Epilogue
“I loved you then, I love you now, and I have loved you every second in between.”
—Stephen King, “Lisey’s Story”
Us
“Happy anniversary, my love.”
“Happy anniversary. I’m going to kiss you, my sweet doctor,” said William, wrapping his arms around my waist, while I put mine around his neck.
“With one condition,” I said, placing a finger on his lips.
“A condition? What would that be?”
“That it won’t be the last time you do it.”
“Not a chance!” he exclaimed.
He took my face in his hands, and just as he was about to kiss me...
“Mom, Dad, can you stop doing that? I’m 12 years old, I don’t want to see my parents kissing all the time,” said Aurora.
“Well, you’re fortunate because you have parents who love each other deeply and love you with all their hearts,” said William.
“Yes, I know. I have the best parents in the world. I love you both with all my heart. Happy anniversary,” she said, coming closer to hug us both. “I have something for you. I’ll be right back.”
Aurora left the living room and William looked at me with a smile.
“Where were we?”
“William, stop it. Aurora will be back any moment,” I scolded him, and William huffed, but with a smile.
At that moment, Aurora returned with a package the size of a picture frame and handed it to me.
“This is my gift to you for your anniversary. I love you,” she said.
“I’ll give you the honor of opening it,” said William, looking at me.
I started to open it and when I saw what it was, I couldn’t help but get emotional as tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Thank you, sweetheart. It’s beautiful.”
“What’s beautiful is the love you have for each other,” said Aurora, also emotional.
I turned the painting so William could see it, and he was as amazed and moved as I was.
It was a painting of us on our wedding day.
Aurora had been painting since she was little, and since she enjoyed it so much, we had hired a teacher who had been teaching her for years.
She had replicated one of our photographs in watercolors, and it looked identical—it was a wonderful piece of work, especially because it was created by her, our daughter.
“I’ve been working on this painting for months, but I think it turned out really well.”
“It’s spectacular, princess,” said William. “Thank you so much for all the effort. It’s... it’s wonderful.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. Look at our faces, we look incredible. You’re a great artist,” I said, emotional.
“Mom, don’t cry because you’ll make me cry,” said Aurora, hugging me again. “In that photo you both look incredible because you were super happy.”
“We were, we are, and we always will be, because we love each other with all our hearts and we’ll always be united. The day you decide to leave home, you’ll do so knowing that you can always count on us, we’ll always be by your side,” I affirmed, with eyes glistening with emotion.
“I know, Mom. I couldn’t have better parents.”
“And we couldn’t have a better daughter,” said William, hugging us, and then adding what he always said: “The two most beautiful women, and they’re mine.”
“And Giorgio’s,” said Aurora, and we both looked at her in surprise.
“Whose?” asked William, frowning.
“Giorgio is my boyfriend.”
“What do you mean, your boyfriend? You’re only 12 years old, princess.”
“Oh, Dad, all my friends have boyfriends.”
“Well, actually he must be your friend, that friend you really like, right?” I said, trying to ease William’s concern.
“No, Mom, he’s my boyfriend,” Aurora stated with great confidence and naturalness.
“Well, I don’t think you should have a boyfriend at 12 years old,” William pointed out.
“Dad, don’t be old-fashioned,” she scolded him. “I’m going to my room because I have to finish an assignment.”
“This conversation isn’t over, princess,” said William, but Aurora kept walking and didn’t answer him. Then he looked at me and added: “Did you hear what she said? What does she mean she has a boyfriend?”
“I heard her, my love. But at 12 years old they say ‘boyfriend,’ but it’s really just a friend-boyfriend, that friend she likes and gets along with really well. But don’t worry because I’ll talk to her about it later, and if not, we’ll invite him to dinner so he can meet the in-laws,” I joked.
“Don’t be funny, ‘Sweet,’ ” he said with a frown, but immediately changed it to a mischievous smile and added: “For now, let’s forget about that thorny issue and focus on something more pleasant. Where were we?”
“We were doing this,” I said, and I moved closer, wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him with all the love I felt for him.
“Can we continue this topic somewhere else? Our bedroom, for example?” he asked, without letting me go.
“We can’t, Cavaller. Aurora is studying in hers,” I said, and he looked at me with a victim’s face, so I added, “But get ready for tonight because I’m planning to go to bed wearing only that necklace you like so much.”
“My goodness! How long until it gets dark?”
I looked at him and couldn’t hold back my laughter because his expression of eagerness was so funny.
“There’s nothing more beautiful than your smile. I love you,” he affirmed, giving me a delicate kiss on the lips.
“Tonight I’m going to fulfill all your desires, Mr. Cavaller,” I said, knowing he really liked when I called him that because it meant I was in seductive mode.
“Sweet, you’ve already fulfilled all my desires and dreams. You are my dream come true. Happy anniversary, my love,” William said, looking at me with adoration.
“How lucky I am,” I whispered, brushing his lips.
“Why?”
“Because that day I decided to stay a little longer than my shift to treat Aurora in the emergency room. The day I met you and, in an instant, you turned my world upside down.”
“How lucky I am,” William whispered too, his lips brushing against mine.
“Why?”
“For finding you, my sweet doctor, and because you chose me. Because our paths joined forever. For having you as the doctor and owner of my heart.”
And our lips sought each other, united, kissing, loving, enjoying ourselves, our love, our passion and our happiness. Our wonderful life together.
THE END