Epilogue
Reese
"How's my hair?" Bailey asked, nudging my elbow with his. The light caught the subtle highlights in the strands he’d carefully styled with gel.
I let out a chuckle, the sound lost in the ocean breeze. "Bro, I'm the one getting married," I said, shaking my head, "and you're asking me about your hair?"
The salty air wrapped around us, carrying with it the faint scent of floral sweetness from the truckloads of arrangements Sam and her team had brought in. The setting sun cast an amber glow over the beach, painting our footprints in the sand with a warm, golden hue.
"You're right, you're right," he conceded, with a goofy grin. "But there's one thing for sure—you look damn good today. I swear, if she doesn't cry when she sees you, I will make a scene."
"Reese is supposed to cry when he sees Caroline, not the other way around," Boston piped up from the other side, his voice carrying over the waves softly lapping against the shore.
"I don't know about that," Bailey lifted up his sunglasses. "I've cried six times staring at him already." His eyes were bloodshot before he lowered his glasses back into place.
In the fading light, I stood there, on the edge of forever, thinking about the man I was about to become—a husband. I hoped I would always be good enough for her.
The first chords of a song signaled that the ceremony was starting.
I extended my arms, one to each side, as the two women who meant the world to me each claimed a side.
To my right, my stepmother’s hand rested lightly on mine.
She had stepped into the void in my life without hesitation, always making me feel like her own.
To my left, my mother’s grip was tentative and eager, as if she couldn’t be more proud.
We had spent the past five years navigating our estranged relationship, getting to know each other, and now we were closer than I ever thought possible.
With a mom on each arm, it finally felt like everything had fallen into place—like I was whole.
As we reached the end of the aisle, I guided my mothers to their seats, the fabric of their gowns pooling against the pale sand. Turning away, I made my way to the gazebo. As the music continued, Boston appeared at the top of the aisle, my sister on his arm.
They stepped forward at a slow pace down the aisle. Lo shot me a smile that reminded me of her childhood giggles and all the mischief she’d put me through over the years. She was a college cheerleader now, and I couldn’t be more proud of her.
Beside her, Boston was giving me a look of pride and respect—an acknowledgment of the rivalry that had changed both of our lives. Boston and I both played for New York teams now, so on the field we were still rivals, but off the field, we were closer than we ever had been—we were brothers.
Bailey and Sam took their first synchronized steps down the aisle.
Bailey’s grin was as wide as the ocean behind us.
Our closest friends and family came slowly after.
Then, in a moment that seemed to change the air around me, everyone on the beach rose from their chairs.
And there she was. Walking down the aisle with her father's arm for guidance.
My heart throbbed in rhythm with the waves lapping at the shore.
All the air in my lungs was stolen as Caroline floated down the aisle.
Her blonde hair was intricately pinned up with elegant swirls framing her face.
She’d told me her dress was simple, but on her, it was anything but.
My throat tightened, the swell of emotions overwhelming me.
A single tear betrayed my composure, carving a path down my cheek.
With a subtle motion, I tried my best to wipe away the evidence of all my vulnerability exposed.
Her father's hand met mine with an unexpected gentleness, his grip firm yet infused with silent trust.
"Take care of her," he nodded. I could only nod back, the words lodged around the lump in my throat.
"You look beautiful, Chaos," I whispered, knowing this beautiful tornado of a woman would be mine forever, and I’d be her calmness in any storm.
"You look handsome, Baby," she countered, her blue eyes glowing with happiness.
The ocean whispered its approval as we said our vows. With Caroline's hand in mine, we leaped together into marriage, right there on the beach in the most beautiful place on earth. But nothing was as stunning as her.
As the ceremony dissolved into the evening, our guests made their way to the party area. Out of the corner of my eye, a flash of golden curls appeared. Jasper launched himself toward me as he yelled, "Uncle Reese! When do we get to do that dance we've been working on?"
A laugh escaped me as I ruffled his curly mane. "Right now, J. Let’s go!"
A smile tugged at my lips as I scooped Jasper and his little sister into my arms, their giggles mingling with the salty breeze and the music. The sand gave way beneath my feet as we approached the designated area where the DJ had set up his deck.
"Reese, be careful!" Chandler yelled, always overly cautious about her little ones. Boston stood beside her laughing, an arm draped around her shoulders.
"Always," I replied with a glance back. I set the kids down in the dance area.
Their small hands grasped mine, and together we spun into a dance that was ours alone—carefree and wild.
Parker and Willow joined us. Bailey and the crew vaulted onto the floor.
We lifted the kids, spinning them round and round.
As I caught my niece's giggle, Caroline found me. Her arms, delicate yet strong, grasped me, drawing me into an orbit that was exclusively ours.
"Tonight, you're mine," she whispered, her breath warm on my neck.
The sea breeze carried her words away, but they etched themselves into my heart.
I held her, my hands memorizing her all over again.
The world around us dimmed—the laughter, the music, the crashing of the waves all faded into a hazy backdrop for the life we were creating.
"Forever and always, Chaos," I whispered into her ear, a vow that transcended time.
I knew then, as her eyes locked with mine, that every tomorrow would be better with her by my side.
My wife, my heart, my anchor in a sea of always shifting sands—I would hold onto her tight tonight and every night, for the rest of my life.