Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
Historically, I have not cared for red carpets.
Preparation starts at dawn, you barely eat all day, and it’s impossible not to get overstimulated by the flashing lights and dozens of disembodied voices screaming conflicting directions.
Marissa, look here! No, not there, here!
Marissa, turn to your left! Marissa, pose with your costars while simultaneously standing alone!
But tonight, as I stand to the side, waiting for my turn to pose in front of the Golden Globes step and repeat, I feel far calmer than I did the last time I was here.
Maybe it’s because I’m older now, more experienced and self-assured.
Maybe it’s because I am so incredibly proud of our movie, which has been nominated for three Golden Globes, including Best Director (go Lina!).
Or maybe it’s because I’m standing alongside a man who fills my life with joy every day.
A man who believes in me unconditionally and reminds me that I can do anything I put my mind to.
A man who gave me a ring and promised to walk the path of life right by my side.
I peek over my shoulder to steal another look at my fiancé.
As delicious as he looks in faded jeans and a toolbelt, he’s also undeniably handsome in a well-cut suit.
Product has tamed his curls into submission, and his beard is trimmed to a perfect five-o’clock shadow that highlights the sharp edges of his jawline.
He catches my gaze and the corners of his mouth tilt upward.
“You’ve got this,” Jesse says. And he’s right. I do. I have bloomed into my final form. Ten years ago, I would never have had the guts to wear the strappy, low-cut black gown I’ve chosen for tonight. But now, I feel braver and more confident in my own skin than ever before.
“Ready to make your red carpet debut?” I tease.
Even though we’ve been together for a year now, tonight is the first time I’ll be formally introducing Jesse as my partner.
He’s been soft-launched in the tabloids, though it did take a while for the press to notice him, even after we moved in together.
When the first photos of us running errands together surfaced, I was emotionally prepared for another media storm.
But after realizing there was no drama to be found, the paparazzi have been surprisingly tame.
And though they are under no legal obligation, they have been respectful after Rocky and I issued a joint statement imploring them to keep their distance while we are with our children.
I may have resolved to stop hiding, but I am still a mother first, and I will do anything I can to keep Isla and Levi safe and make their lives as normal as possible.
While we’ve mostly been able to shield our kids, Rocky hasn’t been as lucky.
The only thing the press enjoyed more than the reunion of R&R was their inevitable implosion.
And while I’ve had to assure interviewers that Rocky and I are never (ever) getting back together, I am happy that he has kept his promise to be involved in our children’s lives.
We even had him over to the house for Thanksgiving so we could all celebrate the holiday together.
I smile thinking about the home Jesse and I built together in Brentwood.
It’s farther from the bright lights of the city than my old house, providing us with a quiet retreat and some much-appreciated privacy.
With Toby and Shelby’s help, we designed it to include special touches that remind us of my grandmother’s house.
The front windows are trimmed with blue shutters just like hers and a cluster of trees lines the entryway.
There’s a sliding door in the living room that gives way to our backyard, and though there’s a pool instead of a lake, we’ve set up a firepit and chairs so we can make s’mores and enjoy each other’s company under the stars.
When we moved in, Jesse surprised me with an oil-painting rendering of the photograph my grandmother kept on her bedside table.
I’ve hung it in the living room, so we can always have a little piece of the Poconos with us.
Not that we let too much time pass without a visit. We plan to spend a month in our newly renovated lake house every summer. And we even managed a snowy winter trip.
The rest of the time, Jesse lives with us in LA.
Once he moved out here, he enrolled in business school so he can finish the degree he started all those years ago.
He’s still working remotely for Legacy on the business end, helping them to manage financials, and no matter how much Toby and Shelby protest, I know they’re happy to keep the family business together as long as possible.
As for me, my professional life is the most exciting it’s ever been.
My book club has gotten so big that I’ve had to hire a team to help manage it, and the books we’ve selected are frequent bestsellers.
Not-So-Little LLC has been inundated with movie packages, and we’ve had the luxury of being choosy with the projects we want to produce and focusing on the stories that deserve to be told.
Most importantly, my kids are happy. Isla is doing great in school (although she has picked up the violin, which is even more painful than the recorder), and Levi is thriving in his mainstream classroom.
His speech has continued to blossom and I’m so grateful for every moment that I get to hear his voice.
It’s a bonus that both kids adore Jesse and love spending time with him, even if they aren’t hunting pantry moths.
We’ve all come so far together, and I know it’s only going to get better from here.
“Marissa.” A member of the security team gives me a gentle tap on the shoulder. “Are you ready?”
Closing my eyes, I exhale slowly, relaxing my shoulders.
For so long, I felt like I was holding my breath, and it feels so good to finally let it out.
My face melts into an easy smile—nothing fake about it anymore—and then I step out from the wings and onto the red carpet, waving to the cameras and dozens of faces that are blurred out by flashing lights.
I pose for a few solo shots and then turn to the wings, where Jesse is waiting, a proud smile stretched across his face. I give a subtle flick of my hand, gesturing for him to join me. He shakes his head and mouths, This is your moment.
I love this man—I love that he supports me and that he wants me to have my time to shine. But we have made a promise to stand by each other’s side, and I meant those words literally.
I wave my hand more urgently this time, and with a surrendering laugh, he walks over to join me. When he wraps an arm around my waist, the crowd goes wild, and I’m smiling so wide that my cheeks burn with a pleasurable ache.
After a few photos are taken, Jesse presses his lips to my cheek and then steps back to the side. I join a few other members of the cast and crew, including Lina and Pooja. Pooja drapes an arm around me and whispers, “It’s no Kids’ Choice Awards, but it’s not too shabby.”
I giggle and she gives my waist a squeeze. Dipping her head, she leans closer and says, “You’re braver than you know, even without your Felicia Fox suit. I’m proud of you.”
“I’m proud of you too,” I whisper back. “Thank you for never giving up on me.”
“Anytime. Are you ready?”
Jesse joins us and we head off down the rest of the carpet hand in hand, ready to follow the stars wherever they lead us next.