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She had one hand resting on my chest by her face, and I looked down to see the ring on her finger. That had me smiling again. In the grand scheme of things, a ring, a piece of paper, saying vows in front of our friends and family didn’t mean she was mine any more than she already was.
The bond we had, my love for her, was unbreakable. It was eternal.
Epilogue Three
Bishop
Over a decade later
“That sounds incredible,” Korrie said, this dreamlike quality to her voice as she listened to Adele talk about her anniversary trip with her husband, Oliver, to see the Northern Lights in Norway, and how they planned to go back for their twenty-year anniversary.
And right then and there, I knew I had to take my wife to see them too. I wanted that sound to come from her while she lay beside me and we gazed up at those iridescent colors as they swept across the sky. Of course they'd be something to see, for sure, but they wouldn’t be as beautiful as the woman I called mine.
The children were in the back room, and I sat on the couch with Korrie beside me, Adele and her husband across from us on the love seat. Adele and Oliver’s son and daughter were getting into trouble with ours, no doubt. Last I heard, their son, Xavier, was with our boy, West, playing some action war video game. I briefly heard shouts coming from the boys, then clapping as if whatever obstacle they’d encountered had been handled.
Their daughter, Lia, was with our little girl, Bexley. Although Lia was a few years older than Bex, she was a good sport and tolerated the tea party that Bexley begged her to join.
I brought my beer to my mouth and took a long drink from the rim, curling my hand more possessively around Korrie’s waist. My woman leaned in closer to me, knowing I loved having her by my side. Hell, I loved just thinking about her and most days couldn’t keep my hands off her. The only times I was able to control myself was when the kids were around, or when we had guests over, like right now. Every other time… it was fair game.
“Well, Adele, looks like I’ll be taking Korrie there next so she looks at me the way you look at Oliver as you reminisce.”
Adele laughed softly, and I saw Oliver beam with pride. He leaned in and kissed her temple. I could feel the love they had for each other, that undying, powerful, consuming love that I shared with Korrie.
Over the last ten years, I’d experienced what harmony, happiness, and sheer joy was, and it was all because of the woman next to me.
My wife, the mother of my children… my undeniable soul mate. I’d known the latter instantly as soon as I’d seen her standing in Lyrics. She’d looked so innocent, almost fragile, but hell, she was the strongest person I’d ever known—would ever know.
I glanced out the window toward the garden and had to smile, as there was Walter, per usual, his baseball cap on, his sunglasses in place, my father-in-law on his knees digging in the dirt as he pulled weeds from around the tomato plants.
“He’s determined to not have one weed growing in that garden,” I muttered to myself, but it had clearly been loud enough that the other three heard, because they turned and looked out the window.
“I swear he looks healthier every time I see him,” Adele said softly and faced forward, her smile genuine as she looked at Korrie.
“Thanks, he really does, and is. I swear moving out of the city was what his mind and body needed. As soon as we moved him in with us and he got started on the garden, his health improved so much.” Korrie glanced over at me, and her smile was soft, sweet.
She leaned in and kissed me on the lips right in front of Adele and Oliver, and I didn't even hide the growl that left me. I didn’t care if I sounded like a caveman, or who knew how gone I was for this woman.
She was my life, and I wanted everyone to know.
Just then, all four kids came running out, the girls going straight to the kitchen, no doubt to the snack cupboard. The boys said hi and bye in passing as they headed out back. I could hear the tail end of West telling Xavier they could help “Gramps” with his garden. Adele and Korrie started a conversation about throwing a dual party for the girls next month since their birthdays were so close together. And as I listened to my wife start to plan our daughter and Lia’s birthday, as I watched Oliver gaze at his wife like she was his world, I realized I’d never known what living was until I met Korrie.
