Epilogue
Cooper
The scent of roasting turkey and cinnamon filled the air as I made my way down the stairs of Steele and Ashlynn’s Parisian estate. Christmas music played softly in the background, mingling with the sound of laughter and conversation from the living room. I paused at the bottom of the stairs, taking in the scene before me.
Allegra was perched comfortably on the arm of the sofa, deep in conversation with Ashlynn. My wife—the word still sent a thrill through me, even after six months of marriage—looked radiant in a deep green sweater dress. Bianca was curled next to her, sound asleep. I found myself growing as attached to Bianca as Allegra was—although I never would admit it. I had to have some pride left.
Colton and Steele were by the fireplace, each nursing a glass of whiskey as they discussed something in low voices. Probably me , I thought with a wry smile. Some things never changed.
And there, in the center of it all, was little Ember. Steele and Ashlynn’s three-month-old daughter rested on a plush blanket, surrounded by toys but more interested in the shiny wrapping paper of the presents under the nearby Christmas tree. Her chubby hands reached for a glittering bow as she rolled on to her back, a look of intense concentration on her tiny face.
As if sensing my gaze, Steele looked up, a smile breaking across his face. “There you are,” he said, crossing the room to clap me on the shoulder. “We were beginning to think you’d gotten lost up there.”
I chuckled, accepting the glass of whiskey he offered me. “Just making some last-minute calls. You know how it is.”
Steele raised an eyebrow. “Do I? I thought you were out of the game...”
“I am,” I assured him quickly. “Just tying up some last minute items with the wellness center. Making sure everything’s set for the new year. We’re going to be expanding.”
He nodded, seemingly satisfied. “Good. Now come on, dinner’s almost ready, and I think someone wants to say hello.”
I followed his eyes to where Ember was now making grabby hands in our direction, her blue eyes—so like Steele’s—wide and eager.
“Uncle Cooper!” Ashlynn called out, her voice warm with amusement. “I think it’s your turn for baby duty.”
With a mock groan that fooled no one, I made my way over to Ember. As I bent to pick her up, she let out a delighted squeal, her little arms flailing.
“Hey there, peanut,” I murmured, bouncing her gently. “You being good for your mom and dad?”
Ember responded by attempting to stuff my tie in her mouth, drooling happily. I couldn’t help but laugh, marveling at how natural it felt to hold her. There had been a time, not so long ago, when the thought of being around children—let alone holding one—would have filled me with terror. But Ember had a way of melting even the toughest of hearts.
“She likes you,” Steele said softly, coming to stand beside me. The pride and love in his eyes as he looked at his daughter was almost palpable.
“What’s not to like?” I joked, but I felt a warmth spread through my chest at his words.
Steele chuckled, reaching out to smooth Ember’s wispy, dark curls. “You’re good with her, Cooper. Ever think about having one of your own?”
The question caught me off guard, and I glanced instinctively at Allegra. She was watching us with a soft smile, her gaze meeting mine across the room. “Maybe someday,” I said, surprised by how much I meant it.
Before Steele could respond, Ashlynn’s voice rang out from the dining room. “Dinner’s ready, everyone!”
There was a flurry of activity as we all made our way to the dining room. The table was a vision of holiday cheer, laden with dishes that made my mouth water just looking at them. As I settled Ember into her bouncer, positioned between Steele and Ashlynn, my eyes drifted to where my father sat quietly at the end of the table. The nurses from the care facility had helped him dress for the occasion—a festive sweater and pressed slacks that reminded me of holidays long past. Though his eyes were often distant now, today they seemed clearer, following the movement and laughter around him with careful attention.
“Would you like some turkey, Dad?” I asked, keeping my voice gentle. He nodded, a small but definite gesture that made my heart lift. It was a good day—he knew who we were, where he was. Those moments were precious now.
As we began to eat, the conversation flowed easily. Colton told us all about the law firm he recently joined, while Allegra shared updates on the wellness center, which had been thriving since its opening two months ago. Occasionally, Dad would smile at something someone said, and once he even chuckled at one of Colton’s jokes—a sound that made both my brother and me exchange quick, emotional glances. Steele and Ashlynn took turns feeding Ember, who slept on and off throughout the evening.
Watching them, I felt a pang of something I couldn’t quite identify. Longing, maybe? I pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the delicious food and the company around me.
After dinner, we gathered in the living room for the gift exchange. Ember, full and sleepy, dozed in Steele’s arms as we settled around the tree.
“Alright,” Ashlynn said, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Who wants to go first?”
The next hour was a whirlwind of torn wrapping paper, exclamations of surprise and delight, and heartfelt thanks. Steele and Ashlynn loved the weekend getaway to a luxury spa, along with the promise of free babysitting that Allegra and I had gifted them, while Colton was thrilled with the vintage law books I’d managed to track down for him.
When it came time for Allegra and me to exchange gifts, I noticed Dad watching intently from his wheelchair, which Colton had positioned near the fireplace. As Allegra handed me a carefully wrapped gift, I could see a mixture of excitement and anxiety in her eyes .
“Open it,” she urged softly.
With careful fingers, I unwrapped the gift. Inside was a beautiful wooden box, hand-carved with grape vines and leaves. When I opened it, I found a single wine bottle, its label clearly custom-made. “Moreau Family Reserve,” it read, “Expected Vintage: Coming in August.”
I looked up at Allegra, confusion wrinkling my brow. “August? But that’s like eight months from...” The realization hit me like a thunderbolt. My hands began to shake as I turned the bottle, reading the smaller text beneath: “A very special blend, crafted with love by Cooper, Allegra, and Baby Moreau.”
“Allegra,” I breathed, my voice trembling. “Are you...?”
She nodded, tears shimmering in her eyes as she took my hands and placed them on her still-flat stomach. “I’m pregnant, Cooper. Our own little winemaker is growing right here.”
For a moment, I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Then, with a cry of joy that echoed through the walls, I swept Allegra into my arms, spinning her around as tears of happiness streamed down my face.
The room erupted in cheers and congratulations. Steele clapped me on the back, his own eyes suspiciously bright, while Ashlynn and Allegra hugged, both crying happy tears. Colton looked on with a wide grin, shaking his head in amused disbelief.
“Have you told Joanna the news?” Ashlynn asked as she handed Allegra a glass of water instead of the offered champagne. “She must be excited! A baby shower to plan!”
“We video chatted last week,” Allegra smiled. “But I haven’t told her yet. She’s still running the front desk at the clinic, but she’s threatening to visit Tuscany this spring. Says she misses our coffee dates. I’m going to try and recruit her for our front desk manager position when she comes.”
“Dad,” I said, moving to kneel beside his chair. “You’re going to be a grandfather.”
His hand trembled as he reached out to touch my face, and for a moment, I saw complete clarity in his eyes. “My boy,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “My boy’s having a baby.” Then he smiled—a real, full smile that transported me back to childhood, before illness had taken so much from him.
Colton came to stand behind Dad’s wheelchair, placing a hand on our father’s shoulder as tears slipped down his cheeks. We were all together—the past, present, and future of our family merged in one perfect moment.
“A baby,” I kept repeating, pressing kisses to every inch of Allegra’s face I could reach. “We’re having a baby...”
Allegra laughed through her tears, the sound mixing with the crackling of the fireplace and the distant calls of birds in the vineyard. “I thought it was fitting,” she said, touching the wine bottle. “Our little one will grow up among the soil, just like I did. Learning about the vines, helping with the harvest...”
I pulled her close again, overwhelmed by the vision of our future she was painting. Our children running through the rows of vines, learning the rhythms of the seasons, carrying on the legacy of the land that meant so much to both of us.
“Thank you,” I whispered against her hair. “For this gift, for our family, for everything. ”
The winter sun slanted through the windows, casting a warm glow over the scene as we stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, dreaming of the future that was growing within her. Our own little vintage, indeed.
As the excitement died down and we settled back into our seats, I kept one arm firmly around Allegra, my other hand resting gently on her still-flat stomach. The future I’d once feared now stretched out before me, filled with promise and joy.
“Merry Christmas, everyone,” Steele said, raising his glass in a toast. We all echoed the sentiment, our glasses clinking together in the warm glow of the Christmas lights.
Later that night, after the nurses had come to take Dad back to the facility, Allegra and I lay in bed in one of Steele and Ashlynn’s guest rooms. I found myself unable to sleep, my mind racing with thoughts of the future—of tiny fingers and toes, first steps and first words, and regular visits to a grandfather who, even on his bad days, would love our child unconditionally.
“Cooper?” Allegra’s soft voice broke through my thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”
“Everything,” I admitted with a soft chuckle. “The baby, our future...how different my life is now compared to where I was just a couple of years ago.”
Allegra tilted her head up to look at me, concern flickering in her expression. “Good different, I hope?”
“The best kind of different,” I assured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I never thought I could have this, Allegra. A family, a normal life...happiness. Real, uncomplicated happiness.”
She smiled, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest. “I’m glad. But you know it won’t always be uncomplicated, right? Babies are a lot of work. Our lives are going to change dramatically.”
I nodded, a mixture of excitement and nervousness churning in my stomach. “I know. But we’ll figure it out together, right? Just like we’ve figured everything else out.”
“Together,” Allegra agreed, leaning up to kiss me softly.
As we lay there in the quiet of the night, I found myself thinking back to earlier in the evening, to the moment when Allegra had told me about the baby. The joy on her face, the love in her eyes—it was a moment I knew I’d cherish for the rest of my life.
We fell into a comfortable silence, both lost in our own thoughts. I found myself reflecting on the events of the day—the warmth of family gathered together, the joy of giving and receiving gifts, the laughter and love that had filled every moment.
And at the center of it all, little Ember. Watching Steele with his daughter had been a revelation. The tenderness in his eyes, the gentle way he held her, the pride that radiated from him with her every little accomplishment—it was a side of my best friend I’d never seen before.
“You know,” I said, breaking the silence, “seeing Steele with Ember today...it made me realize something.”
Allegra hummed questioningly, her fingers idly tracing patterns on my chest.
“It made me realize that I want that,” I continued, my voice soft but firm. “That connection, that...indescribable bond between parent and child. I want to be the kind of father our child can look up to, and can depend on. The kind of father who’s always there, no matter what.”
I felt Allegra smile against my chest. “You will be,” she said with certainty. “You’re already so good with Ember. And the way you’ve changed your life, the sacrifices you’ve made for us...Cooper, you’re going to be an amazing father.”
Her words filled me with a warmth that spread from my chest to the tips of my fingers and toes. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” Allegra said, propping herself up on one elbow to look at me. “Our child is going to be so loved, so protected. Between you, me, Grandpa, Uncle Steele and Aunt Ashlynn, Cousin Ember, and Uncle Colton...this baby is going to have the most amazing family.”
I grinned, picturing it. Family dinners, birthday parties, holidays spent together—all the things I’d never thought I’d have again but secretly longed for. “You’re right,” I said, pulling Allegra close for a kiss. “Our kid is going to be the luckiest kid in the world.”
As we drifted off to sleep, my hand resting protectively over Allegra’s stomach, I felt a sense of peace and rightness settle over me. This was where I was meant to be, who I was meant to be. Cooper Moreau—husband, soon-to-be father, surrounded by friends and family.
And really, what more could an ex-tyrant like me ask for?