Epilogue.
“Alice, we’re running late,” I say, wrapping my arms around her waist, intending for her back to press against my chest, craving that closeness. Her signature scent of laurel envelops me, pushing back the anxiety I feel when she’s not near.
I know she relishes Sundays because I’m all over her, feeding her ego that thrives on being desired 24/7. “You exhausted your weekly ‘Alice’ quota yesterday.”
Last night, we played Monopoly, and as it often goes-except for the times I let her win to keep the peace-I emerged the victor. Maybe, just maybe, I gloated a bit too much. ‘Alice’ is my trump card when I want to rile her up.
As she finishes brushing her hair in front of the bathroom mirror, her eyes narrow at my reflection, a sign of her lingering annoyance. “Still mad?”
I pout and make my eyes big, hoping for a sliver of sympathy. When that doesn’t seem to work, I decide to push her buttons further. “Because last night, you didn’t seem all that mad, especially… on top of me.”
“Shut up!” she exclaims, turning around to pinch my stomach, her laughter echoing in the room. “And if I remember correctly, I kicked your ass at chess, as always.”
That’s a blow to my overly inflated ego. I can be a tad sensitive. “I let you win.”
“Yeah, right, undefeated champion, honey,” she says, inching closer with a teasing glint in her eyes. I swallow hard, and she gets closer still, biting my lower lip before releasing it carelessly. “That’s what you were moaning last night.”
I open my mouth to retaliate, but she’s already strutted off triumphantly to the dining room. Following her in mock outrage, I call out, “You forced me!”
“Me?” she squeaks with feigned innocence. “No, I was just holding back because I was tired.”
“Sure,” I say, closing my eyes so I don’t have to watch her swaying around the room with that smug air that drives me wild. It took every ounce of my self-control not to sweep her back into bed. “And did your fatigue magically disappear when I admitted you’re good at chess?”
Pretending to ponder over my words, she nods, feigning the confidence to say, “You inspired me, love.”
I laugh, and she joins in, prompting me to chase after her playfully and pull her into a tight embrace. “Why is our intimacy sometimes so… odd?”
Celina playfully nips at my cheek and then presses a soft kiss against it. “You wanted to play board games.”
“Actually, I wanted to play with something else,” I reveal with a smirk. “But I had to wait for mom to sleep before giving you some special attention.”
Her cheeks flush as she gently extricates herself from my grip. “Speaking of her, I’ll go wake her up.”
We’ve been together for three years. The best three years of my life.
She’s been studying while I work as a security guard for a major company. I don’t earn as much as I used to, but it’s enough to comfortably support the three of us: my mother, Celina, and me. We don’t live luxuriously, but with the savings from my previous job, we bought a lovely home located just a block away from the complex where Celina’s mom resides.
We initially intended to bring her mother to live with us. In fact, we rented an apartment before buying this house. But her mother proved… challenging. At least for us. Celina made the tough decision to place her in a facility where she’d be taken care of properly. She’d originally planned to work to rent a place nearby.
I would never let her go through that alone and was prepared to live with her there. But, serendipitously, we came across this beautiful, cozy home for sale. I didn’t hesitate to purchase it, and we’ve been here ever since. Celina visits her mom after university, and I accompany her on the days when she’s too drained.
Her mother has recently started recognizing us when we visit. We can spot a hint of joy in her eyes when she realizes we’re there, and that’s enough for us. That’s why we’re going to see her today, all three of us together, so she knows we’re always there for her.
As for my beloved girlfriend, she finishes her veterinary degree in a year, and she’ll have to support me because I loathe my job.
I’d make a great stay-at-home partner, she knows that. I’ve become quite meticulous about cleanliness since we started living together.
Or maybe, just maybe, I could try rejoining the force… I still have contacts. I haven’t tried yet because I want to be home with them more, and I know that kind of job wouldn’t allow for it. But perhaps someday…
“Den!” My mother appears at the doorway of her room, her face lighting up at the sight of me, and she rushes into my arms. She still calls me Den, and I have no intention of confusing her again. To her, I’m Den and always will be.
“Hey! Ready for our Sunday outing?” I ask, planting a kiss on her forehead. She nods, and I guide her to the table where our breakfast awaits.
We sit down together, just like a family. A family I never expected to have but now can’t imagine living without. With Celina, I truly discovered what love is, and I can’t ever let her down again. We rarely argue these days, and we always try to communicate when something bothers us.
I’m happier than I’ve ever been.
That’s why I have a gift for the woman of my dreams in the nightstand’s drawer.
A ring that will fit perfectly on her ring finger.
Because, unequivocally, she is the love of my life.
And I want us to belong to each other until the very end of our days.