Epilogue 1
“Surprise!”
-Cam & Aaron
Those who didn’t know Camellia “Cam” Saber might think she would have preferred to elope to Las Vegas as her oldest sister did. Or get married in the Cayman Islands like her youngest sister. Not that there was muchelopingthere since most of the family showed up anyway.
Those who didn’t know Cam would be dead wrong.
She wanted nothing more in the world than to be surrounded by her family when she finally said “I do” to the man of her dreams.
But even though she wanted them around, that didn’t mean she would tell them about it ahead of time.
She felt it was better as a surprise.
Cam stands in the great room of her brother’s house, feeling an overwhelming sense of love. Luke Saber built the forever home with his growing family in mind. Not only is the room bustling with Luke’s four children and his wife, Wysdom, but the extended family as well.
Celia and her husband Flint set the table in the dining room. It doesn’t take two people to set the table, but they can’t keep their hands off each other, whispering dirty secrets and laughing when they think no one is looking.
Carolina is in a deep discussion with her husband Rand, and Luke. Every so often, she rubs her baby bump that popped out within the last week. Rand absentmindedly rubs Carolina’s lower back in slow circles.
Their daughter, Faylor, is sharing social media videos with Aaron’s youngest daughter, Daisy, as Ruston and Sienna play tag around their legs.
A squeal of joy comes from the kitchen as Aaron’s middle daughter, Poppy, swings Wil around, then kisses her face. Then does it again and again.
Wil’s twin brother Carmine is getting equal attention from his grandparents, Carmen and Luis.
Dahlia, Aaron’s oldest, speaks animatedly to Ryan, who is practically drooling all over her feet.
Aaron smiles at something Cat says. He catches Cam’s eye and nods toward their children.
Cam shrugs. It will be an awkward conversation for another day, but that day is not today.
Wysdom steps to the center of the chaos and taps a knife against a champagne flute in an attempt to get everyone’s attention. It does not work. She sets down the glass and wolf-whistles instead.
That shuts everyone up.
“Great! Now that I have your attention, we have a special announcement,” Wysdom points to the backyard. “If everyone would join us on the lanai.”
Everyone files out to the backyard, Aaron and Cam bring up the rear.
“You nervous?” Aaron asks his bride-to-be.
Cam turns on a dazzling smile that nearly stops Aaron’s heart. “Not in the slightest.”
He leans in to kiss her, then takes her hand and steps outside.
Their family settles into chairs set up in a circle around the backyard, facing the center of the lanai. Wysdom steps to the center ring of this circus and claps her hands.
“This is more than a family dinner today. It’s a celebration,” Wysdom begins. “It seems our family continues to grow with love. Today, we add Aaron, Dahlia, Poppy, and Daisy to our ranks.”
Aaron’s daughters gasp with surprise as he steps into the center with Cam.
“We asked Wysdom to remain silent about our surprise,” Cam begins, then shoots a warning glare at Luke. “So, don’t get mad at her. Or about the fact that you didn’t get your Sabervention in on Aaron.”
The crowd chuckles.
“More than twenty years ago, I met the love of my life,” Aaron picks up the story from there. “Through some boneheaded decisions, I lost her. I felt I’d never find a love like that again, but I was wrong. When my daughters were born, I once again knew unconditional love. A love that meant I would make hard choices for them every day of my life.”
