I drop down on one knee and the arena erupts with noise. She doesn't even look surprised when I hold out the ring for her to see. She just looks deliriously happy. There’s only one thing left to do.
Ask the question.
“Harper...will you marry me?”
“Yes. Of course, I will,” she whispers, but everyone hears. They see it in our faces that we’re both living the best moment of our lives so far. I slide the ring onto her finger and then stand to scoop her into my arms, kissing her. I’ve never heard so much noise in my entire life as the audience goes wild, rooting for us in a way I never thought my fans would. It feels so good knowing that they’re pleased for me because it only affirms what I knew to be true right from the start.
Harper and I are perfect for one another.
Extended Epilogue
Two years later...
Harper
The piano keys feel delicate beneath my fingers as I begin to play Ada’s Lullaby. I play it pianissimo, just loud enough to lull Ada into sleep without actually making her feel more awake. She lies in her bed, her gentle features smushed into the pillow as she quickly drifts off to sleep.
By the time I finish the piece, my eyes are filled with happy tears. Playing the music I wrote for her the night she was born always brings tears to my eyes. It makes me realize just how lucky I am to have her. It reminds me of how much she inspires me every single day. It reminds me that I not only created her lullaby, but also a living person. She never fails to amaze me as I watch her sleep. She feels like a miracle to me.
“That song is so beautiful. Just like you.”
I look up to see Clay standing in the doorway, watching the scene unfold. We don’t have a lot of quiet moments like this these days. Having a family, as it turns out, is usually a very noisy affair. There’s a lot of crying and toddler tantrums on Ada’s part, as well as a lot of laughing and singing and babbling. Then there are all of the loud moments Clay and I share in the comfort of our bedroom, loud lovemaking and exploring of one another’s body, right on the opposite side of our beachside house so that we don’t wake Ada. Thirdly, of course, there’s the music that always fills our house, from my multitude of instruments to Clay’s singing and Ada’s solos on her baby drum kit. We might not have the noise of New York City anymore, but more often than not, it feels like there’s noise everywhere around our ears.
But sometimes, we get these pockets of quietness where it’s like we’re just basking in the quiet joy our life so often provides. Things have changed a lot for both Clay and me. I’ve had to adjust to life as a mother, and he’s adjusted to not touring as much to care for Ada. We’ve made sacrifices, but it doesn’t feel that way to either of us. When we’re both able to sit in the same room, watching our daughter sleep, how can we be anything, but filled with joy?
“Maybe I’ll have a new lullaby to write soon,” I say with a blissful smile. Clay takes my hand and helps me to my feet.
“Let’s hope so,” he growls quietly, not wanting to wake Ada. He leads me from the room and I know that this is the moment of truth. He hands me the pregnancy test and I slip into the bathroom to take it.
As I wait for the results of the test, I close my eyes and wish hard. We’ve been trying for our second child almost ever since Ada was born. All we want from life is to have a house filled with children. Now, it’s the moment of truth. Now, it’s time to see if we’ve succeeded in creating another little miracle.
I imagine what the future will look like if I’m pregnant. All of the memories I’ll get to make. Holding a tiny child in my arms again. Getting to experience the joys of breastfeeding once again, and choosing cute outfits for him or her. Watching them grow, developing their own personality, seeing if they look more like me or like Clay. Beyond that, I can’t even imagine. I still don’t know half the joys of Ada’s childhood. She has so much growing left to do, but it sometimes feels like time is going too fast. Maybe this will slow things down a little. Maybe in all the chaos of our beautiful life, I can put the brakes on and prepare for the next adventure.
I open my eyes.
I scream so loud that I’ve probably woken Ada, but I can’t hide my excitement for even a moment. Clay thrusts the bathroom door open, looking protectively at me like he’s ready to protect me from anything.