Epilogue
Caden
The Georgia sun is warm on my shoulders, not too hot, just enough to make everything shimmer with life. Oakside is glowing. There are folding chairs lined up in front of the barn, flowers trailing along the rail fence, and twinkle lights strung between the trees swaying in the breeze.
I take a deep breath and let it settle in my chest. The rhythm of my heart is steady. Not racing. Not panicked. Just full. I adjust my stance a little, but I'm solid. Balanced. Every step that brought me here is burned into my body, and every scar feels worth it.
Brentley nudges me gently from behind. "You good, man?"
I glance over at him. He's grinning because he knows I'm about to lose it.
"Better than good. Just trying not to cry like Lexi."
"Too late for that," North says, straightening the sleeves of his dress blues. "She started bawling before the music even started."
Beside me, Jake, Brentley, North, and Noah flank me—Brentley and North crisp in their dress blues while Jake, Noah, and I are in suits—all of us proud, maybe a little smug. My brothers, in every way that matters.
My mom's got my daughter cradled in one arm, swaying gently.
She's in the tiniest white lace dress I've ever seen, her soft wisps of blonde hair catching the light.
I catch her yawn, and my chest swells so much I'm not sure how I'm supposed to keep breathing.
My daughter. My entire world, wrapped in a white bow.
The music shifts. The soft strumming of the guitar gives way to a melody that’s slow and full of hope.
Brentley claps my shoulder once and moves into place.
Lexi and the other bridesmaids walk forward before Grace steps forward, bouquet in hand, eyes bright.
Maid of honor, sister, and fiercely protective friend.
She catches my eye and smiles. No warning, and no threat.
Just quiet approval, her expression saying, you did good.
Then I see her.
Lucy.
Everything else fades.
She's walking down the aisle, her hand tucked in her father's arm, the wind tugging gently at her veil. Her dress is simple and perfect, lace over silk that hugs her figure and flares slightly at the bottom. Her eyes never leave mine, and with every step she takes, the world sharpens.
I forget the people. The chairs. The music. Even the nerves.
All I see is her.
And when she reaches me, I take her hand and steady us both.
Her voice is quiet, just for me. "You're really here."
I nod. "Always."
The ceremony blurs and sharpens in waves. Words are spoken, rings exchanged, and laughter when the baby lets out a tiny squeal halfway through the readings. But then it's our vows. And I swear the whole world goes still.
Lucy speaks first, her voice trembling but steady.
"You gave me a life worth fighting for. Even when you were gone, I never stopped believing in the man I knew you were.
The man who left pieces of himself overseas, but still came back with his heart.
You taught me what grace looks like. What strength is in silence.
What love means when it's messy and real.
Our daughter, this life... it's all ours now.
And I promise to keep choosing you. Every day. For all the days we get."
My eyes blur, but I don't look away.
I take her hands in mine and breathe.
"You were always the dream," I say, my voice thick.
"The land, the house... that was just the path to you.
I thought I'd lost everything when I came back.
But the truth is, I found more. I found the reason to build again.
To fight again. To live again. You. Our daughter.
This family. You're my home, Lucy. And I promise to keep coming back to you. No matter what."
I slide the ring onto her finger. My hands are shaking, but sure. Hers are too. The baby shifts in Lexi's arms and lets out a sleepy sigh like even she knows this moment matters.
"You may kiss the bride," the officiant says, voice warm.
I don’t waste a second.
Leaning in, I kiss Lucy with everything I have left. All the broken pieces and the healing ones. All the promises and the hopes and the quiet truths. And when I pull back, there are tears on both our cheeks.
Oakside erupts in cheers. Jake whistles. Brentley whoops. Grace throws her bouquet in the air and catches it again. And somewhere in the back, Noah's smile says everything. He knows what it took to get here, and he understands the gravity of this moment.
After the ceremony, we walk hand in hand down the makeshift aisle. I look down at my daughter in Lexi's arms, and she yawns again, completely unimpressed by our grand milestone.
I press a kiss to her forehead and whisper, "Your mama just made me the happiest man alive."
Lucy leans into me, her voice quiet. "She'll hear that every day. From both of us."
We spend the rest of the afternoon wrapped in laughter and a peace that feels new and old at once. There's barbecue on the picnic tables, lemonade in mason jars, and cookies piled high on plates. Someone pulls out a guitar. But I don't leave Lucy's side.
We sit on the porch swing as the sun dips below the trees, our baby in her arms now, sleeping soundly. I wrap my arm around them both and breathe it all in.
The land. The laughter. The long journey that brought us here.
And her.
Always her.
My wife.
My heart.
My forever.