Epilogue Madelina
One Year Later
Eva delicately places the floral tiara atop my head as the flowers brush gently against my hair.
The small, round garland is a mix of blush pink cherry blossoms and baby’s breath, picked from the gardens here at the Peppermint Lake house. The intricate piece was handmade by Billie and is precisely what I envisioned for my wedding day, instead of the traditional veil worn by a bride.
And the day has finally come.
Eva steps back, a glimmer of unshed tears pooling in her eyes, but she carefully blinks to hold them back.
“Don’t cry, you’ll ruin your mascara,” I say with a smile.
“How can I not cry?” Eva’s voice trembles. “You’re marrying my brother.”
“Yes, and you married my brother just a few months ago. Exactly what did you say to me on the day?” I ask, raising an eyebrow playfully.
“Don’t cry, you’ll ruin your mascara.” She chuckles, lightening the mood. “You looked like a raccoon on crack.”
“Thank God for Photoshop. I did look like a raccoon on crack.” My shoulders ease at the laughter spreading through me. “Still, it was worth every tear.”
“But now, just look at you,” she murmurs, her gaze sweeping over me. “I don’t know what the universe was thinking when it decided to place you and Elliot on the same path, but damn it did well.”
“I think,” I begin, my voice practically dancing with excitement, “the universe was reading smut books and was like, Hey, best friend’s older brother is the hottest trope right now. Who can I set up?”
Eva and I laugh, the joyful sounds weaving together, like two best friends who know they are the luckiest girls in the world.
I turn to catch my reflection in the brass mirror, drinking in the sight before me. The dress I chose features off-the-shoulder sleeves and a semi-sheer bodice. The seamstress only made minor adjustments, which kept the integrity of the dress.
The subtle corset enhances my breasts, giving them a gentle lift that Elliot will definitely enjoy. It turns out he wasn’t so much an ass man. He loves it all, and who am I to tease him, since the man is insatiable in the bedroom, the kitchen, and the shower, too.
The intricate French-patterned lace continues down in a mermaid finish, hugging my figure perfectly.
With my makeup simple and my hair left loose in waves since I’ve grown it out past my shoulders, the tiara brings the whole ensemble to life.
Simple, elegant, and everything I’ve ever dreamed of.
“Maddy, sweetheart,” Mom calls gently while standing behind me.
I slowly turn to greet her, quick to admire the simple, mint-green dress she wears.
Ever since things ended with my father and she left her old life behind, she has been on a journey of finding herself.
The dress is simple, but it accentuates just how beautiful my mother is without all the designer labels. “I have something for you.”
She extends her hand, passing me a red velvet jewelry box. With bated breath, I slowly open it, revealing a delicate gold necklace adorned with a dainty, pear-shaped diamond. I lift the necklace, besotted by the beautiful piece as my heart swells with gratitude.
“Mom, it’s perfect,” I murmur, handing her the necklace so she can fasten it around my neck.
The moment it’s securely clipped in place, Mom glances at my reflection in the mirror.
In so many ways, we look alike—the shade of our hair and the shape of our noses. Yet I lean more toward my father’s genetics, and Aston is all Mom.
“I was gifted this necklace on my wedding day, and now it belongs to you. My perfect girl.” Mom beams with pride.
I nod, trying to hold back my emotions, but offer a relaxed smile to ease back into my calm state. “I don’t know about perfect. This is my second wedding, technically.”
Mom’s shoulders fall with a short laugh, the tension lifting.
“You do know how to cause a scene. I remember when you were four and you wandered off at Bloomingdale’s.
We were all scared out of our minds looking for you, then Aston found you in the luggage department.
You were trying to squeeze yourself into a suitcase because you really wanted to go to Disneyland. ”
“Sounds like something I would do,” I chuckle. I was too young to remember it now, but I love Mom for sharing the memory nevertheless.
“You were always trying to run away,” she teases.
“I swear I won’t bail, Mom. I love Elliot and can’t wait to marry him,” I tell her, a grin spreading across my face as I count down the minutes.
“Did I tell you we’ve also added Australia to our honeymoon?
Elliot has a friend who is opening a restaurant in Sydney, so the timing worked out perfectly.
I might meet Hugh Jackman and send him your way. ”
“I won’t complain.” Mom chuckles, patting my shoulder. “If you run into Liam Hemsworth, don’t hold back either.”
I angle my face with a smirk tugging at my lips. “You cougar. Just don’t tell Aston, he’ll freak if his new stepdaddy is the same age as him.”
“Please, and you know who will have to deal with his tantrums,” Eva objects lightheartedly.
We all laugh, our moment together exactly how I envisioned it would be on my wedding day.
“Elliot is…he’s the other part of me,” I whisper, but this time, I take a deep breath to hold back the tears fighting to escape.
Mom takes my hand and gently squeezes it. “And that’s exactly how it should be, sweetheart.”
She leans in to kiss me softly, then exits to join the others outside.
The curtains flutter softly in the breeze as Aston rushes in. It was Eva’s idea to set up a makeshift marquee just outside where the ceremony is being held. Aside from the mirror, the small space was all I needed to get ready before walking down the aisle.
“Poop diaper sorted, I’m here!” Aston announces, a look of relief washing over his face.
“Oh no, what type of poop? Solid or runny?” Eva groans, her voice a mix of maternal concern and exasperation. “Did it have chunks again?”
“A mixture of both. I’m beginning to think peas were a questionable choice,” he replies, shaking his head.
Laughter bursts from me, the randomness of their conversation making this moment hilarious. Their bewildered expressions prompt me to hold on to my stomach, willing the laughter to stop.
“What’s so funny?” Eva asks, brow furrowed.
“The two of you discussing poop while I stand here in my wedding dress, ready to marry the love of my life. The last time I wore a wedding dress, I was having the biggest panic attack of my life, our parents’ marriage broke down, and you learned our father was not in fact your father.”
Aston chuckles softly, but Eva shoots him a glare.
“I don’t know if that’s funny,” she retorts, though the corners of her mouth twitch.
I laugh harder, clutching my stomach again. “You seriously asked if there were chunks in your son’s poop! This is literally the most unconventional romantic moment ever!”
Eva’s shoulders begin to shake and, like countless times before, we fall into this abyss of laughter and struggle to pull ourselves out of it.
“Makes it even more perfect, right?” Eva muses.
Aston leans in and kisses her softly. “I couldn’t have asked for a better life.”
“Okay, I need to go.” Eva gently pushes him away, her excitement palpable. “I have a wedding to attend!”
After she leaves, Aston lingers beside me, his eyes pooling with a hint of nostalgia while he takes in my appearance. “You look beautiful, sis.”
“Yeah, I know,” I respond, a grin spreading across my face.
“Are you ready?”
As I raise my head to nod, a voice interrupts us.
“No, she’s not ready.”
We both turn as my father appears, flawlessly dressed in a tailored suit. Aston stiffens next to me, but I find comfort in my father’s gaze, a flicker of warmth shining through despite our complicated and stormy relationship.
He extends his arm, then says softly, “May I have the honor of walking my daughter down the aisle?”
Inside the confinement of the small marquee, two men stand before me. Both of them spent their lives trying to protect me, driven by unconditional love that ties us together because we are Beaumonts.
And as quickly as it all fell apart, I know that becoming Mrs. Madelina Woods and leaving Madelina Beaumont behind is a new chapter of my story.
Aston waits for me to respond, his grip tightening on my arm as if he is my human shield, trying to protect me from the big evil monster.
But all Harvey is to me is my father.
A man who suffered his own heartache when he lost his brother, only to spend his life punishing himself by pushing his family away.
But not this time.
I won’t allow him to be the villain, even if I was the one to ignore all his attempts to reach out to me since I told him we were done. Once, he came to the bookstore, but I immediately told him to leave, still angered by the damage he caused.
Forgiving him would be setting us both free.
“I’d love that, Dad.”
He glances briefly at my necklace and his eyes soften upon the sight of it. Almost as if it tells a story only he and Mom know. I reach down to touch the pendant, realizing the simple piece of jewelry holds so many memories.
“I’m sorry, Madelina. There’s so much I wish I could—”
“Dad, it’s okay,” I interrupt softly. “We have time later to talk about the past, but for now, I just want all the people I love surrounding me. This day wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t here.”
“My beautiful Madelina,” he murmurs with a nostalgic gaze. “Let’s get you married, shall we?”
I feel my father’s steady grip on my arm, a comforting anchor as I take each careful step toward the pier where my forever stands, so handsome and calm, a smile gracing his lips as his eyes never leave mine.
Before the sun is due to set, twenty familiar faces, just our immediate family and closest friends, wait in anticipation for the nuptials.
As we stand together, exchanging our handwritten vows, we bare our souls with a vulnerability neither of us has experienced before.