Epilogue #2
As we loaded up the car, Samaj’s gear in the back, Summer’s car seat secured in the middle, Sametra settling into the passenger seat with that satisfied smile she got after good days, I sent up a silent prayer of gratitude.
For second chances. For healing. For love that was strong enough to survive anything.
For the family that chose each other and fought to stay together.
As we drove through the summer evening, Summer sleeping peacefully in her car seat and Samaj napping next to me, I caught Sametra’s eye in the rearview mirror. She blew me a kiss, and I felt that same flutter in my chest that I’d felt the first day I saw her.
Some things never changed. And some things, the best things, just kept getting better.
SAMETRA
The house was finally quiet. Summer was down for her evening nap, Samaj was in his room on FaceTime his teammates going on and on about tonight’s game, and Malik was in the shower washing off the day’s heat and stadium dirt.
These were the moments I treasured most, the peaceful in-between times when I could just breathe and take in everything we’d built.
I settled into the rocking chair in Summer’s nursery, the same one Lorana had bought when Samaj was born, now reupholstered in soft yellow fabric. My baby girl was sleeping peacefully, tiny fists curled near her face, completely unaware that she was the center of our entire universe.
Four months old and already ruling the house with an iron fist. Malik was completely wrapped around her finger, and Samaj? That boy would drive across town if she so much as whimpered. She was going to be trouble, just like her mama.
My phone buzzed with a text from Halo.
Halo: Sis, I saw the pics from the game on Samaj’s story. Summer is getting so big! And you look amazing. I miss y’all.
Halo was busy working toward advancing her career. She, too, loved being a firefighter, but it wasn’t supposed to be a forever thing. So, she was focusing on business classes and perfecting her product of natural healing balms and stuff.
Me: Thank you, babe. She’s perfect. How are you doing?
Halo: I’m good. Might have a mess on my hands.
Me: Davinci? He’s still trying to win you over, right? No crazy shit?
I smiled, remembering how things had evolved since Malik’s grand opening. After months of him pursuing her, flowers, surprise visits, even showing up at her job, Halo was finally starting to let her guard down.
Halo: Girl, yes. But I gotta slide on you to tell you the tea.
Me: Come by tomorrow. I’ll make lunch. Those grilled tuna sandwiches.
Halo: Okay bitch sold. I’m proud of you for handling that business at the hospital. Fuck them hoes.
I thought back to that day three months ago when I’d marched into St. Ambrose Memorial and demanded every copy of those photos be turned over to me. Rebecca tried to give me the runaround, talking about “procedure” and “investigations,” but I wasn’t having it.
“Those are MY photos of MY body taken without MY consent,” I’d told her, my voice steady but deadly serious. “Either you hand them over right now, or I’m calling my lawyer and the local news station. Your choice.”
Malik still didn’t know I’d done that. He probably would’ve wanted to handle it himself, but some things a woman needed to take care of personally. Those photos were mine to control, mine to destroy, mine to decide what happened to them.
Me: Had to take my power back. I couldn’t let them just sit in some file somewhere. What if someone found them? Weird ass shit.
Halo: That’s exactly why I love you. You don’t let nobody walk over you, not even when you’re being nice about it.
Me: Learned from the best.
I heard Malik’s footsteps in the hallway and quickly typed back.
Me: My husband’s coming. We’ll talk tomorrow. Love you.
Halo: Love you too. Kiss that baby for me.
Malik appeared in the doorway, wearing nothing but basketball shorts that hung low on his hips. Even after all this time, the sight of him still made my stomach flutter and my body respond.
“She still sleeping?” he whispered, moving to look down at Summer.
“Out like a light. The game tired her out.”
“Good. She needs her rest.” He reached down and gently stroked her cheek with one finger. “Daddy’s perfect girl.”
“You’re going to spoil her rotten. I keep telling you that.”
“That’s the plan,” he said with no shame whatsoever. “She’s gonna be the most spoiled, most loved, most protected little girl in St. Ambrose, shit in the world. Off with a nigga head about her.”
I watched him with our daughter and felt that familiar wave of gratitude wash over me. This man had given me everything I’d never dared to dream of, true partnership, unwavering support, a love so deep it sometimes scared me with its intensity.
“Malik?”
“Yeah, baby?”
“Thank you. For all of it. For fighting for us when I was too scared to fight for myself. For loving Samaj like he was yours from the beginning. For giving me Summer. For building this life with me.”
“You don’t have to thank me for loving you, Sametra. That’s not work for me. That’s just breathing, existing.”
“Still. I want you to know that I see it. I see you. I appreciate you.”
He wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder as we both watched our daughter sleep.
“You know what I see?” he said quietly.
“What?”
“I see a woman who took every broken piece life handed her and turned it into something beautiful. I see a mother who raised an incredible son while building her own career and dreams. I see my wife, who’s about to be Dr. Sametra Holloway in eight months when she graduates.”
My heartbeat faster at the reminder. After taking a brief break when Summer was born, I’d be finishing my psychology degree in the spring. Dr. Andrews, it still didn’t feel real sometimes.
“I see the woman who I’d give the entire world to. I’m proud of you, LT.”
I was proud of myself too. The little girl who’d once wondered why her own mother had left her behind had grown up to become a mother who would never leave.
The woman who’d loved a man who ran when life got hard had found a man who ran toward the hard things, not away from them.
The firefighter who’d spent years saving other people had finally learned how to let someone save her, too.
“Come on, she’s good.”
I followed Malik out of the room, still looking back. I was a hovering mama. I could sit and watch her sleep all night.
“I got a surprise for you.”
He grabbed my hand and led me to the back patio. We’d finally moved into our new home, built from the ground up. It had everything I wanted and shit I didn’t even need, but my husband spared no expense on our forever home. I loved it so much.
“I thought we could have movie night.”
“Do I get to pick the movie?”
“I already got Cry Baby on. I might need to commit yo ass. What is it about this movie?”
“I’m a hopeless romantic with a side of ride or die bitch. She went and got her man.”
As I settled into his chest, he hit play and passed me the snack basket that he’d made for tonight.
“You are so cute. I needed this tonight.” Being a parent again came with its challenges.
It was hard sometimes finding the alone time we really needed.
We both had to be intentional, and we had been, but tonight was perfect.
I’d been missing him, as just my man. He could always read me and know what I needed.
I loved him for that and so much more. Our life was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I’d gotten my happily ever after.
Not perfect. Not without scars. But whole. Healed. Happy. The crash brought love in the wreckage.
THE END