Epilogue
I must learn to brook being happier than I deserve. —Persuasion
The wedding duet receives over nine million views. I can see why. I mean, April looks and sounds gorgeous in it. For my part, I’m a little rusty. But the emotion is there. I’m singing my heart out and looking at her like a man lost at sea upon glimpsing the shore. That’s pretty much how I feel having April in my life. She may have ocean eyes, but being with her, I am on solid ground.
The video quieted any talk about Rosie cheating on me. Our recording of the duet has already become a wedding standard. The song I wrote for April, “Half agony, half hope,” also went on my third album. It was my first song to be number one in the US and the UK. Touring for this album was the worst. I desperately missed my girlfriend. April was so busy launching her new company, Rainmaker Funds, that she could rarely visit me on the road. The night of the last concert, I proposed to her in private. I brought out the blue velvet box. Before I could even say a word, she shouted, “Yes!” And kissed me. She hasn’t taken the ring off her finger since that day.
We were married a few months later with a very small wedding on the beach in my backyard. It was pretty much family plus Janene, who managed to look happy about April marrying the lifeguard. As for April and I, we were beyond happy. By the end of the day our faces hurt from smiling too much.
September complained non-stop that she couldn’t post any photos of the wedding prep or ceremony until afterward. The viral duet had made us, for a time, everyone’s favorite celebrity couple, which was great for sales but not in line with our plans. We didn’t want or need anymore publicity. April’s company was growing fast, and after one tour away from her, I decided I was done performing—at least for now. Being with April dried up my impulse to write; I found I was too content to write my brand of angsty love songs. April offered me a job at her company, which needed more legal counsel. Now, a year after our wedding, we are finally becoming fading stars, which makes us both so happy.
When we go places with April’s family, fans are more likely to notice Dean, who is starting his third season hosting A Gentleman in Want of a Wife . Johnny Love has an absolute hit with the series, and Dean is the runaway star. Also, quite a few people recognize September from her TikTok account. She is doing so well that she has ten staff members. Even so, she complains all the time about being overworked. Carlos constantly reminds her she can quit at any time. And she really could; I’m well aware of Carlos and September’s finances because they are also some of April’s clients. But September says she won’t quit; her public is counting on her. A phrase that always makes April roll her eyes.
We are running late to Dean’s birthday party. The stop-and-go of rush hour traffic makes April sick. We had to pull over a few miles from Kellynch. I hate to see her so miserable. It kills me that the only way I can help is to rub her back and pull back her curly hair when she’s sick.
April decided to grow her hair out. I liked it short, but I have to admit I’m enjoying the long look, too. I feel a little guilty for the businessman cut I recently got to look more professional. April says I still look hot. But she’s totally blinded by love. I suppose that’s not the worst thing.
I hand her a white Gatorade, which I keep in the car, and note the tears glistening in her eyes.
“You okay?”
“Never felt better.” She gives me a weak smile.
“We can skip this.”
“You know how my dad is about birthdays and parties.”
“Once a narcissist . . .”
April finishes. “Always a narcissist.”
“He’s not quite as bad as he used to be,” I admit.
“Sure, but a little bit of narcissism is still a lot,” April says. This is true. But Dean Elliot has evolved in surprising ways. He criticizes his daughters less, and when such off-handed insults are brought to his attention, he quickly apologizes. It helps that he now has his own work and is no longer laser-focused on April’s career.
“There’s only so much growth you can expect from a man,” I say. And this is also true. Dean Elliot is still essentially Dean Elliot. I pick up the speed. I don’t feel like dealing with April’s dad’s sulking because I was late to his birthday party.
“At least we know he will like our gift,” says April. “You think he’ll like it? Don’t you?”
“He’ll love it,” I say confidently, even though I’m not quite sure.
Kellynch is much the same. Except now, in the living room, my “Sexiest Man Alive” face on the cover of People hangs on the wall. I kind of hate it and love it. I know it’s his way of saying, “Welcome to the family.”
In the kitchen, we are greeted by Rosie and Benwick, each carrying a sleeping baby in a front pack. Rosie and Benwick married in Vegas six months after they started dating. And four months after that, they welcomed their twin boys, Simon and Garfunkel. (They call the second son Garffy, in case you were wondering.) Rosie always blames the short pregnancy on the fact that they are twins, which is silly because everyone can do the math and nobody cares.
On our way out to the garden, we bump into Daisy and Flossman. Daisy sidetracks Rainy to show off her engagement ring and to tell her more about her plans for her upcoming wedding. At first, Daisy was annoyed that her twin, who had only been dating Benwick for a few months, was married before her. But since Rosie eloped, Daisy now has the full force of her mother’s party planning skills available to her. She has been driving everyone bonkers with her elaborate wedding plans. Only September is excited about the event, maybe because she’s using all her sister-in-law’s wedding planning to create new content for her followers.
By the way, Flossman’s name is Kevin Hayter. I was kind of shocked to learn his last name isn’t Flossman. Though, Hayter is a somewhat unfortunate last name. I now see why he doesn’t mind being called Flossman. Since Daisy refuses to be a “Hater,” the couple has decided to legally change their name to Flossman when married. They say it will be great marketing.
While those two have moved more squarely into the online world of marketing, Rosie and Benwick are moving farther from the grid. They bought a farm in Fallbrook. Rosie is raising chickens and goats and making her own cheese. September keeps trying to get Rosie to agree to post her content. But she refuses. And Rosie, as proved by the whole pier incident, is not easily influenced.
“April!” Johnny Love gives my wife his standard air kisses. I do not feel even the slightest twinge of jealousy seeing Johnny laughing with April and introducing her to his now ten-year-old son. Johnny greets me. Kiss, Kiss. Also, we are all grateful to Johnny not only for giving Dean his new gig but also for encouraging him to go to therapy. And miracles of miracles, Dean listened. Progress is slow. But Dean is doing better with all his relationships and compulsive shopping.
In turn, Johnny, despite losing the girl, owes us. A few months after September’s wedding, he published a best-selling gossipy book about our secret romance. We were annoyed when it first came out. For one thing, the book increased our fame. And Love definitely exaggerated his relationship with April. But overall, the book is flattering and makes April and I appear sympathetic as star-crossed lovers. The book led to more music sales, and the extra money we made in royalties made it easier to forgive Johnny.
“Do you want to go?” I ask April after about an hour of small talk. We had wanted to save Dean’s gift for the after-party, but I can see she is exhausted. She nods and takes my hand. It’s not lost on me that April Elliot (strike that, she’s April West now) is holding my hand. I will never take that for granted.
“Dean!” I interrupt him telling Flossman a story about the filming of his most recent season of A Gentleman.
“We really need to get going.”
“So soon.” He looks genuinely disappointed. “I’m sorry. But you’ll be over Sunday, right?” Dean, September, and Carlos come to our place most Sundays for lunch and a swim.
“Looking forward to it.”
“We have a gift for you.” April holds out the wrapped shirt box.
“Fantastic!” Dean takes the present from April with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning. In a flash, he tears the paper off and removes the lid. I am a little nervous. I think he’ll like this gift. But with Dean Elliot, you never know. For a couple heartbeats, he doesn’t say a word. He just stares into the box. Then looks up crying. Tears of joy or sadness?
“Gloria, Chuck! You’ve got to see this.” He holds up a photoshopped copy of People , and April’s most recent ultrasound is on the cover. Dean reads the headline out loud. “World’s Cutest Baby arriving this November.”
Dean hugs both April and me at once. Chuck Musgrove says, “You’re going to love being a dad. There’s nothing like it.” Dean nods and wipes a tear.
Word spreads like wildfire through the party. “Did you hear, September?” Dean asks as September and Carlos join us on the patio. “You are going to be a big sister.”
Dean’s logic is kind of like Rosie’s math. But I’m certainly not going to correct him. April and I knew that the only thing Dean Elliot might not like about this baby was calling himself a grandpa. Looks like he just decided not to.
“Ever think of doing a collection of lullabies?” Carlos asks after giving April a big hug.
“Perhaps,” she says with a hand on her flat belly. “But no touring.”
“This is the best news ever!” says Carlos.
“Can I post about this?” asks September.
“We expect no less,” I answer. “That’s why we called my parents and sister last night.” They were all overjoyed and full of advice and well wishes. My parents were thrilled to finally meet April when she came for Thanksgiving and Kai’s wedding. April and Kai are once again besties, texting or talking to each other nearly every day. “But we should warn you that once this baby arrives, we plan to let him or her have a childhood out of the limelight.”
“We expected no less,” says September.
***
“That went over well,” Freddy says as he passes me a mug of peppermint tea.
We sit in our kitchen at the marble island. I still can’t believe he built this house with me in mind. Whenever he mentions it, I tease him that he watched The Notebook one time too many, which, for the record, he never denies.
The stove light illuminates the large room, making it feel small and cozy while allowing us to see the heaving moonlit ocean through the windows.
“Mmm... yeah,” I murmur, taking a sip of the tea. “I expect he’ll frame it.”
“It’s probably already on the wall.” Freddy passes me a plate with buttered toast. I take a bite while admiring my husband. We both changed into pajamas as soon as we got home. And lucky me, Freddy sleeps in joggers with no shirt. In my humble opinion, he still deserves the title “Sexiest Man Alive.” I’m a little bit in awe that I go to bed next to him every night.
“Still queasy?” he asks, his eyes full of concern.
“Not anymore, I’m just really happy.”
“Me too.” He walks around the counter to stand next to me. He begins to stroke my hair. It’s sublime. “I was just marveling that I finally convinced you to marry me.”
“I’m the lucky one.” I trace his perfect lips with my finger. “After I dumped you in the worst way possible, you gave me a second chance. Not sure I deserved that.”
“And I deserve this? I was a total jerk, but you kept loving me.” He leans down and presses his lips on mine. I place my hands on his stubbly cheeks and pull him in closer.
“Let’s always love each other more than we deserve,” I sigh.
He gathers me in his arms, lifting me off the barstool, causing me to utter a breathy gasp of delight.
“I intend to do just that.” Pausing for laughter and kisses, he carries me to our room. While outside, the ocean rises, waves crash, and the tide sweeps in.
The End
Thank you so much for reading INFLUENCE.