Page 47 of Kiss and Tell
THE END
Epilogue
Kennedy
Five Years Later
If someone had toldme that I’d be married to Sai Shah five years ago, I’d have punched them in the face. But inside the monster the world knows as Sai is the man I love with every piece of me. I watch him throw our daughter, Miya, over his shoulder as he spins her around until she squeals in delight.
“No, Daddy, put her down.” Aydin shouts, hands on his hips. They’re both four, born two minutes apart, and they love each other with the kind of intensity only twins can. Sai sets Miya down and immediately does the same thing to Aydin, who despite his protests, laughs his little heart out.
Arya runs toward them, and Sai sets Aydin down to spin our niece.
“He’s a nuisance, that husband of yours.” Amy complains sleepily as Henry rubs sunscreen on her shoulders for the sixth time in an hour. She could have asked him for a massage, and he’d have just given it to her.
Mom shakes her head as she looks over at them. “That he is.” she agrees.
“Stop being mean, you two.” I snap playfully.
“Tell us that later when Aydin is puking all over himself at lunch.” Mom says over her sunglasses.
“Sai! Stop spinning them around so much!” I shout then stick a tongue out at the two amazing women in my life.
I wonder sometimes about happily ever after. I never used to believe in it, but looking around me, there is no doubt that it exists, and I was given a couple of extra sprinkles.
Tonight I have a new artist displaying his work at my gallery. I have to cut this beach trip short so I can sneak in a nap before I leave.
Sai runs over and hovers over me, planting a kiss on my lips before hopping up and taking a seat beside me.
“Glad you did that. I was about to tell you guys to get a room.” Amy says.
He laughs and looks back at me, his eyes playful. “I missed you.” he whispers. Mom pretends not to hear.
“I miss you too.” I tell him. “Always do.”
He stands and runs back over to the kids. He looks back at me, and I wonder how I got so lucky.
And then I remember. It started with a kiss. One I couldn’t tell the world about.
* * *
Sai
There isn’ta day that goes by that I don’t count my blessings. I look over at Kennedy, her hair falls over her face, and I reach out to move it away. She’s exhausted after another successful artist's launch. Every day with her and the kids is a whole new adventure. I have never been happier or freer. My mind is no longer filled with dark thoughts, and when they try to push through, I am surrounded by so much love, it dissipates into nothing.
My mind roams to Ravi, we were best friends since we were kids, and I still miss him after all these years. There are times when I want to text him and tell him something Aydin or Miya did. He gave his life to save my wife and mother-in-law.
My father succumbed to his illness a year ago. He died a proud old man in his bed. He never apologized for any of the shit he did to me or exposed me to, but I have come to accept, with Kate’s help of course, that sometimes apologies will never come. So instead of waiting a lifetime for it, we should focus on living each day.
“Daddy.” A small voice has me turning.
Aydin stands there with his favorite blanket, “Hey, buddy, you okay?”
“I had a bad dream.” He says quietly.
I pull back the covers and pat the bed beside me. “Climb on it, monster.” He hops onto the bed, and he wraps an arm around my neck. “Wanna talk about it?” I ask.
“I dreamed monsters were chasing me.” His voice is small and vulnerable. Sometimes I look at this boy whose spitting image of me, but with the brightest violet eyes, I can’t believe that someone like me could create someone so kind and loving. He takes care of his sister, barely letting her out of his sight.
“It wasn’t real, buddy. You’re home and safe.”
“I know that, Daddy. I’m always safe with you.” He cuddles closer, and I wrap my arms around my beautiful boy. “You’re my hero.” He yawns, and a few minutes later, he’s softly snoring beside me. I’ve been a lot of things over the years. A villain, a monster, but now I’m Sai Shah, this boy’s hero and the man that will do anything to protect his family.
