Epilogue Javier
Epilogue
Javier
Two and a Half Years Later
“Daddy.” A hand gripped my arm and gave it a hard shake. “Daddy, get up! Ballet camp starts today!”
I groaned, peeling one eye open and spotting Aleesa’s big green eyes. Her curly hair framed her face, and with a slight glance down, I noticed she was fully dressed in a black leotard and white tights.
“Where is Tava? I want a ponytail braid, and she does it really good.”
Her question was a good one. I looked to my right, only to see Octavia wasn’t in the bed. “Did you check the kitchen?” I asked. Most mornings my wife loved being in the kitchen.
“Yes. She’s not there.”
I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Footsteps thumped through the hallway, and before I knew it, Octavia appeared. But she wasn’t alone. In her arms she had Remi, our six-month-old son and one of my three brightest lights.
“Good news is he slept through the night,” my wife said, walking deeper into the room and placing Remi belly down on the center of the bed. “Bad news is he woke up, decided to poop, and pretty much had a bomb go off in his diaper. I’m talking baby poop everywhere.”
“Ew.” Aleesa scrunched her nose. “Good thing I didn’t smell it.”
Octavia laughed. “Good thing, indeed.”
“Give me that big boy.” I reached for my son and held him close. He looked at me with a slight scowl. “Okay, I am serious when I say this, Octavia. Our baby does not like me.”
“Oh my goodness, stop it,” she said. “Yes he does. He loves you.”
“Well, why does he only frown at me when I hold him?”
“He just has to get used to you being around. That’s all. Now that summer has started and you won’t be on the road as much, you two can bond more.”
“I guess so.”
“Leesa, ready for camp?” Octavia asked.
“Yes! I can’t wait to go! I’ve been practicing so much! Oh, and the paper thingy you had said they are giving us ice cream when we’re finished today.” Aleesa climbed onto the bed to sit beside Octavia. “Can you do my hair and put a ribbon like last time?”
“Of course I can, my love. What color ribbon?”
“Hmm . . . purple,” she answered.
“Purple it is.” She gave Aleesa a wink, then turned her attention to me. “I can drop her off. Will you be okay with Remi?”
“Of course I will be okay,” I confirmed. “He is my son.”
“Well, I’m just asking. I don’t want him frowning you to death.”
“Ha ha,” I deadpanned. “Very funny.”
She giggled, walking around the bed and placing a kiss on my lips. Then she dropped a kiss on Remi’s forehead. When she did, Remi started bouncing, kicking his feet, and even reaching for her.
“You’re Mama’s sweet boy, aren’t you?” she cooed to him, and I couldn’t believe it, but he smiled for her. Just like that. She made it seem like such an easy thing to pull out of him.
“What about your daddy?” I asked, lifting Remi up so he could look at me too. Once again, Remi lost the smile and stared me down. “See, Aleesa was not like this. He is so . . . serious.”
“Well . . . you are his father, GG.”
Aleesa giggled. “Yeah, Grumpy Giant!”
Octavia kissed me on the cheek before making her way to the door. “Come on, Leesa. Don’t want you to be late on your first day.”
With a smile, I watched my girls go. I noticed that I was doing a lot more of that the last couple of years. Smiling. It felt good. My therapist said it was good. He said I was making true progress. That I was healing.
I watched Aleesa grab Octavia’s hand and cling to it before they rounded the corner and disappeared. It pleased me to see Aleesa was so comfortable with her stepmom. She looked up to Octavia so much, and Octavia took care of and raised her like she’d birthed Aleesa herself.
I placed my son on my lap and cradled him in one arm, studying all his features—his light-brown skin and dark curls.
His eyes were just as chocolaty brown as Octavia’s, and he had my nose.
His upper lip was slightly bigger than his bottom lip, just like his mother’s.
I know all parents say this, but he was a really cute baby. Too bad he hated me.
“You will learn to love me,” I said as he continued glaring at me like a hawk. “Because whether you realize it or not, mi corazón, I will always love you.”
I tickled him under his chin. His skin was warm and soft, which made me smile because it comforted me in a way. Having this delicate baby boy in my arms.
To my surprise, the corners of Remi’s little mouth quirked up. He cooed and kicked his feet, peering up at me with bright eyes.
My heart swelled in my chest because this was perfect.
This moment. This life of mine. I had it all and could not have asked for anything better.
There was something Octavia had said on the day Remi was born that continuously ran through my mind.
A few hours after his birth, she’d taken one look at our son, with tears in her eyes, then she’d looked at Aleesa, who sat on the bed right next to Remi because she was so excited to become a big sister.
Octavia sniffled before finding my eyes. She was so overcome with emotion that, for a second, she couldn’t speak. Her mouth opened and closed, until finally she said, “We’re so lucky to have sweet little hearts like theirs in our lives.”
When she said that, I’d taken one look at my beautiful family sitting on that hospital bed and realized that I had survived.
Life had tried to wear me down and failed. The devil had aimed to trap me—to keep me low and defeated—but I was ripped out of his dirty clutches and provided heaven on earth. Right here. With my family.
And even now, there is one thing I know with absolute certainty . . .
No matter what comes my way, I will cherish all three of their sweet little hearts forever.