Page 87 of Return To You

Cam bangs on the drums in agreement while the crowd cheers louder. Diego rushes over to me and hugs me tight, making me proud, before heading off stage, where his mom and our family are. Most likely, he’ll attach himself to his aunt Gina, as he’s protective of his future cousin.

She’s currently eight months pregnant with her first child with her husband. She got her degree and actually works at a school.

After realizing her mistakes, she’s done everything she can to make things up to me and to my girl. I am so proud of Rose for forgiving Gina, and I’m proud of the person my sister has become.

Al, the lucky fucker, has three kids, two boys and a girl, with his second wife, Fiona, who, yes, was his secretary.

After he divorced Van, who has not contacted any of us since she got shut down in court, he started going out for drinks with Fiona as friends, and they fell in love.

Van made the divorce fucking difficult but only came out of it with more debt from lawyer fees than anything else.

Last I heard, she was working in some diner five towns over.

I look to the side, my eyes catching my wife’s, who smiles wide. My sister stands next to her on one side, and Natalie is on the other, holding our daughter. Hers is most likely with my mom and dad in the green room. My parents are loving all the extra kids and demand they call them Gran and Gramps.

My eyes take in Rose’s small bump; our fifth child on the way. A sense of peace fills me.

Rose got her dream job, and in between pregnancies, she trained dolphins, and learned all about animal behavior. She continues to do what she loves while being a kick-ass wife, an amazing mother, and an overall perfect person.

Returning to her was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I’ll never take it for granted.

Things haven’t been easy, especially when Piper was given parole early, but Rose and I fought together, and came out on top, even after she tried causing trouble, making up lies to the press about us having an “affair” after she was released. She was arrested again, and more time was added to her original sentence for breaking her parole, by not just harassing me but the producers she’s blackmailed as well.

Rose and I stayed strong, unstoppable. Now, as promised in our vows on our wedding day, the boys and I are taking the year off because she deserves it.

I’ll write, and the boys and I will meet up to make music for when we return, but my sole focus will be on my family.

I send her a wink and she grins as Diego comes up next to her and grabs her hand.

I look out at the crowd and say, “This is our last show for the next year.” The crowd boos, making me laugh. “Alright, alright, calm down,” I say, and then continue, “How would you all like to hear an oldie but a goodie, dedicated to the mother of my children, my beautiful wife, Rose?”

The crowd roars in excitement, and I look toward my wife and announce, “Rose, you’re perfectly mine….”

Rose grins wide, wiping the tears that have fallen, causing Diego to hold his mom tighter. The crowd gets louder as I start strumming my guitar, Barnett following, before Cam joins in with the drums. I place my mouth on the mic, and the words about how much I love my wife flow through me.

“Girl, the moment we locked eyes, I knew I had to have you.

You were so fine, and I wanted you as mine.

You pretended not to notice, but we both knew you were mine.

You played hard to get, but I played harder,

Baby, you were fucking perfect, perfectly mine.”

I look her way and sing the chorus, keeping eye contact. She sings along, a massive grin on her face, as our family dances around her.

“I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

You made the most of my love.

I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

You made me fall harder than anyone.

I hear your heart beating to the beat of my song,

I’ll never let you leave; you’re my one.

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