Page 53 of Winner Takes All

The sun’s setting, casting a golden glow over the patio of our restaurant. A new string of lights are swaying gently in the breeze, their soft twinkling a comforting constant in the ever-changing chaos of life. I rest my hand on my growing belly, feeling the baby kick. This always makes me smile.

We’re here in this moment, three years later... married, happy, and now expecting our first child. Victor sits beside me, his hand covering mine, his thumb brushing back and forth in a soothing motion over my skin. The restaurant is buzzing with the dinner crowd, and I can hear the familiar sounds of laughter, clinking glasses, and softly playing music. It’s a sound that never gets old and always fills me with a sense of peace and fulfillment.

Our restaurant isn’t merely a business, it’s a beating heart in Seaville, a place where friends gather, love blossoms, and the community comes together. It’s the vision Victor originally came up with, and makes me so proud of him for making it happen.

We’re here tonight celebrating with our closest friends and family who’ve stayed with us every step of our journey. I don’t need to do a lot of talking. These days I love sitting back and listening to the conversation all around me.

“I think she’s going to be a chef,” Victor says as he moves his hand to my belly, something he does at least a hundred times aday. He can’t wait for the moment he holds our daughter for the first time. I swear he wears a constant smile on his beautiful lips.

“That might be so, she already has her father’s appetite. I’ve been eating nonstop and am barely managing to gain weight,” I say with a laugh.

“She might also be a famous author like her mother, the incredible Nikki Fortier,” he tells me.

I laugh. “I’m not a famous author.”

“You’ve sold over a million copies of your cookbook, so I’d say that makes you pretty successful,” he counters.

I beam at him. “You’re a part of that cookbook,” I remind him.

“You put your vision, your time, and your work into that book. I had the privilege of testing our recipes. You did that, and I couldn’t be prouder of you,” he says.

“You always make me feel so great,” I tell him, leaning over to give him a kiss. It’s been four years since we became a couple, and it’s gone by in a blink. I love him more today than I did back then. Our family is growing, and our future looks bright.

“It’s not hard when I think you’re great,” he tells me, bringing tears to my eyes. Then again, these pregnancy hormones are crazy. I cry at the drop of a hat these days. It’s insane since I’ve never been much of a crier. Victor didn’t know what to do about it at first, but he’s gotten used to it now, and simply holds me when it happens instead of trying to combat some unseen force or fix whatever’s wrong. Nothing is wrong, There are no battles to be fought. I’m just emotional.

He smiles at me again. “It doesn’t matter what she wants to do, we’ll support her because she’s going to be amazing, just like her beautiful mother.”

“Well, I hope she doesn’t become a professional dog food tester,” I tell him.

He looks at me in horror. “That’s not a job,” he gasps. I laugh.

“I promise it’s a real job. Dog food has to be tested and since dogs obviously can’t say what’s missing, dog food companies hire human taste testers to assess the flavor and texture of dog food.” He looks like he’s going to puke. “It’s a ruff job,” I add with a laugh, finding myself funny.

“Are you pulling my leg?”

“You can look it up. I promise I’m not,” I assure him. He shudders. “But, other than that, I agree with you. She does have a fantastic father, so I think she’ll take the world by storm.”

Zach and Sia, sitting across from us, lean against each other, sharing a quiet conversation. Sia’s hand rests on Zach’s arm, and her eyes are filled with the kind of love that only comes after years of standing side by side through thick and thin.

Blaze and Courtney are also with us, laughing about something as they so often do, their heads close, Blaze sneaking kisses any chance he can get. It amazes me that he can still make Courtney blush after years of being together. Callan and Sasha are in their own world, talking animatedly about some new adventure the two of them are planning.

We’ve all found our happily ever after even if we didn’t think we wanted it. Warmth fills my chest seeing my favorite people here, seeing how happy all of us truly are. We started as a small group, but we’ve grown with spouses and children, and the love has become so huge there are no words to describe it.

I clink my glass and get everyone’s attention. Our friends turn my way. “We’ve all done pretty dang great these past few years. Here’s to many more to come,” I say as I hold my lemonade up.

Sia looks up and smiles, her eyes twinkling. “I second that.”

Callan beams. “Who would’ve thought we’d all get here. We’re almost grown up.” This makes everyone laugh.

“Speak for yourself, Callan. I still have to remind Blaze to wear socks that match,” Courtney says.

Blaze shrugs, unbothered by his wife’s words. “Matching socks are highly overrated.”

The laughter never dies with our group. It always draws others to us. Never would I have thought we’d be the group to bring others together back when we were in our own little bubble, and quite happy to stay there.

Victor squeezes my hand, his eyes for me alone. “The best part of all of this is finding you. I can confidently say the other men at the table feel the same about their wives. You’ve made us stronger men, better people in general, and as for me, I truly appreciate your patience, love, and confidence in me.”

My heart flutters. It doesn’t matter how many times he compliments me, or tells me he appreciates me, I always want to hear the words. He makes me feel valued and needed which is the greatest gift he can give me.

---