Epilogue

Six months later…

I looked around at the packed boxes, thinking about the last year in this loft. I cried a lot when I was scared that I wouldn’t make it. I cried when I thought that Brandon was gone forever.

      I also worked hard on my painting and earned every sale and showing.

I was moving in with Brandon now that the year was over. His place was big enough that I’d have a room for my painting as well as the studio I was renting in the back of the prominent gallery that was now showing my work. I loved my life and the man in it.

We had some issues once we were back together but worked them out through communication and a lot of sex. There would always be a lot of sex with Brandon, but I loved it. He made me feel things I didn’t know existed.

I walked around to make sure that everything was ready for the movers one last time. All of my art supplies were now at the studio and I was just taking the few personal things that I had here. I was smiling when I heard the door and looked up to see Brandon watching me.

“Are you okay?” He asked as I watched him walk towards me.

“I am. Just thinking over the memories of this place.” I replied softly as he pulled me against him.

“We’re going to make new ones. I’ll always remember this place, too. I’ve spent some of my best moments here, baby.” He kissed me, and I melted against him. I wanted him, but I knew we weren’t going to be alone for too long. “Ready to go?” He asked as I nodded, pressing my mouth to his one more time.

We drove to our home, picking up some food on the way. I’d been busy with the move as well as work and promised that we’d get back to normal the following day. I wanted to cook here and make a cozy home. We sat on the couch and ate our Thai food in the middle of the large living room.

He took me to the bedroom when we were done, creating new memories in his huge bed. I always thought that the chemistry might fade after a few months, but I was wrong. It only grew between me and Brandon and we spent a lot of time in here. We made a point of sleeping together every night and waking up every morning. It might be late, but we worked out our life to be able to do that. We were a better team than I thought we’d be.

His family embraced us. We went to dinner at their house every other weekend and met in the city a lot as well. Marilyn was my agent as well as a second mother to me and Moira was becoming a best friend. The holidays were as crazy as ever, but I was there with Brandon now. He made it clear that we were together, and I was relieved when the women stopped paying attention after the second year we celebrated together as a couple. I was certain that Marilyn played a part in that as well.

Brandon asked me to marry him two years after the night we met in the gallery that first night. He did it in front of our Christmas tree and I sobbed as I told him yes. I cried as he held me in his arms, slipping the ring on my finger. I would never forget how much it shimmered in the colored lights.

We celebrated at his parent’s place with the family after making the announcement. My mom was there as well, and I loved seeing her with the people that loved me. She adored Brandon and I think that her and Marilyn were getting closer every time they saw one another.

The wedding took place in The Hamptons the summer following the proposal. We kept it limited to close family and friends and had the ceremony on the beach. The sun was setting but the sky bright when we said our vows, kissing slowly as he pulled me against him. It was perfect, and we whispered how much we loved each other through soft kisses before everyone started cheering.

The honeymoon lasted for two weeks as we toured Europe. He had vacation coming to him and I wasn’t needed back in New York until another showing the week after our return. I loved wandering the streets with him and seeing the beautiful sights. I loved eating and talking and making love with the Eiffel Tower just out of our window. I loved everything about my life and my husband.

His company became the top one on the East Coast and I was gaining a name in the art world. I knew more people and more places to sell and display the paintings that seemed to flow. I was always inspired by Brandon and the people I was meeting.

A year after we were married, I began to feel sick in the mornings. Soon, it was throughout the day and I knew that it might not be a winter flu. I’d still been taking my birth control regularly, but that was it as far as efforts to prevent any pregnancy, making me think I wanted this somewhere deep down. I told Brandon on a rainy afternoon in bed, crying as he kissed me gently.

Our daughter was born in the Fall and Emery was beautiful. She looked like a perfect mix of both of us and as scared as I was to be responsible for this tiny human, I knew that we’d be fine. Brandon loved her from the moment he saw her, and I loved both of them as much as I possibly could.

We were going to work out a schedule, so we could both pursue our goals, using the help of family. My mom finally decided to move with the birth of her granddaughter and lived close to us in one of the buildings that Brandon purchased over the last few years. We were all together again apart from my father. He chose to exit my life entirely after that year, not sure of my success and throwing his attention towards his new wife. It hurt like hell after I worked hard to impress him there in New York. I wanted the daddy that I never had but I saw that happening between Brandon and Emery.

I owned my own gallery when our son Braden was born two years later. I still painted and displayed my work, but I wanted to pay it forward and help new artists. I loved running the gallery with my efficient staff and enjoyed bringing Emery in to help me on the weekends. Brandon was involved as well and ran the financial side of things despite still working.

It wasn’t easy being exhausted most nights, but we stuck to our tradition of always sleeping together. Sometimes, we had kids with us and other nights they would be with family for some precious time alone. It was a busy and fulfilling life and I made a point of counting my blessings as often as I could.

I woke up one Sunday in Brandon’s arms, warm and safe. This was one of those blessings and I looked at the city through the window as he pulled me closer to him.

“I love you.” I told him as I felt his lips on my hair.

“I love you more, Al. You and the kids are my everything.” He assured me as I turned in his arms for a long kiss. We might have five minutes or an hour, but I lost myself in his kiss every single time.

This was my dream, all of it. I had my art, and I had love in my life. I had family.

I had it all.

***

THE END