Epilogue
SARAH
The sounds of my children laughing echo through the backyard. Real laughter for the first time in months. It finally feels like we’re all getting a little peace back in our lives.
Marcus stands at the barbecue pretending he’s a grill master. We learned early on that he is, in fact, not. But he tries, and somehow that's all that matters.
“Mom! Watch!” Max shouts. My heart skips a beat when he launches himself off the little plastic slide. He rolls, then jumps up and shouts again.
I clap dramatically, and Marcus joins in, like the kid won the Olympics.
Jasmine tugs on Marcus’s pant leg, and he crouches. “What can I do for you, little miss?”
She holds out a dandelion. “Make a wish!”
He laughs, leaning in to give it a big gush of air. The white seeds go up in the air, and Jasmine squeals. “What did you wish for?”
He scoops her up and nuzzles her nose. “I already have everything I could ever wish for.”
My heart squeezes. This is what my life looks like now. Six months ago, Jasmine wouldn’t have let a man even stand that close to her, let alone let them pick her up, and yet she runs into his arms.
I’m happy now. Whole. In love with a man who’s taken every precaution with my mental well-being. We still take things slow when life gets too heavy. But he loves me, and most importantly, he loves my kids.
This is what happiness looks like. No more covered bruises. No more shouting matches. Just open communication when times get rough, and a lot of love to go around.