Epilogue

EPILOGUE

Mal

Five Years Later

" T here you go, baby, just a few more steps," I encouraged my toothy, curly-haired daughter who was currently trying her hardest to stay on her feet.

With her little tongue poked out in concentration, my chest swelled in pride with each unsteady step she took. Just when I thought she was going to fall over, she quickly fixed her footing and closed the distance between us with a goofy little grin.

Immediately, I caught her in my arms and lifted her into the air.

"You did it, Hails!" I praised with a wide-stretched grin across my face.

A perfect giggle filled the air around us, causing her mother—my wife—to waddle down the hill in the backyard toward us.

"Baby girl, did you show your daddy how good you can walk now?" Doe smiled at our daughter, causing her to squeal in excitement.

God, she was cutest fuckin' thing.

All that dark hair like mine, eyes golden brown like her mama's, she was the perfect mixture of us. Stubborn at times, but perfect nonetheless.

"You're done with all that crawlin' around now, aren't you?" She stopped right beside us and reached up to squeeze her cheek.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from them.

My whole entire world was standing right in front of me. Something I thought I'd never deserve, yet here I was.

A father.

A husband.

And now a retired hockey player.

Everything had fallen into place, and even now as I watched adoringly as Doe had taken Hailey in her arms, I couldn't have hoped for anything more perfect than this.

I'd found my dream—my purpose—and without a second thought, I pulled them both in close to me.

"Love my girls." I swept them both into my embrace and dropped a kiss onto each one of their foreheads. "How you feelin' today?" I peered down into my wife's eyes, searching for any sign of discomfort.

She was nearing the end of the first trimester with our son, but the morning sickness had been kicking her ass lately. I hated seeing her so sick, but she was handling it like a champ.

"Better than yesterday." She smiled with a hopeful gleam in her eye that had me dropping another kiss onto her head.

"Good." I laid my palm over her belly. "No more babies after, I can't stand the thought of you being sick like this again."

I was hesitant about trying for another child after our daughter, especially since she was high-risk. Every appointment I made sure that I was there, even when she told me I didn't need to, I always went. Even now with our son, I refused to let my wife go alone.

Wherever she went, I went.

"It's worth it." She refocused her attention back to Hailey who was blabbering into her hand that she couldn't seem to keep out of her mouth. "Plus, baby Hails wants at least two more siblings to play outside with her daddy, don't you, sweet girl?"

Almost immediately, the most precious smile lifted onto Hailey's face, causing my heart to swell. Every time I looked at her, a part of me softened. Like a realization of what my life was now and never imagined it could be stared back at me when I looked at either of them.

It rocked me to my core every time and I knew there wouldn't be a day when it wouldn't. I was grateful beyond fucking words and even now as I held the two most perfect girls in my arms, I couldn't help but silently thank whoever it was that gave them to me.

Without them, I'd be nothing.

"Is that right, baby girl?" I tickled her just underneath her chin, filling the air with a burst of the sweetest chuckles known to man. "You think you need more than just your baby brother?"

I couldn't tell if Doe was teasing about having more kids, but I had a feeling if it came down to her wanting more, there's no way I could refuse her.

Not when I'd be given endless smiles, endless laughter, and endless happiness.

"Is Daddy getting you?" Doe laughed along with her as I tickled my way down to her belly.

Her tiny hands went to push me away and that's when I scooped her out of my wife's arms and pulled her in close to me.

She was getting big fast and I wished the time would slow down. Soon, she'd be running circles around us and I'll be trying to catch up with her.

It made my throat tighten just thinking about all the accomplishments she's made in life already. From rolling over, to sitting up on her own, I was there for it all.

And even now, the thought of her being a big sister.

Fuck…

She was going to be the best. I already knew it.

"You know I'm just teasing you, Mal. As much as I'd love having endless children with you, I love our little family." Doe ran her palm down her stomach lovingly before lifting her eyes to meet mine. "I love this life we created."

Goddammit, Doe.

All I could think about was how badly I wanted to drag her into our bedroom where I could show her just how fucking crazy about her I was.

"Me too, baby." I held my hand out for her to grab and immediately, she placed it in mine.

And just when I was about to pull her in for a kiss, a voice appeared from the house where I noticed the shadow of a person.

"You got my girl down there?" Greg shouted as both he and Shelia sauntered down the hill with beaming smiles directed toward Hailey.

Once she heard her grandfather's voice, she instantly began to seek him out.

"Aw, there she is!" Greg closed the distance between us and snatched my daughter out of my hands.

The toothless smile she gave him had all of us melting.

She loved her grandparents so much. As she should. They were the greatest people I've ever known and now watching them love and care for our daughter was single-handedly the most precious thing in the world.

I let them know every chance I get how appreciative I am to have them in my life and of course they respond with the same to me.

Eventually we made our way back up to the house where James and his family were waiting for us on our back deck.

This was our Sunday.

Spent with family and friends, we cooked out, and talked about everything and anything. At first, I wasn't thrilled about the idea but now that we've been doing it for years, I actually look forward to Sundays…

Our life was perfect, but it wasn't without its struggles and hardships. But if it weren't for Greg and Shelia, Doe, Hailey, my unborn son, and Hayes, I don't know where I'd be.

Lost, I'm sure.

And as I watched on as my family interacted with one another, as my baby girl ran around with James's son, and as my wife slowly turned her head and caught my eyes and smiled, I knew I was one lucky man.

So goddamn lucky that I couldn't help but smile back at my beautiful wife, Doe.

Then peering off into the distance, where the sun was slowly dipping down into the sky, I thought of Hayes.

I knew he was here with me. Right by my side, he was watching over us.

Watching over Doe.

Watching over our daughter.

And I hoped he could see how happy I was. How I had finally found my purpose in life and it was all because of him.

Because he never gave up on me.

And without him, I wouldn't have this life.

I wouldn't have them.

And as I caught Doe's eyes once again, but this time she was dropping down into my lap and cuddling into my chest, I couldn't help but close my eyes and revel in the feeling of her closeness.

This was my forever.

My purpose.

My entire existence, and I couldn't stop myself from cradling her body closer to mine until I could feel the steady beating of her heart against my chest.

"I love you, Mal," she whispered into my neck, just below my chin.

Then without hesitation, without a thought, I whispered back with my lips against her forehead, "I love you more, Doe."

Forever.

The End