34. Epilogue
Epilogue
Lucy - Two Years Later
“ S tone!” I shout, zooming around the house like a crazed banshee looking for my husband. The Banshee effect is heightened by my all-black purifying charcoal face mask. “Stone! Where are you? Granite!”
“Babe, what is it?” He emerges from the bathroom with only a towel wrapped around him, his shorter hair damp and torso glistening from stray water droplets.
“Er, I—”
He smirks, takes the two steps towards me, and kisses me breathless. Ladies, get you a man who will kiss you while you sport a face mask. Even if it causes your mask to crack and crevice. “You had something to tell me, Little Lion?”
“Did I?” I shake my head clear of him, then I remember the email on my phone that now resides on the floor since I dropped it when he kissed me. “Oh!” I pick it up and shove the phone in his face. I already had one thing I was going to tell him before we left on our date, that way I could also tell my best friend, but now this news has taken center stage. Can I shock my husband twice in one night?
I analyze every nuanced expression flickering across his handsome features as he reads the email to himself, mumbling the words under his breath. I bounce on my toes, awaiting his response while tears press against my eyes.
“Lucy. This is real?”
“I think so! I mean, I need to research her and stuff, but she seems legit.” Tears build in my eyes as he pulls me in for a tight hug.
“I’m so proud of you, Lucy May. I knew your stories were special.”
“Special enough for the big screen?” I choke out, disbelief and excitement tinging every word I speak. We read the email again, noting the producer’s name, her passion for Christian-based content produced by Christian women, and the offer to meet to discuss the possibility of the book I released two years ago becoming a feature film.
“This is our story, Stone. It’s the book I wrote about us!”
I follow him to our bedroom, continuing to gush as he gets dressed for our double date with Braxton and Hadley tonight. Oh, I can’t wait to tell Hadley!
“Do you think they’ll want to produce my story next?” He shaves his face while I wash my mask off.
“It can be the kid-friendly version of mine.” I chuckle to myself, remembering the precious story he wrote for me when he needed to step away to get his relationship right with the Lord. And let me tell you. It paid off. Everything .
Together, we are constantly learning to take our fears to the Lord. We have learned to love each other with an unconditional love, and even when we struggle to like each other some days (like when he struggles to open up about what’s bothering him, or when I lose myself in my stories when he needs my affection), we fall back onto our deep, unwavering love that seems to be growing more and more as each moment passes. And it’s the perfect time to add more love into our family of two.
As I do my makeup, Stone showers me with praise, and I preen under his love and affection. When we got married two years ago—a simple wedding with only family and friends in attendance since it was an extremely short two-week engagement—he slipped a little phrase into his vows that he has honored and upheld every single day of our blissful union: Lucy May, I promise to make sure you know how desired and wanted and loved you are each and every day.
And man oh man, he has done just that.
Whether it’s words of affirmation, like he’s doing now, or building me a writing desk, or cooking supper when the depression I still occasionally struggle with hits, he always looks after me, treating me like I am his queen.
Which we joke about all the time since my twin is a literal queen and all.
“Are you ready?” he calls from the doorway, and when I walk out of our bathroom wearing a floral skirt and an off the shoulder puff sleeve top, I realize we once again match. I don’t think we’ve ever intentionally matched our outfits, but somehow, we end up doing it anyway. The red in my skirt is brought out by his red button down. My khaki-colored top matches his khaki pants (that I still can’t get enough of).
Stone takes three prowling steps before stopping in front of me and trailing his fingers down the nape of my neck and across my exposed shoulder. “Mm, I think we should stay in tonight. Let Hadley and Braxton have their own date night.”
“We’ve rescheduled twice on them, Onyx.” But even as the words leave my mouth, I bring my fingers to play with hair at his neckline, giving it a little tug. He moans and captures my mouth with his.
I blame it on the hormones.
“Third time’s a charm,” he mumbles against my neck. And I’d have to agree, but I also have exciting news—two exciting things, now—I want to share with my best friend that is out-tempting me at the moment. Stone is a real temptation, however. Sex is not something we struggle with inside our marriage. In fact, it’s so much better than it was before we married. Now, guilt and shame are absent from our midnight tangles. It’s pure love, devotion, and, well… It’s fire, that’s for sure.
My face heats and desire pulls as I think of last night, and right as I’m on the verge of caving and having a repeat, he steps away from me wearing his signature smirk. “Okay, Lucy May. You are thoroughly kissed, so we can leave now. Just don’t think about what happens when we get back from our little double date, okay? We don’t want to make Hadley and Braxton jealous of our childless sex lives.”
He’s joking, but he’s also provided me with the perfect segue. I love a good transition in a story .
“Come here.” I motion for him to follow me into the bathroom where I’d taken one more test today just to be sure. I pull the covered stick from where I stashed it in the wicker basket full of my things under the sink. “Film optioning rights aren’t the only thing we are celebrating tonight.”
I hold the double-pink-lined test out in front of him, watching his expression filter through confusion, realization, shock, and finally, joy. His blue eyes sparkle brightly, his smile captivating as always. “I don’t think my heart can take any more good news today, my love.” He places his hand on his chest. “We’re having a baby?”
I nod, tears spilling from my eyes. I really should have announced this before I fixed my makeup. He picks me up and spins me around, setting me down after my feet accidentally hit the bathtub. “Sorry about that,” he says.
“You can massage them later,” I jest. Then I blot my tears and straighten out my clothes. “So you’re excited about this?”
“Are you kidding me? I’m—” He pauses, tears prickling in his eyes. “There are no words. I’m thrilled, Lucy. We are going to be parents! I’m having a baby with you.” He runs his hands through his styled hair and blows out air. I reach up to fix his hair before planting a kiss on his cheek.
“We are going to be parents. That’s kind of scary if you think about it.” I now understand that fear Hadley had when she found out she was pregnant. There are so many things you don’t think about until you know there is a child growing in your womb.
“The Lord will lead us.” Stone plays with my hair. “You’re going to be an amazing mother. You are so full of life and love.”
“What if we have twins?” I ask jokingly.
Suddenly, I remember our first kiss and the vision I had. Everything has come to fruition. From Lorelei’s wedding ball to our wedding night. To the desk I now draft most of my stories at. To the movie deal. And now… A certain coldness sweeps over me. “Stone. What if we have twins?”
“Good thing there are two of us,” he says with a shrug. “Think they’ll be boys?”
If that last piece of the vision comes true, then yes.
I shake off the worries and concerns, silently giving them over to the Lord. Whatever He brings our way, He will help us handle it.
“Ready to go, babe? We are going to be late.” I walk out of our room, already feeling the unsettling weight dissipate.
“Let’s go.” He follows me out, grabbing our leather biking jackets and helmets. He helps me onto his bike, and I do my little tuck thing so I don’t flash anyone because of my skirt. Before he gets on, he leans down and kisses my stomach, sending butterflies and blissful happiness throughout my body. “I can’t believe how blessed we are.”
I smile at my husband. He hops on the motorcycle, and I wrap my arms around him, unabashedly feeling his abs.
As the engine revs and we set off toward Perry’s Seafood, I grin as the wind kisses my skin. The Lord has been so gracious and patient with me and Stone. He has freed us, redeemed us, and is now using our story for His glory.
I silently pray the movie is made and impacts every single Christian woman who struggles with sexual addiction and depression, the same way I prayed the book would.
But as with everything in my life lately, I give it all back to Him.