Page 72 of Switched at Birth
“Yes,” she whispered prayerfully. “Yes, to all of it. I want that, too.”
“But for right now, the simple fact that you’re here. That you love me, too. Maddy, that’s what counts, that’s what really matters. That’s the beginning.”
“The beginning.” Her eyes shone so bright. “Yes. Today, right now, here in the drizzling rain, you and me, telling the truth, making our promises to each other that we are bound to keep—this is the real beginning. The beginning ofus.”
Epilogue
Madison remained in Valentine Bay until the end of April.
Right away, it got inconvenient, with the paps popping up every time she turned around. She called her security team. They sent Dirk, Sergei and two other guys to patrol the cove and keep the press at bay.
After that, it wasn’t too bad, really. Sten and his family took it all in stride. Mostly, they pretended the photographers weren’t even there. It became kind of a game with them, to behave as if it was nothing out of the ordinary having people with cameras plastered to their faces everywhere they turned. Coco and Madison built the biggest sandcastle ever, with technical advice from Ben and plenty of help from Sten.
The Bravos handled all the excitement well, too. Madison had them over to the beach cottage for dinner. And another night, she and Sten met Harper and Hailey, Aislinn and Jax for drinks at the Sea Breeze. The bodyguards came with them for crowd control. Only one pap got in. Ingrid Ostergard escorted him right back out.
When Madison returned to LA, Sten went with her. By then, the world had kind of figured out that America’s Darling had a special guy. Together, she and Sten gave an interview toPeople, a full-color center spread, just to make it official.
She had a five-day break from filming in mid-June due to the necessity for emergency script changes. They flew home to Valentine Bay and got married in the little church where all the Larsons had been baptized. It was beautiful and media-free, a small, private ceremony, just the Bravos, Karin and the kids, Otto Larson and Percy and Daffodil Valentine.
Her security team made that happen with the clever use of a decoy limo. Once the limo had driven off, Madison, in her wedding gown, stretched out on the back seat of a Hyundai Sonata. Sergei gently settled a tarp over her. She giggled all the way to the chapel at the sheer absurdity of going to get married under a tarp. Sten, in jeans and a T-shirt, drove his truck to the church. He changed to his tux when he got there.
“Forever,” he whispered, as he slid the sapphire ring that had once been his mother’s onto her finger.
“And always,” she vowed.
* * *
Two years later, Madison had completed both of her final films. She’d also received a nomination for her second Oscar.
Sten, looking super hot as always in a gorgeous tux, was her date for the Academy Awards. Six months pregnant with their first child, Madison wore a clinging gold gown that showed off her baby bump. When Robin Roberts asked her what she had coming up next, she reached for Sten’s hand. He wove his fingers with hers and moved in close.
“Married life,” she replied. “You know, the man I love and babies, lots of family nearby.”
Robin smiled and congratulated her.
Madison won that night. She thanked everyone who had made her win possible, including the parents who’d raised her to be bold and fearless, to chase her wildest dreams. She and Sten skipped the after-parties. They went straight back to the house in Bel Air where she could put her feet up.
Three weeks later, they flew home to Valentine Bay and settled in to raise their family on Sweetheart Cove.
It never got out to the world at large that Madison Delaney Larson was a Bravo by birth. And that suited her just fine.
On Madison’s fortieth birthday, Sten and Jax threw a party at the cove for her and for Aislinn. It was a gorgeous almost-spring day. They spent most of the afternoon out on the beach, with a big family dinner later up at the house.
Madison had a great time. Her life was as she’d dreamed it might someday be. She had it all—a big extended family, four beautiful children and the man she loved at her side.
* * * * *
