Epilogue
TWO WEEKS LATER
GRACIE
I'm sitting in the living room with Everly and Olivia, playing a board game, when Zoey walks in with something hidden behind her back.
"What do you have there, pretty girl?"
Zoey shuffles her feet, and for the first time since I've met the little girl, she seems nervous. That immediately has my attention.
"I drew you something," she finally answers.
I shift around so I'm facing her full on and give her all of my attention. "Oh yeah? Can I see it?"
She continues to shuffle her feet until eventually she pulls the piece of paper from behind her back and thrusts it at me.
I look down at the picture, and my heart is filled with so much love. It's the five of us holding hands in front of a house with each of our names above the person that represents us.
But it's what’s written over my picture that brings tears to my eyes.
Gracie—Mommy.
"Oh, sweetie. It's beautiful."
"I know you said you wouldn't replace our mommy, but I want you to be my mommy too."
Now it's not just a few tears pooling in my eyes, but a whole bunch, and they are sliding uninhibited down my cheeks.
"I didn't mean to make you cry." Zoey tries to take the picture away, but I hang on tight and pull her into my lap.
"These are happy tears, pretty girl. Of course I'll be your mommy, if that's what you want."
She nods her little head against my chest. "I do want you to be."
Happiness rolls off me in waves and I wish Ang were here to see this.
Like I conjured him out of thin air, I look up and see him standing against the opening to the living room with a big smile on his face. I don't have to ask to know he overheard our conversation. It's clear as day in his eyes.
I need to get myself under control before I blubber all over the place, so I turn my focus to the art itself rather than the emotional element of the picture.
"You're a really good artist," I tell Zoey as she settles into my lap.
"I want to be one when I grow up."
That makes me think about a newspaper article I read recently.
"You know what? I think I read in the paper that a local artist is going to start offering classes to adults and kids.
Is that something you would like to do?" I ask Zoey, but also look at Ang to make sure that's okay.
I have yet to find anything he isn't willing to do for his daughters, but this is the first time I'm suggesting something without talking to him about it first.
"Yes!" Zoey screams so loud that it hurts my ears, but I'm too busy smiling at her excitement to care.
I'm not sure if she's just noticing her dad is in the room, or if she knew all along, but Zoey turns to where Ang stands and asks, "Can I, Daddy? Please, please, please."
"I don't see why not. We can certainly get more information about it."
Zoey jumps off my lap and runs straight for her father's legs. He doesn't miss a beat as he scoops her up and bounces her around, further eliciting excitement from the little girl.
I look around at the five of us and think back to before I walked up the front sidewalk and knocked on Ang's door. Never did I expect I would be here now, with a person who loves me unconditionally, and children to boot.
The past version of myself wouldn't believe it, but the future me is excited to see where things lead.