Epilogue #2
“You did good, Coop,” Jordan says, kissing Jo’s cheek, sliding an arm around her and resting his hand on her much bigger baby bump.
She’s due at the end of the summer, Hannah a few months later.
“I think maybe I didn’t say it enough. Maybe we didn’t say it enough.
But watching you this year has been really special. ”
“It has.” Elliot looks at me from across the fire where he and Amelia are still roasting their marshmallows.
They’re the slow roasting champions, with a maddening sort of patience I will never, ever possess.
At least not when it comes to dessert. “Should have known you would be the first to have a baby and show us all up.”
I grin, snaking my arms around Evan and taking her hand, rubbing my thumb over the ring on her finger. A little reminder that she’s mine, and mine means forever. It gives me a little thrill every single time. “I have a good partner.”
“Bet your ass you do,” Evan says, turning and smiling at me.
“Look at all of us,” Noah says with a wide smile, angst about impending fatherhood all but gone. “Married, in love, having babies. We are adulting so hard right now.”
“Not all of you,” my mom announces as she, my dad, and Cece come strolling out onto the roof, her gaze falling right on Elliot and Amelia. “Two of my children are slacking in the having babies department.”
Elliot tilts his head, smile playing over his lips as he slides the arm not holding a stick of marshmallows around Amelia’s waist. “But are we?”
The second Amelia grins over at him, I know, and I can tell Cece does too, the way her gaze swings to Elliot and Amelia, knowing smile on her lips.
The roof is silent for two beats before everyone starts talking at once, and, predictably, my mom starts crying, throwing her arms around Elliot and Amelia at the same time.
My chest squeezes as I look around the fire.
At Jordan, who has been through so much, finding his second chance at love with Jo, who brought the light back into his life.
At Elliot, who searched for his mystery girl from the plane until Amelia walked into his classroom one day, the actual definition of soulmates.
At Noah, who puts so much joy and laughter into the world, radiating happiness from finally finding the big, gigantic love he deserves with Hannah.
And at my girl, leaning back against me, her head on my shoulder. Our start might have been unexpected, but what we have is more than I ever could have hoped for. Rock solid and steady. Wild and unhinged. Both. All. Everything.
The late spring night wraps itself around all of us, and my daughter sleeps soundly in her crib. My family is around me and my girl is in my arms, and I am settled right down to my deepest depths.
“You okay?” Evan asks quietly, lacing her fingers through mine.
I bring her hand up to my mouth and kiss her knuckles, my eyes on her the whole time. “I’m perfect.”
“All my babies having babies.” My mom’s voice and her dramatic sniffle rise above the noise. “I have never been happier in my entire life.” She turns to Elliot and Amelia. “Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl? Not that it matters, but I like to be prepared.”
“Pam, if they wanted to tell you, they would tell you,” my dad says with a smile.
My mom waves that away. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m their mother. They want to tell me everything.”
Jordan snorts out a laugh he wisely disguises as a cough. And Noah smothers a grin. Elliot just smirks, letting my mom sweat it out.
“Well?” she asks, tapping her foot impatiently. “Boy or girl?”
“Girl,” Cece says, and everyone turns to her.
“Jesus, Cece, way to steal our thunder.” Elliot rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling, and Amelia is beaming.
She shrugs, unbothered, dropping down into a chair and loading up her own roasting stick with a long row of marshmallows. “You weren’t saying anything, so I did it for you.”
“A girl,” my mom says, face gleeful. “Four baby girls. It’s like my gift for putting up with four boys for all these years. This is the best day of my life. I need to sit down.”
She plants herself on the end of the lounge chair I’m sharing with Evan with so much drama that we all laugh.
“It’s like you don’t even love us anymore.” Noah says with a dramatic pout. “Like all we’re good for is giving you granddaughters.”
“Oh honey, of course you’re good for more than just that,” she says with a sly smile. “Don’t forget, you all gave me daughters too.”
“The very best daughters,” Cece says, looking at all four girls, an uncharacteristic emotion in her eyes. “I always hoped my boys would meet their matches, but I couldn’t have dreamed of better women than the four of you. I’m proud to know all of you, and I’m proud to call you ours.”
“God, Cece,” Jo says, wiping under her eyes and leaning back against Jordan. “I’m way too pregnant for you to be this sentimental.”
“Same,” Hannah says, as Noah wipes away the tear that rolls down her cheek. “I think we’re the lucky ones.”
“We are,” Amelia says quietly, leaning her head on Elliot’s shoulder as he pulls her in close.
“It’s us who are lucky,” my mom says. “You all love my boys, and you made our family complete. I never won’t be grateful for that.”
“You okay?” It’s my turn to ask as Evan goes quiet.
She turns slightly so she’s facing me, smile playing over her lips.
“I’m good,” she says. “Just thinking about the last two years. How I never imagined my life would look anything like this. Sometimes it feels like it’s too good to be true.
I was lonely for a long time, and now I have you and Emmy, your parents, Cece.
Sisters. Brothers. All the babies they’ll have.
I’m just grateful, is all. It hits me more on nights like this, when we’re all together. ”
My chest clenches at her words, the way it does every time she shows me her heart, asking me to keep it safe for her.
Leaning in, I kiss her softly, the fire snapping in front of us, the stars above, and our city spread out below. “We needed you too. I needed you. I always will. I love you, Evan, and that will never, ever change.”
“I love you too,” she whispers, looking so beautiful with the fire reflecting in her eyes. “Always.”
She turns back around to face the fire, and I wrap my arms around her, tethering both of us to the here and now. It’s family and laughter. Happiness and gratitude. Joy and devotion and a deep, enduring, always kind of love.
It’s perfect.
It’s everything I ever wanted.
And it’s ours.
Forever.