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The crowd applauds loudly, many standing and shouting my name with pride. My nerves are in shock, and in that moment, I glance toward the hand nestled in mine and see the emerald gold ring staring back at me.
My wife.
My savior.
My fucking life.
/> “You did it,” she squeals as I turn to kiss her, openly in front of the cameras.
She’s fucking beautiful, and each time I look into her eyes, I wonder what I did to deserve her. She’s mine, she’s the mother of my child, and I want to spend every day making her happy.
Taking a deep breath, I let go, just for this final moment, and slowly make my way to the stage. Every step I take becomes more and more surreal. Is this happening? I’m being rewarded in the greatest of ways for my ability to portray a character.
I don’t deserve to be here.
I don’t deserve this.
And I need to shut my fucking demon up.
Maybe, for once in my life, I do deserve something good.
The gold statue is handed to me. It’s heavy, more so than I imagined, and its weight carries enormous significance.
This is it. My moment.
I may never get a moment like this again, and so, I will do it justice.
“A long time ago, someone told me I wasn’t good enough for anything. And I held onto that, for years. You saw that play out whether you watched my life on reality TV or followed the headlines.
“And despite all that, people still chose to believe in me. Jerry, our director, Nigel, our producer, and all the cast on the set. You put up with me at a time when I was at my lowest, and here we are. This award is a testament to our hard work, not only mine.”
Jerry and Nigel stand, an ovation follows with loud applause and whistles.
“It was at my weakest time that someone told me to fight for my dream. Dreams? I remember looking at her oddly, I didn’t have dreams. I had nightmares. But she pushed me to search inside myself and fight for what I wanted.”
I don’t need to search the crowd. My eyes gravitate toward her, standing at our table, wearing a beautiful red dress that crowns her queen of the night.
“I married my beautiful wife, Milana Richland, and she gave me the greatest dream possible… our daughter. This award is the icing on my already-perfect cake.”
Milana is beaming with pride, and I smile back at her, desperate to take her home and celebrate with her privately.
“And so, I thank the Lord for blessing me. For bringing her into my life, for teaching me how to love myself.
“But lastly, I dedicate this award to Katya Milenov, a woman who so bravely brought two children into this world. Accepted me as a son, with all my flaws, and until the very end, taught me how to love unconditionally. Somewhere, up above, you’re watching over us. We promise to honor you, make you proud, and dedicate our lives to make sure your legacy lives on.”
It was a privilege to spend her last moments with her. And watching her, take that last breath was the moment it all changed for me. Life is short, and what makes you happy is worth fighting for.
I know she’s smiling down and protecting us—always.
And somehow, this was her plan all along. It’s not a coincidence that Milana stumbled into my life. Our two fucked-up stars got together and created the most precious gift of all.
I hold the award into the air, staring above, basking in her presence.
“Thank you, Mom.”
THE END
