Succeeding Love

Epilogue

Feighlynn

Three Years and Seven Months Later…

Standing at the kitchen sink, I took a second to enjoy the peace in the cool stream of the AC. I could still hear the squealing and laughter of half a dozen toddlers and other kids out in the backyard. The pool was in full use and we had a water slide set up with a bounce house in the back of the yard.

Preston, on a break from college, was acting as lifeguard for Joy’s third birthday party, and Jessie was helping Kate scoop ice cream into dozens of little cones for everyone to eat with their cake. The cake was minnie mouse themed, and now I have pink frosting down the front of my shirt.

I used washing the cake knife and my shirt as an excuse to get out of the heat for a second. I knew how torturous it was being this pregnant during a Texas summer, but my pregnant brain forgot that as I was planning our daughter’s party.

“There you are,” a deep, inviting voice made me grin as my husband approached me from behind. “I was looking for you.”

“I’m hot,” I whined, leaning back against the hard chest of this incredible man.

“Yeah, you are,” he murmured suggestively, bending over me to rub his hands down my swollen belly. He cradled them under my abdomen and lifted, helping to relieve the strain on my insides.

I sighed in relief. “I love when you do that.”

He chuckled in the sexy way he does, kissing the top of my head. “I love doing it for you.” Rubbing his thumbs over where little feet started pressing against my womb, he murmured, “This little guy is ready to come out.”

“Kevin the third,” I giggled.

“That’s not his name,” Vin grunted.

“It is if I get a hold of that birth certificate first.”

“That will not be an issue,” he laughed softly against my ear. “I’ll slip the nurse a fifty to bring all the paperwork to me.”

“Fine,” I smiled, leaning into him. “Phillip it is.”

“I thought you liked Phillip?”

I shrugged. “I like Kevin a whole lot, though.”

“You’re sweet, baby,” he snuggled my neck. “Do you not like Phillip after all? We could have another Disney movie night with the kids to come up with a name like we did for Joy.”

I confessed I got Jessie and Kevin’s names from Disney movies after we named our daughter Joy. Joy was also from a Pixar classic. He pointed out that I usually pick characters that act most like me to fixate on, so I stepped back and let him pick this baby’s name.

Phillip.

Vin told me about a friend that he deployed with that never made it back home, and when he suggested the name, I knew it was important to him. Al even teared up a bit when he heard the name. Emma knew who Phillip was to our husbands, and we sat and listened as the men reminisced the rest of the night. It was a sweet moment for the guys to tell stories about their fallen friend.

“I was just teasing you, Kevin the first. I think Phillip is the perfect name.”

I felt his smile against my skin before he kissed my neck one more time. His soothing hands on my belly were so tender and nurturing, I could never imagine naming our child anything else.

“Daddy! Daddy!” Joy suddenly came hurrying into the kitchen, dragging someone behind her. “Joy gib cake to Ick!”

Vin laughed, slowly releasing my belly to shake Nick’s hand. “Hey. Glad you could make it.”

“Thanks for the invite,” Nick said, then smiled down at Joy. “Maybell has your present, sweet girl.”

“Pe-sent!” Joy threw her hands in the air and cheered.

Vin kissed my cheek. “I’ll take care of the cake and set up the presents. Take your time cooling off.”

“Okay,” I grinned, watching as Joy dragged her daddy back outside. Joy was little bitty, even for a three-year-old, and Vin was still huge. It was funny watching a twenty-five pound toddler command a two-hundred and thirty pound giant.

“Do you need help with anything?” Nick asked me, hesitating at the door.

“Nope. Just hiding in the air conditioning for a minute before rejoining all the fun.”

Nick snickered, looking at my belly, “You sure pick the worst months to be pregnant.”

“Hey,” I waved an extra ice cream scoop at him. “You just wait. Maybell will be waddling around your house pretty soon.”

He grinned, looking as happy as could be at the thought. “Yeah. I can’t wait.”

With a wave, he followed Vin and Joy back out to the yard.

Nick quit his job at his firm soon after the incident in the parking garage. I think he finally realized he was surrounding himself with jerks and that lifestyle was rubbing off on him in all the worst ways. He started working for a smaller firm out of the city where he met Maybell, a paralegal who was also a single parent. Her son was actually one of Preston’s friends.

They hit it off, and after dating for a year, Nick sold his condo and bought a house for the both of them. I like Maybell, and so did both of my kids. Maybell and her son are actually a big reason Preston and his dad get along today.

Maybell and Nick got married at the courthouse three months ago, and Maybell called to tell me last weekend that they were expecting. I couldn’t be happier for my ex. He had to reach rock bottom, but he’s sure come a long way, and I can see with him and Maybell what Vin and I have.

First marriages don’t always last. Statistically, Nick and I lasted longer than most before the inevitable divorce. That didn’t mean either of us was incapable of love. I think we both just had to grow into ourselves and learn how love was supposed to be. It’s not always butterflies and chest tingles. It takes work. It has to be with the right person or it will all fall apart.

Nick finally found his right person. I found mine in Vin. Vin and I may go through more storms together, but I know Vin and I can make it through. Together.

It helps that I still get those butterflies and chest tingles even after four years together. My action hero was as swoon-worthy today as he’s been since the day we met, the day he saved my dog from a stray cat.

“Mom,” Jessie poked her head in the back door. “Vin’s having trouble keeping Joy out of the presents now that she’s seen them.”

I laughed, knowing we didn’t have long before Joy had tore into every package like the little whirlwind she was.

“Alright. Let’s go.”

I waddled my way outside, sticking my tongue out at Kate when she started making fun of my walk. Vin was holding our daughter, who was crying against his shoulder, with an ice cream cone in one of her fists. It was dripping down his shirt, but he didn’t care.

“I! Want! Pe-sents!” Joy took a haggard breath and screamed.

“I know, baby girl. Mama just needs a few more-” Vin saw me and he visibly relaxed. “Look,” he nudged Joy. “Mama’s right there.”

Joy lifted her face to make sure I was there. I waved and her tears instantly stopped. A huge smile spread across her ice-cream coated face.

“Pe-sents!”

Everyone around laughed. “Let me get your mama a chair, then we can start,” Vin said, kissing her curls.

“Mama!” Joy ran towards me. “Joy gib all duh pe-sents!”

“I see them!” I giggled as she grabbed my hand and hurried me along.

Vin had a chair ready for me before we reached the pile, and I gratefully sat down. There was no stopping Joy once she got the green light. I had to observe and catch the cards and write who each item was from quickly as she tore through every package at record speed. She was adorable, running to each giver after opening their gift and thanking them with a big, sticky hug.

“I fucking love you,” Vin whispered in my ear when all the presents were opened, and the chaos was done. “You know that?”

“Hmm,” I giggled, pretending to think while turning my face towards his. “Do you know I love you more?”

“Not a chance,” he retorted.

Just then, Wes came back into the yard from taking out the present trash, and a stray cat walked by. Kevin saw it, and before the gate could close, he dashed for it.

“No, Kevin!” Velma got up from her chair, looking more concerned than anyone. I wasn’t worried. I knew a hero would come save the day.

“Damn it,” Vin groaned.

I laughed. “Go save the day again, my action hero. I’ll be here feeding your baby another slice of cake.”

He kissed me one more time, resting his hand on my belly before taking off before Kevin got too far.

Watching him run to catch my dog, all I could think about was how lucky I was to have succeeded in love with this amazing man.