Epilogue Lizzie
EPILOGUE: LIZZIE
The sun is finally starting to set, which means it no longer shines through the studio’s big windows. I stand in front of the class, watching with pride as the young women move to the music. Their costumes look great, and it feels good to be able to afford to buy them instead of making them myself. I don’t miss those early days at all.
The music finishes, and I clap excitedly. “You guys did so good! You’re more than ready for the recital next week. Your friends and family are going to be so proud seeing you on stage.”
There’s a collection of excited chatter. I’m blown away by how much they’ve grown over the last few weeks.
“Now, everyone,” I say, raising my voice to get the adults’ attention. “Don’t forget the studio will be closed for renovations starting tomorrow, so our final class will take place at the theater where the recital is being held. Also, if you haven’t signed up for the bake sale or would like to volunteer that night, just shoot me an email.”
Naturally, questions come flying at me, and I spend the next five minutes talking to anxious students while waving to those who are leaving. I’d gotten up super early and am ready to go home, crawl into bed, and sleep for the next twelve hours.
Thankfully, a familiar little voice in the crowd lifts my spirits.
“Mommy!”
I turn around and grin as Isaac worms his way through the people, pushing excitedly past them as only a three-year-old can.
“Hey, little man!” I scoop him into a big hug, spinning him around once before setting him down. “ Oof . You’re getting heavy! Pretty soon you’ll be able to pick me up.”
“Silly, Mommy. You’re too big!”
“Gee, thanks, kid.”
Dillan smiles at me as he joins us. “I think Mommy is juuuust right.” He pulls me into a hug and kiss, much to the disdain of our son.
“Ewww,” Isaac complains.
Dillan and I laugh, and I motion for Isaac to go play. A few of my students are still hanging around as they chat, and he happily runs to join them.
“Hi there, handsome,” I say to Dillan.
“Hi there, beautiful.”
“How was your day?”
“Not bad. Had two deliveries that went smoothly. I might have to leave at some point tonight if Mrs. Varjak goes into labor, but otherwise, I’m all yours.”
“Excellent. Let me usher these people out, and we can go home.”
It takes a while to get everyone to leave, but eventually they do, and I’m able to start closing up for the night. “I’m thrilled about what’s coming next,” I say as Dillan helps me close the blinds and clean up.
Isaac keeps himself busy by playing music on my phone and dancing in front of the mirror. He has inherited my love of music, which I adore and foster whenever possible.
“So am I,” Dillan says. “You’ve been working nonstop lately.”
“Hey, it’s paid off. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to buy the studio next door and expand. Just think, I’ll be able to have two dance rooms. Which means, double the classes.”
“And double the workload, baby.”
“But also double the fun and double the satisfaction.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
I go up on my tiptoes to kiss him. “You’ll be happy to know that I’m in the process of hiring two more instructors. That way I can have a bit more wiggle room with my schedule and focus on the actual business side of things.”
“I’m so damn proud of you, Lizzie.”
“I’m proud of me too!” I grin, the excitement bubbling in me.
It’s true. The past three years have been filled with late nights, but it has been worth it. When the studio opened, my classes filled up quicker than I anticipated. In the beginning, I handled every aspect of the business myself, from classes to scheduling and advertising, to bookkeeping, to everything in between.
At the time, I thought I was in way over my head, but Dillan had always been there in my corner, cheering me on. Gavin, his marketing friend he connected me with, ended up doing more than just helping. About three months after I opened, Dillan explained how swamped I was, and Gavin didn’t even bat an eye—he took over marketing the studio himself and has been doing an amazing job ever since. I still remember how I squealed with excitement when he unveiled the visual campaign concept: a dancer caught mid-motion, one foot delicately en pointe in a ballet slipper while the other rests firmly in a white sneaker. It was like seeing my studio’s spirit leap off the page. Even now, I find it hard to grasp how effortlessly Gavin came to my rescue. Sometimes I sense this odd mix of genuine appreciation he has for Dillan, even with all the teasing he loves to dish out. I know there’s a story there, but the guys keep it locked away.
Anyhow, aside from a couple of social media posts now and then, I don’t have to do a thing. I often joke that he’s doing too good a job, but there’s really no such thing.
“The contractor called today,” Dillan mentions as we gather Isaac and get ready to head home. “I don’t have clinic hours, so I can be here to greet the crew. I want you to just stay home and rest.”
“Thank you so much.” I peck him on the cheek before attempting to tame my unruly hair that’s been misbehaving all day. And, oh, look at that—I glance at my fingers and realize they’re long overdue for a manicure. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“Of course you could. But I’m glad you accepted my help. Knowing I can take any stress away from you is enough for me.”
“I can at least drop Isaac off at preschool tomorrow.”
Dillan firmly shakes his head as I lock up the studio behind me. “Nope. You don’t even need to do that. I’ll have plenty of time to do it before coming here. Seriously, Lizzie. Sleep in. You more than deserve it.”
“Mommy, you look like you’ve been wrestling dragons all day,” Isaac comments.
“Well, you know, sweetie, those dragons had it coming. But guess what? Mommy emerged victorious!” I declare triumphantly, shooting Isaac a playful wink as I ruffle his hair.
“Mommy, why do heroes look all squished, not super cool like in my books?”
Dillan cracks up. “Haha. Okay, that was a good one, kiddo.”
“Remember, heroes come in all sorts of shapes,” I clarify and give Dillan a playful nudge. “Isn’t that right, Daddy?”
“Spot on. The best ones are the unexpected ones. The ones who sneak up on you are the real gems.”
“Mommy’s the bestest hero ever!”
I laugh.
“Yeah,” Dillan says, “Watch out, Gotham! Here comes our superhero.”
I wrap my arm around Dillan’s waist while I squeeze Isaac’s hand. “Babe. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve told you, but seriously, you’re the superhero here. I should get you a trophy or something.”
Dillan kisses my lips lightly. “Superhero reporting for duty: I have another surprise waiting for you back home.”
Back home, my stomach is growling, and I’m betting Dillan has whipped up one of his epic surprise dinners. Yet that’s just half of the story. Stepping into the penthouse, I’m greeted by a pleasant surprise—we’ve got company! Pippa, Mrs. Loughty, and Gavin are waiting for us. The table is filled with various delicious-smelling foods, and my heart swells as our closest friends greet us with hugs and kisses.
“What’s all this?” I ask.
“Well, you’ve been so damn busy that Dillan thought we could all have a family meal,” Pippa says, passing a bowl to Gavin so he can bring it to the table.
“Now you just sit down, my dear,” Mrs. Loughty insists, forcing me into a chair. “If you really want to, you can do the dishes later.” She winks at me.
“Can I help? Can I help?” Isaac tugs excitedly on Mrs. Loughty’s apron.
“Of course you can, sweet boy.”
I smile at Dillan as he comes to rest his hands on my shoulders. “I love you so much,” I tell him.
He leans down to give me another of his sweet kisses. “Just wait until they leave. You’ll love me even more.”
I don’t doubt it.
I see Gavin lean in, teasing Dillan with something that sounds like, “Hey, keep it in your pants, bro. You’re making us mere mortals look bad.”
“I prefer to think of it as setting the gold standard,” Dillan tells him.
“Says the guy who couldn’t spot his own offspring in the delivery room.”
Playful words and jests fill the air as we set the table and dish out the food. Once we’re all sitting, I can’t help but gaze fondly at the group. For the longest time, I’ve always felt like it was me against the world. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
I have Dillan. I have Isaac. I have Pippa and Mrs. Loughty, and even Gavin in his own way. It has been so long since all of us have been together like this, that I sit back and soak in the love.
When I called my parents to share the news about having a child, my mom started tearing up. I couldn’t tell if time had mellowed her emotions or if the prospect of becoming a grandmother simply had that effect on all mothers. Either way, witnessing her reaction had had a tenderizing effect on me. We ended up having a conversation about Dillan, where I was living, and, yeah, my not-so-traditional job. Mom’s reaction was a mix of concern and curiosity, but surprisingly, it wasn’t as harsh as I expected. The idea of me having my own dance studio seemed to placate her, unlike my revelation about not having a marriage certificate. Well, we kept chatting, and my parents even asked for pictures of Isaac. It was a step toward acceptance. I like the thought of Isaac having grandparents. There’s a hope that maybe in time, alongside Dillan’s parents, they too will bring cherished memories and a treasure trove of stories into Isaac’s life.
After we clink glasses, Pippa drops the bomb: Nova, the mystery girl she was swooning over? They’re officially dating. Little did I know, Pippa seized the moment with a mix of courage and sheer badassery when she accidentally bumped into her at a hipster flea market in Brooklyn (the last place she’d expect to find her), casually inviting her to the tattoo studio “for a much-needed touch-up.” And guess what? They’re cooking up a whole new design—for both of them. I can already envision them strolling down the street, hand in hand, flaunting their matching four-leaf clover tattoos.
Funny how time works, stretching long for some and flying by for others. Pippa insists (with a sly grin my way) that some things can’t be left to fate alone. According to her, fate is like a lazy cat; sometimes it saunters in unannounced and then you’ve gotta grab it by the tail and swing it in the direction you want— especially when you’ve been twiddling your thumbs for ages.
And hey, she’s right—I’ve learned my lesson. No more twiddling thumbs for this pro.
Speaking of lessons, Gavin has apparently been on a third date with a yoga instructor Mrs. Loughty set him up with, which for him, is pretty serious. According to Dillan, Gavin hasn’t had more than one date with a woman in years.
Mrs. Loughty’s life is the only one that remains the same, which is how she likes it. A fact she reminds us of every time we ask if anything new has happened. Yet she’s practically beaming with pride, taking full credit “for orchestrating this perfect match for Gavin” (her words, not mine). With a smug grin, she even drops hints about starting her own dating agency, citing Dr. Herbert’s newfound love as another success story. I can’t help but smile, attributing it to fate’s mischievous hand, though maybe Mrs. Loughty and fate are inseparable friends. In my mind’s eye, I see her as a matchmaking lady in an old-fashioned dating agency, sitting behind an antique desk and pondering potential matches. When I share this vision, she beams even brighter and takes an extra decadent bite of our delicious chocolate soufflé.
The dessert, courtesy of Luigi from Amelio’s, makes it abundantly clear that winning the whole pot comes with its own sweet rewards. Even three years down the line, Amelio’s remains our go-to restaurant with Luigi being our most surprising supporter. He and the restaurant will always hold a special place in our hearts.
It’s not until Isaac begins to doze off in his chair that we decide to call it a night and bid our friends farewell. Putting Isaac to bed is usually a bit of a struggle—he’s a ball of energy, and I’ve got no clue where he gets it from. Surprisingly, today seems to have worn him out. He willingly changes into his pajamas, content to snuggle into bed after a warm relaxing bath.
When I go back into the living room, Dillan sits on the couch and holds out his arms.
“I’m tired,” I say, flopping into his embrace. “But madly happy.”
He hugs me close, burying his nose in my hair. “Madly happy is the best happy to be. And after today, you’re on Easy Street. Just the recital to think about next week.”
“And for once, I’m not running around like a headless chicken. Costumes? Check. Bake sale? Basically on autopilot. Everything else? Rocking and rolling. We make one heck of a team, don’t we?”
“Who knew we could handle this craziness like pros?”
“We’re unstoppable. Next stop: world domination!”
He holds me close, kissing me deeply and making my head spin. No matter how many times we do it, I can’t help but melt against him.
“No. Next stop: bed.”
The man is amazing, and he’s all mine. Just like I’m all his.
“I hope you’re ready, baby,” he hums, kissing his way down to my throat. “I believe I promised you more lovin’.”
“Mmm, yes, you did. Watch out, bed! Here we come.”
With a warm smile, he swoops me off the couch and carries me to our bedroom. We take our time tonight. Most nights, we’re so eager to be together that we tear off our clothes and tumble into bed. Tonight, Dillan isn’t in a rush, and neither am I.
I can’t stop kissing him, don’t want to stop kissing him, haven’t been able to since we officially got together. And I never want to stop.
I reach down to take his hand, intertwining my fingers with his. Those blue eyes flick up to meet mine, and he squeezes my hand back. He loves me as if it were the first time, until he turns me into a babbling, incoherent mess.
Later, I lie with my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. His hand makes lazy patterns on my back until it stills, and I hear his breathing even out.
I’ve never felt so loved and worshipped in my life. Because that’s exactly what Dillan does every time he’s close. Feeling loved and worshipped is no exaggeration—it’s the reality he shows me with every glance, with every touch: raw, honest, and uniquely ours.
It’s not just affection. It’s a silent devotion.
With him, I feel seen, felt, and cherished—just as I am.
I stay awake a little longer, listening to his steady breathing and glancing over at the baby monitor to see Isaac’s sleeping face.
We’ve talked about tying the knot down the road. But you know what? Even if we skip that, it’s perfectly okay. Chances are, we’ll be the quirky pair saying “I do” at ninety. Now that, I’d love. And I bet he would too.
No matter what’s around the corner, with or without a piece of paper, Dillan is the only man who holds my heart, and he always will.
Even if the world fell silent, I’d still hear the rhythm of forever in his heartbeat.
As I finally allow myself to drift off to sleep, I know that I’ll never be alone again.
It’s more than love. It’s a profound sense of belonging.
It’s fate.
No more masks, just us—imperfectly perfect.
The End