. I always thought that someday, Mike and JC would be together, but JC was faithful to me always, he never once strayed. But there was something I knew that JC didn’t. Mike was still in love with him.

Well it would be nice to say we lived happily ever after. Well, we did, until I got into my late seventies. By then, I was pretty well out of the business of running the company, and JC was the driving force. I knew I would soon be leaving this world. I told JC that he should consider Mike as his life partner, and I told him how much Mike loved him. I also told him he was released from our commitment, but he refused. I thanked God for giving me a Second Chance at love.

JC…

As Charlie, my first true love left me, I told him, "Goodbye my love. Go to Uncle James, your Cowboy. He is waiting for you, and I will see you again one day." It was a great loss to me, when Charlie passed on. We had him cremated, and his ashes were scattered on top of Casper Mountain, with James’.

I was devastated. It took me months, before I was able to function. My love for Charlie was so great; I closed the door on Mike for a long time, even after Charlie had released me from our commitment and had passed on. David also died that year, like that mattered to me. I didn’t even attend his funeral. I had no father. He had disowned me when he found out what I was. I guess Charlie was not only my lover; he was my father, as well.

Mike and I became life partners, a year after Charlie’s death. The night of our commitment, we were sitting on the porch, looking up at the mountain. There were two wispy clouds there. We would swear that we saw both James' and Charlie's faces in them, and we both felt the wind rustle our hair and we heard them, taking turns, softly telling us that we would be all right. We both knew that they were together at last. Mike didn’t want to be a partner in the company. He was completely happy, working the ranch, and being the love of my life.

We still have the two planes, and they will always be called “Cowboy” and “Buckaroo.” The company name is, and will always be, Lambert, Lambert & Andersen Investments, Inc.

We both are doing well, and life goes on....

From above…

James and Charlie watch the two young men sharing their lives together. With a pair of guardian angels watching over them, how can they go astray? So all four of them have A Second Chance!