Epilogue
Bear
The moment eight pups run and jump toward my wife, I know which one she will fall in love with.
She sits with her legs crossed on the ground.
We're in an animal shelter's backyard, which was recently renovated thanks to a generous donation from Pen and me.
There's real grass and pet toys around, and the volunteers and admin painted murals on the building's walls.
As agreed, they brought in all the three-to-five month old dogs they had, and let them run to her unguarded.
She laughs and makes several sounds of delight, some of them like baby talk, all of them strange.
A few of the pups try to climb her, the others are licking her arms and her jeans.
The one with black, curly hair licks her elbow, then nuzzles onto her waist, to finally grab at her shirt with its teeth and pull.
Oh, she's going to love him.
"No. Stop," she says, but laughs.
She pushes him away with a firm hand, but the pup insists. All the other dogs try to play with her and get her attention, but this one is the most persistent.
"Help me, will you?" She asks my way.
I shake my head, but crouch and take a rope with knots at the end.
"Hey— you." I wiggle the rope in front of the black pup. "Come here. Want this? Come play with papa."
Pen gives me a sideway glance, but keeps playing with the mix of dogs around her. I play pull with the tiny menace, echoing his growl like we're in a big fight.
I don't say anything else yet. A couple of weeks ago, we visited her parents and she and I had a long, quiet conversation by the swing.
Pen knows I want kids, but told me she'll need some encouragement to think properly about it.
She doesn't want to have kids just to have them, or just because I want them.
I told her I want her to want them, too, and I'm willing to wait.
We have a few years, and more if we consider all our options.
I'm in no hurry. As long as we go through this together, I already have everything I want.
If it comes to it, I'll be just as happy with only the two of us.
And maybe this determined charcoal fury, currently pulling from the rope with all his might.
Little Cub— I think that could be his name if Pen agrees— goes wild shaking his head to steal the rope from me, and I let it go. He falls on his rear, jumps back up the next instant, and runs to offer the rope to Pen.
Yep. He's already obsessed with her. It may take her a bit to realize, but she'll be taken by him, too. We're taking Cub home with us.
"Can you look any more smug, Bear?"
Pen gazes at me with gleaming eyes, while she plays pull with Cub.
"I'm sure I can," I say. "Just give me a few minutes and I'll muster it."
She laughs. She plays with Cub with one hand, and pets a spotted white-and-brown pup with the other. The other dogs play together around her, with toys and with each other.
"So?" I smile. "Was this everything you wanted?"
"It was everything." She gazes at one of the volunteers. They were recording all of this on Pen's phone.
My wife makes a sign so they know they can stop recording. The volunteer gives me Pen's phone to keep for now.
The spotted pup jumps away to play with another dog. Cub takes his chance and tries to climb Pen again.
She takes him in both hands and lifts him up. "Oh, you're cute. You know you're cute, don't you."
I smirk. "And what's the score for your final official bucket list item?"
"I'm not giving you a score yet. The item isn't complete."
"Did I miss something?"
"You missed the part where you let me choose a pup to take home."
"Did I?"
She shakes her head like she won't entertain my games. At the same time, she takes a red leather collar from her pocket.
She dangles it in front of her. "Something tells me you already picked which one you like."
The collar moves to the left, then to the right, and that's all it takes. Cub does one of those little excited puppy jumps, and he grabs the collar with his teeth.
"I think Cub chose us already," I say. "Not the other way around."
"Cub?" She arches an eyebrow, but I know her well. A smile hides on her lips, too.
I point at myself with a thumb. "Papa Bear." I point at the black ball of fur. "Baby Bear, also known as Cub, your new son."
"Doesn't that make me Mama Bear?" She laughs. "I am not Mama Bear."
But she looks at Cub with hearts in her eyes.
I summon the look of a patient man and stand up. I pull Pen to her feet. She lets me bring her close.
"We promised fur babies to your parents." I give her a kiss. "You know your mom is trying really hard to get her pregnancy dreams going. Like if she can make them happen, she'll make it happen."
"She's getting a little unhinged, to be honest." She opens her eyes wide. "She's been saying that now that my dad is doing so well and thriving, his next dream may be to be a grandparent. And did you hear about her last attempt?"
I smirk. "Nope. What did she say now?"
"That if not for her dreams, you and I would have never gotten married, so we should trust her dreams to show us the way."
I laugh. Cub chooses that moment to nip at Pen's ankle, and pull on her jeans again.
The volunteers and staff have dispersed, getting busy with the hundred tasks needed to run a place like this. Pen and I stand alone in the backyard, staring at the pup at our feet.
Pen shakes her head. "He's going to need a lot of training."
"We'll get someone to help. They have the new 'bring your pet to work' event at TD, right? Once a month, I believe?"
She nods. She's been working for the Strike for a few months now. Driving to TD together has been a highlight of the new season. The same when we get to drive back home, and she gets to tell me the latest Mariana and Dom gossip.
"Yeah, maybe he'll be ready for that in a few months." She sighs.
Little Cub yaps at her, wanting more attention.
"Maybe more than a few," she adds.
I run my fingers through her long hair, letting her make up her mind. She keeps her eyes on Cub, who sits and taps his tail on the ground. Like he's waiting.
"Take your time," I say. "We can also talk to your mom and tell her to relax and give us a break. Her pressure won't help us any."
My wife gazes at me with gratefulness in her eyes. My heart skips a beat, because to me, getting to call her that is more than I thought I'd have a right to.
She kisses me. "One trillion out of ten. You are infinity to me, Leon."
I grin. She steals another kiss from me, before she crouches in a swift move.
It takes a couple of tries, but she puts the collar around Cub's neck, and pats him twice on the head.
He tries to climb up her leg when she straightens, so she scoops him up into her arms. He looks content to be there, and doesn't yap or nibble or anything. He just stares around, pink tongue out.
"How did you know he'd win me over?" Pen asks.
I pet Cub's furry head. My eyes trace my wife's face, the length of her nose, and the lips I've kissed so many times I've lost count.
"Of all the people I love, I love you the most." I smile at her. "He was obsessed with you the moment he saw you. Like recognizes like, you know?"
She laughs. I smile and bring her close.
"A long time ago," she says, "I thought I might have to get a dog with black hair to keep me company, since black bears are kind of dangerous, and you would be too busy with your other wife to come hug me when I'm feeling down."
"Good Lord, Pen. There's no other wife."
"Hey, no need to 'Good Lord' me. I don't think that way anymore. No Future Wives allowed."
"Glad to hear it."
"That's not why I want a dog with black hair today. These days, I'm living what I thought was only a fantasy younger me used to have. But it's real. And a cute dog like little Cub only makes it better. It feels like life, you know? And life is what I want with you."
"I know." I smile and give her a kiss. "You're infinity to me, too."