36. Epilogue
Vic – Two Months Later
Hawaii is one of my favourite places I’ve ever visited. It’s hot and beautiful. The water is warm and filled with a rainbow of tropical fish. Even better, I’ve been here for a week with my husband.
Tanner has loved our trip and we’re already talking about where we’re going to travel to next. He’s been working hard getting his new business off the ground, and he’s going to need to continue that for the next several months, but we’re tentatively considering fall or winter for another trip somewhere.
Right before we left, I’d received a phone call I’d never expected. Keith asked if I was still willing to send him to rehab. Apparently, after Thanksgiving, he’d gone down a dark hole and this time, no one in his family was there to lift him out. He kept falling. On Christmas, he’d been at a casino, gambling away every last dime he had to his name, and then some. When he’d come out the other end, he realized he was completely alone. He spent the next few weeks being angry and in denial. By the beginning of March, he couldn’t deny it anymore. He has a problem, and he needs help. The only help left to him is my offer of rehab, and so he’s taking it.
I found the best program in Vancouver, and he went in the day before we left for our trip. I’d asked Tanner if he wanted to postpone, but he’d said there was nothing he could do for Keith other than what we already had done. So we got on a plane—Tanner’s first one—and flown to Kauai, where we’ve been for the last week.
Of course, I’ve had to stay in close contact with my friends because I’ve been nervous Adalie is going to have her baby early, like Lis did. She’s still holding steady for her end of March due date though and promises every day that there hasn’t even been any false labour, let alone real labour.
It’s our last night in Hawaii and we’re out for dinner at a cute little restaurant with tables on the beach. The sun has set and there are flickering torches and twinkling fairy lights criss-crossing above our heads over a dance floor in the middle of the tables. It all comes together to create a romantic ambiance as the sound of the ocean whispers a short distance away.
“I never liked dark restaurants,” I say, staring out at the ocean. “But this is nice.”
“It’s because we’re outside,” Tanner says as he offers me a forkful of the cheesecake he ordered. “It’s different from a dark restaurant with just the candles. There’s the stars and the moon, the sound of the ocean. It’s just different.”
I take the bite before offering him a bit of my crème br?lée. He takes it with a smile.
“Before we go home, there’s something I want to ask you, actually,” he says.
“What’s that?”
He glances at the DJ and stands. The DJ stops the music as though they’d had this planned. He makes a production of moving next to me and dropping to one knee.
“Victoria Marcus. I am completely in love with you. I want to spend the rest of my life making you laugh. Will you marry me?”
I cast a look around the restaurant and everyone is watching. I laugh and speak loud enough for everyone to hear. “We’re already married, you lunatic.”
“Again. Marry me again.” His voice is soft when he continues. “Just because you want to.”
I understand what he’s not saying in front of our audience. The first time we got married, it was strictly business. This time, he wants to get married because I love him and he loves me.
I take both his hands in mine. He doesn’t have a ring, of course, because I’m already wearing it. “Tanner Marcus. I am completely in love with you, too despite your being absolutely ridiculous. Yes. I will marry you. Again.”
He stands, pulling me to my feet and kissing me in front of everyone, eliciting a round of applause from the other patrons. The DJ starts the music again and I recognize the song from our wedding.
I’ve since learned the first song we danced to is called “Heartbroken” by Jessie Murph and it’s about how the other person makes her feel like she’s never been heartbroken, and being with Tanner makes me feel exactly that way.
“You got them to play our song,” I say, and Tanner grins as he leads me to the dance floor.
He spins me out and back in, a move I’m confident with now that we’ve been to a few more dance classes. I don’t even need a blindfold anymore. Now, we save that only for bedroom games.
“So, are we renegotiating the terms of our contract again, Mr. Marcus?”
“There were a few terms I thought we could update.” He pulls me a little closer. “First, we should get rid of my bed and only share yours going forward.”
I nod solemnly. “My bed is better. And you need an office more than we need a guest room.”
A few other couples have joined us on the dance floor now, but I’m not paying attention to any of them.
“We’re a team, Vic. I want us to keep being a team.”
I smile and kiss him. “Deal.”
Tanner turns completely serious then. “Although, we’re also going to need to work together to gain and maintain favourite aunt and uncle status. You have a nephew now, and a niece due any day. We can’t let Derek steal our spot. I know he wants to.”
I nod again. “He does. But you’ve had practice, so you can teach me. I’m sure we can hold top spot.”
“So, do you agree to my terms?”
“I think I can agree to those, yes. There’s just one more we need to discuss.”
He smiles. “What’s that?”
“The length of this contract.”
“Ah, yes.” Tanner adjusts his glasses before leaning down to kiss my cheek and whisper in my ear. “Well, I was thinking, why not forever?”
The End