Epilogue
"Your sister will be here any minute," I reminded Carsyn when I came out of the bathroom.
Three years had passed since her incident, and for the most part, she never regained her memories. Every once in a while, she would remember something small but never a monumental moment. Her doctor said that was normal and that she may never remember everything. Overall, she was healthy, and that was all that mattered.
"Okay. Where is she taking me?" Carsyn asked as she put her shoes on.
I walked over to her as she sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her. I could never get enough of her lips.
"It's a surprise."
Carsyn cut her eyes at me. I bent down and tied her shoes for her. She was capable of doing it herself, but I enjoyed doing little things like that for her when I could. We always had a relationship where we catered to each other, and her having amnesia didn't change that.
Once both of her shoes were tied, I stood then helped her up from the bed.
"You aren't going to tell me what it is?"
"No. It wouldn't be a surprise then, would it?" I tapped the tip of her nose with my finger.
The day would be busy and long for us, but I wanted Carsyn to have a few hours of relaxation before the festivities.
For the last few years, Carsyn had been putting her all into being a bomb ass mother and wife to Nia and me. She even figured out what she wanted to do with herself, and by the end of the day, we would have a small gathering for her. Just something to show how much we appreciated everything she accomplished. She could have let amnesia knock her down, and it did, but Carsyn had always been a fighter. At times, she would get frustrated because she couldn't remember something or a person, but she didn't dwell on it for long. She always apologized to the person, but they all understood.
Carsyn's new business venture came at the right time because Nia had started school the previous year, so neither of us needed to be home with her all the time.
Nia was six and thriving well. Lately, she'd been asking for a brother or sister, but we hadn't made that happen yet. I didn't want to rush Carsyn, but I wanted another baby. I was patient, though, and gave her time to heal properly. We probably would have to wait even longer since she had this new thing going on. It was okay, though. She was happy with it, and that was all I wanted for her.
Carlie beeped her horn when she pulled up. Her baby was two years old, and she and her husband were doing well.
"That's Carlie. I'll see you later," I told Carsyn before I hugged and kissed her.
"Okay. Maybe she'll tell me what's going on." She smirked before leaving the room.
"She won't!" I called out. I knew she heard me when she giggled.
Once she was gone, I finished getting dressed so I could put the finishing touches on everything. I was excited about the evening and couldn't wait until later. Both of our families helped me with everything I had planned.
Nia was with Carsyn's parents since they had Carlie's baby as well. It was surprising that neither Carsyn nor Carlie had twins. Maybe the next time we have one, it will be multiples. I hoped so because I knew Carsyn would probably be done after that.
After I was dressed, I grabbed my keys and left the house.
Twenty minutes later, I met up with the men in our families: my dad, Evander, and Carlie's husband, Bobby. Carsyn's father couldn't make it since he decided to stay and help his wife with the kids.
The five of us usually met once a month to have some male bonding time. It felt good to have their support. Carsyn and I didn't have any real problems, but I still had brief moments when I felt like I wasn't doing enough for her. I was able to express that with the fellas, and they all understood.
"There he is," my dad announced as he stood from his seat.
We met up at OG's lounge for a bite to eat. Afterward, if we had time, we would go to the cigar room and grab some cigars. I wanted to make sure we did because we were celebrating big things for the night.
"Hey, what's up, old man?" I teased as I hugged him.
He playfully punched me. "I got your old man."
I laughed, then spoke to the guys.
"How are you feeling?" Evander asked.
"I'm good. I should be asking you that. What's going on with ol' girl?"
Evander ran a hand down his face and sucked his teeth. "Man, she still won't let me see my son."
Evander messed around and got the girl pregnant that he brought to my dad's house a while ago. Homegirl gave him hell. It was crazy because she seemed so nice at first. They had a one-year-old son named after Evander, but she didn't let him see him. In the beginning, she was cool, but once Evander said he didn't want a relationship with her, she flipped the script. He hadn't seen his kid in at least three months, but I knew he tried often.
"Sheesh, you might have to take her to court. Maybe talk to her one more time and tell her that if she doesn't get with the program, then you'll have no choice but to get the people involved."
Bobby shook his head as he took a sip of his drink.
"I didn't want to have to do that, but she's leaving me with no choice."
"I told y'all about sticking ya dicks everywhere," my father chimed in.
I put my hands up. "Whoa, not me. My dick only goes in my wife."
"Same here," Bobby added.
Evander rolled his eyes and sucked his teeth again. He knew my father was right. He constantly told us not to have sex with just anybody and damn sure not to have unprotected sex if we weren't ready for the consequences.
I was grateful for my wife because I couldn't imagine not being able to see my child.
"Enough about me. Are you still planning that surprise for Carsyn tonight?" Evander asked after he took a swig of his liquor.
The corner of my mouth lifted into a smile as I pulled a ring out of my pocket.
"I am. She's looked at pictures and videos, but I wanted her to experience a wedding again. One that she will be able to remember."
I had the idea to propose to Carsyn again. From the proposal to planning a wedding and everything else that went along with it. I wanted her to have that.
"That's what's up," Evander said.
"I know I told you already, but I am really proud of you, son," my father noted.
"Thanks, y'all. And thank each of you for being a safe space for me."
A lot of men didn't have other men to talk to when they couldn't talk to their girls or wives about things. It wasn't that I couldn't talk to Carsyn. It was just some things I experienced as a man that she would never understand.
I looked around at the table, and these guys were my family. Bobby wasn't related by blood, but he was just as much as my family as Evander was. He even came through the gym sometimes.
The gym had been doing well, and I loved working there. I increased my time since Nia was in school and Carsyn had her thing going on. No matter what, if my girls needed me, I was there.
Carsyn and I had date nights twice a month. A lot of times, we did things we'd done in the past to see if it helped her memory, and it didn't. Still, we had plenty of pictures to capture the new memories we made.
"That's what we are all here for," my father said and held up his glass.
The three of us held up ours as well. "To family," I declared, then we all clinked glasses.
By the time I left them, I was anxious about the night. I was excited for Carsyn as well because she put a lot of effort into it.
"Can you believe it?" Carsyn squealed and wiggled in her seat when we pulled up to the building.
"I can because I always believed in you. I told you before you can do anything you put your mind to. I'm so fucking proud of you, Care Bear."
She glanced out the window and beamed at the sign on the front of the building.
The Carsyn Ross Center for Amnesia.
When Carsyn told me she wanted to open a center for people with amnesia, I didn't know what to think, but I knew I would support her. She had a business plan and mockup drawings of how she wanted the building to be designed.
We had a lot of support from people in the town, including our families. There were donations from sports figures, business owners, musicians, and actors and actresses. We took out a loan from the bank, but it wasn't much after we used some of our savings and all the help that came in. Carsyn was also a brand ambassador for a jeweler and boutique located in Sweetwater Hills.
"Are you ready?" I asked her when the driver opened the door for us.
The night was special, so I went all out and hired a driver and a rental car. I wanted Carsyn to feel like the star she was.
"I am." Carsyn reached up and touched my cheek. "Thank you for always supporting me."
"You don't have to thank me for doing what I'm supposed to do as your husband and what you do for me." I pulled her toward me and kissed her. "Time to go."
She wiped her lipstick off my lips, then exited the car, making sure she didn't give the driver a show in the process.
Carsyn wore a long gown that had a dangerously high split on the side. She had been working out again, so her legs were toned as hell. I loved it when she wore heels.
I fixed my suit jacket when I stepped out of the car, then reached for Carsyn's hand. The official opening wasn't for another week, so this evening was for close family and friends, including everyone who invested in her.
"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?"
"A couple of times." She smirked.
"Well, I'll probably tell you a few more times because you look damn good." I stepped back and twirled her around.
Earlier in the day, Carsyn had gotten a massage, her nails and feet done, and ended the day with getting her hair done. She wore it down with big, bouncy curls framing her face. I think it was my favorite look on her.
I led her inside the building and smiled at the way her eyes lit up. I saw the building once everything was completed, but Carsyn hadn't seen it.
"Wow, Noah. This is…" She wiped the tear that had fallen.
"It's incredible, baby," I finished for her, then kissed her cheek. "Let's go inside and take everyone on a tour."
I led Carsyn further inside, where everyone waited for us. After we greeted everyone, we took them on a tour of the place. There were only about twenty-five people in total, so it wasn't too much.
The center was for people who had amnesia to get the resources they needed. There were therapy rooms. Rooms to do cognitive learning. Every room had whiteboards, calendars, sticky notes, and labels. There was a room where patients could make memory boards and photo albums. Each room was equipped with state-of-the-art appliances, including smart devices. There was a kitchen and a chef who came in once a week to teach cooking classes. Her name was Wynter , and she lived in Sweetwater Hills. She didn't even ask for money. She just wanted to help out.
The center provided everything a person would need in different stages of amnesia. There were even resources and support groups for the families of the patients. I swear, Carsyn had thought of everything possible. She did a lot of research, and I was positive the center would be a great asset to the community.
"Morgan. It's good to see you," Carsyn said as she hugged our former therapist.
We both stopped going to see her, but Morgan assured us we could call her or attend again if we ever needed to.
"You too. This place is amazing, and I wouldn't have missed this for anything in the world. I'm proud of you, Carsyn." The two of them hugged again just as Evander made his way over to us.
He had his eyes trained on Morgan, but he needed to be focused on seeing his son. Morgan seemed like the type who didn't play childish games.
"What's up, family?" Evander asked when he made it to us.
"Hey, Evander. What do you think of the place?" Carsyn asked.
"I think you did a good thing here." He reached for her and hugged her. "Who do we have here?" he asked after he released Carsyn.
"Evander, this is Dr. Morgan. Morgan, this is Noah's cousin, Evander."
Evander grabbed her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it as Morgan blushed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Morgan."
I wanted to pop him in the back of his head.
"It's nice meeting you as well, Evander."
The two of them acted as though Carsyn and I weren't standing there, so we walked away.
"He better be careful," Carsyn commented when we were out of earshot of them. They probably wouldn't have heard her, anyway.
"For real. She ain't about to play with him or that baby momma of his."
I laughed and shook my head. Evander and Morgan continued to talk. I was curious to see how that situation would turn out.
We went on to mingle with the rest of the guests for a few hours until it was time for my surprise. Carsyn was somewhere talking to someone, so I had to call her to the front of the room.
"Can I have my wife come up here, please?"
I couldn't take my eyes off her as she walked toward me. When she got close enough, I grabbed her hand and guided her on the side of me so everyone could see.
"Noah, what are you doing?" she whispered as her eyes darted around the room.
"First, I'd like to thank everyone for coming out and celebrating my beautiful wife."
Everyone in attendance clapped and cheered. Once they quieted down, I continued.
"Carsyn, I know I've said it more than once, and I'll say it more than a thousand times, but I am extremely proud of you. You faced adversity and fought it like the champ you are." My eyes watered, and so did Carsyn's. "No matter if you never step foot into another ring, you will forever be The Handler because you've handled yourself gracefully even after life dealt you a shitty hand.
“And you will always be a champion to me because you never gave up the fight. So, in front of everyone here, I want to ask you a question." I got the ring from my pocket and bent down on one knee. More tears fell from Caryn's eyes. "Carsyn Ross, will you do me the honor of marrying me again?"
She nodded, but what she said next almost knocked me to the floor. "Only if it could be before this baby comes." She rubbed her stomach, and I shot up from the floor and scooped her into my arms. I placed kisses all over her face.
Our families and friends cheered us on as we shared an intimate kiss. Once we finally pulled away from each other, I looked into her eyes. "We may have had a lapse in time , but never a lapse in our love."
We sealed our new beginning with another kiss.
Marriages are about loving each other, no matter the storms a couple faces. As long as you weather them together, everything will work out just fine. Carsyn and I were a living testament to putting in the work and having a positive outcome.
The End!