Epilogue
“Happy Birthday, Mommy!”
Seth might not have gotten his daddy’s girl, but Savior was his twin in spirit. The boy wanted to be in Seth’s skin twenty-four seven, copying every move, every step, every attitude.
Today made thirty-four years on this earth for me. And even though my plan was to lay in bed all day, ignore responsibilities, and let life pass me by for just a few hours, I already knew Seth had other intentions.
“Mama, you gettin’ outta bed today?” Seth asked, climbing right over me. He pressed a kiss into my neck, lingering just long enough to make me smile.
“Do I have to?” I mumbled, pulling the covers over my head like a child refusing to go to school.
I didn’t even get a second to enjoy my protest before Shiloh snatched the covers clean off and smacked me dead in the face with the balloons.
See, everything they say about the second child, believe it.
Shiloh woke up choosing violence every single day.
If there was chaos in this house, we never had to ask who started it; we already knew Shiloh was somewhere in the middle, smiling like an angel.
I was counting down the days to his third birthday, praying these terrible twos would finally loosen their grip on us.
“Happy birthday, Mommy Stormi,” S3 said softly, holding the roses up to me. “Are we gonna have cake?”
I took the flowers from him, my chest tightening in that way it always did when my babies looked at me like I was their whole world. I kissed both his cheeks and smiled.
“What’s a birthday without cake?” I spoke.
S3 was nine years old now, and he’d grown into the kind of big brother every kid deserved. Protective and always patient with the boys, even when they drove him crazy and I knew for a fact that Shiloh drove him crazy. His heart mirrored his father’s.
We hadn’t heard from Imani in years. Seth even hired a private detective, pulling every string he could to get answers.
But the investigation came back empty. No leads and no trace of her existence.
Eventually, we stopped searching and chalked it up to her slimy ways finally catching up to her.
That was the story we told ourselves. What we didn’t tell S3 was the truth, we carried it in silence.
We hoped a body would surface one day. At least then he’d have closure and he wouldn’t be stuck wondering if his mother was alive somewhere choosing not to love him.
He stopped asking about her, no longer said her name.
He even stopped searching for her face in crowded rooms the way he used to from the outside, it looked like healing.
But I knew better. There had to be nights when he lay awake, replaying memories he barely had.
Moments when he wondered what he did wrong, or why he wasn’t enough to make her stay.
And no matter how much love I poured into him, no matter how hard I tried to fill every empty space she left behind, there were pieces of his heart that only his mother could ever touch.
“Eat up. Get dressed. I’ve got a surprise for you,” Seth said, handing me the tray. Pancakes stacked just right, eggs fluffy, sausage on the side, and fresh fruit filling the rest of the plate.
Savior let out a scream the moment he saw the food, scrambling to climb onto the bed. Eating was his favorite activity and his favorite word.
“A surprise?” I asked, arching a brow.
Seth smirked. “Stop being nosy and enjoy your breakfast. I’m about to get the boys ready.”
He leaned down and kissed me one last time before scooping up his offspring like a proud lion collecting his cubs.
Their laughter echoed as he headed out of the room, leaving me smiling at the ceiling and my curiosity buzzing.
Whatever Seth had planned, I already knew my lazy morning was now officially over.
Ring!!! Ring!!!
“Happy birthday, boss!” RJ and Ari screamed the second I picked up.
I laughed, shaking my head as a wide smile stretched across my face. “Thanks, y’all.”
“So, what Seth got planned today?” Ari asked, eyes sparkling with curiosity.
“That,” I said, shrugging, “I don’t know. He just told me to eat and get dressed.”
“Need a babysitter?” RJ asked, ready to step in before anyone else.
“I think we’re taking the boys with us.”
RJ leaned back and laughed. “Well, I guess that means we don’t gotta worry about Seth taking you outta commission for another nine months.”
“No new babies anytime soon,” I said, laughing along with Ari and RJ.
That chapter of my life was closed, at least for now. I already had my hands full with three busy little boys, a husband, two businesses, and a household that never seemed to sleep. Adding a newborn to the mix wasn’t anywhere near the top of my list, and I knew Seth felt the same way.
“Well, we’re wrapping up a few things here at the recovery home,” RJ said. “We’ll link up with you later.”
“And we got the best gift for you!” Ari shouted, her excitement bubbling over.
RJ ended the call before she could spill any details.
The moment the screen went dark, another call came through. Serena’s name flashing across my phone. She’d been out of town at a church retreat, and just seeing her name made my heart warm.
“Happy birthday, miss lady,” she said the moment I answered.
“Thank you, Ma,” I replied, already smiling.
“So, what’s on the agenda today?” she asked.
“Not sure. Seth’s getting the boys ready now. He said he has a surprise, so we’ll see,” I told her.
She chuckled softly. “Knowing him, it ain’t nothing little.”
And she was right. When it came to me and the boys, Seth never did small. But between the new house, the two new businesses, and the new truck sitting in the driveway, I didn’t need anything else material. I was content just being his wife and their mama.
“You’re right about that,” I said.
“Well, I’m not gonna hold you long,” she continued. “Just know I love you, and I hope you have the best day ever. You deserve it all. You’re the best mama to them boys and an amazing wife to my son. I love you, Stormi.”
My chest tightened. “Aww, thanks, Ma. I love you too.”
“And as soon as I get back,” she added with a laugh, “we gon’ have us a girls’ day, Jo style.”
I laughed softly, already picturing it. “I’m holding you to that.”
When the call ended, I sat there for a moment, heart full, realizing just how blessed I really was surrounded by love.
My mind instantly drifted to Jo and how today would’ve gone if she were still here with me.
She’d done a complete one-eighty with her life and with our relationship.
The woman she became in the end was someone I would’ve loved forever.
And even though I wished I’d had more time with that version of her, I understood now that everything happened the way it was supposed to.
Some lessons don’t come without loss.
I ate half my food, saving the rest for Savior, then finally pushed myself out of bed. I showered before it was time to get dressed and meet my boy’s downstairs, ready for whatever surprise my husband had waiting for me.
“You didn’t even give me any hints on what we doing, so I don’t even know what to wear,” I said as I came downstairs.
Seth and S3 were deep into a video game, controllers clicking nonstop. Shiloh had his toys scattered all over the floor, while he and Savior played their little hearts out, completely in their own world.
“You look amazing in everything you wear,” Seth said, getting up to pull me into a hug and a kiss.
Then he bit his lip like he really thought we could sneak in a quickie with three wide awake little boys running the house.
“Don’t even give me that look,” I said, already knowing what he was thinking. “You know Savior and Shiloh not even having it.”
“Yeah,” he laughed, smacking my ass and biting my neck, “because your sons some haters.”
I shook my head, trying not to smile.
“Let’s go,” Seth said, scooping up Savior and Shiloh in one smooth motion.
S3 cut the game off without a word. I grabbed my purse and Savior’s bookbag, then reached for S3’s hand as we headed out.
Once we were all settled in the truck, Seth strapped the boys into their car seats and immediately handed them their iPads. That told me this was about to be a long drive and he wanted them entertained.
“So, no hint where we about to go?” I asked.
“Family day,” was all he said as he backed out of the garage and hit the remote to open the gate.
He typed the address into the GPS, and it was nowhere I recognized. When I saw it was two hours away, I already regretted not packing snacks. Because at that point, this wasn’t just a drive. This was a road trip.
“So,” Seth asked as we merged onto the highway, “what’s your plans for thirty-four?”
I smiled, staring out at the road ahead before reaching over to grab my husband’s hand. “Honestly? I already got everything a girl could dream of. I just want more health, more life, and more love.”
He squeezed my hand a little tighter as we headed toward our destination.
I didn’t even realize when we arrived. I didn’t feel the truck park.
Didn’t hear Seth get the boys out. I was woken by soft kisses as he stood in the open passenger door, his three little triplets lined up behind him like soldiers.
“We here, Mama,” he said, grabbing my hand to help me down.
“Damn, I slept the whole ride,” I muttered, still half out of it.
“Snorin’ like a grizzly,” Seth said, and he and S3 burst out laughing.
“Whatever. I know you two ain’t talkin’,” I shot back, grabbing my purse and handing Seth Savior’s bookbag.
“Just admit you be snorin’,” Seth teased as he locked up the truck and we headed toward the building.
“Marines, you did it,” I read out loud, slowing down as we passed a welcome sign and stepped inside.
Seth signed us in, leaning over to whisper something to the woman at the desk. She smiled and pointed us in the same direction as the other visitors.
“Seth what is this?” I asked, my voice low.