Epilogue
ROMAN
Four months later
I wake up to the smell of something sweet filtering in through the open bedroom. Sabrina is curled up on Lavinia’s side of the bed. It’s her favorite place to sleep, even though she still doesn’t let Lavinia pet her. I reach out, running my hand over her soft fur.
“What is Mommy up to?” I ask. Sabrina opens her eyes and blinks at me once, before yawing and going back to sleep.
Throwing the blanket off, I get out of bed and make a quick stop in the bathroom before leaving the room.
Music is playing softly, some pop song that I don’t recognize, and Lavinia is singing along to it off-key.
I stop at the entrance of the kitchen, leaning a bare shoulder against the wall as I watch Lavinia throw her head back and sing into a wooden spoon.
I want to make sure I’m not accidentally walking into any content she’s filming. Over the last four months, as we’ve adjusted to living together, I’ve accidentally walked into her content many times. She doesn’t mind and neither do I, but I want to respect her space.
She spins around and when she sees me standing in the kitchen, she yelps.
“Oh my god!” Lavinia clutches at her heart. “It’s bad enough the kitties move around without making a noise. I don’t need it from you, too.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” I shrug.” I was enjoying the show. What are you up to?”
Lavinia smiles, squealing a little as she turns and picks up a cake stand from behind her. Setting it on the island, she waves at it with both hands. The cake is covered in white frosting and across the top is written Happy Birthday.
“Did you make this cake?” I ask. I look around the kitchen and don’t see a single thing out of place. “And cleaned the kitchen?”
Lavinia has gotten a lot better at cooking. It’s something she always wanted to learn so the Snack Pack attended random cooking classes to the point where each of them can cook well enough to survive. Which is really all you need, according to Elena.
The only reason I question that she cleaned the kitchen is because on the days I’m home, I do it before she gets the opportunity.
Months ago, when her mom told me how she and Aiden split the work, I knew that’s what I wanted for Lavinia and me.
Most days, we clean the kitchen together after every meal and Lavinia understands that I do need to clean the kitchen right after the meal.
“Yes, and yes.”
I walk further into the kitchen, rounding the corner to stand next to her, sliding my arm around her waist. “Why did you bake a cake?”
Lavinia rolls her eyes fondly. “I don’t know, Roman. Why do you think I baked a cake?”
I nuzzle my face into her neck. She still smells like me, and it drives me fucking wild. I want her to smell like me all the time.
“I’ve never had someone make me a birthday cake before,” I tell her.
“You can’t say that anymore because I’ve just baked you a cake,” Lavinia points out.
She grabs a candle and lights it before handing me the knife. She looks so excited, like it’s her birthday and not mine. I don’t have the heart to tell her that I haven’t celebrated my birthday since I was old enough to remember.
I don’t want to focus on those old memories, anyway. Lavinia and I are creating our own memories, building our own traditions. If those involve cakes on birthday mornings, then that’s what we do.
“Don’t forget to make a wish,” Lavinia reminds me.
I close my eyes and do as she commands before blowing out the candle. Lavinia claps as I slice the cake and feed her a piece before licking the frosting off her lips.
“It’s delicious, baby. Thank you.”
Wrapping her arms around my shoulders, she kisses me deeply. “Happy birthday. I hope your wish comes true.”
As I kiss her again, I think to myself that it already did.
Lavinia reminds me to get dressed because everyone is coming over for brunch. It’s quickly become a regular thing, and it doesn’t feel so odd anymore, having people in our apartment. Kai and I are often up here talking, playing video games, or reading whenever Lavinia is out with the girls.
Her parents are the first to arrive and when Melanie hugs me now, I don’t hesitate. I even look forward to it.
“Roman, I tried that recipe you gave me, and it turned out perfectly,” Melanie says. “I brought it for you and Lavinia.”
“I’m glad you liked it,” I say, following her into the kitchen. “I can make something else for family dinner this week.”
“I hope you don’t mind Melanie and I tagging along on your Italy trip,” Aiden says.
“It was Roman’s idea, Dad.” Lavinia beams at me. It was my idea to invite her parents on our trip to Italy. I like spending time with them, and I’ve never travelled with anyone before.
“Do you think we should invite Jules and Drew as well?” Melanie asks.
Lavinia shrugs. “I’m going to leave that up to Roman. He’s the one who’s planning everything.”
We rarely cook for these brunches because it’s a lot of people, so food is often delivered from our favorite restaurant, unless we’re going out. As Lavinia and I set the table, everyone else starts to fill the apartment.
We’ve looked at a few houses we like, but none of them feel right to Lavinia. I’ll live anywhere she is. All I want is for her to have the house of her dreams. Lavinia rushes over to greet her Snack Pack as Coach walks into the kitchen.
“Being part of a team isn’t so bad, is it?” He smirks.
“Coach, it’s my birthday. You don’t have to tell me I told you so today.”
He laughs easily. “I like to say I told you so whenever I can.”
I don’t want to tell him that his I told you so is well deserved. If he hadn’t pushed me, I wouldn’t have asked Lavinia to stay married. As Lavinia walks into the kitchen and stops to give me a kiss on the cheek, I grab her hand and pull her against me.
I’m overwhelmed with the family she’s given me. It’s more than I’ve ever imagined for my life and more than I dreamed in the years when I was all alone.
“Are you happy?” She asks, looking up at me with shining eyes.
“Yeah, Blossom, I am,” I say, as we go join our family and friends.