Extended Epilogue
JADE-FIVE YEARS LATER…
T he early morning sun streams through our bedroom window as I stand in front of the mirror, trying to zip up my dress. Memphis appears behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist and pressing a kiss to my neck.
"Need some help with that?" he asks with a smirk.
I roll my eyes but can't help smiling. "Your son kept me up half the night wanting ice cream. The least you can do is help me get dressed for work."
He laughs as he carefully zips up my dress. "Don't blame little Xander. You're the one who insisted on chocolate fudge brownie at midnight."
"I'm pregnant. I get to blame whoever I want," I say, turning to face him. His green eyes sparkle with amusement as he pulls me closer.
"And you're beautiful," he whispers against my lips before kissing me softly. Even after five years of marriage, my heart still skips a beat when he looks at me like this.
The patter of little feet interrupts us as our four-year-old son bursts into the room, followed by an energetic Noodle. "Mommy! Daddy! Can we have pancakes?"
Memphis scoops him up, tossing him in the air as Xander squeals with delight. "Only if you help me make them, buddy."
I watch them head to the kitchen, my hand resting on my growing belly where our daughter kicks in response to her brother's laughter. The house Memphis renovated has become everything we dreamed of and more. The walls that once needed repair now hold our family photos, showing how we've grown from newlyweds to parents. The hardwood floors that he restored bear the marks of Xander's toy cars and Noodle's excited running.
In the kitchen, Memphis has Xander standing on a chair at the counter, helping him mix pancake batter while explaining the importance of getting all the lumps out. It's moments like these that make me fall in love with him all over again.
"How about blueberries in these?" Memphis asks, reaching for the fresh berries we picked up at the farmers' market yesterday .
"Yes!" Xander exclaims, already trying to grab a handful to pop in his mouth.
I laugh and join them at the counter, stealing a few berries for myself. "Like father, like son. Neither of you can wait for anything."
Memphis catches my eye, and I know we're both thinking of how he proved that wrong—how he waited for me, proved himself, and rebuilt our trust after coming back. He reaches over and squeezes my hand, a gesture that says more than words ever could.
The garage is thriving under Memphis's management, and I've finally opened my own mobile veterinary clinic, combining my love for animals with the business degree I earned taking night classes. Pearl and Blake live just down the street, and our kids are already inseparable.
After breakfast, I kiss them both goodbye and head to my first appointment of the day. When I return home that evening, exhausted but happy, I find Memphis and Xander in the backyard, working on the treehouse they've been building together.
"Mommy!" Xander calls down from his perch on the platform. "Daddy says we can sleep out here when it's done!"
Memphis catches my skeptical look and grins. "Maybe when you're a little older, buddy."
Later that night, after Xander is tucked in bed with Noodle curled up at his feet, Memphis draws me a temperature appropriate bath in our restored clawfoot tub that he has checked with a thermometer multiple times. He's added floating candles and rose petals, reminiscent of our first night in this house five years ago.
"You're spoiling me," I say as he helps me into the warm water.
He kneels beside the tub, running his hand along my arm. "You deserve to be spoiled. Especially now." His hand moves to my belly, where our daughter responds to his touch with a flutter of movement.
"I was thinking," he says, his voice soft but certain, "about names for this little one."
"Oh? What did you have in mind?"
"What about Karma? After her beautiful mama?"
“Really?” I scrunch my nose at my own middle name, “I was always embarrassed of it a little if I’m honest. I wasn’t sure if it sounded too…I dunno.”
“Unique? Beautiful?” He kisses my nose, “baby I’ve always loved your middle name.”
I splash water at him playfully. "You're just trying to sweet talk me into letting Xander sleep in that treehouse."
He laughs, leaning in to kiss me. "Is it working?"
I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer despite his protests about getting his clothes wet. " Maybe," I whisper against his lips. "But you'll have to convince me some more."
His mouth captures mine in a passionate kiss that makes me forget about everything else. His hands caress my skin underneath the water, and I can feel his smile against my lips when I shiver in response.
"I love you, Jade Karma Styles," he murmurs, his forehead resting against mine.
"I love you too," I reply, my fingers tracing the familiar planes of his face. "Thank you for coming home to me."
He pulls back slightly, his green eyes intense. "Thank you for giving me a home to come back to."
As I lay in bed that night, Memphis's arm draped protectively over me and our daughter doing somersaults in my belly, I think about how far we've come. The broken-hearted girl who waited for ten years and the boy who needed to find himself have both grown into the people we were always meant to be—together.
Tomorrow, Memphis will wake up early to make breakfast before heading to the garage. Xander will probably sneak into our bed for morning cuddles and I'll waddle my way through my appointments, stopping to have lunch with Pearl who insists on planning an elaborate baby shower. And when evening comes, we'll all be home together again, adding another day to our story .
Some people might say that happiness like this is boring, that the excitement of love fades once you settle down. But they don't understand that every day I spend with Memphis and our family brings new adventures, new reasons to fall in love, new memories to cherish.
Memphis stirs in his sleep, pulling me closer as if he can't bear any distance between us, even in dreams. I smile and close my eyes, knowing that tomorrow will bring another day of the life we've built together.
And as I drift off to sleep, I know with absolute certainty that this is just one chapter in our ongoing story. There will be more renovations, more midnight ice cream runs, more family adventures, and more moments where I look at Memphis and think about how grateful I am that he found his way back to me. Because some loves are worth waiting for, and ours is the kind of love that only grows stronger with time.
Keep reading for a taste of Nina and Bryce’s story in Single Dad Dilemma.
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