Epilogue
The sun shines brightly over the backyard.
Birds chirp. Not my Abel though, no he’s babbling with Liam in between mixing the fruit salad.
Liam flaps their hands from their stroller.
I flip burgers on the grill while wearing Mia on my back.
I can’t help bouncing a little, even knowing they’re fast asleep and drooling.
Perry holds Mia while getting the buns ready one handed.
Goddess, my men. My children. My life. Perfect.
Pax and Aaron, with their three kids, join us in the backyard. Pax has his hand on his growing belly. They took a tiny break before baking baby number four.
“Bucky!” Willow runs up to me and smashes into my legs. Her tiny arms wrap around my knees.
“Hello my little dumpling. How are you today?” I pat her on the head. Her curls are so soft, like always.
“Good!” She bounces on her toes. “Dada’s gonna have twins!”
My eyes go wide and I turn to Pax. “Congrats, man.”
Pax pats his stomach. “Just found out this morning.”
Perry pushes to his feet and joins us. A hand settles on his stomach and he meets my eyes. “Same.”
Abel hops to his feet, bringing the stroller with him. “We’re having twins?”
“Yep.” Perry hip checks Pax. “Found out this morning, too. Twins are going to be a breeze after triplets.”
Pax scratches the back of his head and looks away. “I’m still kind of panicking about it. One at a time is good with me, even though it’ll take longer to have the big brood we both want.” He pulls Aaron in for a kiss. “But I don’t mind.”
“It’s not as scary when you have an amazing partner, or well, partners,” Perry says.
“No,” Abel says. “It’s still scary as all get out, but I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
I take in the faces of my guys. Perry and his no nonsense.
His quiet confidence. Abel and his free spirit now that he’s truly free from a life he feared.
I grab Perry’s face and kiss him fiercely.
When we part, his smile is sweet, and he presses his fingers to his lips as if savoring the taste for later.
Abel grins and purses his lips. “There better be one of those for me, too.”
“Of course there is.” But when I lean into him, he turns and runs.
“Gotta catch me first!”
I pull off the back carrier and hand it to Aaron, then chase my Beta all around the backyard. Willow and Forest laugh their little heads off.
This. This makes my heart happy and full. Fate didn’t forget me. She gave me exactly who I needed. Fated and unFated.
The end.