Epilogue - Brooke
I can’t believe I’ve been married for three weeks. I still can’t get over how Anthony had surprised me. I’m not sure I’ll ever be over it. I can’t believe a day as perfect as our wedding day was mine. I can’t believe a man as wonderful as Anthony is mine. I can’t believe we’re each other’s, forever. I’m so thrilled every day that Anthony kept our wedding date, that we didn’t wait for another second to get married. He’s only been back in town a short amount of time, but I already can’t imagine spending a moment of my life without him.
Our honeymoon had been perfect. We’d seen every single sight we’d ever talked about as teenagers. Anthony had brought the album of postcards I’d gotten him for high school graduation, and we’d be sure to take our own pictures of every landmark and attraction on them. We’d sent actual postcards to David every few days. We’d seen roadside oddities and beautiful natural wonders and we’d explored ghost towns and thriving busy little cities. Anthony had convinced me to try all sort of food I’d never had before, seafood and foreign cuisines and other things we’d didn’t really have in town but that I loved the flavors of.
I never really thought I’d be able to take a trip like that, really get away, but Anthony had made it possible. We’d spent days exploring the countryside, and the nights in seedy motels and high-end hotels alike exploring each other, sometimes hardly sleeping, unable to stop touching each other.
We’ve been back for two days and we’re having lunch with Autumn. Our wedding pictures came in the mail yesterday, and Autumn had wanted to see them all and to hear more details of our honeymoon road trip, in person. She’s so much more lively these days, so much more like herself. Even her apartment is cleaner and brighter than it used to be. I wouldn’t have thought months ago it was possible for both of us to be in such a good place. I’m so glad I was wrong.
Anthony’s photographer friend did an amazing job with the pictures. Every single one of them looks ready to be framed. Anthony and I look so in love in them, so in love and so happy.
“This one of you both dancing with David is so adorable,” Autumn says, smiling softly as she looks over the picture in front of her.
“David is an especially photogenic kid,” Anthony says, grinning and grabbing my hand under the table, squeezing.
A knock on the door surprises us all, and Autumn shrugs as she stands up. I tense a little, old fears rising up. Anthony runs his thumb over my wrist, at my pulse, a silent reminder to breathe, that it’s okay. We stand up and follow Autumn, and see Sheriff Marken, the chief of police, at the door.
“Good afternoon, Sheriff,” Autumn says, sounding a little nervous herself.
“I wanted to come here and tell you the good news in person,” Sheriff Marken says. He’s a kind older man with a slow and almost sleepy sounding voice. He’s been with the police department as long as I can remember.
“The good news?” Autumn asks. Anthony squeezes my hand again.
“After review, we’re not going to be moving forward with your case in any way. No trial, and no more questioning. Your case has been classified as self-defense, and closed permanently,” Sheriff Marken says.
“That’s it?” Autumn asks, her eyes wide. She sounds out of breath and in shock.
“He had a list of crime a mile long, and obviously every intention to commit more. He was a bad man, the kind we don’t want in our town. You should have come forward right away, but we know you didn’t mean any to hurt anyone. You’re a good girl, Autumn. Everyone around here knows you’d never do anything wrong if you thought you had a choice. We know you were just scared. I do have to advise you to please, in the future, come to us right away with anything.” Sheriff Marken says, smiling fondly at Autumn. His own daughter is an only year or two older than I am. He’s seen Autumn and I grow up in this town.
“So it’s really over?” Autumn asks. She’s rocking on her heels the way she does when she’s excited about something. It reminds me of when we were children and she used to spend all Christmas Eve bouncing through our house.
“It’s really over,” Sheriff Marken says.
Autumn and I cheer and hug at his words. We hold onto each for a long time, both not quite believing it’s actually over, one hundred percent over, for real. I feel like the last little bit of shadow has been removed, the last bit of heaviness lifted.
That night at home, after an amazing meal we cook together, and after David is tucked into bed, Anthony and I can’t stop touching each other. I can’t stop kissing him, this wonderful man, my best friend, my husband.
“I love you so much,” Anthony says, sliding his hands up my back. As always, I feel like I’m melting under his touches, and I arch up under them, moving even closer to him in bed.
“I love you,” I say, kissing him over and over. I wonder if it will always feel this magical, feel so much like everything got so much better for me because Anthony came home. I run my hand up his chest, under his shirt, feeling his muscles, and feel sure that it always will.
I slide my hand lower, toward his pants, and Anthony groans. I need him tonight, need him right now. I pull even closer to him, gasping as he moves his hands lower too, over my ass, cupping and squeezing. He rolls over us a little, so he’s on top of me, leaning over me, kissing me firmly and making me bite back a moan.
Our clothes are completely discarded a minute later, and he’s inside me, making me cry out with every movement of his hips. I’ll never get tired of how it feels to be with Anthony like this, to have him fuck me like this, to feel filled with him, to come with his hands and strokes, to make him come, to feel him come inside me. It’s a high I think I could chase for the rest of my life. The best sensations I’ve ever known.
Everything about Anthony is the best I’ve ever known. Every moment we spend together is the best I’ve ever had. I don’t know what would have happened if we’d stayed in touch when we were kids, or if we’d admitted our crushes on each other when we were teenagers. Maybe it would have been this perfect, or maybe we weren’t ready then. I don’t know, but I’m glad it happened the way it did. It gave us David. It gave us a story of how we got together that I’ll want to tell over and over.
Everything leads us to this moment, right now, naked and sweating and both building up higher and higher in a beautiful bed, in a beautiful house, in our beautiful life together.
I clutch him as I come, shouting his name and shaking, grateful for everything we have together.
Falling asleep wrapped in him a little while later, all I think is that this is where I belong, that right here in Anthony’s arms is exactly where I’m supposed to be.
*****
THE END