Epilogue One
Our Forever
Ethan
Two years later
T he sharp whistle of the coach cuts through the air, signaling the end of practice. My teammates filter off the field, their laughter and banter filling the locker room behind me. I stay back for a moment, leaning down to tie my cleats tighter, though there’s no real reason to. My mind isn’t here—it hasn’t been all day.
It’s back home—with Emma.
Even now, two years after we reconciled, her name still hits me like a punch to the chest, stealing my breath and making my heart race. It’s not just that I love her—it’s that she’s become my entire world. Every time I step off the field, she’s the first thing I want to see. Every win feels bigger because I know she’s there cheering me on. Every loss feels lighter because I know she’ll be waiting to remind me that the score doesn’t define me.
But tonight’s not about football. Tonight’s about the rest of our lives.
I finally make my way to the locker room, where the guys are still cracking jokes and tossing towels. I half-listen as I change, my focus elsewhere. My phone vibrates in my bag, and I pull it out, the screen lighting up with Emma’s name.
Emma: What time will you be home?
Me: Be home soon. I’ve got a surprise for you.
It’s vague enough to keep her curious but doesn’t give anything away. I’ve spent weeks planning tonight, and the last thing I need is her figuring it out before I’m ready.
I shower quickly, the usual post-practice chatter fading into the background as I focus on what’s coming. By the time I pull out of the stadium parking lot, the sun is dipping low, casting the city in a warm golden glow. My hands grip the steering wheel a little tighter as I head toward the house, rehearsing the words I want to say.
When I step inside, Emma is waiting for me, her smile lighting up the space like it always does. She’s dressed casually in jeans and a sweater, her hair pulled back, and her expression soft as she leans against the counter.
“Hey, you’re home sooner than I thought you’d be,” she says, her eyes lighting up as I walk in.
I smile, closing the distance between us and pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I couldn’t stay away.”
She tilts her head, her brows knitting as she studies me. “What’s going on, Ethan?”
“Nothing yet,” I say, grabbing her jacket off the back of a chair and holding it out to her. “But I need you to come with me.”
She glances between me and the jacket, her lips twitching into a half-smile. “This feels suspicious.”
“Trust me,” I reply, my voice steady but my heart pounding in my chest.
She hesitates for a moment before slipping on the jacket. “This better not involve mud or me ruining my shoes,” she teases.
“No mud, I promise,” I say, grabbing the keys and leading her out the door.
The drive is quiet, comfortable, the kind of silence that feels natural after years of knowing each other inside and out. She doesn’t press me for details, but I can tell her curiosity is growing. When I finally pull into the park’s small parking lot, she looks at me, her brow furrowed.
“A park?” she asks, her tone laced with intrigue.
“Not just any park,” I say, stepping out of the car and walking around to open her door .
She takes my hand, letting me guide her along the path. The string lights I’d set up earlier glow softly in the evening light, casting a warm, golden hue that makes her stop in her tracks.
“Ethan…” she breathes, her voice full of wonder as she takes it in.
I smile, squeezing her hand. “Since we don’t live near the park we used to go to, I thought this one might work instead.”
Her eyes shimmer as she looks up at me, and I see it—the love, the history, the future we’ve been building together.
We reach the swing set, and I gently guide her to sit. Her laughter is soft and full of warmth as I give her a light push, the swing moving in a steady rhythm.
“I can’t believe you did all this,” she says, her voice tinged with awe.
“There’s more,” I reply, stepping in front of her and gently stopping the swing. I drop to one knee, pulling the small velvet box from my pocket.
Her gasp is soft, her hands flying to her mouth as her hazel-green eyes fill with tears.
“Emma Blackwood,” I begin, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions surging inside me. “You’ve been my best friend, my anchor, my everything for as long as I can remember. There’s not a single part of my life that isn’t better because you’re in it. You make me want to be the best version of myself—not just for you, but for us. For the life we’re building together.”
A tear slips down her cheek, and she lets out a shaky laugh, her hands trembling as they lower from her mouth.
“I’ve known for years that you’re it for me, Em. And I’m done waiting. I want to spend every single day reminding you how much you mean to me. So, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Her laugh is watery, and she nods furiously, sliding off the swing and dropping to her knees in front of me. Her hands cup my face, her tears mingling with the wide, radiant smile on her lips.
“Yes,” she whispers, her voice breaking as tears spill freely now. “Yes, Ethan. Of course, yes.”
Relief and joy crash over me, and I slide the ring onto her finger—a delicate band with a solitaire diamond that catches the light perfectly. Her hands tremble as she stares at it, then back at me.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. “You’re beautiful. I can’t believe this is real.”
I pull her into my arms, my lips finding hers in a kiss that’s soft and full of promises. When we finally pull back, I press my forehead against hers, my hands cradling her face.
“You’ve made me the happiest man alive, Em,” I murmur, my voice raw. “I swear, I’m going to spend the rest of my life making you happy too.”
Her smile is blinding, her hands sliding down to rest against my chest as she whispers, “You already do.”
We stay like that for a long moment, wrapped up in each other, the rest of the world fading away. This moment, this promise, is ours. Forever.
Another Year Later
Sarah stands beside Emma as her maid of honor, her smile wide and full of pride as she adjusts the hem of Emma’s gown one last time. On the other side of the altar, Jace grins at me, the perfect best man despite all the teasing he’d subjected me to leading up to today.
The warm buzz of anticipation hums in the air as Emma walks down the aisle, her arm linked with her mother’s. My chest tightens at the sight of her, radiant and breathtaking, like she’s lit from within. I don’t even try to hide the tears burning at the corners of my eyes.
When she reaches me, I take her hands, my thumbs brushing over her knuckles. The officiant begins the ceremony, but all I can see—all I can feel—is Emma. This is the moment we’ve been working toward, the culmination of every obstacle we’ve overcome .
The Minister starts talking, I’m listening but mostly I’m looking at Emma. I’m captivated by her. Then it’s time for our vows.
“Ethan,” Emma says softly, her voice steady despite the shimmer of emotion in her eyes. “From the moment you stood up for me on that playground when we were kids, you became my safe place, my protector, and my best friend. Through every twist and turn, every heartbreak and triumph, you’ve been my constant. I didn’t believe in fate before you, but now I can’t imagine my life without it, because fate brought me to you. You’re not just the love of my life—you’re my home, my beginning, and my forever. I promise to choose you, every day, in every way, for the rest of my life.”
The Minister turns to me with a gentle smile. “Ethan, your vows?” he prompts, his voice breaking through the emotional haze. I nod, taking a steadying breath as I meet Emma’s gaze, the weight of the moment settling over me.
My throat tightens, and it takes me a moment to find my voice as I look into her eyes. “Emma,” I begin, my voice rough but full of conviction. “You’ve always been the strongest person I know, and you’ve taught me what it means to love without fear, without hesitation. You saw me—the real me—before I even knew who I was. You’ve been my anchor when I was lost, my light when things were dark. I promise to stand beside you, to fight for you, to laugh with you, and to never stop holding your hand through all of life’s ups and downs. You’re my everything, and I’ll spend the rest of my days proving just how lucky I am to be yours.”
The Minister’s voice brings us back to the moment, guiding us to exchange rings. As I slide the band onto Emma’s finger, my hands are steady, my heart full. And when she places my ring on my finger, her hands trembling slightly, I know this moment will be etched in my memory forever.
“You may now kiss your bride,” the officiant announces, and I don’t hesitate. I pull Emma close, our lips meeting in a kiss that feels like a promise and a beginning all at once. The cheers of our friends and family fade into the background as I hold her, knowing we’ve just stepped into forever—together.
Another Year Later
Life with Emma is a series of moments that feel like tiny miracles—her laugh echoing through the house, the way she leans into me as we cook dinner, her head on my shoulder during lazy evenings on the couch. It’s the simple things that ground me, that make everything else fade into the background. Tonight feels no different, the hum of the TV filling the quiet as we sit together. But when I glance at her and notice the nervous energy in her movements, I realize this moment is about to change everything.
Emma shifts slightly, her legs draped over mine as we sit on the couch, the quiet hum of the TV filling the space between us. She’s holding something in her hands, her fingers fidgeting nervously. I glance down, noticing the faint tremble in her grip.
“Ethan,” she says softly, her voice unsteady but filled with something I can’t quite place. “I need to tell you something.”
I straighten, my heart skipping a beat at the seriousness in her tone. “What is it?” I ask, my eyes searching hers.
She takes a deep breath, then holds out the small white stick in her hand. For a moment, my brain struggles to catch up, but then the realization hits me like a freight train. “Wait… are you—?”
Her eyes brim with tears as she nods, her lips curving into a shaky smile. “I’m pregnant.”
The world seems to tilt for a second before righting itself, and suddenly, everything feels brighter, sharper. “You’re… we’re…” I can’t seem to find the words, so I do the only thing that makes sense—I pull her into my arms, holding her tightly as my chest fills with something too big to contain.
“We’re having a baby,” I whisper, the words feeling surreal and grounding all at once. “Em, we’re going to be parents.”
She laughs through her tears, burying her face against my neck. “I’m terrified,” she admits, her voice muffled .
“Me too,” I confess, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. “But we’ll figure it out. Together.”
Her hand rests on her stomach, and I place mine over hers, the weight of this moment settling over us. It’s not just the two of us anymore—it’s the three of us. And for the first time in my life, the future feels more exciting than anything I could have imagined.