Epilogue
BLAKE
YEARS LATER
My daughter picks flower after flower. Bailey’s little eyes inspect each one before she chooses it, making sure it’s ready to be cut. Our baby girl loves all things earthy.
Truly had picked well when choosing the home where we'd raise our children. The Orchard House was designed by one of the first prominent female architects. She lived there with her wife, who was the author of a famous suspense book series. The country home is filled with history.
There is more than enough room for our family to continue growing. While the house is priceless, it's the land and openness that we all love. When we started on this garden a few years ago, I could see that we too would fill it with our own memories and history.
"Oh noes." Bailey freezes when she sees a smudge on her frilly white dress we'd picked out together a few weeks ago especially for today.
"It's fine, sweetheart," I reassure her.
"It must be perfect." She lifts her small stubby chin. Bailey might be the spitting image of her mother, but my personality is always flowing out of her.
"I can clean it quickly." I offer her my hand. "You get what you needed?"
"Yes." She takes my hand, holding the bundle of flowers in the other one. She insisted on picking them herself, saying that only the most perfect ones would do.
When we get back to the house, I stop in the mudroom to get the smudge off her dress before we pluck the petals together, putting them into her basket.
I'll never understand Truly's and my parents and how absent they were all around. A weight left my shoulders when I'd finished unwrapping myself from all family deals and investments. I was finally able to walk away from it all. I haven’t looked back since.
The only good thing about that past life was it did lead me to Truly, and it lined our pockets so that our little family could live a comfortable life.
Money will never be an issue, which gives us freedom.
That's not something neither my father nor Truly’s would know about.
Their freedom was stripped from them when more things shook free with me stepping away from them.
It had taken a handful of years for it to get through the court system, and they both are serving a five-year sentence, which is rather fitting. It's a little more than they took from Truly and me, with interest.
My sweet wife didn't want to leave her mother destitute, nor mine. They have more than enough to live on. The reality is the punishment for them was the social fallout and alienation.
As for Emily, she fled to Europe in hopes that her name wouldn't be tarnished. Selling out your boss is a sure way to never get hired by a company that's worth anything. Things have not been well for her. I’ve made sure of it. No one messes with my family and gets away with it.
Thankfully, Emily vanished from Truly's mind.
Unfortunately, I had to tell her all Emily had done, or she wouldn't have let me ruin Emily’s career.
I wanted my two pounds of flesh, but Truly made me settle for one, saying in the end we're the only ones that won.
That ruining them was pointless. The life they lived was punishment enough.
That's my sweet girl. Hence why I have to handle these things myself.
I know if she found out, she'd only roll her eyes, but it's not on her conscience. Fortunately for me, it’s not on mine either. I'm rather fond of those memories.
"Should I do it like this, Daddy?" I watch Bailey drop one petal at a time.
The bright purple rain boots she’s wearing with flowers on them are a stark contrast to the white dress, but it's Bailey, and my wife and I will always let her express herself.
The silly boots won't ruin the wedding pictures; they are a part of our stories, all the details. Each as important as the next.
"What's the other way?" I ask when she makes it to the wall and turns back around to face me.
"Like this!" She starts throwing handfuls up into the air, and they rain down around her, making her giggle.
"I think you have your answer."
"More flowers is always better." I don’t know what I did to deserve this level of happiness, but I know I’d do anything to protect it.
“I didn’t know I would be seeing a real-life fairy princess today.” I look up to see Truly’s best friend, Mabel, walking into the room. I have the utmost respect for her. She’s always had Truly’s back. I’ll forever be grateful to her for being there for Truly when I wasn’t.
Bailey does a spin for her. Mabel and I share a glance. She gives me a small nod. “I got things handled.”
“Thank you." I take a step back.
“He’s going to kiss Mommy, isn’t he?” Bailey asks Mabel, scrunching her button nose. I don’t hear Mabel’s response; I’m already heading up the stairs, dodging a few people putting finishing touches on the food.
The wedding had started out fairly small, but when you live in a quaint town, you find yourself inviting the locals anytime you bump into them.
It's not terrible. I quickly learned that I'd been so antisocial and skipping events when I could because of the guest list. In this new life we're building, I'm rather fond of most people here. They’ve become like an extended part of our family.
I want to know the parents our children will go to school with and all the things that come with a town like this. This is a way of life I didn’t believe existed.
I give a tap of warning on our bedroom door before I push it open to see my bride.
"So." Truly gives me a shy smile. My girl still blushes, sweetly innocent for me. "What do you think?"
She could wear a paper bag for all I cared, and she’d still be the most beautiful woman in any room.
But the dress is stunning on her. I'm not surprised she went with a classic style.
The front forms a V, showing off the swells of her breasts, with the locket I'd gotten her last year resting between them.
It fits snugly until you get to the waist, where it flares out all around her.
"You're beautiful. Stunning." I wish there were better words to describe her. There likely are, but I'm staring at her a tad dumbstruck. Her shiny lips pull up in a half smile.
"Another week and I don't know if I would have fit into it." She lets out a small laugh. I make my way over to her.
"How are you feeling?" I rub a hand across her stomach. She's only a few months along with our second.
"Amazing." She drops her head back to stare up at me, a bright smile lighting up her face and all of me.
"Isn't there a rule about seeing the bride before the ceremony?"
"We're already married, and I make up my own rules.” I know she’s baiting me.
“Is that so?” She licks her lips, thinking she's pushing my buttons. When my wife wants to lead, I let her. All I want is to be there and likely be overbearing security. “Babe,” I warn.
Truly is all dolled up with her hair and makeup done. She’s got her dress on and is ready for this wedding. I’m seconds from ruining it, but that might be what she’s after and what my wife is after I give her.
“You could just lift it." She peers up at me through her lashes. “It’s not as though I’m wearing any—" I lift her before she can finish and carry her over to the chaise next to the fireplace. I can’t thoroughly enjoy her here, that will have to wait until tonight, but I can give us both what we need.
The same way I always have and always will when it comes to Truly. Our happily ever after may have taken longer but the love and life we have now was worth the wait.
I hope you loved Truly and Blake’s story. Stay tuned for Mabel’s story due out later this year.
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