Epilogue

Two years later

Lori

Two years had passed. Two extremely happy years. I’d passed my college course and had started a career in wedding photography and recording the happy event for couples. It was going very well, and I got to travel around which had helped with building my confidence. Aidan’s and my time was split between Manhattan and New Jersey in the main, although at present Aidan was out all over the place as he scouted out new venues for sister clubs to Abandon. Abandon had become THE place to party and Aidan had had to expand, purchasing the floor above and making this an exclusive VIP space to be rented out by the elite of Manhattan. Ashley had trained up a guy called Lucas who now oversaw Abandon, leaving Ashley to cater for the demanding needs of the clientele hiring the new floor. Aidan and I had also worked on adding on a new branch to his charity, one for survivors of domestic abuse, the kind that had caused lasting difficulties. We’d had an emotional time when we first got together recounting his brother’s accident and my overdose. It was good that some light could come from the darkness and I thanked God every day that Chrissy had found me that day.

Today, I could have been the guest at this wedding, but as my present to the bride and groom, I’d agreed to capture the occasion. I could always party in between I’d told him.

So instead I stood at the side of the altar, as I checked out the extremely nervous face of one Elias Thomas King, as he awaited his bride. Then the music started playing, and she appeared.

But who was she? That’s not my tale to tell, you’ll have to wait for Eli to recount his own story…

But for me, well later, the bride made me put down my camera as she threw the bouquet and it landed straight in my grasp.

Aidan winked at me and I smiled.

Then I picked up my camera and got back to work.

Two days later I went along to record the engagement celebration of one of the members of the club. It was taking place at the very restaurant where the date from hell with Chrissy had taken place and our own date. Aidan had howled with laughter when I’d confessed to making Chrissy behave like she had and they were now firm friends.

I walked into the bar, but instead of finding the couple I expected there, I found Aidan.

“What’s happening?” I said. The restaurant was busy with patrons.

“I was going to take you for a surprise lunch, but I don’t like the atmosphere here.” He told me. “So the driver is taking us someplace else.”

Aidan quite often threw surprises like this. I’d think I was going for a meal downtown and then the next minute I’d be whisked away to Hawaii in a helicopter. So, I rolled my eyes and got in the car. I was surprised when we pulled up outside the coffee shop where we’d had our first meet up as friends.

He took my hand. “We never came back here. Why not? It was where I realized I liked you so damn much.”

“Maybe because it's just a little too close to my old apartment?” I told him.

“Well, I decided we needed to come back.” He said and escorted me inside.

There was no one else there. Not even a member of staff, with the sole exclusion of a man playing a slow version of Bruno Mar’s song Marry You, on the piano.

The floor was covered in rose petals and on the piano was an ice bucket holding champagne and two glasses.

He went down on his knees.

“Lori Jenkins. My best girl friend in the whole damn world. My best girlfriend in the whole damn universe. I love you. Will you marry me?”

I began to sob, trying to get my answer out. “Yes, yes, I will.”

Our family and friends, and staff from the coffee shop, came out at that point. The champagne was opened and then Aidan took me out into the courtyard area where on a table, the staff had placed out the exact lunches we’d had that day we first met for coffee, plus a gigantic cookie that said congratulations across it.

It was perfect, and ironic that I had no video of the occasion.

Well, I thought I hadn’t. But it turned out that the cameramen from GoDown Productions had set up cameras all around the place and my engagement present arrived a week later perfectly edited. My proposal in full and the happy words of our family and friends recorded and added. It was beautiful.

Four years later

“Oh my God, oh my God.” Aidan exclaimed over and over as he took Skye, our newborn daughter into his arms. “She’s just perfect, Mrs. Hall.” He kissed me. “Absolutely perfect.” He picked up his cell and took about twenty photos of our newborn daughter.

“When are Henry and Amelia visiting?” I asked him. We’d been home from hospital for a few hours and Aidan was desperate to show Skye off.

As the camera continued to flash, I had a feeling karma was coming to Henry Carter…I hoped he was ready to coo.

THE END