Epilogue
CHRISTMAS DAY
C hristmas is bright and beautiful, with sunlight streaming through the giant windows, casting a warm glow over the massive tree we decorated together. Piled high beneath it are an assortment of presents, wrapped in mismatched paper and ribbons, some with tiny bows barely hanging on. Our three dogs sit nearby, looking just as eager as we do.
Key bounces on the couch beside me, his eyes glued to the mountain of presents. “All right, who’s ready to dig in?” he says, reaching for the first box, which is wrapped with crooked tape and about three layers of extra paper.
“Patience, Key,” Teddy laughs, though he’s already reaching for a package with his name scrawled on it. He looks at me, his eyes twinkling. “Should we start with this one?”
I grin and nod, unable to contain my own excitement. “Go ahead! Open it!”
He carefully pulls back the paper, revealing a sleek, dark leather sheath with silver embossing. He draws out a beautifully crafted dagger, with a handle inlaid with carved wood that matches his usual dark, no-nonsense style. His eyes widen as he runs his thumb over the blade’s edge. “Grace, this is incredible. This will definitely come in handy.”
Atlas leans over to admire the dagger, nodding with a grin. “Nice choice, Nutcracker.”
“Just wait,” I say, picking up another small box and passing it to Atlas. He opens it to reveal his own dagger, this one with a more rugged, utilitarian look. The handle is wrapped in black leather and is perfect for his practical nature.
Atlas holds it up, testing the weight in his hand. “Now this…this is exactly what I needed. Thank you, baby.”
My heart rate picks up and I turn, handing one to Key.
“ Finally , something for me!” Key exclaims, tearing into a bright green package with a wild grin. Inside is a gleaming, intricately designed dagger with his initials engraved along the handle and a few flourishes that are pure Key–sharp, sleek, and a little flashy.
He lets out a low whistle. “Sugar, you just get me. This is almost too good-looking to use.” He flashes me a wink. “Almost.”
I chuckle, pulling my own pink package toward me, a little suspicious of the guys’ shared looks as I unwrap it. My mouth drops open when I see what’s inside: a compact, sleek, pink pistol with a custom grip and delicate nutcracker girl engraving along the barrel.
“A pink nutcracker gun?” I say, laughing as I run my fingers over the handle. “You guys are ridiculous. But I absolutely love it!”
“Thought you might like something that packed a punch,” Atlas says with a smirk, watching me turn it over in my hands.
“And don’t worry, there’s a custom holster in here too. Also pink, of course,” Teddy adds, watching my reaction with a grin.
We spend the next hour tearing through presents, laughing over every unexpected surprise. I unwrap a set of throwing knives from Atlas, perfectly balanced and wickedly sharp. Teddy gets a set of lockpicks from me, ones I know he’s been eyeing for ages. Key unboxes a high-end pair of aviator sunglasses, complete with a gold K on the frame, which he immediately tries on and starts posing with.
And so much more. Honestly, we’re all a bit spoiled.
Amidst the chaos–which is a lot more pleasurable this time–the guys pass me a long, slim box. Unable to guess what it is, my mouth drops open when I unwrap it to find a custom-made leather jacket lined with fur on the inner lining, collar, and cuffs. Fitted perfectly to me, it’s in the deepest shade of black. “It’s so pretty and fuzzy!” I exclaim, pulling it on and laughing as Key gives me an approving whistle.
“Only the best for our girl,” Teddy says, leaning in to kiss me on the cheek. The dogs jump up and start pawing at the leftover ribbons, earning a laugh from all of us as they roll around in the mess of wrapping paper.
Finally, there’s only one box left. I bite my lip, feeling the flutter of nerves as I pull it out from under the tree and pass it to the guys. “It’s for all of you to open together.” They look at each other with curious smiles and tear into the package, practically fighting each other to get to the goods. Inside, they find three custom dog tags, each one engraved with a different message, something I wrote just for them.
Atlas reads his first, running his fingers over the words. “My shield.” His voice is soft, his gaze warm as he looks up at me, his smile more genuine than I’ve ever seen. He knows he’s my big, gruff protector.
Teddy lifts his, reading aloud, “My lighthouse.” He grins, his eyes full of pride, knowing he’s the one who effortlessly leads us all through this crazy thing called life.
Key lifts his with a playful smirk, “My wild card.” The one who makes me laugh, makes me crazy, makes life fun. He reaches over and pulls me into a tight hug, lifting me off the ground as the others follow suit, surrounding me in warmth.
I’m wrapped up in their arms, feeling like I have everything I’ve ever wanted.
But as they pull back from the hug, laughing and admiring their dog tags, I can’t help the flutter of excitement that builds in my chest. I take a deep breath, steadying myself before speaking up.
“There’s...one more thing,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady as I gesture to the box in their hands. Beneath the remaining layer of tissue paper, a small object is tucked in the corner. They glance at me, a little confused, before huddling together and pulling back the last bit of paper.
At first, there’s silence as they process what they’re looking at. Key is the first to react, his mouth dropping open as he stares at their present, blinking like he’s trying to convince himself he’s really seeing it. Teddy’s brows shoot up, his usually calm demeanor crumbling as he takes it all in. And Atlas, well…he just stares at me, his expression frozen. It takes a second, but the flicker of realization suddenly breaks through and is followed by unadulterated joy.
“Little One…” Teddy says, his voice barely a whisper, filled with wonder. “Are you…?”
I nod, unable to stop the grin spreading across my face. “I’m pregnant.” My voice is soft but steady, and I feel my throat tighten as I take in their expressions–shock, joy, and a little bit of awe.
Key breaks the silence first, letting out a loud, joyful whoop before scooping me up in his arms, spinning me around as laughter bubbles out of both of us. The dogs bark, caught up in the excitement, bounding around us in a chaotic dance of tails and paws.
“Sugar, you’re going to be the best mom,” Key says, beaming down at me as he finally sets me back on my feet. “And this kid is gonna have the three best dads in the world.”
Atlas steps forward, his gaze soft as he pulls me into his arms. “I can’t believe it,” he murmurs, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. “You’ve given us so much already…and now this.”
I feel a gentle squeeze on my hand and look over to see Teddy, his normally steady gaze slightly misty, a rare vulnerability shining through. “Little One, I-” He pauses, his voice breaking, and I beam at him, throwing myself at his chest. His arms wrap around me, his frame trembling just slightly and I can’t help the moisture spilling from my own eyes.
In the quiet, I finally speak, my voice a soft whisper. “I love you. All of you”
They each pull me close and return the sentiment as they have millions of times before, and we stay like that. Together, in a huddle with the dogs nosing around us, and with a new beginning ahead of us that none of us had quite expected. One we’re all, more than ready to embrace.
Merry Christmas to us.