Epilogue

Three years later ...

It was a beautiful day. Happy energy buzzed through the air, coaxing the nervous graduates lined up on stage to smile and wave out at their friends and loved ones. Sadie waved at us from her seat in the middle row with a blinding smile.

"Wave back," I urged gently. When that didn't get me anywhere, I sighed and picked up my shy toddler's hand and waved it around.

Jack chuckled softly beside me and I glared at him.

"What?"

"Nothing."

My glare narrowed until my eyes were merely slits. "Spit it out, Paxton."

He had the nerve to don an expression of bewilderment. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

The lie might have been convincing if it weren't for the subtle tilt of his lips. Smug bastard.

"Hmm. Fine." I turned my nose up at him and looked the other way.

Jack's hand found my chin and turned me back. He pressed a gentle kiss on my lips, and for a second I forgot that I was supposed to be mock angry with him.

"You're just adorable, is all," he said. "You're the most supportive parent here and you aren't even technically a parent."

"I'm a parent!" I complained, pointing demonstratively at the beautiful dark-haired girl on my lap. Emily had just turned two and today was a rare occasion of quiet from her. Normally she babbled nonstop about whatever crossed her mind, but the crowd was making our shy girl nervous.

"Not Sadie's, though. It's just cute. I know it means a lot to her, too."

My heart warmed and all was forgiven. I took Jack's hand in my free one and squeezed. Meanwhile, I hugged Em close and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. She had her father's hair, as well as his eyes and mouth. She had my nose though, and Jack always said she took after me the sass department too, though that remained to be seen.

We had a few minutes before the ceremony was due to start, so when Dr. Ferdinand caught my eye from down the row and gestured me over, I happily placed Em down with her dad and walked over.

"Mrs. Paxton," Dr. Ferdinand greeted. "I forgot that your sister was graduating this semester. And you'll be finished soon, correct?"

I nodded. "Only another year or so."

"I wanted to commend you on your latest project. Dr. Gerstimer and I were chatting about it between classes the other day and we both agreed that your use of color has a definite and unique style to it. Your work certainly stands out amongst the crowd, particularly for someone with such a relative lack of experience. You should be proud."

"Thank you, Dr. Ferdinand." I bit my lip in an effort not to smile so wide my jaw fell off. "I wouldn't be where I am now without you."

He shrugged. "Who knows? In any case, I'm excited to see what you come up with next. Is that your husband you're with?"

"Sure is. And our baby girl Emily."

"You have a beautiful family."

"Thank you. I'm lucky."

The MC walked onto the stage and I gave a curt goodbye wave before making my way back to my seat. My pulse danced under my skin, a jaunty, happy clog.

"What was that about?" Jack whispered.

I leaned closer to him and ran my hand over Emily's crown. "He wanted to commend me for that underwater painting I did."

"Good job, sweet heart." Jack leaned over and kissed the top of my head. "I told you you could do it."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

He still rubbed it in my face whenever he got the chance that he had been right all along about where I could end up. Since fair is fair I rubbed it in his face whenever possible that I was right about him being able to go further in life if he applied himself. He just finished trades school and now had a carpentry designation that had opened up so many doors we didn't know which one to go through. Jack was still sifting through job offers, but whichever one he selected in the end would be incredible.

On stage, the MC began to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my privilege to introduce you to the class of 2021."

The crowd applauded, and I got Emily to clap too, even though she was more interested in a piece of lint on Jack's shirt. Thankfully she stayed quiet and settled while the graduates walked across the stage. When it came Sadie's time, both Jack and I shot up from our seats and cheered. Emily, never one to be outdone, cheered even louder.

We met up with Sadie on the lawns outside of the auditorium after the ceremony. When I say "met up" I mean she tackled Jack into a flying hug and then hoisted Emily into her arms and started singing the Lion King song.

"You'd think that being a college graduate would make you act more mature," Jack commented.

Sadie stuck her tongue out on him and rested Em on her hip. "You'd think being married would make you more chill."

"Guys, guys." I got between them, giggling. "Can we be civil just for one day?"

Both Paxtons started laughing uncontrollably.

"Civil?" Jack asked, slinging an arm around my shoulders. "We're family. Civil's not in our vocabulary."

"Yeah, Mel." Sadie came into my other side and wrapped an arm around me. "What's the good of having family if you can't fight with them a little?"

"If that's how you feel, great. But know that if you get us kicked out of the restaurant tonight I will beat the crap out of both of you."

"Better keep it together, eh big bro?" Sadie said, grinning.

"Anything for this woman." Jack pressed his lips against my hair.

We broke apart, though Jack held onto my hand, and continued down the lawn toward the parking lot while Sadie excitedly rattled off story after story about her graduation. This kind of scene had become so normal for me that it was crazy to think how my life had been when I first met Jack.

Though with Donnie, I’d been alone. Though busy, I’d been unfulfilled. And though I believed I was happy, I didn’t even know what happiness was.

I knew what happiness was now. I knew true joy, true wonder. I knew the kind of uniquely sweet pain that comes from waking up in the middle of the night to soothe one’s baby back to sleep.

More importantly, for the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to have a family.