Brielle’s Epilogue
One year later.
“ S orry I'm late guys. These two were up all night,” I said, gesturing to my lovely children, even though it was a complete lie. I was really throwing up. I think I am getting sick because of all the nerves about tomorrow’s showing.
I pushed the double stroller into the main room of my gallery and paused when everyone was staring at me. I looked down at myself frantically. “What? Did one of them puke on me?”
“No.” Everyone laughed. My employee, Jen, walked over to the stroller to admire my beautiful twins, Gabriella and Dawson. I looked around at all of my employees. “Then let’s get to work. Tell me where we are with the event tomorrow? What else do we need?”
All of a sudden, the word “surprise” was being screamed in all different voices. I turned and saw my parents, Aubrey, and Elijah with balloons and a cake.
Elijah stepped forward and pulled me into a hug. “You didn't think you were going to get through today without us celebrating you, did you?”
I looked up at my sexy husband. “I was hoping,” I admitted. “I thought you were stuck at work, that’s why I took the babies.”
“You are finally the boss, baby. This is all yours.” Elijah gestured around the room. “You made your dreams come true. Your pieces will be showcased in an art gallery that you own. Pieces of Love is going to be the most successful gallery around.”
I looked around at everyone. “Thank you guys so much for a seamless transition. And thank you for staying on even though I didn’t hire you.”
My employee Kelley walked up to me. “You are the best boss we have ever had. Just because you weren't the owner didn’t mean anything. We still thought of you as our boss.”
Nods and words of agreement broke out around me.
“Thanks again, everyone.” I clapped. “Now, let’s finish up. I need to feed Gabs and Dawson and do the last minute paperwork for the sales we're all going to make tomorrow.” Everyone laughed. “I will be in the office if you need me.”
“I will help,” Aubrey said.
“Thanks.” I hugged my parents and Elijah before walking to the back with the stroller.
Aubrey’s arm wrapped around my shoulder. “My little sister is famous.”
I chuckled. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
She bent down to grab Dawson out of the stroller once we got into the office. “I am so proud of you.”
I looked up at my big sister. “Me too.”
“Hey, boss. You have someone looking for you out here.”
I looked at my phone. It was almost eight at night. “Who is it?”
Kelley shrugged. “She said she’s an old friend.”
“Send her in.”
I looked down at the last packet I needed to staple, and then I heard a voice I hadn't heard in years, “You did it, girl.”
I looked up to see Ellory standing in the doorway. I quickly stood and rushed to hug her. “El, what the heck are you doing here?”
“Had to come see my friend's gallery opening, duh.”
I guided her to the seat in front of my desk, then took mine again. “I thought you were still in Italy working at the gallery.”
“I am. I took a leave of absence since my dad is sick, and my mom needs help.”
“Oh, I am so sorry to hear that.”
“Thanks.”
We fell into a comfortable conversation.
I hadn’t seen her since I left Italy. It was good to see this more healed version of her for once.
She was still pretty messed up when I left, but she insisted on staying.
We talked here and there about the galleries shipping things and such, but that was it.
I didn’t want to be a constant reminder of her past.
When the clock hit nine, my alarm went off. I had to get home to feed the babies. “That’s my cue,” she stated as she stood. “We can catch up more tomorrow.”
I walked around the desk to hug her. I gripped her hand. “I would love that. Thank you for making the time to stop by.”
“Anything for you, Brie. You saved me.”
I smiled and squeezed her hand a little harder. “You saved us both.”
The Next Day
“Are they both asleep?” Eli asked as I walked into our bedroom.
“They are. Dawson just wanted some extra hugs.”
He put his hand out to me. “Get your cute business-owning ass over here before they wake up again. I need to properly worship the artist who sold twenty art pieces tonight.
I smiled. “One second. Gotta pee.”
I scurried over to the bathroom nervously and locked the door as I entered. I pulled the pregnancy test out of the cabinet. I sat down and peed on the test, then covered it back up as I placed it on the counter.
I looked at myself in the mirror and began giving myself a pep talk. “I have been feeling so off. It’s just nerves. It’s negative. It has to be. You are just stressed because of the opening. It’s negative.” I looked down at it.
A knock at the door pulled me from my mumbling. “Baby, are you okay?”
“Yeah. I think I ate something bad.”
“Need me to get you anything?”
“No. I think I’m–” I froze as the positive result came up. “I’m fine.”
I picked it up and paced as I started muttering to myself, “How the fuck am I going to do this again?”
“Brielle,” Elijah's voice was laced with concern as I heard him sit back on the bed.
I opened the bathroom door. “You fucking did it again.”
He sat up against the headboard. “Did what?”
I threw it on the bed. “What are we going to do?”
He jumped up and walked toward the test. “Hell fucking YES! I did it again!”
“Shhh.” I giggled. He bent down next to my stomach and kissed it, making me laugh. “What do you mean ‘hell fucking yes’? This is a fucking disaster.”
He stood and hugged me. “Baby, this is the best thing in the world. We are already the best parents on this earth.”
I looked down at him with a knowing smile.
“Okay, we are the best parents that we know.”
I laughed, conceding.
He kissed me with both of his hands holding my cheeks. His smile was the biggest I had ever seen. He lowered his voice, “Baby…We're having another baby.”
“What if we can’t do this?”
He pulled me to the bed and placed me over his lap so I was straddling him. “We can do anything as long as we are together.”
I ran my fingers through his hair. “Are you sure you are happy?”
He smiled and kissed me softly. “Of course I’m happy.” He kissed me deeper, then whispered against my lips, “Plus, this time I am hoping for triplets.”
I scoffed. “Better not be.”
He pulled me down beside him and kissed me through my laughs. Just as he reached the apex of my thighs and pulled my panties down to devour me, there was a cry on the baby monitor.
“Fuck, dude,” he muttered against the inside of my thigh.
I smiled. “It will only be worse with three.”
He licked my clit with a deep groan as he said, “I will be right back. Don’t move.”
As the crying continued on the monitor and he began walking out the door, I reached into my side table, grabbing one of the many vibrators he likes to use on me. “Better be quick before I finish this myself.”
He looked back and saw me waving it back and forth. “You little fucking minx.”
I blew him a kiss with a wink.
I watched the monitor as Elijah entered and picked up Dawson. I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my face. Then he started talking to our perfect son, “Okay, little man. I need to go make your momma scream, so I need you to sleep for just a little while.”
I chuckled softly as I listened to my perfect husband singing to my even more perfect child. My eyes got heavy with sleep.
I snuggled up to his pillow and let my thoughts lull me to sleep. I couldn’t have asked for a better life than this.
A moment later, the bed dipped. Elijah’s lips met my head as he snuggled into me. “Are you asleep, baby?”
I nodded without opening my eyes.
He chuckled. “I love you, MP.”
I opened my eyes. “I love you more.”
He smiled and ran his finger over my cheek. “Thank you for this beautiful life we have.” He kissed my lips. “Thank you for saving me.”
“We saved each other,” I whispered.
He kissed me one last time. “I will save you in every lifetime.”