Epilogue
April checked her rearview mirror as she entered the parking lot. She was definitely excited, and more than a little on edge. She slid into her designated parking spot and leapt out of the car.
She was smiling from ear to ear as she bounced in the elevator, waiting for it to reach the office. Finally, the doors opened, and suddenly there were balloons everywhere, and streamers, and the screaming of a startled toddler. Samson lifted Jude up and gave April a sheepish grin and a wave.
“It’s Mommy!” Samson said. “Hey, kiddo! It’s Mommy! She’s back. Can you say 66th Annual Progressive Architecture Award?”
“There is no hope for this kid,” Lana said. “You two are far too dorky.”
“I may be a dork, but I’m a winner.” April came over and took Jude from Samson and peppered kisses all over her baby boy’s face. She hadn’t wanted to go without her fiancé to New York, but Samson insisted that it was important for her to accept recognition for her work. He was a lot more comfortable being on his own with Jude since the boy had started running around the house. Jude was big, and healthy, and now that Samson wasn’t afraid that he’d break him, he played with him whenever he got the chance.
The Progressive Architecture Award was the third one she’d won for Bennett Industries, but it was by far the one she was most proud of. After years of hard work and dedicated progress in designing and consulting on almost a hundred projects, April had the honor of adding a major structure to the a major city skyline here in Portland.
It was beyond a dream come true.
Samson slipped behind her and gave her a hug and kiss. “I’m so proud of you, babe. We got cake.”
“I love cake.”
“Let me take this heartbreaker.” Lana took Jude from April’s reluctant arms. “You can’t eat with a toddler on you.”
Jude grabbed Lana’s hair.
“Ow. I know you love my hair, but leave me some, would ya?”
April cast a glance back at her son. She had missed him so much, but she would have all evening with her boys. Samson put his arm around her shoulder and guided her to the cake.
“Oh! It’s the Aqua Tower from Chicago!” April turned and gave him a kiss. “That’s so fun. You know, for all the travel we’ve done, I still compare every trip to that first one.”
“You have such low expectations that I can never disappoint you.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s our story. It’s part of how we met. Plus, we screwed in a bootlegger’s parlor.” April rested her shoulder on his head. “Do you think anyone will ever fall in love outside of my building?”
“Probably. As we speak. I haven’t been that impressed with Portland.”
“They have amazing doughnuts here. And their city planning is lightyears ahead of Houston.”
“True.” Samson took her hand. “Look, I have something to talk to you about.”
April pried her gaze away from a few coworkers who had taken to dancing with some of the fallen balloons. “What is it?”
“My parents want to have dinner with us. I told them that you would be tired from your trip, and I would have to ask you.” Samson licked his lips. “My father now calls you The Boss.”
“That’s hilarious, considering you’re still literally my boss.”
“You’re not a first-year worker anymore. You’re one of my lead architects.”
April squeezed his hand. “If you feel up to it, I don’t mind. I think they just want to get close to the grandkid. I’m glad your father’s being nicer to you now anyway, even if it is only for Jude’s sake.”
“I don’t really care what changed in the old man.” Samson leaned over and cut her a piece of cake. “They RSVP’d for the wedding, by the way. They’re definitely coming.”
April took her cake. “That’s amazing. As long as they behave.”
“I’ll tell them The Boss said so.”
“Sleeping with The Boss has worked out so well for both of us.”
Samson forked a piece of cake and held it up to her lips. She took the bite and then wiped the side of her mouth as she smiled. Feeding each other cake was on their ever growing list of things not to do at the wedding, so they had to get these embarrassing, cloying behaviors out of their system. The day was quickly approaching, and things were falling into place. What had once seemed like a foreign concept was now what Samson looked forward to the most. They had to resist the urge to elope so that they could be married already.
April knew they needed to have a real ceremony. It was time. The two of them, their son, all of their friends, and their two dogs Damien and Gigi; it was a celebration of their relationship and what they had built together with love and a lot of determination. As they had both learned to love and be loved, it was like patching up the holes that had been left in them by careless people.
And all that was left was the beauty that they had so ambitiously created.
THE END
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