29. Epilogue - Vivian #2
My brows furrowed, and I didn’t try to hide my concern.
“Claire, what is going on with you? You’re tight-lipped about everything, and you won’t let me in.
I don’t know what all is going on with The Pork Belly, but I don’t know why you’re freaking out.
Is it the restaurant, or is it because I’m leaving?
” This wasn’t a conversation I’d planned on having on my wedding day.
But between packing and work and planning this event, we hadn’t spent more than five minutes in the same space. And time was running out.
“No, of course not,” Claire said, running a hand through her hair and messing up the pretty braid we’d woven along the side. I lifted my fingers to smooth the few strands that had fallen out of place, and she grabbed my hand as I finished. “I’m sorry, Viv. It’s not you, it’s me.”
She gave a weak laugh at the trite phrase.
“I still can’t tell you. Believe me, I want to. So badly,” she emphasized, squeezing my hand. “As soon as everything’s done , I will.” She flicked a quick glance toward Derrick, who hadn’t strayed far from her side the entire evening.
His eyes lifted to meet hers, tender and consuming, and she froze a bit at the intensity before shaking her head and turning back to me.
“I have a plan to save the restaurant. It’ll cover the overhead, the insurance premiums for Raelynn, it’ll even make it possible for me to hire someone to replace you.”
I elbowed her in the ribs. “Hey! No one can replace me.”
She responded with a wry grin. “Yeah, yeah, well, I’m not the one gallivanting off to Miami, chica.”
I’d take the deflected response if it meant she wasn’t stressing out again.
“In all seriousness, and I respect that for whatever reason you can’t tell me…
Are you okay? Are you going to be okay? Because I have wifely privileges now, and I can still tell Michael I can’t leave you,” I said to her, only half-joking.
I couldn’t do this move if I was worried about Claire’s well-being.
“In all seriousness, yes . I am fine, The Pork Belly will be fine. Now it will, anyway,” she said with another quick glance at Derrick, who was dancing with Raelynn, her shiny patent leather shoes standing on top of his.
Her face melted a little at the sight, and she sighed.
Turning back to me, she said, “Don’t worry about us.
I found a solution. I’m just coming to terms with it.
But rest assured, I’ve got this. It’s a good thing, really.
We’re all gonna keep our jobs and live happily ever after. ”
She smiled at me, holding me away from her and looking me over proudly.
“ Your new job is to go off and ride into the sunset happily ever after with your hot Latin lover, chica.” She punctuated her words with a hug and I held onto her tightly.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do without you, Claire.” I sniffled into her shoulder.
“I know, girl. I know.” She patted my back reassuringly. “But we’re going to come visit just as soon as you guys get settled in. Once we don’t have to worry about y’all running around naked in your place, that is.”
I laughed. Sounded exactly like something Michael would do.
“Twenty bucks says he knocks you up by the new year.” Her eyes danced as she challenged me.
“Oh, hell no. I’m not ready for babies yet,” I told her as I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist. Michael’s crisp citrus cologne washed over me as I automatically relaxed into his hold.
“Mmm, babies? How many are we having, mi amor?” he rumbled out as he nipped at my neck.
“Uh-uh. No way. We’re gonna take a break from this roller coaster ride for a while,” I told both of them firmly.
I turned to face Michael fully, running my hand along his jaw.
“Besides, baby, I want time with you before we start this next stage. We’ve already done the fast track on everything else, and right now, I want you all to myself.
” I punctuated the last word with a quick kiss to his cheek, but he turned his head so swiftly that it landed on his mouth instead.
“I like the sound of that, mi esposa ,” he growled as he wrapped his arms tightly around my waist, pulling me closer. “And I like the idea of practicing even more.”
“And that would be my cue to leave,” Claire announced, pretending to fan herself. At that very moment Derrick walked up with Raelynn, her hand swinging from his.
“Dance with us, Mommy?” she asked, her sweet blue eyes imploring her mother.
“Of course, sweetheart! But I’m not quite sure how we’re going to do it with all three of us,” she said, glancing at where Raelynn was firmly attached to Derrick.
“Like this, princess?” Derrick asked, swinging the girl up and settling her on his hip as she squealed with laughter. “My queen?” he asked Claire, holding out his free hand for her to take. His grin was jovial, but the warmth in his eyes spoke volumes.
Claire hesitated for a moment, looking at his outstretched hand, then back at him.
“I guess so,” she said, taking his hand and grabbing Raelynn’s.
The three of them began to sway to the music in an easy rhythm, looking like an actual family.
Derrick held Claire lightly, but I noticed the subtle brushing of his thumb against her hand, and the pink that spread across her cheeks.
“Think he finally made his move?” my husband —wow, that was still going to take some getting used to—asked me, my back to his front as we watched the three take the impromptu dance floor.
“Can’t say for sure. But something’s definitely in the works,” I told him.
He turned me to face him, lifting my wrist for a kiss. “I could never have waited so long for you, mi amor.”
I melted into him. “Me neither, mi esposo.”
Michael sits back in his chair and rubs his stomach, removing the napkin draped across his lap. “You spoil me, wife.”
I smile at him over my wine glass. “It was all your cooking, baby. I just put my own twist on it. There’s dessert, too.” I start to stack our plates to clear the table when I’m stopped by his hand on my wrist.
“Come here, mi amor,” he commands in a low tone.
Shivering despite the Miami humidity, I do exactly as he says.
As I stand next to him, he tugs me toward him until I’m on his lap, my legs straddling his thighs easily over the armless chair.
Even after a full day of work, he still smells delicious, citrus notes mixing with the masculine scent that is all Michael.
I bury my face in his neck to get more of it, inadvertently rocking my hips over him and immediately feel his response.
Without saying a word, he slides his hands under my halter top, caressing my back before deftly unfastening my strapless bra.
“Michael!” I admonish, trying to pull his arms down. “What are you doing? We—we’re outside!”
“Having my dessert,” he replies, dropping searing kisses along my collarbone and shoulder as he slides the fabric away.
“Feliz aniversario, mi amor.”
Later on that night, after showers and another round of what Michael calls “dessert,” we’re cuddling in bed. My head rests above his heart, the beat soothing in my ear as his hand strokes my head absently. I can hear him thinking. “What is it, mi amor?” It’s my turn to ask him.
He doesn’t respond right away, instead turning me over so that I’m lying on my back. He slides a hand across my belly almost reverently, then kisses it. “Just wondering when you’re going to let me put a baby in here.”
I still. We haven’t talked timelines or anything, but nothing about our relationship has been very planned out. The one thing I’m concerned about is my fibromyalgia and how to handle a pregnancy on top of that. I tell him so.
“Vivian, I’ve got you. Kids or not, I’ll always take care of you.
We’ll always find a way to make it work.
” He plants another kiss on my stomach, then leans his head on his hand.
“And we don’t have to rush this. I was just thinking about Raelynn.
She’s such a sweet little girl. Have you heard from Claire lately? ”
“Not since last week. Our conversations have been short. She’s had a lot of meetings and hasn’t had much time to talk. She did let me know Raelynn was doing good in school however—”
My sentence is cut short by my cell phone ringing. Who on earth could that be? It’s past eleven, which usually doesn’t mean anything good.
I reach over to the bedside table and pick up on the third ring without checking the caller ID first. “Hello?”
“ Viv ?”
“Hey, Claire! We were just thinking about you. Is everything all right? Is Raelynn okay?” Nervousness slips in my tone even as I try to hide it.
“ She’s fine. I’m fine. We’re all fine ,” she tells me, her voice a little strained.
“Claire? What is it?”
“ Don’t freak out, okay? ”
“Okay.” I take a deep breath.
“ I got married .”