“I already do.”
Epilogue
Two Years Later
Ari
“Another one? Jesus Christ, are you two building your own football team? “ Sophie asks.
“Three children is hardly a football team. And I agreed to four. That’s a good even number.” The truth is I had to fight to stop at four. Apparently ‘Operation Matthews’ is a long term plan that started with a reconciliation and now includes lots of children. Even though he agreed to stop at four, I know his persistence when he wants something. And I have a feeling he may want more. He loves being a father more than anything in the world. I find this incredibly sexy.
We didn’t find out the sex until delivery on the last pregnancy and when the doctor announced it was a girl, Reed cried. We named her Katy Jayne. The experience was much different than when Davis was born. We had endless visitors and Luke and Sophie moved in with us for a week. I didn’t want to be away from anyone I loved and I felt the loss of Katy especially hard. Amy and Cara came too for a few weeks until Reed kicked everyone out and declared he ‘wanted his fucking family to himself’.
When Davis started Kindergarten this year, it hit Reed as hard as me. He still has intense regret missing so much of Davis’s first few years, but has gradually moved on. As promised, Davis is involved in pee-wee football and Reed doesn’t miss a practice or a game. God help everyone when the sport gradually becomes competitive because Davis is his father to a tee.
I guess being around each other so much, it was inevitable. Sophie and Jack started dating seriously and she moved to Jacksonville last year when he proposed. It only took us one month to talk Luke into moving as well. I think it was mostly because Davis begged him to come.
Davis went from having one male figure in his life to having three in a matter of months. If you counted the football players and Connor, then the number was endless. But he was still very close to Luke and wanted him around as much as possible. I thought Reed would have a problem with this, but surprisingly, he encouraged Luke to move as close to us as he could.
Luke was dating casually, but I get the feeling he has finally met someone special. She’s been around for a few months now and his attraction is obvious. The best thing is she has no jealousy with the closeness Luke and I have. Since he started seeing her, I haven’t seen him with anyone else.
A day hasn’t gone by that Reed hasn’t showed me how much he loves me. I try to tell him that I’m the lucky one, but he disagrees. We found out I was pregnant again last week and this time no birth control was involved. We were able to safely remove the IUD the last time I was pregnant and I had an uncomplicated pregnancy. I never inserted another one. We started trying as soon as Katy turned one.
I couldn’t wait to tell Sophie and Luke because they took bets on how long it would take for Reed to get me pregnant again. Sophie won, it only took one month.
“Mama?” Katy reaches her chubby finger up to me. I put her in the high chair, knowing it’s time for dinner.
“Where is that husband who keeps knocking you up?” Sophie asks.
“Someone looking for me?” Reed walks in and immediately comes to me. One hand rests on my stomach while the other goes to my neck. He kisses me until I’m breathless.
“Really? I’m standing right here. And your daughter is watching.”
“I haven’t kissed my wife since this morning, get over it.” He tells her and bends down to kiss Katy on the forehead. “I’m hitting the shower.” He walks out and winks at me.
“Is that Reed speak for ‘join me in the shower’?”
“Probably, but I have a baby to feed.”
“Let me do it.”
Looking at her like she’s crazy but I’ve noticed the signs lately of her maternal instinct coming out. I hand her the baby food and watch as she sits down and takes over.
“Sophie, I don’t know if I ever took the chance to thank you. Because of your push to stop fighting against Reed, I now live the fairytale he promised me. I want that for you too.” I squeeze her hand tightly.
“Ari, babe, you give him the fairytale too.”
I want to argue but can’t. Through even the worst times, we have overcome the obstacles my grandma told me were worth it. She was right and my husband is living proof that even the most horrible situations can have happy endings.
I kiss her on the cheek and walk towards my bedroom. My husband wants me in the shower and he almost always gets what he wants.