MARRY YOUR KILLER
Epilogue: Ten Years Later
The sun rose over Manila, gold and warm, painting the house in shades of amber and honey. The garden was blooming. The roses were red. Lyra's roses. The ones Percy had planted. The ones that bloomed every morning.
The house was loud. It was always loud. Children's laughter echoed through the halls. Footprints pounded up the stairs. Doors slammed. Arguments erupted. Forgiveness came quickly. Love was everywhere.
Jay stood at the window of the study. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was calm. Her eyes were on the garden. Keifer was behind her. His arms were around her waist. His face was in her hair. He was older now. His hair had threads of silver. His face had lines of laughter. His eyes were still dark. His heart was still hers.
"You're thinking," Keifer said.
She leaned against him. "I'm always thinking."
He kissed her hair. "What are you thinking about?"
She looked at the garden. At the children playing. At the family she had built. At the life she had lived. "I'm thinking about the garden. About the mud. About the Ferris wheel. About the contract. About the day you put the ring back on my finger."
He pulled her closer. "I'm thinking about the day you took a bullet for me."
She touched his face. "I would do it again."
He kissed her hand. "I wouldn't let you."
She smiled. "You don't have a choice."
The garden was full.
Aurora was twelve now. She had Keifer's eyes and Jay's determination. Her hair was dark. Her smile was sharp. Her laugh was loud. She was standing by the roses, her hands on her hips, her face serious. She was arguing with Alexander. He was twelve too. He had Jay's eyes and Keifer's calm. His face was serious. His voice was steady.
"You're wrong," Aurora said.
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "I'm not wrong."
"You're always wrong."
"I'm never wrong."
Aurora threw a handful of grass at him. He didn't flinch. The grass stuck to his shirt. He looked at his sister. His face didn't change. "You're immature."
Aurora gasped. "I'm not immature!"
Alexander walked away. Aurora ran after him. "Come back here! I'm not done arguing with you!"
Liana was ten now. She had Care's eyes and Cole's calm. Her hair was brown. Her smile was soft. Her laugh was quiet. She was sitting on the steps, a book in her hands, her face focused. Cole was beside her, his hand on her back, his face soft.
"What are you reading?" Cole asked.
Liana looked at her father. "A story about a princess who saves herself."
Cole smiled. "That's a good story."
Liana nodded. "She doesn't need a prince."
Cole kissed her forehead. "She doesn't need a prince."
Keiran was twenty-two now. His hair was messy. His smile was wide. His laugh was loud. He was chasing his nephew through the garden. Keigan was twenty-six now. His arms were crossed. His face was cold. His eyes were soft. He was watching his brother. He was always watching his brother.
"You're going to fall," Keigan said.
Keiran looked back. "I'm not going to fall."
He fell. The grass was soft. The children laughed. Keiran's face was red. Keigan's face didn't change. "You fell."
Keiran glared at his brother. "You could have caught me."
Keigan pulled him up. "I did catch you."
Keiran's face was red. "After I fell."
Keigan's face didn't change. "I caught you."
Percy was in the kitchen. His hair was gray now. His face was lined. His voice was still loud. He was making breakfast for the family. Honey was beside him. Her face was calm. Her eyes were sharp. Her hair was silver. Her hand was in his.
"The children are loud," Percy said.
Honey looked at him. "The children are happy."
Percy kissed her cheek. "The children are chaos."
Honey smiled. "The children are our chaos."
Aries was in the living room. Ella was beside them. Their hands were intertwined. Their faces were soft. Their children were playing on the floor. Twins. A boy and a girl. Four years old. Wild. Loud. Perfect.
"Papa," the girl said. "Papa, look."
Aries looked at their daughter. "What is it?"
The girl held up a drawing. A house. A garden. A tree. Two people. A man. A woman. Two small people. A boy. A girl.
"It's our family," the girl said.
Aries's eyes were wet. "It's beautiful."
Ella kissed their cheek. "It's perfect."
Care was in the medical room. Her hair was shorter now. Her face was calm. Her hands were steady. She was organizing supplies. Liana was beside her, helping, her small hands folding bandages, her face focused.
"Mama," Liana said. "Why do you have so many bandages?"
Care looked at her daughter. "Because our family is chaos."
Liana nodded. "Like Aurora."
Care laughed. "Like Aurora."
Lyra was in her corner. Her hands were in her pockets. Her face was blank. Her eyes were on the garden. Alex was beside her. His hand was in hers. His hair was gray. His face was lined. His eyes were still bright.
"The children are loud," Lyra said.
Alex pulled her close. "The children are happy."
Lyra almost smiled. Almost. "The children are chaos."
Alex kissed her forehead. "The children are our chaos."
Rakki was in the garden. Ci N was beside her. Their children were playing with the twins. A boy and a girl. Six years old. Fierce. Loyal. Loud. Rakki's hair was shorter. Her face was still hard. Her eyes were still bright.
"Don't hit your brother," Rakki said.
The girl looked at her mother. "He hit me first."
Rakki crossed her arms. "I don't care who hit first. Don't hit."
The girl huffed. The boy grinned. Ci N pulled Rakki close. "They're your children."
Rakki sighed. "They're our children."
Mica was in the study. Calix was beside her. Her laptop was open. Her fingers were moving. Her glasses were on her nose. Her face was focused. Their children were on the floor. A boy and a girl. Eight years old. Smart. Curious. Loud.
"The equation is wrong," the boy said.
Mica looked at her son. "The equation is correct."
The boy shook his head. "The variable is miscalculated."
Mica looked at the equation. She looked at her son. She smiled. "You're right."
The boy grinned. "I'm always right."
Calix pulled Mica close. "He's your son."
Mica kissed his cheek. "He's our son."
Freya was at the gate. Erdix was beside her. Her arms were crossed. Her face was sharp. Her hair was gray. Her eyes were still sharp. Their children were playing in the street. A boy and a girl. Ten years old. Silent. Steady. Loyal.
"They're quiet," Freya said.
Erdix looked at their children. "They're watching."
Freya nodded. "They're always watching."
Erdix pulled her close. "They're your children."
Freya leaned against him. "They're our children."
Grace was in the garden. Denzel was beside her. Her fists were open. Her face was soft. Her hair was gray. Her eyes were still fierce. Their children were training. A boy and a girl. Twelve years old. Strong. Disciplined. Loud.
"Higher," Grace said.
The girl punched higher. "Higher," Grace said. The boy kicked higher. "Good."
Denzel pulled Grace close. "They're your children."
Grace almost smiled. Almost. "They're our children."
Kuya Angelo was on the porch. Ion was beside him. His face was calm. His hands were steady. His hair was white. His eyes were still warm. Their children were playing in the garden. A boy and a girl. Fourteen years old. Kind. Gentle. Quiet.
"They're growing," Ion said.
Kuya Angelo nodded. "They're growing."
Ion pulled him close. "They're beautiful."
Kuya Angelo kissed his forehead. "They're our children."
Tita Gemma was in the living room. Tita Rachel was beside her. Her hands were in her lap. Her face was wet. Her hair was white. Her eyes were still bright. Their grandchildren were around them. Playing. Laughing. Loving.
"They're perfect," Tita Gemma said.
Tita Rachel squeezed her hand. "They're perfect."
Tita Gemma cried. "We're lucky."
Tita Rachel kissed her cheek. "We're lucky."
Jay walked into the garden. Keifer was behind her. His hand was in hers. The children ran to her. Aurora. Alexander. Liana. The twins. The cousins. The chaos.
"Mama!" Aurora shouted. "Aunt Care is here! Aunt Lyra is here! Everyone is here!"
Jay looked at the garden. At her family. At the life she had built. At the love she had found.
"Everyone is here," Jay said.
Keifer pulled her close. "Everyone is here."
The sun was setting. The family was gathered. The children were playing. The adults were talking. The laughter was loud. The love was everywhere.
Percy raised his glass. "To family."
Honey raised her glass. "To family."
Aries raised their glass. Ella raised hers. Care raised hers. Cole raised his. Rakki raised hers. Ci N raised his. Mica raised hers. Calix raised his. Freya raised hers. Erdix raised his. Grace raised hers. Denzel raised his. Kuya Angelo raised his. Ion raised his. Tita Gemma raised hers. Tita Rachel raised hers. Keiran raised his. Keigan raised his.
Lyra raised her glass. Alex raised his.
Jay raised her glass. Keifer raised his.
"To family," they said.
They drank. The sun set. The stars came out. The night was quiet. The house was full. The family was home.
Jay stood on the steps of the garden. Keifer was behind her. His arms were around her. His face was in her hair. The garden was dark. The roses were red. The stars were bright.
"You're thinking," Keifer said.
She leaned against him. "I'm thinking about the garden. About the mud. About the Ferris wheel. About the contract. About the day you put the ring back on my finger."
He kissed her hair. "I'm thinking about the day you took a bullet for me."
She turned to face him. Her face was close. Her eyes were bright. "I would do it again."
He kissed her hand. "I wouldn't let you."
She smiled. "You don't have a choice."
He pulled her close. "I love you."
She held him. "I love you too."
The door creaked. Small footsteps. Soft breathing. Jay looked up. Aurora stood in the doorway. She was holding her elephant. She was twelve years old. She did not need her elephant. She wanted her elephant.
"Mama," Aurora said.
Jay's heart melted. "Yes?"
Aurora walked to her mother. She hugged her. "I love you."
Jay kissed her forehead. "I love you too."
Alexander walked into the garden. He was holding his bear. He was twelve years old. He did not need his bear. He wanted his bear.
"Dada," Alexander said.
Keifer pulled him close. "Yes?"
Alexander hugged his father. "I love you."
Keifer kissed his forehead. "I love you too."
Liana ran into the garden. She was holding a book. "Aunt Jay! Aunt Jay! Read to me!"
Jay smiled. "Read to you?"
Liana nodded. "Please."
Jay sat on the steps. Liana climbed onto her lap. Aurora sat beside her. Alexander sat beside his father. Keifer's arm was around his son. His hand was on his daughter's back.
Jay opened the book. "Once upon a time..."
The garden was quiet. The stars were bright. The children were listening. The family was home.
THE END