Epilogue Kerry
A Two Years Later
warm Mediterranean breeze drifts through our open balcony doors, carrying the rhythmic crash of waves against the shore.
From our villa, perched high on the cliffs, the French Riviera stretches out in endless shades of blue.
For a fleeting moment, I sink deeper into the sheets, letting myself breathe in the stillness, just before that peace is shattered by something even better.
Chaos .
A stampede of excitement bursts through the doorway.
“ Happy Mother’s Day! ” Syd and Ari race toward the bed, their faces lit up with giddy anticipation, hands filled with gifts.
Syd proudly holds up a sleek wooden nameplate with Principal Mom engraved in elegant script, the gold lettering gleaming under the morning light.
“For your desk!” She announces proudly.
“So even at school, everyone knows who the real boss is.”
Ari grins as she hands me a custom tote bag embroidered with Shaping Young Minds & Running a Household.
Superhero in Heels .
She smirks.
“For when you have to carry all your work stuff home but still need to look cute.”
My chest tightens with warmth, my heart nearly overflowing.
“You two…” I shake my head, overwhelmed.
“These are perfect.”
“And so are you, Mom.” Ari says with a big smile .
I reach out and pull them into a hug.
Then, Vic cautiously steps in, his arms balancing a massive wooden breakfast board carefully arranged with a delicious spread.
“Hot food coming through,” He announces, voice laced with concentration.
On the board, two plates sit neatly in the center.
One holds fluffy, golden French Toast topped with fresh berries, powdered sugar, and a drizzle of honey.
The other features a simple but decadent omelet, creamy goat cheese melting inside with a sprinkle of fresh herbs.
A side of crispy potatoes and buttery croissants round out the meal, along with two perfectly poured cappuccinos in delicate white mugs.
Behind him, a tiny pair of feet pitter-patter against the cool marble floor.
Vic Jr.
, barely a year old, wobbles into the room with his chubby little hands gripping a half-eaten piece of croissant.
He lets out a triumphant little grunt, chewing like it’s the best thing he’s ever tasted.
Vic sighs dramatically, shaking his head.
“Little Vic here was supposed to help me present breakfast, but he decided to sample it instead.”
I laugh softly as Vic Jr.
toddles toward me with his big brown eyes full of excitement.
He reaches for me, still chewing, and I gather him into my arms, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
I glance up at Vic, the love in his eyes as easy and steady as the morning sun.
“All this for me?” I whisper, warmth spreading through my chest.
“Y’all have to stop spoiling me.”
Ari leans in, smirking.
“Nope, never!”
Vic sets the board down beside me, brushing a kiss against my temple.
“You’re impossible not to spoil. And now you’re stuck with us loving you forever.”
I glance around, and my heart is so full it feels like it might burst.
Beyond the balcony, the French Riviera stretches into a masterpiece of blues and golds, the morning sun painting the horizon in soft, glowing light.
But no view, no ocean, no paradise could ever compare to the beauty in this room—to my children, to my husband, to this beautiful life I always knew I deserved.
I may have had to rebuild, to suddenly start from scratch at an age I didn’t expect, but there’s no timeline for joy, no expiration date for second chances, and no rules that say love has to come when you’re ready for it .
I was once Kerry Kind—the woman figuring it out, learning how to stand on her own again.
Now, I’m Kerry Grimes, wife to a man whose love is limitless, mother to three perfect souls, and proof that sometimes, life doesn’t just give you a second chance, it gives you more than you ever dared to dream .