Epilogue
A moody Julian and a grumbling Emma.
AUbrEY
~ One Year Later / End of August ~
Today is Shane and I’s one-year wedding anniversary, along with our daughter, Stellina’s, first birthday.
This past year has been nothing short of wonderful. From getting married to the man of my dreams, then giving birth to our daughter in the middle of our wedding. Okay, that may not have been the most wonderful moment, but I’m grateful I got to be surrounded by all my friends during that scary time.
From all the pictures and videos we received of our wedding, it was truly beautiful. I was a little disappointed that we had to miss it, after Eden put so much time and effort into it, but getting to hold my daughter in my arms with my husband at my side made it all worth it.
We were also lucky that the photographer hired actually stayed the whole day as planned and took pictures of everything throughout the night.
He also happened to capture pictures of our daughter’s birth.
He apologized for taking them, since it was an intimate moment that shouldn’t have been captured in that way.
But when we saw the images, Shane and I were both in tears.
They were magical and something not many people get to have. Every time I look at them, it’s like I’m reliving the moment all over, with all the emotions from seeing and hearing my child for the first time.
Since that day, so much has happened. Cecilia gave birth at the beginning of April to a beautiful little girl named Esmé, and Ronnie had her son at the end of May.
Even though they aren’t having a paternity test done, it isn’t hard to tell who the father is.
Caleb is an exact replica of a certain daddy of his with his dark brown hair and deep brown eyes.
Apparently, she got knocked up within a week of having her implant removed. She wasn’t entirely thrilled since she expected it to take a few months, but the boys were overjoyed. Gabriel even cried when she announced it to them in front of everyone at our rehearsal dinner remake.
We waited two months before hosting it. We wanted to focus on Stellina and get my health back up before doing anything, since my blood pressure didn’t immediately get back to normal after giving birth. It took around six weeks for it to climb back to a normal rating and it has stayed there since.
Next was Morgan announcing her second pregnancy, she’s now six months along and expecting another baby girl. And then there’s Emma who’s also expecting within a month of Morgan. Those two are really in sync with getting pregnant.
But we’ve come to learn that Emma appears to have some superhuman gene… because she’s having twins again… Boys… Again. Let’s just say she was far… FAR from pleased about the news, and my brother was on the receiving end of her wrath.
And last but not least, the Griffins played a phenomenal season once again, and won the championship, earning them the Stanley Cup for the second time since Shane has been coaching them. I think it was their greatest season yet, and I can’t wait to see them play again.
Our pups are now all full grown and… it’s a lot.
But I love every one of them, and so does Stellina.
She calls them ‘goggies’ and it’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever heard.
She’s pretty quick with words. The first time I heard her say ‘mama’ and ‘dada’, I was sure I was hearing things, but then Shane heard it too, and so did the pediatrician at her nine-month check-up.
Stellina is a real beauty. She’s smart and delicate and quiet.
I know that might change over time, but for a one-year-old, I was expecting more.
Shane’s predictions on our baby girl were accurate.
Stellina is a mini me with my ash-blonde hair and freckles all over.
But so were mine, because she has Shane’s hypnotizing turquoise eyes.
She also inherited his deep dimples that I’m crazy about.
The only other difference aside from her eyes and dimples that my baby girl and I have is that where my hair is naturally wavy, hers holds these gorgeous curls.
Every time we’re out in public, people compliment me on her hair and ask me how I get it to stay that way, but the truth is, she’s just born with it.
“There’s my beautiful wife,” Shane says, stepping into the kitchen just as I finish decorating Stellina’s birthday cake. She’s very fascinated with stars and loves when we spend the night outside in our backyard, or in the theatre room, looking up at them.
“How’s my wonderful husband?” I smirk as my cheeks take on a pink color. I still blush every time I call him that and he eats it up.
I store the cake in the industrial fridge we had installed for all my baked goods.
With the number of kids that we now have in our group, and all our friends wanting me to make their cakes, I was starting to take up the entire double fridge we already have.
Shane thought it would be a good idea to have a separate fridge installed in our kitchen just for me to store all my creations.
Ever since Stellina was born, my creative mind has been on a roll. I now have three recipe journals overflowing with my own original recipes. I’ve also been secretly looking at places online that are for sale and have potential to become my own bakery.
I had my heart set on a specific one and was waiting for the right time to talk to Shane about whether it was a good idea or not.
But last month when I went to check it out in person, the ‘for sale’ sign was gone.
My heart broke a little at the thought of losing the one place I had really started to fall in love with.
Shane comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and kissing my neck. “I’m doing great. I just got Stellina down for her nap and everyone isn’t set to arrive for another three hours.”
We’re having everyone over to celebrate Stellina’s birthday. Then my parents will be taking her for the night so Shane and I can celebrate our anniversary over dinner and all day tomorrow.
“That’s good. Did you have something in mind for these few hours of freedom?” I lean into him, bringing my hand up to cradle the back of his neck.
“Actually, I did. There’s somewhere I want to take you.”
I turn in his arms, looking up at him. “Shane, we can’t leave the house while Stellina is sleeping.” I narrow my eyes.
“Marianne already agreed to look over her if she wakes up before we get back. It won’t take long, I promise. We’ll be back in one hour, tops.” He kisses my forehead.
“Hmm…” I hum, still undecided. I don’t like leaving my baby.
I’ve been struggling with it, even when it’s just for a few minutes.
But Shane and I have come to an agreement that we would go on a date night once a month, forcing us away from Stellina a bit and giving us a little time alone.
Today will be the first time we won’t have her for the entire night, which is something I’ve been stressing over all week.
“Come on, Angel. This will be good practice for tonight.” He tucks a few loose strands behind my ear.
“Okay, fine.” I place my hands on his chest, pushing lightly as I lean into him.
“Yeah?” He grins.
“Yes! Take me away before I change my mind.” I giggle as he kisses me quickly and lifts me into his arms, carrying me toward the garage as we wave goodbye to Marianne who assures us that she has everything under control.
“Shane, wait! I don’t even have shoes on.” I laugh loudly as he runs us back into the house to collect a pair of heels and returns to his previous path.
He pulls open the passenger door, still holding on to me, then sets me down on the seat. Kneeling before me, he places my feet in each heel, kissing the top of my foot in the process.
Shane still treats me like his greatest prize.
He dotes on me every second he’s home. Our love for each other has only grown over the year and keeps growing with every day that passes.
There’s no place for doubt in our relationship.
Shane is a wonderful husband and an extraordinary father.
He cherishes his little girl with everything he has.
Shane has always gotten attention from the ladies—he’s a gorgeous man, we won’t hide it—but now that he’s a dad, it has multiplied. He now refuses to be out in public without me, if possible, because they all swarm him the instant he sets foot outside.
They visibly swoon at the sight of him and will come up with any possible excuse to talk to him.
It makes him extremely uncomfortable to get all this attention, while I just find it pretty funny.
I don’t blame them, though. I still swoon every time I see him, just like I still can’t believe he’s mine.
“Where are we going?” I ask as he pulls out of the garage and drives toward the gates to our property.
“Just something I want to show you.” He takes my hand, kissing the back of it and smiles.
I narrow my eyes at him, trying to read him, but I really have no idea what it could be. Fifteen minutes later, Shane parks the car along the sidewalk in the middle of town. He walks around the car quickly, pulls my door open, and takes my hand to help me out.
He still doesn’t say a word as we walk down the street, hand in hand.
It isn’t until we pass a few stores that I recognize where we are exactly.
The store I had my heart set out on is only a few doors down.
I prepare myself for the heartache as Shane brings us closer to it, preparing myself to see what the place of my dreams will become.
But then he stops walking… right in front of it and stares at it.
I frown with confusion, looking from him to the store. I notice it’s still sitting there empty, no sign up indicating the future business that is about to take residence. “Shane? What are we doing here?”
He turns to face me, still holding my hand, and reaches inside his pocket. He retrieves a set of keys and places them in my palm. “Happy anniversary, Angel.”