Epilogue Two
Joshua
Four Years Later
She looks up at me with those big brown eyes that always seem to render me helpless. It doesn’t matter how much time passes—I’ll never grow immune to her pleading gaze.
She has her mother’s eyes.
I stare down at my two-year-old daughter, holding her arms out for me to lift her up, and, naturally, I do.
“Help?” she asks, lifting the star in her tiny hands.
“Of course, Princess.” I kiss her rosy cheek before lifting her over our almost fully decorated Christmas tree. She wiggles in my arms as she spends several moments trying to place the star in just the right place.
“There!” she announces, and when I pull her back to my chest, the golden star is so crooked it’s a miracle it’s not falling over.
Her beaming smile is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“Want to show Mom?” I ask.
“Yes!” she exclaims, squirming out of my arms. The second her feet touch the tile, she’s racing into the kitchen.
“Mama! Come look what I did! I finished the tree!”
“Without me?” The melodic sound of my wife’s voice drifts to my ears, and with it, a sense of bliss hits me. The feeling intensifies when the two girls I love most in the world walk into the living room, hand in hand.
My wife is as beautiful as ever. She wears a red shirt with a gray cardigan falling to her knees and a Santa hat that matches my own, courtesy of our daughter.
Her skin is still tan from our trip to Greece last week—practically glowing in the firelight.
We’d taken the trip with the knowledge that it’ll be a while before we’re able to travel again.
My girls stand beside me in front of the tree, and Elise smiles down at our little girl.
“Vanessa, you did a great job putting the star up,” she coos. “It’s perfect.”
Ness smiles her toothy grin before leaning into her mother’s stomach. “I’ll teach you to do the star, too!” she promises her unborn siblings.
I wrap an arm around Elise’s waist, pulling her into me and placing my palm over her 20-week pregnant belly.
We announced the pregnancy to our family a few weeks ago at Thanksgiving, though many of them had suspected it since it was no secret we’d been trying. What was surprising, however, was the news that we’re having twins.
I lead my wife to the couch, ensuring she’s comfortable before finishing the mugs of hot chocolate she’d started before Ness went to get her. Before I go back to the living room, I take a detour to my office, grabbing the wrapped box that’s been sitting there for a week now.
I finally get to give it to her.
When I come back to the living room, I stop in the doorway, just watching Elise with Ness.
She’s the perfect mother. I’d always known she would be. Even when I wasn’t sure I’d ever want kids, I never doubted that she was exactly the kind of woman I’d want as the mother of my children.
I hadn’t thought there was much hope for me as a father—despite Elise’s assurances—but once our girl was born, I knew she’d have a better father than either of us did.
When my eyes first fell on Vanessa Maya Moreno, I realized that my heart is a lot bigger than I thought.
I take a seat on the floor beneath Elise and pull Ness onto my lap as I hold out the box.
“What’s this?”
“Open it,” I tell her.
She takes it, giving me a side glance as she pulls the top off. After lifting the first layer of tissue paper, her mouth falls open, and her eyes widen. It’s exactly the reaction I’d been hoping for.
She pulls out the first piece, a flat, circular ornament, pearl white with fine script writing.
R. R. Bates, with the wedding date of our best friends beneath it.
Elise looks at me with awe-filled eyes. “Is this—”
I nod. “Keep going.”
She presses her lips together, trying to control her smile as she moves another piece of tissue paper and pulls out the next ornament.
L. K. Consoli. And the next.
J. I. Consoli. And the last.
D. S. Consoli.
All with their designated wedding dates beneath them.
Elise used to tell me about her dreams of big family gatherings. She hoped her brothers would one day find the same love we have—and eventually, they did.
Our family has grown a lot over the last four years—more than I ever thought possible—and I know the journey has meant the world to Elise.
When my wife’s eyes meet mine, tears stream down her face, and though she’ll blame them on the hormones, we both know she would’ve reacted this way regardless.
Elise slides onto the floor, where I sit with a sleepy Ness lying on my chest.
“Joshua, I love them,” she whispers.
Careful not to disrupt Ness, I reach up and stroke her face. “It’s our first Christmas without the rest of our family. I know you’re missing your brothers and won’t be able to see them until after the twins are born, so I thought these might help.”
“They’re absolutely perfect.”
Elise’s smile still takes my breath away despite the fact that I have the honor of seeing it every day. My wife is the most beautiful woman in this world—her only rival being our own daughter.
This life that we’ve built isn’t what I imagined for myself. It’s not what I pictured when I made plans to expand my empire and influence. It’s not what I deserve.
But it’s a damn good life.
THE END