Beneath the Surface by Emily McIntire
Epilogue #1
Chase and Lee’s new home is finally done. Built from the ground up with Chase’s own hands, it’s stunning; the craftsmanship unmatched. But tonight, it’s the backyard that takes my breath away.
Twinkling lights are strung from the patio, winding around the trellis that’s covered in stargazer lilies.
Today is their wedding day.
Well, technically night, since they chose to have an evening wedding. It’s an intimate affair. No bridesmaids. No rows of people waiting for the show. There’s just Chase. And Alina. Pledging to love each other in sickness and in health, under the beautiful Tennessee night sky.
I tighten my arms around Gail Elizabeth, their four-month-old daughter, and press a kiss to her head, breathing in her scent. Why do babies smell so good?
Mason wraps his arm around me, bringing me into his side, baby Chase sitting in his lap, resting his sleepy head on his shoulder. “You look good like that.”
I smirk. “Like what?”
He nods toward the baby, his grin growing. My chest swells. The past year has been more than I could have ever imagined. I finally opened up to Chase—and to Sam and Anna—about what happened in my past. It wasn’t easy, especially on Chase. There’s no getting rid of the protective gene that runs through his veins. But now he knows not to try and bear the weight alone, and so when we have moments of grief, we grieve together.
Watching him marry the love of his life is an honor.
We go to therapy once a month as a family, and I attend every week on my own. Until Darryl was locked away, my anxiety was through the roof. But three months ago, his trial finally came to an end. I thought that testifying against him would be traumatizing, and while it wasn’t easy by any means, it also brought me peace. It’s been cathartic to finally be able to work through my trauma. The scars from both him and from my original abuser, Jason, are branded deep. I won’t lie, it hurts to remember. Some days more than others. But it’s also cleansing for my soul.
Chase clears his throat, staring at Lee like she plucks the stars from the sky just for him. “Goldi, I once told you that your glow ‘n stick stars lit my path to you, but the truth is, I could find you in the darkest night. Because you’re my person. You’re my one. I fell in love with your light. Your grace. Your ability to stand strong no matter what life throws your way.”
Lee smiles, wiping under her eyes.
“I lived most of my life convinced I didn’t deserve good things,” he continues. “That a kid like me was just a tiny speck in the universe—a waste of everyone’s time.”
My heart squeezes in my chest.
Chase reaches out, cupping Lee’s cheek. “You showed that kid he was bigger than the stars. You showed the man what it meant to love selflessly. And I promise to love you, cherish you, honor you for all of our lifetimes.”
Tears stream down my face as the minister pronounces them husband and wife, and Chase pulls Lee in for a kiss.
“Promise to never leave?” Lee asks, soft enough I can barely hear.
Chase grins. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
Mason’s palm rests on my stomach as he leans in close, whispering in my ear. “When do you want to tell them?”
I grin, shifting the sleeping baby in my arms, joy infusing every single pore of my body. Our family is growing. Not by one, but by two.
Because Mason and I are having twins.