20. Epilogue
Epilogue
Asher – Three Years Later
It never gets old coming back to Magnolia Point, seeing the beach where I met her, and spending time with mine and Piper’s family. It’s a rare treat due to our busy schedules and the busier times ahead.
The water is breathtaking. I turn to Piper and smile. “How are you holding up?”
“Perfectly.” She grins and rests her hand on her belly. “But I don’t think we’re hopping on any more of those paddleboards.” At eight months pregnant, she can barely see her feet as her toes curl into the sand. Her legs are tan, matching my own, as we’re both wearing swimwear and not hiding our scars.
I rub my hand over her swollen belly and grin when our son runs his foot along the inside of her stomach to mimic my movements.
“Hey, baby.” I drop to my knees and kiss her tight belly. “How’s my boy today?” As if in answer, he nudges her again.
She strokes the spot and shakes her head. “Four more weeks, and we get to meet this handsome boy.”
“Yes, we do.” I rise to my feet and pull her flush to me.
Three years ago, I was suffering from sadness, anger, and futility. Now, life couldn’t be better. I have an amazing wife, a son on the way, a family that supports me, and a job that’s like family.
I clutch her face. “Thank you, love.”
Her eyes glisten with tears. “Thank you. Thank you for loving me. For giving me your last name. For moving away from your family so we could be together….”
I don’t mention that she would’ve had to follow me if Truman had been located elsewhere. It’s unnecessary. She would’ve. We’d sacrifice anything for each other to be together.
“For giving me a son.” A tear slips down her cheek. “For giving me peace. All of it.” I let the tear fall as I claim her mouth because the matching one slips down my cheek and lands on her swollen belly. Our joy and reverence are a gift from ourselves to each other.
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