Epilogue #2
It’s obvious that she hated growing up here, but her improvements on the estate have been surprisingly impressive.
That reminds me…
“Hey, Em, wanna check on the nursery?” I ask.
Kaye sticks her neck out, her scowl back. “Fine, I get it. I’m going. I guess I’ll go bother Dae.”
She waves us away. Damon’s on her the next second. No lie, I can detect almost anything, but I didn’t see him move.
I look over at Em, who’s smiling and whispering to me about taking the longer route to avoid the crowd.
Feeling warm in the face, I think I don’t see my surroundings well when Em’s in my sights.
I almost miss Sterling standing over by Elle’s side while they negotiate with Stan to stop hogging the bounce house.
Em and I take the long route around to reach the double doors that get us back inside the mansion. It’s the only way to avoid having to greet everyone who wants to shake my hand, even though I literally don’t know who they are.
Stan said the more the merrier, and the more free stuff we get as gifts. I don’t really want them, so he can have all of it.
I’m more interested in getting to call the two I want to grow old with, as officially mine.
The door closes behind us with a muted click, and the noise from the gardens dulls into something distant.
Em slows her steps, then stops entirely. I take a few steps before realizing she’s not beside me anymore.
When I turn, she’s facing me, hands folded in front of her. There’s a tiny envelope tucked between her fingers.
“Congratulations,” she says with a sweet little smile.
I crease my brows. “That’s for me?”
She nods. “Yes, it’s for you, Lix.”
I take it, peeling the flap open.
The gift card in it looks homemade, but the print’s nice and clean. The garage name jumps out at me, since I know it’s in a place called Crimson.
I look up at her. “You know that place’s in a rough area, right?”
She nods again. “I do,” she says. “Though, I’ve done my research, read reviews about them, and checked their certifications. They’re under-marketed, but they’re the best in the Greater Darkhaven Region.”
Can’t help but smile when she’s talking like picking a gift has a process and system in her brilliant mind. She put in all this effort for a gift she didn’t need to give me at all. She’s already given me a lot. More than I could’ve ever dreamed of.
“They do full detailing,” she adds. “I thought you’d appreciate that for your motorcycle.”
I lean in and kiss her cheek. “I really do, Em.”
Her shoulders stiffen, and her glasses slide a bit down her nose, so I kiss that too.
“Thank you, beautiful,” I say, hoping I’m not turning red. “This is a seriously thoughtful gift.”
She looks down, smiling a little more. “You’re welcome, Lix. I’m elated you like it.”
I tuck the card into my pocket. “Are you ready for your present?”
She blinks big behind her glasses. “A present? For me?”
“I got one for you, and one for Stan.”
“Stan’s present makes sense.” She frowns. “But today isn’t my wedding.”
I scoff. “Stan and I might be legally together ‘cause the state allows it.” Stepping up to her, I hold her warm cheek in my hand. “But you’ll always be part of us too, Em.”
She purses her lips together, clearly reorganizing her thoughts.
Before she can say anything, a phone rings.
Loud. Blaring-level loud.
I wince. Em does too.
The sounds are of us moaning so damn deafening.
Stan jogs down the hall, phone ringing in his hand. He glances at the screen, then at us, and breaks into a grin.
“Shit,” he says. “Too loud, huh?”
“Is your ringtone us—?” I start.
“—making bedroom noises that should stay there, Stan?” Em says, frowning and crossing her arms.
He doesn’t even bother looking embarrassed. He declines the call, smirking at us. “It’s my wedding day number one of two,” he says. “Callers can fuck off.”
Em groans, covering her face.
Stan puts his hands on his hips, jutting one out. “So you two were gonna run off for some afternoon delight. Is that it? Without your favorite Song-Smith?”
“I don’t have favorites,” Em says.
Stan’s jaw goes slack, his back hunched. “That can’t be true, gorgeous! I’m your husband-to-be.”
“Yes, but Elle and Kaye count as Song-Smiths since they married into the family, and they’re definitely hard to choose between.”
Stan gasps, looking at me for help. I shrug, agreeing with Em.
“Betrayed by my own brand-new husband too?” Stan says, clutching at his chest. “Who I married like, an hour ago? What has the world come to?”
He’s being his usual dramatic self, but it makes Em giggle, so I go with it. “I’m a Song-Smith too, right, since I married you?” I tease, smirking.
Stan’s hope comes back in the form of a brighter grin on his face.
But then I say, “Ha, you wish, I kept my stepdad’s name.”
He frowns, staring daggers at me. “Okay, Dela Cruz. I see you.”
Em steps in between us, kissing Stan, who smiles lopsided because of it, and then she kisses me.
I nuzzle her nose, wondering how two bastards lucked out getting to be with her.
Stan slips an arm around her shoulders and pulls her in. “Okay, wait, this got me thinking ‘bout a bad idea,” he says, his smile turning sly. “Lix, kiss her cheek.”
That, I don’t argue against, even when I see him pulling out his phone, putting it in front of us.
I bend down and kiss her cheek. Stan does the same on the other side. She squeezes her eyes shut, groaning, as the camera flashes.
After a while, Stan looks at his phone, satisfied. “Perfect.”
She peeks at him. “What did you just do?”
“New background,” he says. “Forever.”
Stan doesn’t wait for either of us to respond.
He looks down at his phone again, then points at the screen. “I’m printing this big. Above our bed. Before that printing place by the sex shop closes.”
“Stan,” I say, knowing it’s useless to try to stop him by now.
“You’re so right, babe. I’ll get more lube while I’m there!” He’s backing away fast. “Don’t change, babes. Don’t blink. I love you both!” Then he’s gone, footsteps quick, taking off down the hall with his maniacal chuckles.
I shake my head and look down at Em rubbing her cheeks with her palms.
“My face hurts,” she mutters.
“That means we kissed you good,” I say.
She drops her hands, glasses slightly crooked, so I fix it for her. “I wasn’t prepared for that photo.”
“Yeah, he kinda counts on that,” I tell her, frowning sympathetically before I glance down the hall. “Did you still want to check on Riz?”
Her smile comes back. “I’d like that very much.”
With that settled, we head toward the nursery.
Riz. Yeah, it’s an interesting nickname, alright. Stan’s doing, obviously. Idris the Second never stood a chance, even though Em’s technically right, that the kid’s named after his biological dad.
Still, Stan insisted. “Idris the Second sounds like a murderer in the making,” Stan said the first time he heard it. “Please, god, no. Let’s not call the little guy that.”
So Riz stuck. And it’s a really adorable nickname for such a well-behaved baby. I wouldn’t expect any less from someone who came from Em and Idris.
We reach the nursery door, warm light spilling out as soon as I open the door for us.
Inside, one of the orphans the family’s fostering, Will, sits near the window in his wheelchair, a bundled baby cradled in his arms. He looks up when we step in.
“Hey,” he says. “There’s a lot of people out there today.”
Em walks closer to him. “Too many for you, Will?”
He shakes his head. “It’s not bad, but my introverted butt’s happier in here.” He looks down at the baby, turning to show us it’s Riz. “I get bonding time with the boys, and Stan promised to show me how to hack better if I babysit on the weekends.”
I sigh. “Stan’s a bad influence.”
Will laughs. “Damon and Sterling are way worse.”
Em studies him. “How so?”
Will grins. “Damon showed me how to be Sterling’s contact when he was a mercenary. The pay was so good. Ten percent every target Damon sent to me to tell Sterling to…” He makes a slicing gesture with his thumb, then he pouts. “Babysitter pay isn’t as good, though.”
Em offers a raise, talking logistics and schedules, while I watch little Riz yawn with his small fists out of the blankets.
Will shuffles in his wheelchair. “I’ll think about it,” he tells Em. “Thanks for the offer.”
Em smiles. “Of course, Will.”
He smiles back and lifts Riz up a little, looking at me and Em. “Either of you wanna hold him while I go check on the others?”
“Yeah,” I say, stepping up.
He hands Riz over to me carefully. The little baby in a blanket burrito blinks up at me, with his tiny hands reaching for me.
I carry him over to Em, touching his fists with my fingers.
She giggles. “Hi there, Idris the Second.”
Holding back my chuckle, I hear Will wheel around, laughing.
Em doesn’t seem to notice, especially when she’s so happy watching Riz babble, long and serious, like he’s mimicking his mommy’s lecture talks.
I smirk, wondering what he’s trying to say.
A minute later, he yawns so wide his whole face scrunches. His eyes flutter closed, and then he’s asleep, out like a light.
Em runs her fingers lightly down the blanket. “He’s so sleepy around me.”
“He knows when he’s safe around his perfect mama,” I say.
She looks up at me, eyes warm and wide behind her glasses.
Going past us, Will rolls farther into the room, checking in on the other cribs.
Em leans closer to me, cooing at our little guy. I couldn’t be happier, but as much as I wanna keep us here, I still owe my future wife her present.
***
After the festivities, I’ve downed enough caffeine to put Stan to shame. But I wanted to pull out the big guns for him and Em.
I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror while I bounce on the balls of my feet.
I’m trying to hype myself up by jumping on the spot. I can do this. I can totally do this.
Leaving the bathroom, I step into our bedroom where Stan’s asking Em if the gigantic portrait he printed out is hanging right on top of our bed.
It’s literally as wide as our big bed. The photo is of us from earlier, me and Stan kissing Em’s cheek with our eyes closed. Stan and I are smiling a bit, but Em’s frowning, taken by surprise.
Stan checks his work, tilts his head left, then right. “Em,” he says seriously, “be honest. Is it straight?”
Em hums, studying it. “Not quite. Try lifting the left side a little.”
He reaches up to adjust it by a bit.
It turns out perfect, even if it’s eating up the wall with our faces.
I clear my throat. They both turn. I must look more intense than I mean to, because Stan, of all people, looks worried.
“Why do you look like that?” he asks. “Did I leave the lube bottle open again? I swear Ray didn’t tell me it could dry out like that. Plus, I bought plenty, babe.”
“No,” I say, trying not to laugh. “It’s not that, Stan.”
His eyes get big. “Oh my god, did you find the gift I hid?”
I rub my earring. It calms me down a little, while Em asks, “What gift?”
“Okay, so I may or may not have gotten us a sex swing,” Stan confesses in a hurry, holding his hands up. “In my defense, I didn’t tell either of you ‘cause it’s supposed to be a surprise.”
Em frowns but looks interested. God, the things we could do to her when we install it. But I shake my head, needing to focus.
“I have gifts for both of you too,” I say. “But I need you both to stand down here.”
They both do it without question, which is nice, except I’m still nervous as hell.
My heart’s hammering so hard I’m pretty sure they can hear it.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I drop to my knees.
Stan yelps. “Lix!”
I hold up both hands, fists closed around cool metals warming up fast in my palms.
My arms are shaking. I don’t hide it.
In each fist is a ring. Identical, simple bands, silver with a humble shimmer that shows under the light, when I open my hands and show the sparkling rings to them.
The room goes quiet.
It’s a miracle Stan isn’t talking or screaming right now, so I guess it’s my time to shine.
Taking a breath in, I start talking. “I didn’t know that happiness like this could exist.”
They don’t interrupt me. Em’s tearing up. Stan looks stunned, mouth open but nothing comes out. Thank god, so I keep going.
“For a long time,” I continue, staring at the rings so I don’t chicken out, “all I knew how to do was survive. Get through the day. Protect who I could.” I swallow. “That was my sister. For a long time, it was just her.”
I breathe out slow, glancing up at them.
“But she’s been safe with Sterling.”
Tears run down Em’s face. All I wanna do is kiss them away.
“It’s not like I was looking for a new purpose or anything,” I say. “But the world answered a question I kept to myself.” My throat tightens. “I always wondered who would even understand me. Who would even bother when I’m quiet and keep to myself?”
My hands clench around the rings.
“I’m messed up in the head,” I admit. “I get angry. Run away or rush in. Either way, I don’t always express myself well.” I force myself to meet their eyes. “But I’m trying. I’ve been trying. For you two. Because of you two.”
The words are spilling out now. I don’t stop them.
“So will you both please promise me forever?” I ask, trying to hide my anxiety behind a chuckle. “I know it’s a lot. But you both make me want to be selfish as fuck.”
Em moves first. She nods, tears slipping down her cheeks and fogging her glasses.
Then she bends down and kisses me, so soft at first, then deeper.
I slide the ring on her before holding her by her beautiful face.
“Yes,” she whispers into our kiss.
My vision goes white at the edges. Stars burst behind my eyes.
I don’t know if it’s the adrenaline or the caffeine or both, but my hands are shaking worse.
When Em steps aside, nodding at Stan, I get up, turning to him. He’s still staring at me like he’s seen a ghost.
“Stan,” I whisper, barely audible. “You good?”
He blinks hard. Then frowns at me like I’ve offended him somehow.
“Of course it’s a yes,” he hisses, pointing at our golden wedding bands. “To forever. And after that too. The both of you!” His eyes fill. “You don’t think I’ll drag you both down to hell with me?”
Em laughs through her tears. I do too.
Stan scrubs at his face, frustrated. “I’m not joking,” he insists. “We’re getting buried together when we’re a hundred years old. Try to defy that, physics.”
“Technically,” Em says, “it’s physiology.”
Stan pouts at her. “Em, my love, please. My ego.”
I laugh with my whole chest. Standing here, caffeine buzzing through my veins, I don’t know a lot, but I know this much for sure. It’s the three of us. Forever.