Epilogue - Izzy

Three months later…

“For someone who GAVE AWAY a family heirloom to a disgruntled taxi driver, you sure do have a lot of sentimental junk” Dave exclaims in mock exasperation.

“Says the man with a framed teddy bear in his bedroom,” I shoot back, eyebrows raised.

He laughs and points to the wall hanging. “Apologise to Mr Binkie, Izzy. His feelings are very hurt.”

I turn to his sister’s old teddy bear - the only thing of hers that he kept after she died. “I’m sorry Mr. Binkie. You’re not junk.” I turn to Dave. “And neither is any of this!”

“I know it isn’t,” he concedes with a grin. “The place looks better with your stuff in it anyways.”

He takes a step towards me and wraps his arms around my waist. I put my hands on his chest and look up at his face. He’s smiling happily, and his eyes betray a deep contentment. I glance down at my left hand.

“At least the disgruntled taxi driver gave it back!” I smile as I remember his sheepish face as he approached the stretcher while I was being loaded into the ambulance. He apologised to me and we exchanged the phone for the ring. I remember smiling at him and slipping the ring back onto my finger, feeling the familiar comfort of the metal on my skin.

Dave’s arms squeeze me a little bit tighter and he grins. His eyes are shining and I can feel the love emanating from him.

“First you steal from a man who’s unconscious in hospital, then you give away your wedding ring, then you attack your own mother. What have I gotten myself into by marrying you?”

“First of all, I paid him back when I got back to the hospital. And I only did the other stuff to save you,” I retort. He laughs and pulls me in tighter. His chin dips down towards me. He lays a soft kiss on my lips and they part to accept it. His tongue slips in between and his kiss becomes more passionate.

I’ll never get sick of kissing him. Every time we touch I still feel a spark on my skin and a warmth in my chest. When he asked me to move in with him I didn’t even need to think about it, I said yes immediately. I still remember him telling me that he wanted to come home to both Jess and I every night, and wake up next to me every morning.

I pull away from him and look up at his eyes, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“Are you still happy that we’re both moving in? It won’t be too crowded for you?”

His eyes soften and I see something in them that I’d never noticed before. He looks completely peaceful. When he speaks his voice is steady and low.

“I want you here with me, Izzy. I love you, and Jess too. You’re my family.”

You’re my family. His words echo through me and I feel happiness tingling through my body. Ever since my mother got locked up, it’s like a weight has been lifted off me. I never realised how much I’d been looking over one shoulder my whole life, worried about when she’d reappear and turn everything upside down. Now I have Dave and Jess and we’re going to be together, like a real family.

Well, that’s what I’m hoping. I’ve applied to become Jess’s legal guardian. The investigation and kidnapping brought so much attention down on our family that my father had to come back and explain why I’ve been the one taking care of Jess. It was Dave who suggested we adopt my little sister, and now we’re just waiting to hear the outcome.

He leans down and rubs his nose against mine ever so gently. I close my eyes and smile, tilting my head up for a kiss.

His hand moves down my spine as he pulls me in close. Our bodies fuse together and I know deep in my heart that they were made for each other. How else would we fit so perfectly together?

His lips touch mine and I feel a warmth spreading from my core through my whole body. He squeezes me in tight and a shiver travels down my spine. I tangle my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck and breathe in deeply, inhaling his spicy scent. His hands feel like heaven on my body, roaming from my lower back down to my ass and back up again.

A sound rings out from the bed beside us. I recognise my phone’s email notification sound. I jump back from Dave, eyes wide. His eyebrows shoot up.

“You think that’s the lawyer?”

“She did say she would email today,” I reply, turning my head towards my phone. It’s sitting on the bed, taunting me. I pull myself away from Dave and pick it up gently, cradling the black screen in my hand.

I glance up at Dave and he nods at me, smiling encouragingly.

“Let’s find out,” he says. The deep baritone notes of his voice sooth my nerves enough for me to unlock the phone.

My heart is pounding in my chest as I click to the email and scan the first couple lines. Suddenly my heart is beating harder and a smile is breaking my face open as I jump up and down.

“It went through! We’re approved! Oh Dave! She’ll be able to stay with us forever!” I’m hopping up and down in excitement and Dave starts laughing with joy. He picks me up and spins me around the room, dropping me back down gently and wrapping his arms around me once again.

“I knew it would work out,” he says with a smile. He pauses and opens his mouth as if he’s about to say something.

“What?” I ask, slightly anxiously.

“My own lawyer contact me yesterday. About your money.”

I frown for a second until I remember the other $100,000 of our marriage agreement.

“Oh, ok,” I reply, not knowing what to say. I feel awkward.

“Now, you can say no, the money is yours and you can do what you want with it. But I started a college fund for Jess with the money that would mature when she graduates high school. I added a little bit more to it, so there should be enough for her to go wherever she wants to study without having to worry about money.” He pauses, frowning. He looks nervous.

“Look, Iz, I know it was presumptuous of me but my financial advisor has access to really good investment funds that just wouldn’t be available to you with a smaller down payment. If you want the money in your own account just tell me and I’ll transfer it over.” His face contorts again. “I hope that’s ok.”

A smile spreads across my face and I jump into his arms wrapping my legs around his waist. “Oh Dave! That’s the most beautiful thing anyone’s ever done for us. Of course that’s ok! It’s exactly what I wanted the money for anyways.”

I laugh as his face relaxes and he flashes that brilliant smile at me. He takes a few steps towards the bed and drops me down onto it, pressing his body over mine. He lays a gentle kiss on my lips and I feel the weight of his chest over mine.

“What do you say we take a little break from unpacking?” He whispers mischievously. I laugh and nod, pulling him into my embrace.