Now he smiles as though he’s the happiest man on the planet.
“I’m so happy you two ended up together,” Janie says. “I could tell there was chemistry between you two, real chemistry. That whole business with the fake name threw me, I won’t lie. But look at the three of you. You might be the happiest family I’ve ever seen. Shall we get started?”
“Sure,” I say. “And thank you for agreeing to do a family portrait. It felt right, you know?”
She waves a hand. “You’re a success story. Love at first sight. It warms my heart. Really.”
“Thank you,” Kaleb says, smiling. He whispers close to our daughter. “And it gave us the best gift we’ve ever had.”
“Our family,” I whisper, realizing I’m getting emotional.
I blink back a tear, and my man smiles softly and reaches across our daughter, wiping it for me.
There’s a click.
We turn to find Janie with a small digital camera.
“I’m sorry,” she says, laughing. “That moment was too perfect to miss.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Kaleb says, his eyes fixed on me. “I agree.”
Extended Epilogue
Ten Years Later…
Kaleb
“These are so good,” Bella says, aiming her new camera at me as I cradle Zack in my arms. Our youngest child – our fifth – is sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling in tiny movements that melt my heart.
I never knew what that phrase was before I met my wife.
Melt my heart.
But now I do.
It’s like all the happiness is melting through me, moving and burning and telling me I’m right where I belong.
I’m sitting on the porch, rocking Zack softly, while Bella tosses her hair from her face and looks once again into the lens of her camera. She’s become obsessed with photography, showing a passion for it far beyond a girl her age, so I wanted to treat her for her birthday.
I’m glad to know the gift was well-received.
Beyond her, Lily and Trent splash together in the pool, the twin six year olds now competing to see who can stand on the inflatable for the longest.
People say Trent looks like me, and he’s certainly small like I was at his age. He has the same mop of black hair too. Lily has long black hair, tied into a braid, and she’s giving her twin brother one hell of a contest.
“Nah uh, I didn’t fall,” Trent yells as he splashes around in the water.
“I can see you in the water, silly,” Lily giggles, balancing deftly.
“But I jumped. I didn’t fall.”
“Look how cute he is, Daddy,” Bella murmurs, moving close to her little brother.
I smile at her. “He’s perfect.”
My whole life is perfect.
My wife sits on the other side of the pool, where our nine year old, Henrietta, is lying back on the sun lounger with a sketchpad on her knees.
She has the perfect teacher in Kelly.
She’s grown her freelancing business commanding high fees and deals with celebrity clients, but her true success is her series of children’s stories – still ongoing – which are read to children all around the world. I’m so proud of her, each and every day.
She looks up at me, still as beautiful as the moment I first saw her. Her hair is tied up, a long ponytail down her back.
In fact, she’s even more beautiful, because her maternal instinct radiates from every part of her.
She glows with it.
I love you, I mouth.
She smiles widely, captivatingly.
I’ll never stop being obsessed with her.
I love you too, she mouths back.
Trent climbs back onto the inflatable, arms at his side for balance. Lily laughs and leaps into the pool.
Bella leans back and tilts her head, studying the frame, as my wife and Henrietta share in their passion for drawing across from me.
My son is sleeping soundly in my arms.
My family is happy and safe and here, with us, where they belong.
I can’t believe I ever lived without my Kelly.
I’m the luckiest, happiest man alive with the picture perfect family.