Page 43 of Until Ruin
I hear him laugh. “Oh, you can,” he says. “You’ll have to, but I’ll take a rain check on that next orgasm. I wouldn’t want to ruin your virtue right here on a stranger’s kitchen island. We don’t even own the place.Yet.”
Second Epilogue
Ruin
Three Years Later
I glancearound the company picnic and take it all in. Three years have passed since Avalee made me the luckiest man, and I have fallen in love with her over and over every day since.
“Daddy, Daddy!” Jacob, our eldest son, comes racing up to me with Stormy on his heels. “Lyric and Blayne are digging by the crane!”
I chuckle and follow him to where his brother and sister are doing something both their mother and I have already scolded them for. We adopted the three siblings after trying to get pregnant for a year and not having any luck. It didn’t bring Avalee down, despite how badly she wants biological children. Instead, she rolled up her sleeves and signed us up as foster parents. It was a lengthy process, which was almost not possible due to my records.
We had to get a judge to expunge them and clear my name before the agency would even agree to let us foster. The social worker quickly saw that we were more than fit to parent, and now, they are ours. It wasn’t easy at first, and the kids weren’t sure if they could trust us, but with Avalee’s kindness and patience, they soon started calling her Mommy and, shortly after, me Daddy. It’s a weird feeling, being a dad. I can’t put my finger on it; I just know for certain that my own father wasn’t one. Not really. I think he was too selfish to be a parent, but selfishness isn’t something that could ever be attributed to Avalee. She is the most selfless, big-hearted, and beautiful woman I’ve ever known.
Oddly enough, it turned out I did still own some of the land my father had left behind. We sold it and bought ourselves a five-bedroom, three-bath home in a gated community. I was promoted to foreman, and Avalee finally finished her early childhood education degree with honors.
With the money we got from the Lautner land, plus some other smart financial moves, we bought a location for Avalee to make her own. Now, she runs the most prestigious—and one always full of happy little learners—K-5 education center in East Tennessee, Happy Hearts.She has already won awards and has been featured inEducators for Changemagazine. Seriously, she loves her job and loves her children, and I love her with everything I have to offer.
The entire Mayson Construction group is gathered to celebrate some more good news with us, as if we weren’t already drowning in good fortune. But our little family is growing once more. Mr. and Mrs. Sumter are even present, mingling with the crowd. I finally won over her father after we secured the adoption of our children. He even talks to me with respect now, and I see him glance my way, nodding in his direction. He nods back and puts a hand on his wife’s back, steering her toward the dinner line. Avalee comes up to ask me for help with some signs when Liz’s chirpy voice greets us.
“Oh my, look at you, Avalee!” she cries out. It took some convincing to finally get her to use Avalee’s legal and preferred name, but now she does so without hesitation. Trevor was even harder, but he too has come on board to honor Avalee’s choices—even though it meant having to move out of his comfort zone. July and Ellie helped with the cause, chastising anyone who dared use her old name.
“Hi, Liz,” Avalee says, leaning in for the hug instead of pulling back like before.
I have been beyond blessed to witness her emerge from her shell. That same spitfire, sassy-pants girl from years ago finally resurfaced to take the world of motherhood and early education by storm, and she hasn’t hidden away since.
Grills fill the air with the promise of a good steak, and all in attendance laugh and chat about everything and anything. Our three children run around, playing tag and popping balloons with the Maysons’ grandchildren. July and Ellie are there, along with Cobi’s wife, Hadley, as well as Trevor, Asher, and Cash and their wives. It’s a beautiful day and a beautiful life, I think to myself.
Asher steps up to pat me on the shoulder, followed by Jax and Cobi. “Man, I’m glad your ugly face is running things these days,” Cobi jokes.
I chuckle and shake my head. “You’re just lucky you helped them find Snake and River. Otherwise, I might have accidentally lost your invite.”
Cobi laughs and slaps my other shoulder. “I hear they won’t be getting out anytime this life.”
Avalee tests a microphone hooked up to a little amp by a table decked with baby blues and pinks. In the center is a three-tier cake, topped with baby booties and binkies.
“Uh, has anyone seen my husband?” she says, smiling right at me.
“That’s my cue, boys,” I say to the Mayson men and shuffle over to Avalee’s side. “I’m here, I’m here,” I say, holding up my hands as I approach the table.
We thank everyone for being here with us to celebrate the new baby Lautner and ask who wants to know what the gender is. The crowd erupts in cheers and calls for us to cut the cake already.
I lean over to whisper in Avalee’s ear, “I just thought of something funny. Virtue plus Ruin equals Hope.”
She glances at me and rolls her eyes, picking up on the quip I made in reference to her tattoo. Together, we count down from three and slice into the bottom tier of the towering cake. As we slide the knife free, pink icing and sugar beads spill from its core.
Avalee gasps, and the crowd waits patiently.
I bring the mic to my lips, my own shock registering on my face for everyone to see. “It’s a girl!” I shout, louder than I intended, but the excitement is more than I can contain. I kiss Avalee, and she pulls back to smile up at me.
“Hope,” she says.
I chuckle at how fate just keeps on giving and bend down to kiss Avalee’s slightly rounding tummy. “Welcome, little Hope. We can’t wait to meet you.” Then I kiss my wife and hug my children and breathe a breath of absolute relief.
THE END
