Epilogue
Ken
O ne year later
Mia sat at one of the tables in my classroom after school, carefully writing out her spelling words, her tongue peeking out in concentration. “I can’t believe how much she’s grown this year,” I remarked to Angie as we tidied up the room after a particularly messy day of end of the year crafts for my kindergarteners. “Seems like just yesterday she was this shy little thing—and now look at her, almost done with first grade.”
Angie chuckled, her eyes crinkling. “They sprout up so fast at this age! What is she now, almost seven?”
“Just about,” I replied, shaking my head in wonder. “I remember her very first day here…” My mind drifted back to that fateful morning last spring when I’d first laid eyes on Mia and her devastatingly handsome father.
If someone had told me then that a year later, I’d be head over heels in love with Marc Mendez and his little girl, preparing to pack up my apartment and move in with them over the summer break—well, I’d never would have believed it.
But here we were.
“Ken. Kendall!” Angie’s voice snapped me out of my reverie. “You’re as bad as the kids, already daydreaming about summer break. Or is someone else in your thoughts?” she asked with a wink.
My face flushed as I swept the bits of paper and trash from the floor into the dustpan. “How dare you,” I said with a laugh, throwing away the trash.
We finished putting away the last of the supplies, chatting about the day and the kids, our laughter filling the room. Mia glanced up from her work, dimples flashing as she grinned at us. “How are those spelling words coming, Mia?” I asked, peeking over her shoulder.
“I think I know them all,” she said with a nod. “Mrs. Diaz says that when we’re in second-grade next year, we’ll have a lot of writing.”
“She’s absolutely right.” Mia sometimes struggled with her reading, but she worked so hard to keep up with everyone else in class. I couldn’t have been prouder of Mia if she were my own kid. “But don’t you worry, sweetheart. You’ll be ready, and we’re just here down the hall.” I kissed the top of her head. “We’re going to have so much fun together this summer before you start a new adventure.”
The chime of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. I fished it out of my pocket, frowning at the screen.
Change of plans. Meet me at home as soon as you can. I’ll explain when you get here.
A sense of unease washed over me as I reread the message. Marc wasn’t one for cryptic notes; he preferred direct communication. What was so urgent that he couldn’t explain it over the phone? We had plans to meet at Gino’s for pizza tonight.
Something must have happened.
Angie, who had been wiping down the whiteboard, turned to me. “Everything okay?”
“I’m not sure,” I murmured, the knot in my stomach tightening. “Marc wants us home early. He didn’t say why, just that it was urgent.” Strange that he didn’t say more, and that lack of information only made me more curious. But he’d call if something was really wrong—right?
She nodded toward the door. “Go on then, get out of here. I’ll finish tidying up.”
“You’re a lifesaver, Angie,” I said gratefully, grabbing my satchel and laptop. “I owe you one.”
She waved me off with a smile. “I hope everything is okay! Now go, don’t keep that handsome man of yours waiting.”
Angie was the best. “Mia, honey? Time to pack up. We need to head home a little early today.”
Her head popped up, eyes wide with curiosity. “What about the pizza?”
I shrugged. “Something came up, but we’ll go get pizza tomorrow instead, okay? I promise.”
Mia frowned slightly, but she nodded, gathering her things. I helped her pack her backpack, my mind racing. Was Marc okay? Had something happened to his family? The landscaping business?
As we walked to my car, Mia tucked her small hand in mine. This past year had been a whirlwind of joy and challenges. Marc and I had weathered so much together—moving past the town’s gossip, meeting each other’s families, the struggles of blending our lives, another health scare and hospitalization for Mia.
But we’d come out stronger for it all.
Now, as I buckled Mia into her car seat, I couldn’t shake the sense that something was off.
“Ken?” Mia looked to see if anyone was around before using my first name, something she was allowed to do at home, but not at school. “Is Papi okay?”
I turned to her, mustering a reassured smile. “I’m sure he is, sweetie. He just needs us home a little early today. Maybe he has a surprise for us!”
Her eyes lit up at that. Oof, there was a pang of guilt for telling her that white lie. But it was better than worrying her unnecessarily.
As we pulled into the driveway, I parked next to Marc’s truck, with Blanco Springs Lawn and Garden, his business logo, emblazoned on the side, and a familiar sense of warmth and security washed over me. In the year since we’d gotten together, this house had become home to me, a place of love and laughter, and each night I spent alone in my apartment away from them was wasted time away from my new family.
A dark blue sedan was parked in front of the house. “Who is that?” Mia asked as I helped her out of the back seat of my car.
“Not sure, pumpkin.” Maybe one of the neighbors, I guess, but my gut told me different.
This was why we were home early and not eating pizza.
I stepped into the house, Mia’s small hand in mine. “We’re home!”
Marc sat on the sofa, his posture tense, next to a woman with short, dark hair wearing a sundress. Something about her tugged at my memory, but I couldn’t quite place her.
“Papi!” Mia squealed, breaking free from my grip and launching herself at Marc.
He caught her, his face softening as he hugged her close. “Hey, mija . Look who came to visit—your Aunt Becca.”
Recognition dawned on me. Becca was Jacob’s sister, someone I had met during the Christmas holidays when we visited Jacob’s family in Dallas. What was she doing here now?
Did this have to do with Jacob?
Mia turned to Becca, her face lighting up. “Aunt Becca!” She threw her arms around the woman, who returned the hug with a warm smile.
Becca gasped as she took in the sight of Mia. “Look at you! Look how big you’ve gotten since Christmas,” she said, her voice tinged with wonder and sadness.
Marc stood, crossing the room to me. “Hey,” he said softly, placing a hand on my arm and dropping a kiss on my temple. “Becca called a few hours ago, asked if she could come talk to us. She drove down from Dallas.”
I nodded, trying to process this unexpected turn of events. Marc’s ex-husband’s sister, here, out of the blue. What did it mean?
Becca looked up, her eyes meeting mine. “Hey Ken,” she said, her voice warm but slightly hesitant. “Good to see you again.”
Marc squeezed my shoulder gently before taking my hand and guiding us toward the other sofa where we sat down. I managed to smile, though it felt strained. “You too.”
We’d taken Mia to Dallas during the Christmas holidays last year to spend some time with Jacob’s family. Everyone had been polite enough to me, and while I never felt completely at ease, it was clear that Jacob’s family was embarrassed by his abandonment of Marc and Mia, and he remained some giant elephant in the room that no one wanted to talk about.
Mia tugged at Becca’s dress, her eyes wide with hope. “Aunt Becca, have you seen my other daddy? Is he here too?”
The room went still. Marc tensed beside me, his hand tightening on my arm.
Becca’s smile faltered, and she glanced at Marc before answering. “No, Mia. I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen your dad in a long time either. He’s… he’s been busy—but I’m sure he misses you too.”
The words hung in the air.
Mia nodded, her small shoulders slumping. The sight of her disheartened face tugged at my heartstrings. I wished there was something to take away her pain, to shield her from the complexities of adult decisions.
I glanced at Marc, trying to read his expression. His jaw was tight, eyes stormy with emotions he was clearly trying to keep in check.
Finally, he pulled Mia close to him. “Hey—it’s okay, princesa ,” Marc murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. “I know we had plans for pizza tonight, so why don’t we just order some to be delivered. Does that sound okay?”
Mia nodded, but a light had gone out of her eyes.
I vowed to myself that I’d never let any actions of mine make her feel like that, disappointed and unloved. But I knew that life was messy and complicated, and all we could do was love each other through it.
The living room felt fuller than usual, charged with an unspoken energy. Becca gave Mia another one-armed hug, she turned back toward me. “Marc was telling me that you teach at the same school that Mia goes to.” There was an awkward pause as we all stood there, unsure of what to say next.
I nodded, my throat suddenly dry. “That’s right. I teach kindergarten, but Mia’s just finishing up first grade now.” I glanced at Mia, who beamed at the mention of her name. “She’s doing wonderfully, aren’t you, sweetheart?”
Mia nodded enthusiastically, her curls bouncing. “I can read chapter books now!”
A surge of pride washed over me, momentarily displacing the unease that had settled in my chest. I caught Marc’s eye and saw a flicker of the same emotion there.
“And she’s quite the athlete too,” Marc chimed in, his voice warm with fatherly pride. “Tell Aunt Becca about your soccer team.”
Mia’s face lit up. “I scored three goals this season!” she exclaimed, holding up three fingers for emphasis.
Becca’s eyes widened in genuine delight. “That’s amazing, Mia! You must be so fast on the field.”
As Mia launched into a detailed account of her soccer exploits, I found myself studying Becca. There was something in her expression—joy tinged with sorrow. That side of the family was now missing so much of Mia’s life, all because of Jacob’s choices.
Marc’s hand slipped into mine, his thumb tracing soothing circles on my palm. The familiar gesture grounded me, reminding me that whatever Becca’s presence meant, we’d face it together.
“We’re so proud of her,” I heard myself saying, surprising even myself with the ‘we.’ But it was true. Somewhere along the line, Mia had become a part of my heart, my little girl.
Becca’s gaze flickered between Marc and me, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “I can see that,” she said softly. “It’s wonderful to hear how well she’s doing.”
Another awkward pause. I wasn’t sure if the two of them needed some privacy to speak, now that Becca had seen Mia. “If you both need to talk, I can go hang out with Mia on the porch and order dinner for all of us.”
Marc stood. “No, Ken—I need you here right now.” He turned to Mia and added, “Mia, Papi and Ken need to talk to Aunt Becca about something important. Why don’t you go play in your room for a little bit, okay?”
With a little head nod, Mia gave Marc and me another quick hug and then headed toward her bedroom. As soon as she was out of earshot, the unease in the room increased. “Sorry for all of this, babe,” Marc said to me, taking my hand in his. “Becca called this afternoon asking to talk to me in person. I told her that was fine, but I wanted us both to hear whatever news she had.”
Becca cleared her throat, her expression grave. “I’m sorry to just show up like this, guys. I wasn’t sure what else to do, but I didn’t want this conversation to be a phone call or a text message. You deserved to hear about this in person.”
My heart stopped in my chest. “Is this about Jacob?” I asked, glancing at Marc. His hand tightened on mine, a silent plea for strength. What had Marc’s ex-husband done now? Hadn’t Marc gone through enough already?
Becca shook her head slowly, her eyes filled with sadness. “No, it’s not about Jacob. It’s about our niece Melina.”
The name hit me like a physical blow. Melina—Mia’s birth mother. The young girl who had vanished from their lives years ago. What could she possibly want now?
“Melina?” Marc’s eyes widened. “What happened?” I heard the iciness in Marc’s voice and began to panic myself. No way she was trying to take Mia back after all these years.
Becca sighed, running a hand through her hair, visibly struggling to find the right words. “She resurfaced in El Paso, where our parents live. And—she had another child with her. A little boy, only eight weeks old.” The room fell silent. Marc’s grip on my hand tightened, his eyes wide with shock.
A baby?
Marc inhaled sharply. “She had another kid? But I thought…”
“I know,” Becca said softly, lifting her hands to her face. “It’s a mess. She’s a mess. We think she’s been incarcerated for the last couple of years, that’s why we didn’t hear from her. And she’s still struggling with her addictions, that hasn’t gotten any better.” Becca exhaled a slow, deep breath. “A week ago, she left the baby with some friends of hers and skipped town. When it was clear that she wasn’t coming back, they contacted the police, who contacted Child Protective Services, who contacted my parents as the closest nearby relatives. They dropped him off with my mom yesterday, Marc.”
Marc sat frozen next to me.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing, “Is he okay?” I asked, clutching Marc’s hand.
“For now. I don’t think he’s had much medical care since he was born, and God knows what she was taking when she was pregnant. But yeah, he’s safe for the moment.” She caught both of our gazes. “Mom’s doing her best, but she’s in her seventies and has health issues of her own. She can’t keep up with a newborn.”
Marc’s face was ashen, his eyes filled with shock and sorrow. Holding his hand tight, I tried to help ground him with that simple touch.
“We had a family meeting this morning,” Becca continued, “and we all agree that the baby needs a stable, loving home. Someone who can give him the care and attention he deserves. We won’t let him slip into the foster system, not if we can help it. One of us will take care of him.” She looked at Marc, her expression serious. “Marc, despite all that happened with Jacob, we all consider you family, and can’t thank you enough for letting us still be a part of Mia’s life after what my brother did to you both.”
“None of that was your fault,” Marc murmured, clearly shaken by all of this.
Becca nodded. “Still, you have our thanks and support. And—” She took a deep breath. “As Mia’s father, we all agreed that you should have the first chance to take him in, if that was something that you were at all interested in doing.” She smiled sadly. “He’s Mia’s brother, after all.”
Marc inhaled sharply, his grip on my hand tightening. So many emotions warring on his face—the desire to help, the fear of the unknown, the weight of responsibility.
But I knew Marc’s heart, knew the depth of his love for family and his commitment to doing what was right. He had taken in Mia without hesitation, when given the chance to raise her, and had loved her fiercely from the moment she was placed in his arms.
And I knew that he would do the same for this baby, if given the chance.
As if sensing my thoughts, Marc turned to me, his dark eyes searching mine. “What do you think about all this?”
I swallowed hard. We had been through so much together, had weathered storms that would have broken lesser relationships. But through it all, our love had only grown stronger. “What’s his name?” I asked Becca.
Becca gave a soft chuckle, pulling out her phone and scrolling through her photos. “Daniel.” She held it out for us to see, the small, red, scrawny face peeking out of a blanket.
Daniel.
Danny.
I looked around the cozy house. Mia’s artwork adorned the fridge, framed pictures of our adventures from the last year on the wall, and toys were scattered across the carpet—all signs of a loving home.
My throat tightened as I thought about the tiny baby boy waiting for us, the child who needed a home and a family to call his own. Could we really provide the love and stability he needed? Would our family grow to include another little soul?
Our lives were about to change in ways we couldn’t even imagine. “I think we’re going to need a bigger house,” I said softly, meeting Marc’s gaze with a smile.
His eyes widened for a moment, then crinkled at the corners as he let out a surprised laugh. “A bigger house? You really think…”
I nodded, my mind already racing with possibilities. “We’ll need more space, for sure. Maybe a bigger yard, too. We could put in a pool for the kids to play in during the summer.” I grinned, loving that excited look on Marc’s face as I spoke. “And a dog. Every kid needs a dog to grow up with.”
Marc’s expression softened even more, and he pulled me into a tight embrace. “I love you,” he murmured into my hair.
“I love you too,” I whispered back. “This is the right move. We’re ready for this.”
Becca cleared her throat gently, bringing us back to the present. “This is a lot to take in,” she said softly. “And I understand if you need time to think about it.”
I glanced at Marc and smiled—he’d made his decision. He turned to Becca, his voice steady and filled with determination. “No need to think about it. We’ll take him in.”
Becca’s eyes widened with relief and gratitude. “Thank you, Marc. Thank you so much.” She looked over at me and added, “And thank you, Ken. I can see how much you love each other and Mia. Daniel is lucky to have you both.”
I nodded, my throat tight with emotion. “We’ll do everything we can to give him the best life possible.”
Marc squeezed my hand, a silent promise passing between us. We were in this together—every step of the way. The road ahead wouldn’t be easy—there would be sleepless nights and endless diaper changes, moments of frustration, and uncertainty with whatever health issues Danny was going through. And as much as I already loved Mia, I’d never dealt with a newborn before.
But there would also be joy and laughter, first steps and first words, bedtime stories, and family movie nights. Through it all, we would have each other—a team, a partnership, a love that would weather any storm.
I thought back to the day I had first met Mia, how her bright smile and infectious laughter had captured my heart from the very beginning, then coming face to face with her father, Marc—my online fantasy man who ended up being even more magical in person.
Whatever the future held, we would face it together—hand in hand, ready for an unexpected new chapter in our lives, one full of magic that we’d make for ourselves.
***