Epilogue

Epilogue 

13 years later:

"Does this tuxedo make me look fat?" asked Axky trying to button up the coat. 

"Um honey," started Paula hesitantly trying to say yes without hurting his feelings. "You see it's not your fault, it's mine. With Vicky being with us I sort of went overboard with cooking delicious stuff the last couple of months. It's totally normal that you would need a larger size---"

"You are calling me fat!" exclaimed Axky melodramatically. "I can't believe it."

"No! I mean yes, a little," said Paula cursing under her breath. Why was he so sensitive about his weight anyway? It wasn't like it was important to her.

"That is it!" said Axky taking off the ill fitting coat. "My new diet starts now."

"Axky you can't diet now." Said Paula exasperatedly. "It's Arthur's wedding next week. Then we are going on a vacation to Italy. How can you possibly pass up all the delicacies heading our way?"

Axky pouted then scowled at the tuxedo. "Fine, I'll just get a larger tux."

Paula started to laugh at his expression, when the doorbell rang. Paula hurried to open it, leaving Axky to his own devices.

"Hi Mom! Hi Dad!" said an excited voice. "Levi is here. Can he stay for dinner?"

"Of course dear." she said with a gracious smile, although she knew how Axky was going to react. "Come on in Levi, we'd love to have you join us."

"Cool!" said Levi with a bright smile, his curly dark hair falling waggishly over his eyes. He flipped his head back in an attempt to move it from his eyes. Victoria was observing him with a mixture of awe and admiration. There was no doubt that Axky's darling daughter had a crush on Levi.

Axky was halfway through giving the suit one more chance when Levi commented.

"Hey old man, seems like you're getting a pot belly." said Levi conversationally settling down at the table as Vicky left to help her mother lay the table.

Axky frowned. "Not you again. Why do you keep turning up here during mealtimes?" he asked sizing up the boy.

Paula coughed. "Axky," she chided from the kitchen.

"Yes honey." called back Axky sweetly, then glared at Levi. "Look here kid, my daughter may think of you as a friend, but I know better. If you hurt my little girl I will hunt you down---"

"Um old man?" said Levi flipping hair out of his face with a flick of his head. "I really like Vicky. I'm actually here to ask you if I could take her out on a date?"

"No!" thundered Axky, horror filling his mind. How dare this little pipsqueak get such an idea? "Never in a million years. You stay away from her---"

"But she is the one who asked me out. I told her I wanted to be gentlemanly and ask her Dad first. So old man do you want to break her heart?" interjected Levi an annoying smirk on his face.

"Oh my God!" said Axky siting down at the table and clutching his head. "I need to have a talk with her."

Just then Paula and Vicky entered with a hot dinner.

"Vicky, meet me in the garden please." said Axky monotonously. Vicky sighed, but got up to join her father outside.

"Dad, I really like him---" she started. "I'm not fooling around I promise."

Axky sighed. "I trust you Vicky. It's him that makes me wary. He might be looking for just a fling. You are such a lovely girl after all, if he hurts you he'll have to deal with a lot of crap from me and your uncle Jack."

Vicky laughed. "I know Daddy. From what I know so far, Mom and aunt Brielle will destroy him before you can get to him. But, Daddy, I've never gone out with anyone before. I'm sixteen, and I've known Levi since I was ten. He's my best friend, and he's always been there for me. He's really brave too, he's the one who insisted he take your permission first."

"You sure he likes you?" asked Axky, looking into his daughter's eyes. She looked at him confidently and nodded. "Of course."

"Hey." came Levi's voice from the balcony. Axky and Vicky turned to look at him. "I'll step back, if that's what Vicky wants. I just want her to be happy. If it upsets you old man, then she'll be upset too. That's the last thing I want."

Axky gave no response, so Vicky looked at Levi apologetically, her heart clenching in her chest. "Levi," she said softly.

Levi smiled at her. "It's no biggie Vicky. I've waited all these years to hear you say you like me. I can wait for as long as you want me too, before I tell you how much I love you. Just know that I'm always going to be around if you need me, okay?"

He grinned at her encouragingly as Vicky gave him a watery smile. She was clearly trying hard not to cry.

"Paula? I think I'll pass on dinner." said Levi turning to leave. Paula nodded as she set the roast on the table.

"Alright dear." she said.

Just then Axky burst back in. "Wait Levi," he said with difficulty. "You-you may go out with Vicky."

"Really Daddy?" asked Vicky in surprise.

"Yes. But you can only go to public places, no making out and no inappropriate touching till you are married okay?" said Axky sitting down at the table.

Paula giggled, Axky was a pretty big hypocrite.

"Okay old man. But be ready to give your daughter's hand in marriage in a couple of years if you want us to follow all your rules." said Levi grinning as he gave Vicky's hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Enough with the wisecracks kid, sit down and enjoy the meal." said Axky happy that his daughter was smiling again. "And welcome to the family."

It was clear that Levi was never going to leave. His toothy grin said it all.

***

"Jack!" exclaimed Brielle over the loud music. "I can't fit into this dress!"

"Brielle," said Jack rushing up to switch off the loud speakers. He sighed with relief as the nursery rhymes stopped playing. "That is a dress you bought just after our wedding. Its been a long time since then, maybe you should try something else---"

"But it's my favourite dress!" said Brielle theatrically as two brown haired six year olds hurried to hug her.

"Mommy!" said the slightly taller boy of the two. "I got first place at the elocution competition! Jason came last." he added condescendingly.

"Daddy?" said Jason sadly spinning around and hugging Jack's legs. "I came last. Gary came first."

Jack bent down and looked into his son's eyes.

"Jason, listen to me." he said quietly. "There will be a lot of things that you will be great at but Jason won't be. Similarly there may be certain things that you aren't the best at. Life is all about finding out what you are good at and trying to do what you can to the best of your ability."

Jason nodded. He was the shyer of the two brothers. While they were identical twins, their personalities were polar opposites. Jack patted his head, reveling in how similar Jason and Brielle were. Both of them were blessed with tremendous potential but also battled self doubt and insecurities on a daily basis. He looked over at his beautiful wife, who was talking to their more outgoing son.

"Gary." said Brielle watching her slightly older son gloat on his victory. "What you said now wasn't nice."

Gary looked surprised. "But it's the truth!" he protested. "He came last!"

"No Gary." said Brielle shaking her head. "He may have, but he tried didn't he? He accompanied you to the contest, knowing how nervous he was. He didn't want you to be all alone. Jason didn't have to participate, but he did anyway. Don't you think you should encourage him? Otherwise, he will never want to do anything like this again. He will think he's never good enough for something like this. We are family, love. We never put each other down. We lift each other up."

Gary had little drops of tears in his eyes as he nodded. He turned at ran to his brother---younger by three minutes---and engulfed him in a hug.

"I'm sorry Jason." he said when he released his twin. "I'll teach you how to elocute and then next year we'll tie for first place. Maybe you could teach me to paint like you."

Jason nodded happily as he and his brother returned to their room eager to try out the new video game gifted by Arthur.

Jack walked up to Brielle and kissed her tenderly.

"Wow." said Brielle when they parted for air. "That felt like the kisses when we had started dating."

"With every day I spend with you, I find new things to love about you." said Jack huskily kissing the stone on her ring finger. "Thank you love, for giving me everything I could ever wish for."

Brielle stood on tiptoe and kissed her husband, full on the mouth, her arms wrapping around his strong neck. "I love you so much."

"What do you say we take this to the bedroom?" asked Jack leaving feather kisses on her neck. "Mrs.Dixon?"

Brielle smiled affectionately at her husband as she realized how hard her heart was beating. Even after all these years, after having two sons, a demanding career, he still loved her, and wanted her as much as she loved and wanted him.

"Lead the way Mr. Dixon." she said sincerely, as Jack lifted her up bridal style, making her heart skip a beat. He carried her to their bedroom and slammed the door shut using his foot, with practiced ease.

Life was beautiful.

✔ CHECK OUT THE SEQUEL HERE: Levi's Secret

✔ CHECK OUT MY NEW NOVEL "THE BOY WHO LOVED ME"

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P.S. The picture below is that of Gary and Jason. 

Hope you liked this story! Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

Feel free to check out this blog. There are plenty of short stories and poetry here written by my friend The Jovial Writer. My personal favourites are:

1. A delightful short story called First Fall  - Click here to read

2. A budding friendship in the award winning short story Sancastles and Football - Click here to read