Epilogue
Celeste
Two years later
“Onyx, what did I tell you about doing that? Stop before I get my belt.”
Like he did every time I said the word belt, Onyx ran toward his room.
It was hard to believe my baby was already two years old.
When he first came out, he had been the perfect mixture of me and Shane.
The older he got, the more my features disappeared.
Onyx was his father’s twin and my husband loved every bit.
“Onyx, what you in here doing to my wife?” Shane called out as he walked into the living room.
“Being himself. I keep telling him to stop jumping off the couch, but he won’t stop. I don’t have time to be going to the hospital in this hot ass Florida weather.”
After Mylo won those Grammys, Shane’s career had also gone up.
My man made so much money it was hard not to notice our lifestyle change.
Not only were we having a house built in Gwendal, but we now owned a home right outside of Miami, Florida.
The view was surreal and the whole vibe in the area was nothing short of luxurious.
We came to our Florida home frequently in the winter, but spent random weekends here when we could.
Luxe Addiction had also gone to a new level.
What started as a struggle to manage two locations later turned into a blessing.
The profit I turned was something I thought I’d never see.
I knew Shane would never switch up on me no matter what, but I was happy to still have my own income.
If anything were to happen, me and Onyx’s lifestyle wouldn’t change by much.
I felt secure in my marriage, but I also had to be realistic.
People changed and feelings did as well.
My summer collection had done so well that it garnered the attention of big brands.
Fishers, a high-end fashion brand, reached out to collaborate.
That alone would bring my brand a different type of customer.
This excited me because it let me know that although I was now a wife and mother, I’d kept my dream alive.
“His lil ass won’t learn until he hurts himself. But don’t get yourself worked up. You’re supposed to be sitting back and resting anyway. Your feet still look swollen.”
“They aren’t swollen anymore. I was in here laying on the couch when your son came bothering me, with his bad ass.”
“I’ll get him. You just sit down. We gotta make sure my lil homie is cookin’ just right,” Shane stated before heading to Onyx’s room.
Just as luck would have it, I was eight months pregnant with yet another boy.
In the heat of the moment, I’d let Shane talk me into trying for a girl.
When we went to the ultrasound appointment to find out the sex, this little boy had his legs wide open.
There was no mistaking he was indeed a boy.
Amiri Shane Scott was the name we’d picked.
Lynn and Robert were heaven sent when it came to helping with Onyx.
Although I didn’t take advantage of their help, I could honestly say there was never a time when they didn’t show up for me. Same with Phillip.
Robert had also come into a seven-figure settlement.
After Dennis and his two accomplices were charged and sentenced, he had even more of a case to sue the Gwendal Police Department.
Since then, Robert had moved the location of the shop into a high-end area and Exclusive Diamonds was doing very well.
As far as Deontay, we didn’t see him out much anymore and Shane had gotten word that he was hanging around the studio trying to sell his chains.
Shane also let me know Deontay and Mia were indeed an item.
Apparently, the agency she was modeling for had tossed her to the side for younger women.
It was unfortunate, but I couldn’t say I was surprised.
Allen’s lawyer stopped by Luxe Addiction one last time after he’d gotten sentenced.
For whatever sick reason, he wanted me to have all of his properties and belongings.
I said no to everything because I wanted nothing to do with him.
He and Serenity had a daughter who wasn’t much older than Onyx.
If anything, she should’ve been given his things.
After being found guilty of sexual assault, Allen was sentenced to fifteen years in federal prison.
I didn’t wish bad on anyone, but I was happy that young lady had gotten her justice.
“Celeste, Phillip said he’s been calling you. Where is your phone?” Shane questioned as he returned with a laughing Onyx in his arms.
“It’s in the room. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah…he just wants to know when he and Sade can come out here. They wanna take Onyx to some museum they heard about,” he informed me.
“They can come whenever. I don’t have any plans with him for the next few days.”
Phillip had also kept his word. Since the day we met, I’d talked to him every day.
He called just to tell me about the weather in North Carolina.
Shane and I had gone down there a few times and loved it.
Meeting all of my family turned out better than expected.
The two people I kept in touch with religiously were my brother and grandmother.
It felt so good to have family around who genuinely cared about me.
“He said they’ll be here tomorrow. I’m glad they’re taking him for a little bit. Mommy and Daddy need alone time,” Shane said as he kissed my neck.
“Mommy and Daddy having alone time is how we ended up with another baby. After Amiri is born, we need to chill. I know our parents will love both of their grandchildren, but I don’t know if they want us to keep pushing them out,” I joked.
“You don’t know your mother-in-law then. She’ll love however many we bring her. She lives for being a grandmother.”
“Even if that is true, you’ll have to convince me why I should have another one. Two kids is already crazy. I can’t even imagine three,” I stated with a smirk.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make you surrender. I already have you as my wife. Giving me a third baby will be light work compared to all the convincing I had to do when I first met you.”
“Yeah? You think so?”
“I know so. I love you, Celeste Scott.”
The End