Epilogue
Damon
Two and a half years later
“They’re almost here. I can see their car coming up the road,” Bea said, looking out the window. “Can you get Annabel?”
“Sure,” I said, scooping up our daughter in my arms. She smiled up at me, babbling happily. “Happy second birthday!”
She cooed up at me, and Bea smiled. “I can’t believe she’s already two.”
“Neither can I.”
We’d been in this house for two years now, in the small coastal Florida town of Jupiter, and the house we were living in was a dream come true for both of us. It wasn’t big, but it was cozy, and it was set right on the beach.
Before I met Bea, I might have had a dream and known that I meant it. At the time it had seemed unobtainable and, without a doubt, I’d been incredibly lucky at the turn of events that had helped it come true. Along the way, there was another lesson I had learned, however, other than being grateful for good fortune and people being willing to give me a second chance. The lesson was that arriving at a destination by the most difficult route sure made me appreciate it more when I got there.
And by god, did I appreciate Bea and Annabel. They were the best things that had ever happened to me, and every day I spent with them was a miracle.
I’d once been an arrogant and cocky young man, even if I hadn’t been bad deep down, but even these qualities had been overcome as I learned to understand the values of life and family at last. As I learned to put the past behind me and to live with the memories of my rough childhood, I’d also come to accept that, though it hadn’t been perfect and would always haunt me somewhat, that didn’t mean that it had to define me.
“Damon, can you quickly wipe her face?”
I glanced up at Bea. “Hm?”
She pointed to our beautiful daughter. “She’s got a little bit of food on her chin.”
I wet my thumb and gently wiped Annabel’s face, grinning. “How do you always get so messy, little girl?”
“She takes after her father, that’s how!” Bea said, sticking her tongue out at me.
I chuckled, and Bea grabbed some sunscreen and a little white hat for Annabel to wear as we headed outside. I’d always known she’d make a good mother, but she’d managed to surpass even my highest expectations, and I knew our child was the most loved little girl in the world.
I’d been there when she was born, and Bea hadn’t complained once throughout the entire birth, despite the pain of labor. I’d always known how strong she could be deep down, and that wonderful day had shown me that more than ever.
In my deepest of insecurities, I’d wondered if she might change her mind about me once Annabel arrived, out of worry about having her child grow up with a father with a history like mine, but I had nothing to worry about. She loved me just as much as ever, and she told me that every single day.
I was the luckiest man in the world.
I watched her head over to her parents’ car as it pulled up to our house, her white dress swinging loosely around her legs in the sea breeze. Today wasn’t just Annabel’s second birthday…it was also our wedding day. With all the time it had taken to deal with working our lives out, Bea’s pregnancy and the subsequent birth of Annabel, the last two and a half years had flown by, and we’d finally decided that enough was enough.
I wanted to call Bea my wife, once and for all.
We didn’t want a big fancy wedding, so we were tying the knot on the beach near our house, witnessed only by Bea’s parents, Felicia and Claire. It was spring, so it wasn’t too hot and muggy, and Claire had arrived earlier to set up a small runner and arch down on the sand, with the help of the officiant.
Felicia had driven up with Bea’s parents—they’d gotten to know each other very well over the last few years—and I grinned as they stepped out of the car.
“How’s my favorite sister?” I asked, giving her a hug.
She hugged me back, then broke away. “I’m only your favorite sister because I’m your only sister,” she said, giving me a playful jab.
“Well, that’s better than nothing,” I replied with a teasing grin.
“You’re lucky I know you’re joking. Anyway, let me say hi to Bea and Annabel,” she said, heading over to give them a hug.
I nodded as I looked at Calvin and Madeira Bentley. “Thanks for coming,” I said.
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Calvin replied with a broad smile. “How’s the boating business treating you these last few months?”
“Good, good,” I said. “Always busy, but can’t complain about that.”
Since we’d moved up here, I’d finally fulfilled my dream of setting up a workshop and building yachts. It’d been a slow process to get it started, but business had soon taken off. After all, people in coastal towns always wanted boats. Though Bea and Annabel were my world, I loved every minute of my new profession, and I’d even hired a couple of guys to work for me.
And speaking of work, Bea was doing well too. She still hadn’t entirely finished law school—because it took so damn long—but she was still studying part-time while working at a new legal aid office up here in Jupiter. Felicia was one of the new co-owners of the place after moving up to be closer to us and Annabel, so they still got to work together almost every day. They were doing important work, and I was proud of both of them.
“Should we head down to the shore?” Madeira asked a moment later, giving me a gentle smile.
“Sure.”
I watched as she took Calvin’s hand, and I smiled as I saw them looking over at Bea with adoring expressions on their faces. It’d taken a long time for Bea to fully forgive them, but they’d proven over the last couple of years that they really had turned over a new leaf. They’d both realized where they went wrong in raising Bea, and they were now determined to be the best grandparents to Annabel that they could possibly be. No screaming, no controlling words…nothing but respect and kindness from now on.
Bea handed Annabel to her mother as we reached the makeshift aisle Claire had created on the beach, and Claire waved to us.
“About time you guys arrived! It’s so windy today, the arch almost blew away,” she said. “Now….go and get married!”
She went and stood with Felicia and Bea’s parents, and I took Bea’s arm.
“Ready?” I asked.
“More than ever,” she replied.
My heart swelled with love, and we walked up the little aisle together, reaching the makeshift altar just a few seconds later, where the wedding officiant stood.
“Dada!” Annabel called out from Madeira’s arms, and I turned and grinned at my daughter, giving her a quick wave.
My heart swelled even more as we began our vows a moment later. “Damon, you’ve made me a better person,” Bea began, squeezing my hands as she held them in hers. “When we first met, I was this weak, scared little thing, but you taught me how to be strong. You told me that I’d always been strong, deep inside, and you were right. I just needed your strength to show me how to use my own.”
I kept listening as she spoke, thinking of how incredibly lucky I was to have a woman like her. She’d given me everything I could’ve possibly dreamed of, and with our gorgeous little daughter, we had absolutely everything we’d ever wanted—a quiet life, a calm existence right by the beach, and a perfect little family.
All of my dreams had come true, and it was all because of her.
Our vows were soon over, and the officiant smiled at us.
“You may kiss the bride,” she said to me, but she didn’t even need to. My lips were already glued to Bea’s.
Claire let out a wolf whistle, and as I kissed my new wife, my head began to spin.
I’d done a lot of wrong things in my life. I’d run drugs for gangs as a teen, I’d worked for the mafia, and I’d killed people, but there was one thing that I knew I’d done right, without a shadow of doubt—I’d given my heart to Bea. Every time I looked at her, I fell in love even more, and I knew that was never going to change. I was going to love her every day for the rest of my life.
Forever and always.
THE END
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