Epilogue

Ava

Two years later, Sam and I are happier than ever. Somehow, we found a way to balance our lives. I got a small office space in downtown Miami where I can meet with clients and have interactions with people instead of being stuck inside my home all day.

Sam even found a way to transfer some of her workload to her employees so we could have more time together in the evenings.

Our lives were coming together, and we had both grown and changed, but we did it together.

Now, as I sit on the back patio of our new home, I can't help but feel emotional as I think about how far we've come.

We created a family together when we had no one else.

"I think someone wants their mommy," Sam says, carrying our six-month-old daughter, Hallie.

After Sam and I had worked through our issues, we decided to get married. We had a small ceremony on the beach with Tyler and Lydia by our sides. Then, a few months ago, we decided to adopt our daughter, Hallie.

She was perfect and the best addition to our little family.

Taking Hallie in my arms, I kissed her head and inhaled her sweet scent. Sam sat down next to me and smiled.

"Nothing makes me happier than seeing my two favorite girls together." Her smile was real, and I knew that she loved us more than anything.

"Well, we love you more than anything," I told Sam.

"I can't wait for Tyler and Lydia to get here," I said.

Lydia was six months pregnant. Tyler had proposed a few months ago and then Lydia had found out she was pregnant. They were going to have a wedding next year and I couldn't be happier for them.

"Me either. Hallie is going to have a friend soon!" Sam laughed.

We were gazing at the starry sky with our baby girl, Hallie, nestled between us. This was what true happiness felt like. My entire world was sitting with me.

The warm summer air enveloped us, and the sounds of crickets filled our ears. It was the perfect evening to reflect on our journey to finding happiness. Hallie cooed and giggled as she looked around, searching for the sounds of the night. I loved watching her grow and find happiness in the simple things of life.

I leaned my head on Sam's shoulder, and a soft smile spread across her face. "Can you believe how far we've come?" I whispered, my voice filled with wonder.

I never imagined my life would be like this. I'm married to a wonderful woman, have a fantastic job, and a beautiful baby.

Sam wrapped his arm around me, pulling me closer. "I never thought I could be this happy," she replied, her own smile mirroring mine.

We both looked down at Hallie, our tiny little, perfect miracle. She had brought us closer, healed old wounds, and taught us the true meaning of love.

"I used to think happiness was just a fleeting feeling," I said, my fingers gently intertwining with Sam's. "But with you and Hallie, it's become a way of life."

Sam kissed the top of my head. "I'm grateful every day for the moment I met you," she said. "You've shown me what true happiness is. I love you more than anything and now that we have Hallie, I find myself loving you even more. Watching you be a mother to our daughter is amazing."

"I fall in love with you more and more each day. I know we had a rough start, but I wouldn't trade a second of our time together," I told her.

Our journey to finding one another and true, unconditional love may not have been conventional or understood by others, but I don't care.

"Baby, I feel the same way." Sam kissed Hallie on the head, and I watched as our sweet baby smiled at both of us.

Who you love shouldn't be anyone else's business. Love should be equal for everyone—regardless of if you love a man or a woman. Being in the LGBTQ community now has brought me another sense of truth.

I have found a new family within people who understand me like others just don't. Don't get me wrong; Lydia and Tyler are our family and their love and support of us is beyond amazing. They don't question our lives and only bring us happiness. However, having people who honestly understand the struggles of being different in our world is something that is magical.

Sam and I make sure to go to LGBTQ nights at our favorite art galleries, we support local LGBTQ artists, and we have been donating money and time to LGBTQ community centers. We know how blessed we are to have the life we do, and if we can give a little bit of support to others, then we want to do everything we can.

"Come on, it's getting late," Sam said, standing and offering me her hand.

With Hallie in one arm, I took Sam's hand and together, we walked into our home. After putting Hallie to bed, Sam and I lay in our bed, cuddled together as we watched a sitcom on television. Our story was written with love and spice and everything nice. Our story was still being written, and I was determined to make the next pages count.

I couldn't wait to see what our futures held because together, we were unstoppable.

The End