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“Ms. Shiloh, I like that you can cook. I like that you’re nice to me, even when I’m being mean. And I really love that you make my daddy happy.”

“Thank you, Victor. That’s so sweet of you. Your dad makes me happy too.” I smiled.

He pointed at the screen as the little boy on screen gave the lady a flower. “Will you be with me and my dad forever?” he asked her.

“Will you, Ms. Shiloh?” Victor quizzed.

“What? What are you talking about, Victor?” I asked with a shaky voice.

“Shiloh Lane,” Quinton interjected.

“Baby.” My voice trembled when I turned to face him and found him down on one knee right next to me with Trey still on his hip.

“You’re the sassiest, sweetest, most beautiful woman I have ever met. You make me happy when I’m down. You make me smile when I rather frown. You have been in my head and wedged deep in my heart from the very moment you walked into my life accusing me of being a bad father. You have shown me and my son genuine love from day one. No matter what life has thrown at you, you keep fighting. Your resilience makes me want to fight with you. Your soft, loving spirit makes me want to love you harder. Shiloh Lane, I would be honored to be your husband. Baby, will you marry me?”

“Yes, baby. Yes, yes, yes, I will marry you!” I screamed.

Quinton slid the ring on my finger, then stood and kissed me. Everyone in the theater cheered, including our sons. Even Trey was in a fit of giggles. All at once, it felt like my family was finally complete.

EPILOGUE

Five Years Later

“Daddy, I want to wear the same shoes like you.”

“I know, Trey, but where did you put them?” I asked, looking under my son’s bed.

“Theo lost them.”

“How did Theo lose your shoes, Trey Trey?”

“He took them off.”

“Well, you’re gonna have to put on some more shoes, Son. We have to leave soon.”

“Aww, man,” he said, stomping his foot.

“Boy, find some shoes and come on here.”

“Daddy!”

I looked up and smiled when my daughter Qiara ran into the room in the cutest pink dress and matching shoes.

“Hey, baby girl. You ready to go to your sister’s graduation?”

“Let’s go!” she cheered.

Qiara was almost three and the spitting image of her mother. Shiloh opened her very first storefront bakery just four months before we found out we were expecting our first girl. Life was so good that I figured one day I would wake up and this would all be a dream. For now, I was enjoying every single day with my thriving family and begging my wife to give me just one more little one.

“Trey, where are your shoes, baby? It’s time to go,” Shiloh said, walking into the room with her hands on her hips.

He pouted as he looked up at his mom. “Daddy can’t find them.”

“Oh, wow. You really threw me under the bus after I been crawling all over this room looking for your shoe?”

“Here it is,” Shiloh said, shaking her head and picking the shoe up off the bed.

She and I laughed at the same time as she sat on the bed and helped Trey sit beside her.