28. Epilogue

Epilogue

Tripp - Six months later

"Are you ready, sweetheart?"

"No, my feet are swollen. Do we have to go somewhere?"

I turned to see my gorgeous wife with her pale blonde hair spun up into a bun on top of her head. Her tiny mini me also had a little sprig of hair put up in a cute little bow because she wanted to be so much like her mommy, but she hadn't grown enough hair in yet to make it happen.

Still, they made me smile in their matching dresses. Those were a gift from my oldest daughter, Star, just for this occasion. Not that my girls knew today was a special day.

"Are you sure? I have a special surprise for you both."

Coral started to clap as Vina rolled her eyes. "You spoil us, but seriously, only if it's a short ride because my hips hurt, and my feet really are swollen."

"Okay, sweetheart. I promise, it will be well worth the trip, and I will even massage your feet for you later."

"Massage my feet, you say?"

"Yep. Does that mean you'll get in the truck now?"

"Fine," she sighed. Our daughter mocked her mother and also sighed deeply, as if she knew what was going on. We both chuckled at our little drama queen.

She had been in remission for four months now and had managed to get every bit of sass back she possibly could. It was like she stored it all up with all the napping she had done when sick.

It took less than five minutes to drive to the location we'd picked for our house. We both wanted it to be close to the club, but not too close to town. As soon as we rolled up to the house, Vina looked around. "What are we doing here?"

"Well, that's part of the surprise. I got the boys on the ball and had the house finished ahead of schedule, so we could move in before you pop." I glanced sideways at Vina's growing belly. She was seven months pregnant. Apparently, the first time I was inside her (that's what I tell myself) again, I managed to knock her up. The two of us combined were apparently very fertile stock and now, we were two months away from meeting our son. Onyx Perrish Martin. Our boy had also become our daughter's savior, if it was ever necessary. We were having the umbilical cord saved in cryostorage, because those cells could be used to help Coral if she ever got sick again. Her brother was a very close match to his sister.

"Tripp, we can't just move in. We have to buy furniture and get everything set up. It will probably take me another month to do that. Actually, longer because I can't be on my feet much, since your boy is wearing me out."

"Our boy, and that's okay, sweetheart. Star and Kip managed to get everything set up. They got all the stuff you marked in the catalogs I gave you."

"What?"

"Why don't we get out of the truck and head on inside, so I can show you?"

"Tripp?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"I love you with everything I have."

"Love you even more, sweetheart. Now, let's go home."

When Vina looked up at our house again, Star, Bagger, Kip, Knoxville, and Mr. and Mrs. Avery were all standing there waving at her. A tear rolled down my old lady's face when she noticed them waiting for us.

"I have a home and a family now," she said. It was probably the saddest and most beautiful thing she could have said in that moment, and it only made me love her more.