The Nightmare Has Only Begun

Epilogue

Two Years Later...

(Jonhathan)

Sometimes you realize in life past the stubbornness is forgiving people in the end not matter how horrible what they did to you is needed. The internal scars they left behind will stay but it doesn't have to mean you can't move on. You don't  have to live in the past with the present passing you by.

There is a world out there, a life to live and so many more opportunies to explore than sulking alone. I realized it once I forgave everyone in the process. Because the anger built up from within I held against everything and everyone did nothing to benefit me. Grudges against family and someone I thought loved me and I loved him didn't help. I needed to let go of the past to live my life to the fullest. I had to forgive everyone. I had to forgive myself in order to be okay again and that is exactly what I did.

I can breathe without worry. I don't feel trapped in a spiral of lies and misery. I'm living my life that isn't confined in an attic or a house with restrictions on going out. I can go out on my free will and I don't have to be scared of getting someone mad. I don't have to think I did something wrong and I derserved the punishment. I can live out in the world surrounded by family that cares about me. And unlike ever before I can be happy for the first time.

I slow down walking at the sight of Jayden's school, the same school I attended for elementry school. Kids are rushing out of the main doors and down the steps after school and it doesn't take long for me to see him walking out with a friend of his.

"There's Jayden!" Vivian yells excited to see her brother off school while pulling my hand with all her weight.

"Someone is excited to see her brother."

"Uh huh." she says with a big smile before I turn back in the direction of the school where Jayden is.

He has a smile on his face talking about something I can't quite hear while I wait for him to see me instead. His smile only makes my smile widen at the sight of his happiness on full display.

He's already eight and I can't believe it. He's growing up fast and I wish he wasn't but I guess that's how life is. Days don't slow down and neither do the years passing by.

Thinking back I didn't picture myself with this life. I didn't consider having kids but I'm happy I have them. I wouldn't trade him or Vivian for anything in the world. They're my life, my reason to live and everything in between. I don't know where I would be without them.

"How was school?" I ask as he approaches Vivian and I parting ways with his friend.

"Good." he smiles as Vivian slips her small hand out of mine and rushes to her older brother to give him a hug.

"I missed you." she tells him lonely and bored without Jayden to play with her at home.

"I missed you too Vivian." he replies and I can't be more happy to know they have each other.

Jayden loves his little sister and is glad not to be an only child since she was born. All he has wanted to do is protect her. Be her older brother and be close despite the gap in their age. They're both happy.

That's all I wanted is for the both of them to be safe and not let anything happen to them. I want them to be happy and I know if I had never seen my mom at the grocery store they wouldn't be. I wouldn't be happy in life without Jared because I truly don't need him. He hurt me but he can't anymore. He won't affect my life and keep me inside afraid of him. He's where he belongs behind bars after everything he's done. I'm better without him and so are the kids we share together.

I may not be in love, be in a relationship but I haven't needed or wanted to. I've been happy without anyone in my life besides family that's there for me. Rushing in to be with someone is the last thing on my mind even though Chris tried to ask a while ago about getting into a relationship after that not so pleasant house visit when I first arrived at my parent's house.

It wasn't the right time even if I did forgive him for the bullying when we were in school by his friends and himself. I need time to be by myself and keep him as a friend nothing else. Family and friends is everything I need while I raise Jayden and Vivian.

I'm not living in a nightmare anymore.

***~ Thank you for reading until the end, commenting or voting. It makes me happy that people continue to enjoy what I write. I did plan to have one more point of view in Jared's before ending it but my plans changed. I thought it would be perfect to end it this way but I do have two sequels I am planning on writing. 'Nightmares Never Go Away' will take place years later in Jayden's point of view. The second sequel, 'Escaping a Nightmare,' will be in Jonhathan's point of view taking place where the previous chapter before the epilogue just ended. Though it won't go along with the other sequel because it will be a 'what if' kind of spin off of this. I'm not sure yet when I will post either. Sometime soon hopefully but I don't know.  ~***