Page 61 of Sweet Southern Memories

epilogue

. . .

Zoey

“What are you doing?” Jay asks as he steps up behind me. I stand in the hallway with my head leaning against the wall just outside the girls’ new bedroom and smile, listening to them talk.

“I love hearing them giggle.”

“Me too,” he confesses as he wraps his arms around my waist from behind and rests his chin onto my shoulder. Together we are quiet listening to them laugh and talk like there is no one else in the world but them.

“Look Riley,” Regan says excitedly. “We can see the playhouse from here, and the lake.”

“I love this room.” Riley sighs and for a few seconds they are both silent. I can practically picture them both up on their knees in the window seat, looking out the glass.

“I love our new house.” I close my eyes tightly feeling emotions rise in my throat triggering a burning sensation. “And PrinceJay, do you think we can call him daddy?” That’s all it takes as I hang my head and the tears fall.

“He’d make a good daddy,” Regan agrees and Jay squeezes me a little tighter.

“Maybe they’ll get married,” Riley squeals happily, and I hear little stomps as she does her excited dance she always does. “And we can wear big fluffy dresses and carry flowers in our hands.”

“I want pink flowers,” Regan sing songs.

“I like how they think,” Jay whispers near my ear before turning my body to face him. “They have all the best ideas.”

I smile up at him to find his eyes are too shinning with unshed tears. “You know that I’m okay with them calling me Dad, Jay, whatever they prefer. Though the dad option is my top choice.”

“They’re so happy.” My voice shakes and my chest starts to ache. “You’ve given them that.”

“No.” He cups my face in his hands, forcing me to see nothing more than him. “We have, and this is just the beginning.”

I nod, then he presses a kiss to my forehead just as the doorbell rings.

Hand in hand we make our way downstairs and see my parents and Gigi standing on the front porch. Just as we make it to the bottom, both Riley and Regan rush past us like two little streaks of poofy tulle.

“Yay,” one of them screams.

“Company!” Riley shimmies her hips and the movements remind me so much of Emma. It doesn’t bother me that mydaughter seems to idolize one of my best friends. It’s actually an incredible feeling.

“Can we open it?” Regan glances back to ask permission but it’s not me she is asking.

“Yeah,” Jay responds, his voice sounding a little hoarse.

I squeeze his hand, and he looks over at me, as I offer him a wink before releasing his hand.

The minute the door comes open, all three move inside, and Gigi is holding two bags in her hands.

“Presents?” I ask with a lift of my brow.

“Don’t look at me, it was Aunt Sarah. She said to tell you she found them while she was visiting a friend and couldn’t resist.” Something about the statement frightens me as I attempt to peek into one of the bags.

Moving them out of reach, she laughs. “At least let the girls open them, first.”

“Aunt Sarah tends to buy things I should filter.”

“There are no penis lollipops.” Gigi snickers. “She said it’s nothing edible, lickable, or vibrating. Complete kid friendly.”

She steps around and hands one bag to each of the girls as they snatch them and drag my mother and Gigi off to show them both their new room.

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