Epilogue
Paris
Trevor
Two and a half years later…
The Eiffel Tower’slights are dancing outside the window as I sit back in my chair with my legs propped up and my little girl on my chest. Brooklyn Valentina Monique Monroe already has me wrapped around her pinky.
Cole thinks we named her after him. Lynn doesn’t have the heart to tell him otherwise. Although she was named after her two aunts in New York who spoil her any chance they get.
My little Twinkle is my first and only child who doesn’t have my eyes. Hers are brown like her mama’s. They light up her pretty little face and charge a room no matter the color.
That’s where her nickname comes from. Bird and Doc, aka Brandon Moses Samuel Monroe and Clifton Travis Vernon Monroe earned their nicknames as well. We call Brandon Bird because he eats like one.
Even when he was breastfeeding, he was always the one to finish first. Doc earned his name from always checking on people to see if they’re okay. Especially his mama. Let that woman stub her toe.
That boy stops what he’s doing to check it out and make sure her boo-boo is taken care of. That’s my sweet boy. I have four good boys.
“Daddy, you want me to take her?”
I look up to find Scoot. I’m still not used to how deep his voice is getting. I always have to look twice to see who’s talking to me as both he and Bam have had drops in their voices.
“Nah, you go on with the others and have fun. You don’t get to hang out in Paris every day,” I reply.
I see the disappointment in his eyes. My boys love their little sister. It’s a wonder her feet ever touch the ground.
“Scoot, come on now,” Jess calls through the suite.
“I hate it here. I’m getting tired of these guys hitting on Jess and Paige,” Scoot grumbles.
I burst into laughter. Paige is becoming a gorgeous young lady. Jess is stunning herself. She’s coming into her own sense of style.
“They’re your sisters. It’s your job to look after them.”
“Fine,” he sighs. “Mama, you want me to get you anything while we’re out?”
“Just have fun. Enjoy the night out. Your daddy is right, you don’t get this every day. Relax, Scoot. Your pretty little girlfriend will still be there when you get back. I promise,” Lynn teases.
Scoot chuckles and goes over to kiss her cheek and then his brothers’ little heads. Doc reaches up to cup Scoots face as he continues to suck down his bottle.
Bird is knocked out like his sister. Bam rushes into the room to kiss Lynn and say his goodbyes before they head out. I stand and roll my shoulders as I take Twinkle to place her in the playpen. I brush a hand over her sandy brown hair.
“Here, Daddy. I gotta go,” Bam says as he brings Bird over too me.
“Be safe.”
“Always. We still gonna toss the ball in front of the tower tomorrow?”
“Just as I promised.”
“All right, Daddy. See you later.”
I shake my head. Fifteen and his voice is darn near as deep as mine. Where does the time go?
Lynn comes over with a passed-out Doc. I take my son and press my nose to the top of his head. If only he knew how much I prayed for him and his mama. I spent years praying for all four of them.
I kiss his nose and put him down with his sister and brother. Turning to my wife, I pull her into my arms. Lynn places her arms around me and looks up into my eyes.
“Did you ever think we would make it back here together?” she asks.
“I dreamed we would. The reality is better than the dream though.”
“That seems like a lifetime ago. I love you more today than I ever thought I could. Thanks for the anniversary trip.”
“You’re welcome, darlin’. I love you just as much if not more.”
“Then how about we take advantage of a semi-empty suite and three sleeping babies?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” I say and crush her lips with mine.
I love my wife. We had a hard road getting here, but I would have walked through fire and back to be right here today. My Babycakes put the pieces of my heart back together and made me the good man I wanted to be.