Tristan laughs and holds her steady as their loved ones come into view.
Tessa and Tristan’s parents along with Abigail, Amber, Jordan and Katie, and Phillip and Brinley race toward them on the field, somehow dodging the unimaginable number of candles scattered on the ground.
“Oh my God!” Tessa gleams up at Tristan and playfully slaps his shoulder right before they are nearly knocked over by the group with I love you’s and Congratulations being shouted into the air.
They are somehow able to lock eyes in the chaos of happiness surrounding them, and the world suddenly quiets and calms under their gaze.
After 10 years of experiencing a life-changing love followed by unimaginable loss, Tristan and Tessa finally found their way back home and to their forever.
Epilogue
5 Years Later
“I need you two to sit still, okay?” Tessa whispered as she sat down in the front row of the press room, trying to wrangle two endlessly energetic little boys; her and Tristan’s boys.
“Here, I’ll take Cameron,” Katie said as she sat down next to Tessa, pulling the older of the two boys into her lap. Cameron was 4 and a quintessential oldest child. He was serious, smart, and responsible, and took amazing care of his little brother. He followed directions well and sat happily in his auntie Katie’s lap.
“I see, sticking me with the crazy one, huh?” Tessa said with a laugh as she attempted to get the two-year-old boy, Conan, into her lap. “God, would you just sit still for five minutes?” Tessa grunted as she tried to get the boy onto her lap. “You’re just like your father. Do I have to bribe you? I’ll get you a donut after this if you sit still.”
“Otay!” Conan immediately wiggled into his mom’s lap and sat perfectly still, looking over his shoulder to give her a mischievous smile.
Tessa didn’t trust him for a second but couldn’t help but smile back at him.
“This is very important for dad, so we have to sit still and be quiet, okay? You guys promise?”
The two boys nodded their heads enthusiastically and clapped their little hands together.
“How are you feeling?” Katie asked, leaning into Tessa’s side.
“Edgy,” she replied. “I’m just worried about him. I know this will be hard for him but I also know he’s excited for what will come after this. I’m just nervous is all.”
Katie looked down and noticed Tessa’s leg bouncing wildly.
“Are you sure it’s just this that has you nervous?” She asked. “You guys have been talking about this since last year.”
Tessa swallowed and looked around the room that was full of press, Tristan’s parents, Jordan, and some close teammates including Phillip before leaning back into Katie.
“Later today I’m telling Tristan that I’m pregnant again.”
Katie gasped and Tessa urgently shooshed her, motioning towards the very crowded room.
“Sorry!” Katie said. “I’m just really excited! Are you not excited? Why are you nervous?”
“I’m not nervous in a bad way,” Tessa says. “We wanted a third, we were just going to wait to try until the end of the season but you know Tristan. I tell him to pull out and he looks at me like I kicked his puppy.”
“Ugh, his brother is the same way,” Katie groans. “They’re such freaks.”
“What are you talking about, mommy?” Cameron asks, his inquisitive eyes that look so similar to his father’s shining brightly at Tessa.
“Nothing honey,” she says quickly. “And remember we have to be quiet, okay?”
A few minutes pass before the quiet murmurs around the room come to a dead stop and every single person immediately looks toward the podium.
Tristan walks in the room, dressed casually with a Titan’s shirt on and hat tugged over his eyes, and Tessa can already tell he was likely crying before coming out.
Tristan takes a heavy seat and adjusts the microphone before clearing his throat and taking a deep breath, his eyes immediately finding Tressa’s and giving her a warm smile. She winks at him and hugs Conan tightly, who is looking up at his dad like a real life hero.
“Thanks everyone for coming today,” Tristan says, nervously adjusting the brim of his hat before looking down at the paper in front of him. “For the past 13 years, I’ve played proudly for theKansas City Titans. I’ve never played for any other professional team and never wanted to. My loyalty to this franchise, to Coach Rice, Phillip Matthews, Brett Vance, and every single teammate I’ve had over the years has been unwavering, and I have absolutely zero regrets. The things I’ve learned, the people I’ve met, the way my life has changed because of the Titans is something that I’ll never understand how I got so lucky to be a part of this team for even a second of my life, let alone lucky enough to spend every single year of my NFL career as a Titan. And it is with a heavy but incredibly grateful heart that I announce today that this will be my last season playing professional football.”
