Epilogue
Staring at Crispin over the monitor of my laptop, I hit the publish button. Not even thirty seconds later, his phone dings, and his eyes light with interest before his gaze drops to his phone.
I get up and circle the table to stand behind him so I can watch the BellyLaughs episode featuring him.
I haven’t let him see any of it. I was so sure the direction I was taking with the episode was perfect, but now, faced with watching it alongside Crispin and knowing it’s live on my site, I’m second-guessing all my life choices.
Nothing about the episode is like any of my others. This one starts with me, alone, making the introduction.
“Hello, BellyLaughs community. As we creep closer to the release of the family drama, Much Like Me, my “you knew me when” turning-point moment approaches and I’m honestly getting really nervous about it.
Even though that perfume commercial has already started to air (“hi” new viewers!
“Go away” you haters!) me playing a thirteen-year-old in the movie might be hard for even my loyalist BellyLaughs viewers to accept.
And you guys have seen me as a blue-skinned alien!
“But enough about me. Because this is the day you’ve been waiting for.
Ever since I revived my channel with behind-the-scenes interviews with staff and cast, you’ve been calling for an episode with Crispin Moore.
Today is that day. But I don’t think it’s going to be what you expect.
You see, near the end of filming, Crispin and I started dating, so I’ve gotten to know him better than anyone else I worked with.
And let me tell you, there is so much more to that man than you see on the big screen or in the tabloids.
So, this episode isn’t just a behind-the-scenes of Much Like Me, it’s a behind-the-scenes of Crispin Moore.
You need to know the kind and generous and thoughtful man he is. Let me show you.”
The rest of the video is a montage of pictures and short video clips from the set, from his and my outings, from the time we spend together at his home, of Queen Brie curled up on his lap, the many sunsets we’ve now experienced together.
I spliced in clips of me asking him goofy questions and his ridiculous answers.
Of his entrance to the surprise party I threw for his birthday, of his sister totally annihilating him at slapsies, of his mom patting his cheek and him whining, “Moooom,” while looking like an adorable though miserable teenage son again.
And even though I created the mosaic and have watched it several hundred times during editing, I still grin through my tears as I watch it alongside Crispin.
I’ve grown to love this man beyond measure, and I feel this video shows why.
The video cuts back to me. “When I walked onto the set of Much Like Me, I found Crispin Moore conceited and dismissive.” I shake my head.
“I wasted so much time thinking the wrong things about this man. Knowing him has helped me to grow as a human. To find a sense of self that I never possessed before. His generosity and thoughtfulness never cease to amaze me. Like my generous BellyLaughs community, he has helped me to heal from the loss of my father. He flew my mom and me home to recognize the one-year anniversary of his passing. On our very first date, he gifted my mom a locket with a picture of Dad and me so that she could always hold us close to her heart. He’s an amazing human.
I may not like the way it happened, but I’m so thankful that our planets aligned so that we worked together on this movie.
I hope you guys are excited to see it, because it’s going to be a special one.
As you’ve discovered through this series, the people who put it together are all so amazing. But one in particular stole my heart.”
The video cuts to a clip from Crispin’s surprise party.
He’s standing at the front of the room, and though I’ve muted the original sounds and slowed the clip down, people were calling for him to make a speech, and the vulnerable smile that lit his face as he stood in front of a room of people who love him is Crispin Moore gold.
This single ten-second clip reveals the true Crispin to the world.
And I’m so proud to be the one to do it.
The image fades to black, and then a final thought displays on the screen.
“This video series is dedicated to Eric Quill. Thank you for teaching me how to add smiles to the world.”
The video automatically restarts, and Crispin hits the screen with his thumb to pause it. I grimace because it paused with an unfortunate facial expression on my face.
Crispin stays quiet for so long that I start to worry.
Slowly, cautiously, I walk back around the table and sink into my chair, closing my laptop so that I can see him.
He looks stunned, but I can’t tell if it’s a good stunned or a bad stunned.
I wait a beat more for him to say something, but he just keeps staring at his phone.
My stomach clenches. “You hated it.”
He blinks and looks at me. “Was that really me?”
I cock my head. “What do you mean?”
“That person…that guy…is that really who I am?”
Okay, this is a response that I wasn’t prepared for. “Yes, that’s who you are. What part didn’t you recognize?”
A smile slowly curls the end of his lips. “The human part, I guess. You made me look so…like a real person.”
I frown. “You are. Of course you are.”
He shifts in his seat so that he’s leaning forward, his expression lights up. “Ari, you made me human in this video. I’ve always been a curated personality, but in one five-minute video, you’ve shown the world my heart. My soul.”
I panic. “Is it too much? Should I take it down?”
He shakes his head and jumps out of his chair, tossing his phone onto the table as he comes around to me in two long strides.
“Ari, this is what I’ve always wanted. Thank you so much.
” He pulls me out of my chair and slams his lips to mine with such fervor that I find myself laughing until I realize I’m an idiot and join him in the kiss.
He grips my shoulders and pushes me back until he can see me. “Does my manager know about this?”
I nod. “I told him I was finally posting your behind-the-scenes promo video for Much Like Me.”
Crispin laughs and crushes me against his chest. “Guh, I love you. You are a diabolical genius. You just rewrote my script with my manager’s approval.” He kisses the top of my head while I fight for air against his chest. “Thank you, Ari. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” When my words come out muffled, he finally loosens his grip. I look up at him. “So, you like it?”
“Honestly, it’s the best production I’ve ever been in.” His gaze softens. “And I’m honored that you included the dedication to your dad on my segment. It means a lot to me.”
My heart soars at his words. I’m so glad he likes it.
From the amount of buzzing my phone is doing, I can tell the video is being watched and that people are commenting or liking.
I don’t usually have notifications turned on for my site, but I want to get a feel for how this video is received.
I extract myself from Crispin’s arms and sweep up my phone, pressing the latest notification.
I skim through the comments and bite my lip.
“Oops.”
“What?” Crispin asks.
“I might have done too good a job. Looks like you’re about to have a lot more AI babies.”
Crispin laughs and pulls me against him again, wrapping his impossibly long arms around me. “Don’t be jealous of my AI babies.”
I close the app and toss my phone to the table, wrapping my arms around Crispin’s waist. Tilting my head back, I shrug. “I mean, our AI babies are the cutest. Little Aripin is the most adorable so far.”
He narrows his eyes. “What now? We have AI babies?”
I look innocent when I say, “I might have created a few.”
“And what did you say his name was?”
“Her name is Aripin. You know, Arabelle and Crispin combined.”
He’s looking at me like he doesn’t know what to think, and it’s all I can do not to crack up. “You didn’t really create our little AI babies, did you?”
I haven’t, but now I’m going to! “So far, we have three. Crispin—the name must carry on, Cribelle, and Aripin. We’re expecting Crispy next.” I love that he doesn’t know how to react to this. I shrug again. “Hey, at least I didn’t put them in the video!”
That makes him laugh and squeeze me to him. “Yes, that was a good choice.” He sighs. “I’m so excited I get to be myself from now on. I feel like a ton of weight of expectations has lifted from my shoulders and back.”
He hunches down until his lips are next to my ear. “Thank you, my little AI baby-mama. I love you very, very much.”
I grin as he nuzzles my neck. “You’re welcome, my AI baby-daddy. I love you too.”
As my phone buzzes its way to the edge of the table, our lips find their way to each other, and I lose myself in my favorite activity: kissing my hot teenage heartthrob boyfriend.