Epilogue
Maren
The early summer sun streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows as I pour coffee in the kitchen I now think of as ours.
Through the glass, I can see Lilliana playing on the new swing set Henry built last month.
He spent two weekends on it, insisting on doing it himself even though he could have easily hired someone.
"Morning, beautiful."
Henry's arms wrap around me from behind, and I lean back into his chest, smiling. He smells like coffee and the expensive body wash he uses, and his jaw is rough with morning stubble against my cheek.
"Morning. Lilliana's already outside."
"I know. I told her she could play for half an hour before we need to get ready." He presses a kiss to my neck. "My parents will be here at noon."
Right. Today's the day. My stomach does a nervous flip.
"Hey." He turns me in his arms. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Just nervous."
"Don't be. They already love you."
That's true. Over the past six months, Jane and Robert have welcomed me into their family with open arms. Jane's even started calling me to ask my opinion on things, like I'm already a daughter-in-law instead of just their son's girlfriend.
But today's different. Today we're telling them the other news.
"What if they think it's too fast?" I ask.
"It's not too fast. Not for us. Maren, I've known since Christmas that I wanted to marry you. We're just making it official."
I look down at the ring on my finger—the one he slipped on two weeks ago during a sunset hike, after asking Lilliana's permission first. It's perfect: a simple platinum band with a single diamond, elegant and understated and so very Henry.
"I know. You're right." I take a breath. "Okay. Let's do this."
His parents arrive right on time, and Lilliana immediately drags them outside to show off the swing set. Henry and I exchange a look—now or never—and follow them out.
"Mom, Dad, we have something to tell you," Henry says once Lilliana's occupied pushing Jane on the swing.
"You're getting married!" Jane exclaims immediately.
Henry blinks. "How did you?"
"Please. I know my son. You've been antsy for the past two weeks, Maren's been putting her left hand behind her back in every video call, and Lilliana's been practically bursting trying to keep a secret." She beams. "So when's the wedding?"
I laugh and hold up my hand, showing off the ring. "We were thinking September. Small ceremony, just family."
"September's perfect," Robert says, pulling me into a hug. "Welcome to the family, officially."
"There's more," Henry says, and something in his voice makes everyone turn.
"I'm going to be a big sister!" Lilliana announces, unable to contain herself any longer.
There's a moment of stunned silence. Then Jane screams with joy and Robert starts laughing.
"You're pregnant?" Jane rushes over to hug me. "How far along?"
"Twelve weeks," I say, smiling. "We wanted to wait until we were past the first trimester to tell people."
"That's why you stopped drinking wine at Easter," she says, putting it together. "I knew something was different!"
The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur of excitement and planning. Jane immediately starts making lists—for the wedding, for the nursery, for everything. Robert pulls Henry aside for a conversation that ends with both of them a little misty-eyed.
And Lilliana? Lilliana's already planning how she's going to teach her little brother or sister everything she knows.
That night, after everyone's gone home and Lilliana's finally asleep, Henry and I sit on the deck overlooking the forest, his hand resting on my still-flat belly.
"You know what I realized today?" he says quietly.
"What?"
"A year ago, I was alone. Just me and Lilliana, keeping people at arm's length, convinced that was enough." He turns to look at me. "And now I have this. You. A baby on the way. A family. Everything I didn't know I was missing."
"Me too," I whisper. "Six months ago, I was barely keeping it together. Sending money home, lying awake at night worried about my parents losing their house. And now..."
"And now they're settled in their new place, your dad's got a job with my contractor friend, and you never have to worry about money again."
It's true. True to his word, Henry had anonymously paid off my parents' debts and gave them enough for a down payment on a smaller, more manageable house.
They still don't know it was him, they think it was some kind of debt forgiveness program, but I know.
And I'll never be able to thank him enough.
"You gave me everything," I say, tears stinging my eyes.
"No." He pulls me closer. "You gave me everything. You gave Lilliana a mother. You gave me a partner, a best friend, a love I didn't think I'd ever find. You gave me this family." He presses a kiss to my temple, and his hand splays protectively over my belly where our baby's growing.
"I love you," I whisper.
"I love you too. Both of you." He smiles against my hair. "All three of you, counting Lilliana."
We sit there as the sun sets over the Vermont mountains, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. Inside, Lilliana's sleeping soundly. In a few months, there will be a wedding. In a few more, a baby.
I came here last December looking for a job. A way to survive. A way to help my family.
Instead, I found my home. My family. My forever.
And as Henry's arms tighten around me, I think: this is what happy endings feel like.
THE END