Epilogue

EPILOGUE

F ive years later

The beautiful estate that Deborah and Holly now called home glowed under the sun that had just started to set over the Pacific. As Deborah looked out across the hills, she smiled and muttered to herself, “What a lucky woman I am.”

Five years before, Deborah never imagined this life could be possible. Jenny’s aggression and threats almost took it all away. But in the end, Jenny didn’t bother doing anything at all, not after she was spotted having an affair with someone else’s wife. Deborah’s brother managed to record everything, and with a quick email to Jenny, filled with scandalous images, she soon shut up.

As Deborah ventured back indoors in search of a pre-dinner cocktail, she made her way through the living room—a contemporary, sleek space filled with family photos and mementos from their travels. Most days, it was a hive of energy, filled with warmth and life, but the kids were nowhere to be seen. She could hear them running around in the playroom upstairs and felt her heart filled at the sound of their laughter.

Holly was busy in the kitchen, cooking up a something delicious as always.

Ah, maybe I’ll sit in here and grab ten minutes of peace before dinner.

But Deborah couldn’t resist going in to see Holly. Her wife was standing in the kitchen, her hands deftly mixing a salad. Her hair pulled into a messy bun.

“Hey, babe. I’m debating whether to mix us a cocktail or spend half an hour or so looking into the contract details for Bar 9. You know, as film projects go, this all seems pretty straightforward.”

Holly walked over to Deborah and pulled her in close, gently placing her lips on Deborah’s mouth. Deborah was taken by surprise as Holly lifted the hem of her skirt and rang a finger over her ass, gently tracing her panty line.

“Not here, honey. The kids might see,” she breathed into Holly’s ear in a soft whisper.

“Later then, babe. I want you.”

“Jesus, Holly. Will it always be like this? You turn me on so much. Everything you say, everything you do to me…”

“Always. But right now, I vote for gin and tonics with fresh lime. The orgasms can wait. Bar 9 can wait. You’ll knock those contracts out in no time, first thing Monday. And I’ll look them over for you before I do the school run. Do you think Jamie will eat this? I put garlic in it.”

“Well, let’s not tell him. And then he’ll gobble it down just like he always does. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

The soft sounds of classical music played in the background, creating a calming atmosphere as Deborah and Holly stood at the kitchen island and sipped their drinks.

“Mommy! Mumma! Look at this!” Jamie, their ten-year-old adopted son, bounded into the kitchen, holding up a graph he’d made himself and colored in a variety of shades. His eyes were wide with excitement, and he could barely get his words out. “I- hey! I timed how long it took for, for the volcano to… to explode! Here’s the results! You won’t believe it!”

Deborah turned, a smile spreading across her face. “Let me take a look, Jamie. I can’t believe you finished that volcano already!”

“Yeah! And it totally erupts! It’s wild. I made it erupt, like, a thousand times already. I really know what I’m doing. I’m like… an expert now. Wanna see?” Jamie’s enthusiasm was infectious.

“Of course,” Deborah said, setting her gin and tonic aside. “But I think we’d better do it outside, right? I don’t think Momma will be too pleased if the dinner she just made for us gets covered in a thick coat of lava. Am I right?”

“I guess you’re right,” replied Jamie with a giggle.

Holly laughed. “Good call, Mommy. I have vivid nightmares about the last time you two decided to do an indoor science experiment. Does anyone else remember the foam party in the bathroom?”

Jamie’s twin sister, Emily, entered the room, her nose buried in a book. “You mean when Jamie decided to see if shampoo, baking soda, and vinegar could clean the toilet, and Momma agreed to let him try it out ?” she said dryly, not looking up from her page.

Deborah chuckled. “Exactly. Not my finest moment. You’re right, Em. Come on, let’s go outside and give it a whirl.”

“You do know he’s given it a whirl in the playroom ten times, right?” asked Em.

“Oh, don’t tell me about it now,” giggled Holly. “ I can’t deal. We just redecorated in there. I don’t know what we’re going to do with you, Jamie.”

The family moved outside to the backyard, where the garden was in full bloom. Holly placed the drinks on a nearby table and wrapped an arm around Deborah’s waist as they watched Jamie set up his volcano on the lawn. Deborah leaned into Holly, feeling fully supported and loved. She couldn’t believe this was their life together. Their family. Their world.

“Ready?” Jamie asked, turning back to look at his family with a wide grin.

“We’re ready!” they all shouted in unison.

Jamie poured the mixture into the volcano, and with a bubbling hiss, red foam spewed out, eliciting cheers and laughter from all spectating.

“That’s so utterly and totally amazing, Jamie!” Holly said, clapping. “I think you could get a job in special effects. Could we give him a job, Mommy? Do we have any roles open at the moment?”

“I’m not so sure,” Deborah replied. “I guess we’d have to check the child labor laws in California, but heck… let’s give it a whirl.”

Jamie beamed with pride while Emily looked up from her book to offer her brother an approving nod. “Not bad at all, Jammy Jam. It looks super realistic.”

“Hey, Em,” Deborah said, “what’s that you’re reading? I don’t recognize it. Did Momma buy it?”

Emily’s eyes lit up. “It’s a book about Greek Mythology. Momma ordered it online.”

“I thought we said we were done with the online shopping, Hols?” asked Deborah, a note of concern in her voice.

“Um… You know the nearest bookstore is about twenty miles away, right? Emily and I like to treat ourselves to a little retail therapy from the comfort of our own home. And if it’s books… it’s totally allowed. It doesn’t even count as shopping,” replied Holly in a pleading tone.

“Did you know the Greeks had over 2,000 gods and goddesses?”

Deborah raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? That’s pretty fascinating, kiddo. Maybe you can read me a little of that book at bedtime? What do you say?”

“Absolutely,” Emily said, her face lighting up with excitement.

Holly looked at Deborah, their eyes meeting. “We’ve got some amazing kids, don’t we?”

Deborah nodded, “We really do. Even if they like blowing stuff up and spending all our cash online.”

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the lawn, the family settled down on the patio for dinner. Jamie and Emily had set the table, but Deborah couldn’t suppress a chuckle when she noticed the mismatched plates and cutlery.

“I like what you kids have done here: blue bowls, red plastic plates, green forks, silver… uh… fish knives, white mugs, and our best crystal flutes. It’s definitely a style,” she laughed.

“So, any exciting plans for tomorrow?” Holly asked, looking around the table.

“I’m going to need you to buy me a book on the Egyptians,” Emily said. “I need to compare them to the Greeks.”

“And I need to make my explosions bigger,” Jamie added. “Mr. Thomas said that this year’s science fair is going to be judged by actual scientists! I need to blow their minds!”

“Right,” Deborah said, looking over to Holly. “Just don’t blow their heads off while you’re at it. Got it?”

After dinner, as the kids helped clear the table, Deborah and Holly took a moment to themselves .

“Can you believe how far we’ve come?” Holly murmured, leaning into Deborah’s embrace.

“It’s been quite a journey,” Deborah replied, her voice soft. “And I wouldn’t trade a single moment of it, would you?”

Holly turned to face her. “Absolutely not. We’ve built something beautiful here, Debs—a family, a home.”

Deborah’s eyes shone. “God, I love you, Holly. You’ll never know how much.”

“I love you too,” Holly whispered, her voice filled with emotion. “I forgot to tell you that my mom and Nora are popping over tomorrow. Mom wants to talk to us about hosting our wedding anniversary at the Indigo. I think she wants to throw us a big party.”

“Oh, no! The in-laws! I need at least 48-hours notice, hon!”

“Haha. Very funny. It’s so weird when you call them that. My mom hates it.”

“I know,” Deborah giggled. “That’s why I do it.”

Their lips met in a tender kiss, a promise of the future they would continue to build together. As they pulled apart, they heard the sound of giggles behind them .

“Eww! Gross! You guys are kissing!” Jamie teased, his voice filled with laughter.

“You’re not used to it, buddy?” Holly said, turning to ruffle his hair. “Well, get used to it, kiddo, because you’re stuck with us forever.”

As the family gathered in the living room later that evening, snuggled up on the couch with bowls of popcorn, Deborah looked at her wife and her children, knowing that with them by her side, she could embrace the future with open arms, ready for whatever came next.