Epilogue

Ten years later

Ryan

I watch my wife on the makeshift podium of our son's school, making animated gestures while she speaks to the kids about internet safety. She always shines so brightly when sharing her passion with kids and I never get tired of watching her talk no matter how many times I've heard her presentation. I'm glad she can do what she good really loves now. I've seen, over the years, how hard she's worked to get here and I couldn't be any more proud of her. She stopped working as a website programmer to pursue a degree in Elementary Education. I once asked her why she needed the degree when all she had to do was talk to kids and she said she wanted to be able to truly connect with children of various age groups when she teaches. Her dedication never ceases to blow my mind. She still takes on a few hacking jobs but it's no longer a secret, more of public activism.

Sammy, our three-year-old daughter, stirs in my arms. She fell asleep as soon as the program started and now she's waking up. I gently bounce her in my arms, in an effort to keep her calm. She opens her eyes, gorgeous green orbs dazed with sleep. She has her mom's sparkling green eyes and her bright smile, which she flashes at me as she stretches her tiny arms and yawns. I chuckle and kiss her forehead, feeling a wave of love wash over me.

"Hello, angel," I coo, smiling playfully at her.

She returns my smile and drops her head on my chest with a contented sigh. I rest my chin on her head and return my attention to my wife, who's now answering questions from the kids. She's so confident and articulate, and I can tell she's having a lot of fun. I look around the room, taking in the pleased expressions on the faces of the other parents and kids. They all seem engaged and interested in what she's saying, and I know she's making a real difference. I feel proud to be her husband, and I know that our kids are lucky to have her as a mom.

"Hey, Ry," a familiar voice whispers beside me and I look up to see Hilda sliding into the seat beside me, her fully painted red lips stretched in a big smile.

"Hilda! When did you get back into the country?"

She and her husband, Jack had gone on a trip to Mauritius for their fourth wedding anniversary and I didn't expect her back so soon. She looks happy though, and I'm glad she later gave Henry a chance to love her. He turned out to be the yin to her yang.

"Just now," she replies with a dismissive wave of her perfectly manicured fingers. "Jack sends his regards. He's sorry he couldn't be here as he had to attend an event in his community."

"What about you?" I ask, searching her face with an amused smile. "I thought you converted to Amish."

She rolls her eyes even as she returns my smile. "I realized I'm not cut out for the modest lifestyle. Besides, I missed my babies. Come on, give her to me."

I gently hand over Sammy, who is now fully awake, and reaching out for Hilda with a giggle. Hilda takes her great-niece into her arms, cooing softly and kissing her chubby cheeks.

"Oh, look at you, precious," Hilda says, bouncing Sammy gently on her lap. "Auntie missed you so much!"

"Hilly!" Sammy squeals, clapping her tiny hands. The kids are always so delighted to see Hilda. Probably because she spoils them. Not like I'm complaining. I like that my kids are surrounded by people who genuinely love them. They have us, their maternal grandparents, and Hilda. They get to grow up knowing they're cherished and can always fall back on their family.

"How was Mauritius?" I ask, watching the two of them with a smile.

"Absolutely stunning," Hilda replies, her eyes lighting up. "The beaches, the sunsets, the food...everything was perfect. But as much as I loved it, I missed home. And I missed all of you."

"We missed you too," I say sincerely. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," she says, looking around at the familiar faces and surroundings. "Especially for moments like these. I wouldn't miss seeing Jenna in action for anything."

We both turn to watch Jenna, who has now finished her presentation. The kids are clapping enthusiastically, and she beams at them, looking every bit the dedicated educator she's worked so hard to become. My heart swells with pride as I watch my wife shine.

Cole, our nine-year-old son runs up to her and she stoops to his level, opening her hands up to scoop up in a tight hug embrace. I feel a familiar rush of warmth in my chest as I watch them both. Jenna looks in my direction at that moment and our gazes clash. For a moment, time stands still and the world around us seems to fade away as we revel in each other's presence. Then she slowly rises to her feet, taking Cole's hand in hers, and starts to walk towards us. Cole seems to notice Hilda standing beside me just then.

His face lights up with a big smile. "Hilly!" He screams. He lets go of his mom's hand and sprints towards Hilda, arms extended to the sides.

"Slow down, Cole!" Jenna calls out but as expected, her attempt is futile.

Hilda quickly passes Sammy to me just in time for Cole to hurl himself at her. She picks him up with a dramatic groan, the combined sounds of their laughter filling the air as they spin around in a circle, Cole's little legs wrapped tightly around Hilda's waist.

"Come, Hilly! I'll let you meet my friends," Cole says, grabbing her hand the moment she sets him down.

"Oh, really?" Hilda exclaims with exaggerated surprise. "That would be an absolute honor!"

Cole beams and drags her towards his group of friends. I chuckle, shaking my head in amusement as I watch them go. Just then, Jenna reaches us, a smile still on her face, and wraps her arm around my waist, pulling me close. "I think someone's excited to see his great-aunt," she says, laughing.

I nod, grinning as I reach out to gently caress her face. "Hey, beautiful… you did great up there."

"Thanks, baby," Jenna says, stepping closer. She wraps an arm around my waist, and I lean down to kiss the top of her head. "I couldn't have done any of it without you." She lifts her head, looking around with a slight frown. "Mom and Dad aren't here? They promised to come."

I take her hand in mine, squeezing gently. "Your dad called to inform me that Henry is being released today on grounds of good conduct. They went to pick him up."

Jenna remains quiet for a while, her expression unreadable. Over the years, she and Henry have come to a sort of truce, but things are still very awkward between them. Jenna and Henry are trying, for their parents' sake, to find common ground and coexist, at least but the wounds of their past run too deep to be healed in a flash.

I can sense Jenna's tension even though she tries to play it off. I can almost hear the wheels turning in her head, churning up a web of complicated thoughts.

"Hey, baby, what's wrong?" I ask, searching her face.

She shrugs hesitantly. "It's just… I don't know how to feel," she says quietly. "I don't know if I should be happy for him or worried about him. He says he's changed but what if he hasn't? What if he still harbors some resentment towards me? I have so much to lose now; you, our kids… what if…" she trails off, letting out a shaky breath. "I'm kind of scared."

I wrap my free arm around her, pulling her against my body. "Hey, it's okay to feel scared, baby," I say, looking into her eyes. "It's natural to have doubts. But we'll face this together, just like we always do. We'll take things one step at a time, and we'll make sure to prioritize our family's well-being above all else." I pause, taking a deep breath before continuing. "As for Henry, we'll give him a chance to prove himself, but we won't let our guard down either. We'll be cautious, but also open-minded. And if things don't feel right, we'll address them head-on. Together." I kiss her forehead, giving her a reassuring smile. "We've got this, honey. Right?"

She nods, returning my smile. "Right. Thanks, baby."

Just then, Hilda returns with Cole. "Hey, Jenna. You were awesome up there," she says, pulling my wife in for a quick hug. Then she steps back, her eyes twinkling with mischief as she beams knowingly at the kids. "Who wants some ice cream?"

"I do!" Cole shouts excitedly.

"Me too!" Sammy choruses, squirming happily in my arms.

"This is your plan to steal our children from us, isn't it?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at Hilda with an amused smile.

"Guilty as charged!" She says with an unrepentant grin as she scoops Sammy from my arms. "But don't worry, I'll return them to you… eventually. It's the weekend, let me have some alone time with my babies."

Jenna chuckles in a way that makes her eyes sparkle beautifully. "Good for me," she says, blushing slightly as she raises her eyes to mine. "I get to spend the weekend alone with my husband."

I grin, leaning down to kiss her softly. "Sounds like the perfect plan."

Hilda laughs, adjusting Sammy on her hip while holding Cole's hand. "Alright, lovebirds. Enjoy your weekend. I've got the kids covered."

We watch her leave, Sammy held securely in one hand while Cole held on tightly to the other one, bouncing along excitedly. Jenna turns to me, her gaze soft and inviting. "What do you want to do first?"

I wrap my hands around her waist and pull her flush against my body, leaning down until my lips brush against her earlobe. "First, Little Fox… I want to fuck you senseless."

***

I drove like a maniac, and we barely made it home in one piece. Getting out of the car, I run to the passenger side, pull the door open, and grab Jenna's hand. I pull her in for a quick hard kiss. Then together, we start to run towards the house, giggling like school kids.

As soon as we get inside, take our clothes off in a frenzy, instantly reaching out for each other the moment the obstacles are finally out of the way. I hook an arm around her waist, pull her naked body against mine, and kiss her like my life depends on it– maybe it does because it feels like I'd literally drop dead if I didn't have her right now.

I push her gently to the couch, without taking my mouth off hers. I let my tongue explore every corner of her mouth until I had to pull away to catch my breath. Leaning back, I grab both her knees and press her thighs open, exposing her pink, wet pussy to my hungry gaze. I lower my head between her thighs, latching my mouth onto her throbbing clit. She lets out a strangled gasp, burying her fingers in my hair. I slide a finger into her, then two, sucking and fucking her until her body starts to shake uncontrollably beneath me. I swing her onto my lap, moving to the edge of the couch. In one brutal thrust, I sit her down on my length, grunting loudly in pleasure as she stretches to take me all in. I kiss her hard, running my hands all over her back and bottom, on her breasts, rubbing against her nipples. I pull her back up and slam her down again. She screams my name, her fingernails digging into my back as she orgasms around my cock.

Waves of pleasure roll over me. The sensation of her vagina clenching and unclenching around my dick is almost too much to bear. We're both breathing harshly, our bodies matter with sweat. I place her on her back at the edge of the couch, catching one of her hardened nipples between my lips. I nibble softly, licking and suckling while I tease the other breast with my hand.

"Oh my God, Ryan," she cries. "I can't… I can't take any more."

"But I'm just getting started, baby," I say, capturing her mouth in a deep kiss. I nip her bottom lip gently loving the way her moan echoed in my mouth. Taking both of her arms in one hand, I pin them above her head, and then I slide into her, slowly. I keep my gaze locked on hers as I continue to push into her in long, slow strokes.

"Look at me, honey," I command when her eyes start to drift close. She complies, and in those swirling green depths, I see everything that I feel in this moment; joy, fulfillment, love, and the promise of a lifetime of happiness.

She wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me deeper. I lower my mouth to her neck, my teeth scraping lightly against her skin as I kiss my way to her collarbone, grazing sharply and then licking the small sting away. I bring one hand between our bucking bodies and press on her clit.

She cries in shock, gasping softly as her body trembles slightly. She grabs my head, threading her fingers through my hair, holding me tight as she moans and writhes beneath me. Suddenly, I stand up straight, grab her under the knees, and raise her hips for deeper access. I start to move faster, slamming into her in hard, ruthless thrusts. Over and over again. Our bodies slap together, luscious and wet. Her cries grew louder as my movements grew more desperate. An aching pleasure mounts in my core, setting my soul on fire. I ache for release. I want more…

I stop and Jenna whimpers in protest. Wordlessly, I flip her over, positioning her on her hands and knees in the middle of the couch, and then I trail my fingers lightly down her spine. She shivers in response. And without warning, I plunge into her, gripping her hips to keep us both steady.

I remain still for a moment, relishing in the sensation of her wetness around my length until she wiggles impatiently against him, urging him on. Wrapping her long hair around my fist, I gently tug her head back. She follows my lead, rising to her knees to meet my mouth in a searing kiss. Then I release her, placing her hands back on the couch. I slam into her sheath so hard she falls forward onto her elbows. It feels so good.

I do it again, grunting with the force of it. Jenna rocks forward but stays on her elbows. I continue to slam into her. Mindless with pleasure, I lost control, shattering into a million pieces.

Thankfully, Jenna is there to nudge me back to reality. She smiles deeply into my eyes, cupping my cheeks in her palm. "I love you, Ryan," she whispers.

My chest swells with joy at her words. It doesn't matter how many times I've heard her say those words, I'll never get tired of hearing them. And I hope the butterflies fluttering in my stomach live forever.

"I love you too, Little Fox."

~The End