Epilogue

Nine Years Later

Istand at the edge of the studio, my hand on my six-month-pregnant belly, as Drake and Sofia practice their pirouettes. Drake has become one heck of a dancer this past decade while working to take over his family business, and now he's showing my daughter the ropes. Beside me, Mom sits with a big smile, watching her granddaughter.

I give Mom a look, and she gives it right back—pure, bright love shining between us.

That's what our lives have been these past nearly ten years: Lia and Dimitri, Mikhail and Mila, Teddy and Mom, Aiden and me. All of us are in our own galaxies of love, but constantly orbiting each other and there for each other, love that never stops growing.

"Yes, that's it!" Drake beams, grinning at Sofia. "That was your best one yet, by far."

"Really?" Sofia beams over at me. "Mommy, did you see?"

"We all saw," Aiden says from behind me, Jack in his arms as he walks from the doorway into the studio. Our son could—and has—sleep through a hailstorm. Aiden winks at me, then leans over and kisses me. I take a moment to kiss him and our baby boy and then turn back to Sofia. Aiden says, "You're going to give Mommy a run for her money soon."

Sofia giggles in the cutest way. "Yeah, right."

Then, for no apparent reason, Sofia skips over and throws herself into Mom's arms. She's always like this when Mom visits. It's so sweet to see. It's almost a miracle how happy we all are and how perfect life has been.

No more stress. No more doubt. Even the sleepwalking, in recent years, has stopped. My battle with food, well, it will never seem silly, but it does seem distant.

A moment later, Mila calls down the stairs. "Hey, ballet gang, you'll miss the burgers."

"Burgers," Aiden says, suddenly seeming serious. "Hey, wait for us!"

Sofia giggles, chasing after him. "Daddy, Daddy, I want a burger, too!"

THE END