22. Extended Epilogue
“Do you have everything you need? Your water bottles, your vitamins, your neck pillow? Do you have your…”
I look at his handsome face all worried and fussing over me as if I’m a schoolgirl going on a class trip for the first time. I’m going with Jo to visit Larisa because we haven’t seen each other since the wedding in Paris. And that was six months ago.
“Honey, I’m fine. Really. They have water and neck pillows on the plane, too.”
“But I want you to be comfortable. And I need to know that you’ll be fine!” Evan argues.
“I will be! Evan, I love that you’re so protective. But I would much rather you kiss me right now than fuss over the water bottles. I only have a few more minutes until I have to board the plane.”
He puts down my luggage and wraps his arms around me. “I can’t believe that you’ll be gone for a whole week. What am I going to do without you for seven days?” he says before kissing my entire face.
“Work? Isn’t that why you’re staying in Boston? You said you have shifts at the hospital…”
“I do. But I’m going to miss you so much,” he replies and buries his face in my neck. “Mmm … you smell so good. Vanilla and cherries…”
“I sprayed some on my pillow, so you don’t miss me too much at night,” I whisper in his ear.
“Are you joking? At night is when I’ll miss you the most,” he replies and kisses me ravenously. “At least, during the day, I have my shifts and my patients to keep me busy but at night—”
“You’ll be too tired to think of anything, I promise.” I giggle as his nose tickles my neck. “Plus, we’ll FaceTime and text and…”
“And what?” he asks, not able to stop kissing me.
“Mmm … I can’t remember right now,” I confess, getting lost for a moment in the exquisite sensation. “Goodness, that feels so good … how are you even doing that?”
“Well, your neck has a lot of nerve endings and when I kiss you there, biologically…”
“I don’t need a biology lesson, doctor!” I start laughing and poke him gently with my finger. “I was … being romantic!”
“Yes, of course! Where was I?” he says before planting about a million small and rapid kisses on the side of my neck.
“Alright, you two! Get a room already!” Jo’s voice comes from somewhere behind.
Evan and I break apart and I can see her walking down the tarmac toward us. Behind her, the black, sleek limousine that she just exited from shines in the sunlight. A man dressed in a black suit and dark sunglasses is carrying her luggage for her.
“Shall I take your luggage to the plane as well, ma’am?” he asks me.
I look toward Jo, not knowing what to say.
Fully used to her role as a billionaire’s wife, she simply waves her hand and the man takes my luggage and disappears inside the private plane.
“Wow, you’re really getting the hang of this, aren’t you?” I tell her.
“It’s been a few years now. Wealth is something you get used to very quickly, don’t you know?” she says sarcastically.
“Yes, I can imagine.” Both Evan and I laugh.
“Anyway, we need to go. The pilot texted to tell me we need to be airborne in a few minutes.”
“The pilot texted her. Did you hear that, Evan?” I turn to my husband and joke.
“Stop making fun of me. It’s nice!” Jo laughs.
I kiss Evan one last time and climb the stairs following Jo.
“Have fun, you two!” he yells out.
The ride is smooth and surprisingly short. We reach LAX Airport before we know it, chatting and laughing, feeling like we’re the same old friends once more. Yet another black limousine is waiting for us once more on the tarmac.
“Goodness, how many limos does your husband have?” I ask Jo, only half joking.
“I haven’t asked him. But I will if you truly wanna know,” she says.
“I’m good, thanks.”
But if I thought I was impressed with the cars and the private plane provided by Jo, it’s nothing compared to what waits for us when we reach Larisa’s house.
Buried deep within the Hollywood Hills, the house is unreal—a palace made of glass and steel, three levels high, and more rooms than I can even count. A gigantic pool overlooks the Hollywood Hills themselves, wrapping around the house, Italian statues at its edge, and an island with tall palm trees in the middle.
“You’re here! You’re here! I’ve been waiting all day for you!” Larisa greets us happily, wearing a yellow sundress and no shoes. She is beyond tanned now, gorgeous, and enthralling as ever.
“Look at you! You look incredible! Los Angeles suits you! Much more than Boston, I might add!”
We hug, elated to be together once more.
“Come on, let’s get you out of this sun and out of those shoes!” she says before leading the way inside the house.
We walk through the main sitting area. On one of the walls to the right, I can see a collection of all of Gianluca’s awards, stacked neatly on shelves, gold lights shining on them, even though it’s the middle of the day. Next to them, a large, white piano sits.
“When did you learn how to play the piano?” I ask her.
“Oh, we don’t play it. It came with the house. We bought it from John Legend and Chrissy Teigen and they included it in the price. What were we going to do, say no? I mean, it’s John Legend’s piano.”
“That he left here when he sold his house,” Jo says sarcastically.
“Yeah, I know. Gianluca said that it might be worth something someday. You know, at some auction,” she explains.
We make our way into the backyard where we’re greeted by the stunning view of the hills and the island in the middle of the pool with its two palm trees swaying in the breeze.
In the shade, we take a seat around the wooden table, and Larisa offers us fresh champagne. “Now, I need to make a toast! For our friendship! May we forever be as close as we are now! As loved and cherished, the three best friends that ever were!”
We bring the three glasses together and clink them. I watch as Larisa takes a big gulp and quietly set down my own glass.
“What’s the matter?” Larisa asks, her voice laced with concern. “Why are you not drinking? Oh, no, is the champagne spoiled? Is it sour? It tasted fine to me—”
“No, no. I just … guys, I need to tell you something.” I brace myself, take a deep breath, and reach across the table to take both their hands in mine.
“Larisa, Jo, I was waiting to come and see you this week because I wanted to tell you this in person. And to both of you at the same time, of course, because you both mean so much to me. Guys … I’m pregnant!”
Larisa lets out a piercing scream and jumps out of her chair. She starts to run around the terrace, clapping and letting out loud hurrahs of joy.
“I knew it!! I knew it!! I told Gianluca that you were going to be the first one to get pregnant! It was only a matter of time before you and Evan had a child. Your relationship is so long, it goes back so many years! Oh … Emmy. I’m just so … I have no words … I can barely breathe. I’m so incredibly ecstatic, overjoyed … For you, for Evan … for us! For our group, our family!” Larisa hugs me tightly and continues to talk. “Congratulations. Oh, I’m going to be an aunt! Congratulations!”
“Thank you so much! Honestly, it means so much to me that this news makes you so happy…”
We both look toward Jo.
“Come on, Jo. Get in here! I’m sure you want to congratulate her too!” Larisa says.
“Of course, I do. I just … I was taken by surprise, that’s all.”
“I was too! Now, let’s hug and celebrate! I’ll ask for some orange juice from the kitchen!” Larisa replies.
“Hold on a second,” Jo says. “Guys … I need to tell you something as well.”
Both Larisa and I freeze, still holding hands.
“No! Say it isn’t so! No! Jo, are you serious right now? Is this real? Could this be actually happening?” Larisa explodes again.
Jo’s face bursts into a wide grin. “Guys, I’m pregnant too!!”
I cover my mouth with my hand while Larisa is just screaming now. “Same time pregnancies! Pregnancy pals! Oh, my gosh!! We’re having two babies! Well, you’re having babies, but … I’m so happy!” she says.
“Emmy, why didn’t you tell me on the plane?” Jo asks me.
“Why didn’t you tell me on the plane?” I laugh.
“Because I wanted to wait and tell both of you at the same time.”
“Exactly. So did I!”
“Oh, it doesn’t matter, guys! We all know now and can really start the celebrations! Two babies, at the same time! Wait, when are you both due?” Larisa asks us.
“March fifth,” I say.
“March twentieth,” Jo says almost in unison.
“Get out of here! How perfect is this? Our babies will grow up together, Jo,” I tell her.
“I can’t wait!” She hugs me.
“And we can go through the pregnancy together, buy baby clothes, get the nurseries ready! It’s going to be so much fun!” I tell her as the excitement grows inside me.
For a moment, we stop, join hands, and look at each other.
“Guys, do you remember how this all started? We were three girls from Boston. Three regular girls with ordinary lives and an extraordinary friendship. And now…”
“And now we still have an extraordinary friendship and our lives … our lives are better than we could’ve imagined!” Jo says.
“You’re a best-selling author!” I tell Jo.
“And you’re the most sought-after makeup artist in Boston!” Larisa says to me, squeezing my hand.
“And you’re a cinematographer for the highest-grossing movie of the year!” Jo says to Larisa.
“And we’ve all found the loves of our lives to build families with,” I add.
We’re all beaming at each other now.
I close my eyes and make a wish, here in the middle of the city of dreams, the spot where so many wishes have been made and many more have come true. If there is any place in the world that can see your dreams come to life, my friends and I are standing in the middle of it.
“My wish for us is that our children are friends forever, just like we are. That their lives are full of wondrous adventures, like ours are, and, most of all, that their lives are filled with love—like the love I’ve always received from you. Let the next chapter begin!”