Epilogue
Gage - Six Months Later
The first strains of ‘You Are the Best Thing’ by Ray LaMontagne play as I sweep Celeste into my arms to dance in the middle of the makeshift dance floor.
All of our family and closest friends are here to properly celebrate our marriage at a casual reception we decided to throw.
It’s what Celeste calls rustic chic, with wine barrels as little cocktail tables around the edges, two long wood tables decorated with gauzy runners and battery operated candles with benches for dinner, fairy lights in the beams of the barn we’re in, and mason jars filled with wildflowers everywhere.
Celeste’s phone is hooked up to the speaker with a very curated playlist that we spent hours making.
I love how low key and purely us it is, with both the rustic fairy tale vibes she loves, and the understated minimalism I favor. It’s beautiful and perfect.
My dad is beaming and wiping his eyes, looking so proud.
Tania is tearful in Carlo’s arms, her new engagement ring flashing brightly under the lights.
They just got engaged in Spain near the house Tania inherited, and I could not be happier for them.
Lyra and Gina are snapping a million pictures and videos.
Carlo’s whole family is here, the sisters chatting and laughing with their parents Hector and Alejandra.
Wayne and Taran are keeping the kids occupied with goofy jokes, and Iggy gives Chloe a sweet kiss.
Tia Carmen, Tio Phillip, and Diana stand next to my dad looking absolutely overjoyed for us.
Celeste has her own entourage of people here that she’s become close to these last few months. Doreen from the diner, Michelle from the animal shelter, and a few friends from Celeste’s anger management class are all smiling and cooing over us from the sidelines.
My attention never strays far from the incredible woman in front of me, though.
She’s wearing the same gorgeous white jumpsuit she wore to our courthouse wedding, and her hair is all pinned up beautifully with flowers again, courtesy of Tania.
“I might as well get another wear out of it. Besides, I consider it lucky now,” she’d told me as we were planning this whole shindig.
Life with her these past six months has been the happiest time of my entire existence.
El Abrevadero keeps growing to the point where we might even start looking into a second location.
Celeste has opened her non-profit with a lot of success.
There’s been a steady stream of women using either the website or the storefront to get their lives back on track, and seeing all of her hard work pay off in making her dream come true has been so incredibly gratifying to witness.
She’s even started her studies for business, taking one class at a time at night online. Her eventual goal is to get an MBA.
The list she made all of those months ago is all but completed, and now she and I can simply enjoy our life together.
We’ve been enjoying it on another level since I got my vasectomy a couple of months ago.
Feeling her bare, getting connected that intimately with nothing between us, has been as mind bending as I thought it would be.
“What are you thinking about?” she asks as I bring her even closer. Those mesmerizing grey eyes are practically sparkling, her smile making the corners crinkle adorably. I rest my forehead on hers.
“I’m thinking that this night is perfect. I’m thinking I have the best wife. I’m thinking seeing everyone that we love here celebrating is a core memory.”
“It’s a core memory for me, too,” she whispers, her eyes getting shiny with unshed tears.
“Relaxing with you for a week on a beach is going to be one, too,” I tell her.
We’re taking a honeymoon starting the day after tomorrow to an all-inclusive resort in Antigua.
Neither of us have ever been, and it’ll be our first time going on a true vacation together.
We’ve done a weekend getaway or two here on the East Coast, but have never taken off of work for so long to travel farther.
The break and quality time will be amazing since we’ve both been working so hard.
I hold my wife close as we sway to the music, my hand cupping her neck to bring her in for another kiss.
Her arms wind around my neck, and her fingers play with the hair at the nape a little as our gazes lock.
So much love looks back at me, and it nearly stops my breath.
The skittish, untrusting woman I met what feels like a lifetime ago is gone, although she thankfully has never lost her sass.
The loving, sweet, and hilarious woman I’m looking at shines so brightly with confidence, surrounded by people who love her and would never abandon her.
Case in point, I feel a tapping on my arm as we dance all lost in our own world.
“Can I please dance with my Auntie?” Braden asks shyly.
“Of course, B,” I say, stepping aside. I can’t help but tease him a little, though.
“I thought you didn’t like any of this stuff, though. Didn’t you say girls were gross?”
He rolls his eyes playfully but doesn’t reply as he starts swaying adorably with my wife.
Ava comes to my side and motions for me to stoop down to talk in my ear.
“That was before he started having a crush on the new girl in his class, Jessica,” she whispers, clearly giddy that her brother now has a romantic bone in his body.
“Oh? Someone managed to catch the shy curmudgeon’s eye?”
“He says she is the prettiest girl he’s ever seen, and they got ice cream together with mom last week,” she giggles.
Love is truly everywhere.
I swing her around and dance with her while my wife is otherwise occupied, smiling down at her nephew. The rest of our family and friends slowly filter onto the floor to join us.
We all eventually sit down to a family style dinner of lemon herb roasted chicken, skirt steak in chimichurri sauce, and salmon roasted with mustard and white wine.
Mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn bread, and salad all get passed around as well.
There’s a small cake, brownies, and chocolate chip cookies on the dessert table.
Everyone is eating their fill, laughing, drinking, and my ribcage can barely contain my heart.
I look at my wife, and wonder how I could have ever been scared of a love like this.
Instead of it feeling terrifying or stifling, it’s continually washing over me like the most soothing balm.
It’s the sweetest relief to love her, and be loved by her.
I’m going to hold onto it with both hands and never let go.
When she looks at me like I hung the moon as we enjoy our meal with so many people we love, I know she’ll do the same.
I tuck her into my side snuggly before bringing my mouth to her ear.
“I love you so much, mi vida,” I whisper.
She leans into me further, and kisses me sweetly.
“Love you, husband,” she whispers back.