EPILOGUE
ROXY
Ten years later
Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia
She stretched quietly and gave her a little kiss on the head. Ellen responded with a small sound of satisfaction but didn’t wake up.
The house was quiet as the children slept. Roxy loved these moments, when she was the only one awake, as they were a good time for her creativity. She made her way to the kitchen, trying to make as little noise as possible, to make herself a cup of coffee.
Coffee in hand, she left the house and headed for the small guest house, which had been converted into a writing studio for Roxy.
On the walls were a photo of Ellen and Roxy at their wedding, as well as enlarged copies of the covers of Roxy’s first two spy novels, Vanishing and A Night in Jakarta.
Next to it were two posters advertising the film adaptations of her books, directed by her best friend, Meredith Price.
On each, her name was prominently displayed: Roxanne Caldwell.
When they got married, Roxy took her name—Caldwell. It wasn't just symbolic. She felt as if she was finally becoming the person she was meant to be. A clean slate. A promise to keep choosing Ellen every day.
Roxy sat down at her desk and stared at the blank Word page where she was supposed to write the next mission for Agent Kydd, the female spy at the heart of Roxy’s intrigues. Her publisher expected to receive a first draft of her next book within three months, but Roxy was completely stuck.
She had the idea and the structure. The characters were clear in her mind. But she lacked the words. The story she wanted to tell was about Ellen and herself. The words that came to her mind weren’t enough to do justice to this beautiful love story.
Three hours passed without Roxy noticing when the studio door flew open. "Mama," said Alice, their eldest, who ran to hug her mother. The little girl, with her coppery hair, was the spitting image of Roxy, much to Ellen's delight.
“Alice,” Ellen laughed as she held her youngest child, Benjamin. "Careful, you're going to hurt your mama."
"It's okay, sweetie, I've seen worse," Roxy replied, hugging her daughter.
When Roxy got up, she walked over to Ellen and kissed her on the mouth. "Happy birthday, Sunshine. I love you so much." Roxy still couldn't believe Ellen was forty today. She thought her wife wore time like she wore everything else: with grace, a touch of stubbornness, and without apology.
"Just that, it's the best birthday present," Ellen replied.
Roxy closed her laptop and followed her little family inside the house. The children rushed to the living room, where toys were scattered everywhere, while they headed to the kitchen.
"So, how did it go this morning?" Ellen asked as Roxy sat down on the island.
Roxy dropped her head onto her arms resting on the counter. "I don't understand. Nothing is working out, or rather, nothing is up to par. I really wonder if I'm going to make it."
"Isn't that exactly what you told me about your second one? And about revising the scripts for both films?" Ellen said, sliding behind her to wrap her arms around Roxy's shoulders. Her cheek rested against hers, skin warm, presence grounding.
"Yes... but..."
"No," Ellen interrupted. "There are no buts. You can do it. You wouldn't dare contradict me on my birthday, would you?" Ellen proudly flashed a slight, mocking smile. "I even have one for you. How about 'The agent took her on a romantic getaway in her Subaru Crosstrek.'"
"You know you're the epitome of lesbian clichés, right?"
Ellen whispered, "What can I say, you'll always be my sapphic version of James Bond, Roxanne Caldwell," her voice filled with affection before her lips met Roxy's.
Roxy was so pleased that Ellen still made her laugh before nine, even after all these years.
"But seriously, why don't you call Bonnie?
She helped you out a lot when you were stuck in the first two. "
"Yes, but it's not the same thing, Ellen. This one is our story, which is far from over. I want to pay full tribute to this story."
Just as Ellen was about to use her lawyer skills to reassure Roxy, a loud, "Mommy, Mama!" came from Alice.
"Yes?" asked Ellen and Roxy in unison.
"Come here please!"
Roxy rose from her seat and walked toward the living room with Ellen. Alice was already cross-legged on the carpet and a serious face, surrounded by her dolls. Her curls were wild, her pajamas mismatched. She was radiant.
Benjamin, still clutching his blanket, trailed after them on unsteady feet, thumb in his mouth, hair sticking up on one side.
He made a beeline for Ellen and climbed into her lap without a word, his head resting against her chest with that quiet trust only toddlers had.
Like Roxy and Alice, Benjamin was the spitting image of the Caldwell twins.
"I've been thinking," Alice declared. Ellen and Roxy exchanged a look. This was always the preamble to something impossibly funny.
"God. She reminds me so much of Meredith sometimes. It never boded well for me when she started like that," Roxy said.
Ellen laughed, but Alice gave Roxy a glance that meant, "Mama, focus."
"I want to have a girlfriend when I grow up. Like you, and Aunties Tay and Jessie."
Oh well. That was new.
Roxy knelt beside her, her eyes soft. "You can love whoever you want, sweetheart. A girl, a boy, or no one at all. Whatever feels right to you—Mommy and I will always support you and love you. No matter what."
Alice wrinkled her nose. "No, I said I want a girlfriend."
Roxy blinked, then smiled at her daughter. "Okay. Then you'll have one."
Ellen's voice came in, low and steady from behind her. "Do you know, my love, what Grandma Marianne told Aunt Tay and me just before she died?"
Little Alice looked at Ellen, her eyes full of longing to know more. Ellen, Taylor, and Jess made it their duty to keep their mother's memory alive in the children.
"She told us that the girls who shared our lives would be the luckiest in the world. Well, she would have said the same thing to you, sweetheart." And Ellen looked up at Roxy. "I am myself the luckiest woman to have your mother in my life."
Roxy glanced at her. The way Ellen looked at her mirrored the way she had looked Roxy on that mountaintop nine years ago. Like nothing in the world made more sense than Ellen and Roxy Caldwell.
Alice, still cradling a dragon in her lap, tilted her head. "How did you two meet?"
Ellen lowered herself to the floor, shifting Benjamin gently beside her so she was at Alice's eye level. She gently brushed a strand of hair from their daughter's forehead and said, "That's a beautiful story. Your mother is writing it, but I don't want to spoil the surprise."
Alice smiled at her mommy, and Ellen sat up straight. Roxy took control of the situation. "Now come on," she said, rising with a soft grunt as she scooped Benjamin into her arms. "We've got guests coming today."
"Are you sure you're okay taking care of the kids this afternoon? I can tell Tay to come here instead of going out," Ellen offered, uncomfortable with leaving Roxy alone with the kids.
Roxy took Ellen's face in both hands and looked at her intently.
"My love, for the last time, everything is under control.
You're going out with your sister this afternoon.
Juliet is coming over early anyway, and we'll have a lovely dinner waiting for you.
I even spoke to Jessie, and they're going to arrange to FaceTime with us from Bali in the evening. "
As much as Roxy loved her wife, she absolutely did not want to see her at home. Every year, and especially since they no longer lived on the same continent, Ellen and Taylor spent time alone together on their birthdays. It was a kind of annual date between twins.
"Okay, if you insist. It's too bad Jessie couldn't come. I would have liked to see her." Ellen was visibly disappointed, but not angry. "I miss her."
Roxy didn't answer, contenting herself with maintaining her sly little smile. And just like that, the house was in motion again. But her heart stayed anchored, steady, held between the sound of their child's certainty and the woman she still woke up grateful for. Every single day.
***
"And the twins have absolutely no idea?" Robert asked Roxy as he entered the house with Jacinthe, his partner of the last eight years.
"None. Ellen thinks Blake and Jessie are still in Bali and that you're stuck in Montreal.
She really thinks it'll just be Tay and Juliet for a quiet little dinner," she replied.
"And Juliet told me that Tay was so caught up in her creative streak she strangely forgot about her own birthday. .. but not Ellen's."
"Well, managing to hide something from my daughters is nothing short of a miracle, Roxy! Oh, come here, little boy," Robert called out when he saw Benjamin walking toward him.
"Trust me, Robert, I'm an expert when it comes to keeping secrets."
Roxy, Juliet, Jess, and Blake had been working like crazy over the past few weeks to try to surprise the twins for their 40th birthday, which was no small task.
But after several weeks of effort, they had finally convinced the twins that it would be an intimate celebration, considering everyone's travel plans and that a bigger party would be held later.
The first person to arrive, two hours early, was, of course, Kyle, ever loyal to Taylor, but also to the Caldwell Clan.
The children adored Uncle Kyle. "OK, Jane Bond," he said, turning to Roxy with a grin, "Come help me.
I brought everything we need to honour the only true religion in this family: music. "
Juliet soon arrived to help Roxy with the preparations. "So, Ellen picked up Taylor and they left on time," Juliet began, addressing Roxy. "Technically, the game ends around 4:00 p.m., so we shouldn't expect them back before 5:00 p.m."
"Good," Roxy said. "Everything will be good." Roxy wanted so badly to surprise them that she was extremely nervous.