Epilogue
EPILOGUE
FOUR YEARS LATER
SETH
I blew out the five candles on the birthday cake set in front of me. Cheers and catcalls sounded around the restaurant in Moonlight Inn, reminding me my friends were sometimes twelve-year-olds despite their physical ages.
Jon leaned over to kiss me. “Happy birthday, my love.”
I returned his kiss. “Thank you, sweetheart. And thank you for this wonderful dinner.”
Jon had arranged to have all the found family we’d accumulated over the past four years join us for my fiftieth birthday celebration. The group had grown in the time since Jon’s fortieth birthday party. It now included a whole security firm, several ex-military badasses, the assistant hotel manager and his husband, and four children ranging in age from three to eleven. In the beginning, I kept forgetting who the kids belonged to because the whole group took it upon themselves to watch over them. Woe be to anyone who tried to hurt any of these kids.
The group was so big that Sean had decided to close the restaurant to the public so we could have the whole dining room to ourselves. I sighed and leaned against Jon. “How are you doing?” he asked.
“Good,” I replied. “You’ve given me a lot to celebrate.”
He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “I feel the same way.”
I turned my head to kiss the ring on his left hand. For all that I’d been hesitant to start something new after David died, once I had Jon in my life, I’d wanted very much to make him mine. Surprisingly, it was Jon who’d put on the brakes. He’d asked me to wait, to be sure it was what I wanted.
Sure enough, he’d been right. After I auctioned off David’s remaining paintings and divided the proceeds between the three charities I’d chosen, I’d fallen apart. I could barely get myself out of bed. Jon had been there with me the whole time. He’d encouraged me to go back to therapy, held me when I cried, and celebrated every small victory with me. We’d taken long walks on the beach or boardwalk, depending on the weather. When it was too cold, we’d snuggled in front of my fireplace and just talked.
It turned out that fighting the lawsuit for two years delayed my grieving process, so the auction hit me harder than I’d expected. It had taken almost a year, but finally, I’d emerged from my depression stronger than before. I’d also been surer than ever that Jon was the one for me. A second chance at love I never thought I’d get. We’d married a year later.
A small commotion by the piano brought me out of my reverie. Jon kissed my cheek and rose from his seat. “That’s my cue.”
I frowned in confusion. “What?”
“It’s part of my gift to you.” He walked over to the piano, where eleven-year-old Cody was seated on the bench. Jeremy was leaning over and speaking to him quietly. Jon said something, and both Jeremy and Cody nodded. Cody’s Uncle Zach brought up a chair and set it in the curve of the grand piano. Jon went behind the piano and came back carrying his guitar.
“Oh wow,” I whispered.
Jon sat on the chair and everyone in the room went quiet. He looked at me and said, “This is for you, Seth. You told me to believe I could have a happily ever after, and then you gave me one. I love you.”
He nodded to Cody, who began playing “Your Song” by Elton John. Jon joined on guitar and then started singing. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes. My heart was so full of love for this sweet, gentle man.
When the song ended, there was a round of enthusiastic applause. Cody’s dad, Nico, ran up and pulled his son into a fierce hug. Sean went over and took Jon’s guitar from him. I hurried up and threw my arms around my husband, “That was beautiful.”
“Thank you,” he replied with a smile. “Cody and I worked on it for a month at Jeremy’s school in Asbury.”
I nuzzled into his neck. “Sneaky.”
He gently tugged on my ear with his teeth. “Well, you’re nosy. We had to be all Secret Squirrel so you wouldn’t find out and spoil the surprise.”
I chuckled and kissed him. “I can’t help it if I’m observant.”
“Like I said,” he countered, “nosy.”
Later that evening, we went home and made love. We fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms, sated and happy.
As was usual for me, I woke before sunrise. I got out of bed so I didn’t wake Jon, made myself a cup of coffee, and went out on the patio. The air was crisp and cold as it was early May, so I brought a blanket with me. The sky was just beginning to lighten when Jon wandered out with his own cup of coffee and joined me under the blanket.
“Good morning,” he mumbled.
“You should have stayed in bed,” I said.
He shook his head. “I like this time of day, just before sunrise, when the light starts to brighten the sky. It’s the promise of a new day. A new beginning.”
“It is a new beginning,” I agreed. “And I’m so lucky I get to share it with you.”