Epilogue Two

Hailey

A beautiful sunny day five months later . . .

“What do you mean I can’t go in there?” I hear Jensen’s voice boom from outside our bedroom door, my eyes closed as Darla finishes my makeup. “That’s my bedroom.”

“Jensen Walker,” I hear Heidi say. “Don’t make me take out Grandma Delores’s whip.”

“Mom, my girls are in there, and I want to see them. Mila, open the door for me. Hailey …” I hear Mila giggle from the bed. I open one eye to see my girl sitting in the middle of our bed, reading a book. The puffy dress she is wearing swallows her. My mother has her tucked by her side as she reads to her.

“Poppa is getting angry,” Mila tells my mother while she looks up giggling.

Seeing my mother look at Mila with such love makes my heart burst. The day after we got engaged, my family arrived, bearing gifts. With the engagement ring on, I waited to see who would notice it first.

Mom and Dad both came in with their hands filled with gifts, “Are those presents for me?” Mila asked, jumping up and down, clapping her hands.

My father placed them by the tree and then held out his arms for her. She ran to him, and he picked her up. “Santa told me you were a very good girl.”

“I was. I help set the table every night,” Mila told him.

Nanny then walked into the house. “What a wonderful house, Jensen,” she told him as soon as she sat down, “but the car ride was brutal.”

“Do you want some tea?” I asked from beside Jensen, his arm around my shoulders.

“I would love some,” Nanny said. I walked to the kitchen while my mother and father sat down with Mila. Blake was the only one not able to make it since he was on shift.

I placed the cup of tea on the coffee table in front of them and then finally heard a squeal. “Oh my god, is that an engagement ring. Joanne?” Nanny called my mother who looked away from Mila.

I stood up, finally everyone’s eyes on me, the smile not leaving my face even if I tried. I smiled so much my cheeks hurt. I looked down at the ring. “Yes. I agreed to marry him,” I told them, their hands flying into the air as they shouted their joy.

“Does this mean that I get to have a grandpop?” Mila asked my father who got tears in his eyes.

“It sure does.” He picked her up as he hugged her. “And I have the best looking granddaughter on the play ground.”

“Oh dear.” I rolled my eyes; she had him wrapped around her finger from the first time they met. She would go for walks with him on the beach holding his hand. She would sit on his lap all the time; when my mother would FaceTime, she would come in and take over the conversation. So that started our first Christmas together, and this year, we were going up to their house.

“He’ll get over it, sweetheart.” My mother leans down to kiss Mila’s head. My family is down for the week. You see, today is my wedding day.

“Okay, you’re done,” Darla tells me. I stand from the chair and go look at myself in the bathroom mirror. My blond hair is tied at the base of my neck in a messy bun with my bangs swept to the side. My makeup is light. “Now, let’s get you in that dress,” she says from beside me as the butterflies fill my stomach.

My mother comes into the big bathroom while I step into my lace wedding dress. Putting my arms through, I slip the straps to sit on my shoulders. Darla moves to give my mother room to tie the back. She zips the dress up to my waist and then ties the lace right behind my neck, leaving my back bare. I turn to see myself in the mirror as my mother wipes tears from her eyes. “You look stunning.” She grabs me by the waist, pulling me to her. When they saw the ring and knew that Jensen proposed, all my mother did was cry; tears of happiness, she said. You see, Jensen includes my family in everything. Before he even entertained the idea of asking me to marry him, he asked my father and then my mother. My guy is a good one.

“No crying,” Darla shouts as my mother nods. Mila comes into the room wearing her cream-colored flower girl dress with a sage belt tied around her waist with a huge bow.

“You look like a princess,” I tell her as I stoop down to her level. “I have something for you. Mom, can you bring me the blue box on the dresser?” My mother comes back into the room with the blue box and white ribbon. I take the box in my hand, looking at the beautiful girl in front of me who not only holds a piece of my heart, but who I would also give my life for.

“We are going to wait outside,” my mother says. Turning around, she and Darla empty the room, leaving just me and my girl. Yes, mine; she didn’t come from me, but she is mine.

“I wanted to ask you something.” I smile at her smile as she eyes the box. “Open it.”

She grabs the box from me eagerly, untying the bow and letting it fall to the floor. She lifts the lid, taking in the silver chain. “This is called an infinity sign.” Her fingers trace the silver eight. “You see how it goes around and around with no ending?” She nods. “I want you to know that this is how much I love you.” She smiles at me.

“I love you too.” She smiles brightly.

“I wanted to ask you if you would wear it today as a thank you for letting me love you and your dad.” She doesn’t say anything; she just takes the necklace out and turns around for me to clasp it around her neck.

“Is this like a ring?” she asks turning around. “Like the ring Poppa gave you? He wants to be with you forever.”

“Yes, this is just like that.” The tears come, and there is no way to stop them.

“I want to be with you forever too,” she whispers, coming into my outstretched arms. I kiss her head as I silently thank God for giving her to me. The knock on the door breaks our hug, and Crystal comes into the room.

“You two look like princesses.” I see her in her off-the-shoulder sage lace maid of honor dress stopping at her knees.

“Hailey wants to marry me forever,” Mila tells her. “Look at my infinity.”

She smiles at Mila. “Obviously, she wants to marry you. You’re the coolest five-year-old I’ve ever met.” Mila nods her head. “Now, go see Grandma Joanne so she can give you your basket of flowers.” She skips out of the room. “That kid has more grandmothers than I could explain.” She looks at me as we laugh. “You look amazing.” She finally looks at me, coming to me and holding my hand in hers. “There isn’t someone else that I would pick for you. There isn’t another person on this earth who fits you better than he does.” She blinks away tears. “I mean after he stopped being a grade A asshole.” We laugh as I pull her to hug me.

“I’ve never felt like this,” I tell her. “My heart is overflowing with love. I loved before”—I take a breath—“or I thought I loved, but this it’s different.” She doesn’t have a chance to say anything because there is a knock on the door and my mother and father open the door.

My mother smiles. “If we don’t get you out there right now, I think Jensen is going to get a bulldozer and make a hole in that wall.” I smile and silently laugh because he probably would.

“Okay, let’s go get me married.” I grab my bouquet of white and green wildflowers.

I walk out to the back where I see the altar on the beach for the first time. White chairs line the aisle, all of them filled with everyone we know. I take in all the love that is on that beach. Mila comes out to me. “I got my flowers to throw down.”

“Okay, let’s do this,” I tell everyone as I spot Nanny and Grandma Delores sitting side by side. The music starts as I look up and see Jensen walk to the altar at the end of the aisle, flowers all around it. He stands there in his beige linen suit, white shirt with no tie. His hands crossed in front of him as Gabe and Brody stand to his side, wearing the same thing but with just vests and no jackets.

Darla walks down the aisle first, with Crystal following her. I look at my parents, who hold hands. “If you don’t mind, I want to walk down the aisle with Mila.” I reach for her hand, smiling. They nod their head as they walk each other down the aisle. When “Bless the Broken Road” starts playing, I squeeze Mila’s hand before we start down the aisle. My eyes find Blake’s as I look at him and his family. His wife’s eyes brim with tears as I subtly nod at her. I start my walk down the aisle, my eyes never leaving Jensen’s as he wipes away his tears. I pass the rows of chairs that include our family, aunts, uncles, and all of my friends.

When I get to the altar, Jensen grabs my face, kissing me softly. “We haven’t gotten to that part, son,” the officiant says while everyone laughs. Mila walks over to sit with my mother and father, climbing on my father’s lap.

In the middle of the beach, with the water calm as soft waves hit the sand, we promise to love, honor, and cherish each other. I promise Jensen and Mila that I will love them forever. When he slips the eternity band on my finger, my heart fills even more than I thought was possible and a soft sob escapes me. I slip his simple gold band on his finger, and he pulls me to him, not caring if it’s the time or not. I kiss him, wrapping my arms around him, as our family and friends all clap and holler behind us. “I love you,” I tell him when he releases my lips.

He turns to face everyone, his hand grabbing mine as he lifts them in the air. “She’s mine, people.” The crowd goes wild as I laugh with my whole heart.

Some nine months later . . .

I walk on the beach, my feet sinking in the sand, and a notepad in my hand. I sit down in the middle of the empty beach as the sun rises in the distance, the water slowly coming to life. As the waves crash faster and faster, I pull the pen out and start my letter.

Dear Eric,

It feels like it’s been forever since I last thought of you.

I hope you are looking down and know I’m happy. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy in my life.

I have a husband who I would not only die with, but I would die for. I have a beautiful daughter named Mila. My name now on her birth certificate as her mother.

I wanted to tell you that I forgive you. I forgive you for everything. I have to forgive you because of you, I got my everything. I got my perfect life.

Hailey Walker

I stop writing as I rub my swollen stomach while my son kicks to let me know that today he will be meeting me. I look at the water, a lone bird chirping in the distance. Coming closer and closer, he soars into the sky, and it almost looks like he’s watching me. I get up, the lightness overtaking me as I walk back to my house, to my family.

The End of my perfect love story, or just the beginning!

Stay tuned for Crystal & Gabe’s Story