One Year Later

 

Erin

 

“It’s been a year, Mom, and I have to say, I still miss you, every single day. We all do. Louis here misses the grandma he never knew, don’t you, Little Louie?”

 

I bounce my son – my son – on my knee as we sit on the grass next to my mother’s gravestone. Slash stands stoically behind me, not too far away but far enough that I have a little bit of breathing room. He’s so good like that.

 

I stand up, holding Louis in my arms as I try to figure out what I’m going to do next. I love being a mom – I really, really do – but doing it without my mom has never seemed right. And being out here at the cemetery makes it all that much worse. Without knowing quite what I’m doing, I collapse into Slash’s waiting arms and cry my eyes out. Heaving heavy sobs, I hold Slash close, pushing our son between us. All of the feelings well up as I continue crying into his chest.

 

After a few moments, Slash patiently pulls back as my sobbing becomes a small sniffle.

 

“You okay?” he asks, more out of concern than anything else.

 

I nod. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I am. I’m sorry. I just… I just miss her so, so much.”

 

“I know you do, babe. I knew today would be tough, so I’ve gotten us a babysitter so we can have a night to ourselves tonight. We just have to swing by Monica’s place first. What do you say, little man? You want to go see Auntie Monica tonight?” Louis smiles as his father takes him into his arms.

 

On the way home, we talk a little bit about how work is going for Slash. Since his promotion, he’s been sent out on fewer and fewer dangerous tasks, to the point that now he’s basically calling the shots – which is great, especially since it looks like Jerome is looking to take a step back and hand over a lot of the day-to-day workings of the MC to Slash. It means he’s able to protect our family without having to risk his own life every day. It’s everything a girl could want.

 

Well, almost everything.

 

After we drop Louis off at Monica’s place, we get back to Slash’s apartment, and I’m suddenly aware that something smells wonderful, like a bouquet of flowers. As I enter the front door, I am amazed to see rose petals scattered all over the place, leading a path into the bedroom. I head to the bedroom to find champagne on ice and candles lining the walls and windows, all lit up beautifully.

 

“Slash,” I say when I finally regain my breath, “what is going on here?”

 

I turn around to find him, but he’s not behind me.

 

I leave the bedroom to find him in the living room. He’s surrounded by the rose petals…

 

... and he’s down on one knee, a tiny diamond ring in his hand.

 

“Erin,” he begins, “I have never in my life wanted to be a husband or a father – that is, until I met you. You and Louie are the best things that have ever happened to me – you’ve made me realize just how goddamn lucky I really am. Since you’ve come into my life, I’ve never been happier. I just… I can’t say much more, except… will you marry me?”

 

I look down at him with grateful tears in my eyes. I help him up off the carpet and kiss him, deep and passionate, with the feeling I’ve never felt before.

 

Suddenly, he breaks the kiss and looks intensely vulnerable.

 

“So… is… uh…” he stammers, “... is that a yes?”

 

“Of course it’s a yes, you idiot.” I grin as I take the ring and put it on my finger. “It’s a yes for the rest of my life. I’m so happy to get to spend it with you.”

 

“That’s what I wanted to hear!” he exclaims. “The boys at the Warehouse were convinced you were going to say no.”

 

“Why would they think that?”

 

“Because they don’t think I deserve you,” he answers honestly. “And they’re probably right.”

 

“We deserve each other,” I say, unable to wipe the grin off my face. “We’re just a couple of criminal masterminds doing what we can to survive.”

 

“I love you, Erin McManus,” Slash says, in a way that sends a warm shiver up my spine.

 

“I love you, Thomas Aaron Incognito,” I say with absolute love. “You’ll always be my Slash.”

 

THE END