Epilogue
“Fuck for better or worse, it’s forever and for Ever for us.
Richer and richer. Through wealth, questionable health, disagreements, failures, struggles, and everything that comes with life, I’ll continue to love you, continue to pour into you, continue to be the man for you, and continue to meet you where you are.
“Because, wherever you are, Ever, that’s where I want to be.
I’ve never felt anything like this before.
That’s how I know it’s real. That’s how I know it’s true.
The day I saw you in my sister’s Jeep, sleeping without a care in the world, I knew then.
I couldn’t even see your face, but I knew.
When you finally opened your eyes, I knew. When you opened your mouth, I knew.
“My heart was comforted. My thoughts were lulled to a more pleasant place. That’s my wife .
Right there was where they rested and I couldn’t be happier.
Or at least I thought I couldn’t be, but then I discovered there were two more of you.
My heart nearly exploded the day I saw those hazel eyes on Emorey.
She fit so perfectly in my arms when she climbed into them. I knew then, too.
“She’s mine , I thought. You were written all over her. I found myself falling in love all over again. And, then, a third time when Essence’s tiny, timid soul made me want to protect her from all forms of hurt, harm, and danger.
“Ever, I don’t think you’ll ever comprehend how much better you’ve made me.
How much peace you’ve brought me. If it means I’ll meet you again in the next lifetime, I’d repeat every single thing in this one.
I’d serve my sentence a hundred times if every one of them ends with you waiting at those gates.
I love you. I’m in love with you. And, that’ll never change. I’m yours until the day that I die.”
As beautiful as Ever was in the simple white dress that resembled a slip of some kind, her face was a mess. Her small nose was red at the very tip and her eyes were swollen. She’d cried all morning. I knew because I’d answered four calls from her, each starting and ending with her in tears.
“Mine weren’t that good.” She sniffed.
The words were straight off the dome. I didn’t need a pen and paper to confess my love for Ever. They were at the forefront of my brain always, though they weren’t enough to truly convey my feelings.
“Yes they were,” I assured her.
The words of the pastor blended into the background as I listened to Ever. She was a fucking dream in that dress.
“Then kiss me.”
Obliging, I leaned forward, pulling her closer to me with a hand on the back of her head. I devoured her, caring less about the people around us and more about the woman that I’d promised to love, honor, and cherish for the rest of our lives.
“That’s why you?—”
“Shut up!” I pulled back to silence Lyric.
“Mr. and Mrs. Einsenberg!” Laike chanted, moving closer and removing the plastic from the mountain of bills in his hands.
Keanu followed his lead, loosening his money as well. As we made our way out of the backyard and into our home, it wasn’t rice that was thrown. Bills rained down on us. My father, Laike, and Keanu emptied their hands, reloaded, and emptied their hands again.
Upon approaching the house, we were greeted with a photographer who snapped pictures as we continued our journey into the large dining hall Lyric cleared out and arranged for the wedding.
In a dinner-styled setting, as Ever requested, tables lined the area, topped with the finest dinnerware my father’s money could buy.
Because he’d forced me to allow his pockets to hurt for the recital of our vows, it was him footing the bill.
Our loved ones followed us inside, everyone taking their positions and abiding by the photographer’s rules to get the family images taken.
Within ten minutes, we were free of obligations and ready to get out of our clothes.
According to my watch, we were making great progress and still on schedule.
Ever and I were scheduled to be on the plane in five hours flat and I’d be damned if we were late.
Our mini moon would only be three days but I intended to enjoy it fully before returning to our babies.
“We’re going to head upstairs to change into our reception attire. Hold this shit down until we get back.”
“Just don’t be trying to put another baby in her while you’re away. Save that for the flight,” Lyric joked.
“Nah. Not today. I don’t think she’s ready,” I admitted.
The thought saddened me and quieted Lyric.
The fact still stood that my wife had been assaulted two short weeks ago and was still recovering.
Not until she told me with her own words that I could have her body to myself again, I’d wait.
Those facts didn’t make our day or our honeymoon any less special.
“I’m so sorry, Luca.”
“Ever just agreed to be with me for a lifetime, Lyric. Sorry for what?”
“I just… I don’t know.”
“I don’t know if I could ever thank you enough for bringing this woman into my world. You did your brother a solid one.”
“I owed you a solid one, Luca. I really did.”
“You owed me nothing, baby girl. I keep telling you that.”
“I know but it still felt like it. Now, I feel a little better knowing I could at least make the rest of your life a fucking dream.”
“Because that’s exactly what she is.”
“Isn’t she?”
“Yes. You’re next, Lyric. I can’t wait to see you in a white dress. I’m sparing no expense, baby girl.”
“Ugh. Go upstairs and don’t start with that. Maybe one day, maybe not.”
“One day,” I confirmed, reaching over and snatching Ever away from her mother and stepfather. “Let me steal my wife for a second. We have to change.”
“Of course,” her mother yelped, fanning us off.
I pulled Ever through our home, up the stairs, and into our bedroom where I closed the door behind us and cupped her chin. My lips, with a mind of their own, rested against hers.
“I love you,” I admitted, not pulling away until I was left breathless.
“Forever.” She breathed life into me.
I turned toward the bed, where I’d laid our clothes out before heading downstairs to take my place at the altar, to find two paper bags sitting on the bed.
I didn’t remember them being there before I’d left.
Slowly, I approached them. Light sniggers from Ever let me know she had everything to do with them.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a wedding gift from the girls.”
Taking a second to allow her words to register, I let the smile rip through my face.
“Well, are you going to open them?”
Nodding, I reached into both bags and grabbed a single sheet of paper from each. The different hues of blue on both papers looked oddly familiar but it wasn’t until I read the curved lettering that I realized what I was looking at.
Social Security Ca… My head whipped in Ever’s direction as the tears fell from her pretty brown eyes. I tilted my head to see if she was serious and to see if I was seeing what I thought I was seeing. I looked at the two papers again, reading the line that spelled out each girl’s name.
Essence Einsenberg.
Emorey Einsenberg.
Through blurred vision and teary eyes, I must’ve read their names twenty times before I looked up at them both. They had always been mine, but seeing Einsenberg at the end of their names made it all real. Now, we all shared the same last name. We were officially the Einsenbergs.