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Brian hugs Daniel from behind, pulling us both into an embrace. We stay like that until I feel my sweet boy fall asleep in my arms. Carefully, Brian takes him from me and tucks him into bed. By the time we return to the living room, exhaustion is starting to take over.
“Don’t even think about it,” Brian says, reading the look on my face when I see the mess that’s been left behind. He pats the spot next to him on the couch and I join him without complaining, too tired to even talk.
Immediately we resume our usual position, half-lying together, my head resting on his chest, his arms wrapped around me, our legs intertwined, and our breathing almost in sync.
“I need to get up early tomorrow,” I remind him as soon as I feel his hand rubbing my back.
“I’ve got two back-to-back meetings.”
Unbothered, he continues to work his way into my shirt, his fingers burning my skin with each stroke.
“If you had quit that job and come to work with me, as I’ve advised you countless times, you could easily have taken the day off.”
My breathing becomes more rapid, and I try to sit up but Brian rolls to the side, pinning me down.
“We are not having this conversation again,” I say firmly. My face is burning but so is the rest of my body, the tiredness evaporated just like that.
“We are,” he insists. “Just not tonight.” His lips crush mine with the same hunger they do every night before he sweeps me in his arms and takes me to our room to finish what we started.
Epilogue Two
Brian
One year later
There’snotasinglecloud in the sky and the sun is shining brightly above us. The soft summer breeze almost caresses my face and together with the sound of the waves behind me, it creates an idyllic soundtrack for our union. Simple and real, and full of sweet memories.
Daniel is standing on my left, wearing a miniature version of my own outfit: linen pants the color of sand and a simple white shirt. In his hands, he has a small wooden box with our wedding bands. He holds it in front of his chest, admiring the little painting he’s made for us.
It’s light blue, mixed with green, resembling the turquoise color of the sea. There are two calico scallops in one corner, and three pink banded tulips on the opposite corner, while the sides of the box are made to look like sand and waves together. The names at the center of it were written by Rose, whose handwriting is unmatched.
I ruffle Daniel’s hair again, messing his curls and getting a loud giggle in response. He’s grown a lot in just a few months, but the biggest change is his never-ending smile. Everything I dreamed for him, he now has.
“When’s Mom coming?” Daniel asks.
“Soon, Danny. She’ll be here as soon as all the chairs are full. Do you want to sit?”
“I’ll sit when she comes.” Daniel scrunches up his nose and starts to count how many seats are empty.
Just three, aside from his own, and those are to be occupied soon. I can spot Emily and Sharon making their way down to the beach, which means Carol is coming.
A shiver runs down my spine and I’m sure my face is getting redder by the second.
“Nervous?” The voice is but a whisper.
Andrew, my best man, is standing three feet behind us, wearing a similar outfit to me and Daniel.
“Does it look like it?” I ask but his nod, followed by his choked laughter, tells me that yes, I do look nervous.
I shake my head and focus my attention on our guests. When Carol and I decided to get married, we decided to have a very small ceremony with just our friends and family. Close family only, Carol had insisted. As much as we had enjoyed Emily’s three-day-long celebration, we wanted something more intimate for our own union.
In the first row are my own parents, perfectly civil with each other at last, together with Mary who is saving a spot for Daniel. Sunny, Rita and the twins are in the second row. On the other side, the first row is empty at the moment. Jeremy is standing next to Dennis in the second row, no doubt talking about Jeremy’s plan to buy a farm. His parents and sisters are in the third row, while the rest, on both sides, include only a few beloved family members and friends.
Sharon and Emily arrive, putting an end to the chatter around us. Daniel looks at me with a bright grin before handing the box to Andrew and finding his seat.
The nervousness is getting stronger as I wait, my eyes scanning the area for a sign of her. And then I see her.
She’s laughing at something Rose is saying and then turns around to her father, linking her arm with his. Slowly, they make their way to us, and it’s then that Carol sees me too.
