Epilogue 1
VITO
Eight Years Later.
“C ome on, Dad, you’re too slow,” my seven-year-old son growls as he carries the overflowing food tray to our room to surprise his mom for Mother’s Day. He made her breakfast all by himself.
“Patience, boy.”
Lord, one boy, two girls, and he’s the one to test my patience most. It’s my own fault. I’ve spent his life teaching him that his mother is the most important woman in his life, and he’s to treat her like a queen always. She’s his favorite person in the world, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Opening the door for him, he quietly enters as his sisters follow with a bouquet of flowers and a gift bag.
Each of them is excited about what they’ve picked out for her.
The girls are spitting images of my wife with their strawberry-blonde curls, cute button noses, and those ice-blue eyes.
In comparison, our son mimics me in his dark hair, sharp jawline, and identical chocolate-brown eyes.
“Momma.” Our youngest climbs on the bed with help from me while whisper-calling her name.
“Mmm, do I hear my babies?” Stella opens her eyes. I already knew she was awake and faking it for the kids.
“Happy Mother’s Day!” they cheer together.
I take the breakfast from our son so he can climb up to give her a hug. The bed is a mess of flower petals, but I don’t care, and I know Stella won’t either.
“Thank you, darlings. What a beautiful way to wake up.” Sitting up, she leans against the headboard and accepts her flowers, then her gift bag, pulling out a heart-shaped locket with a picture of the kids in it.
I nearly panic when tears spring to her eyes.
“This is amazing.” Kissing each of the kids on the head, she looks to me for one, and I’d never deny her.
“Love you, sugar.” Murmuring against her lips, I know exactly what she’s about to do.
“Love you more, Daddy. You’ll need to update this in about seven months, though.” Stunned, I drop to my knees and stare at her in awe as she smiles big. “You’re getting a vasectomy next week, too.”
Maybe I was wrong and can’t predict everything she says.
“Whatever you want.” It’ll be in fate's hands after that because there’s no way I’ll ever wear a condom when I’m inside her body, and hey, sometimes these things fail.