Hi guys!
wow...wow...WOW. I'm feeling a bunch of different emotions. Sad that this is over, proud of how far it came, relieved that I actually finished another fic. Who knew that this little one shot would turn into 35 parts and 500 reviews. Thank you all for all the love, motivation, and unwavering support. It all means the world to me.
Alright friends, we've reached the happy ending of a long road. I present to you the epilogue of Better Circumstances.
Enjoy xo
Better Circumstances
Thirty-Five || Epilogue
Six months later – June.
Jacksonville, Florida
Pierce Family Residence
Six months of planning had led to this moment – a warm June evening during which a beautiful ceremony was about to take place.
The sky had turned into a beautiful mixture of various shades of orange, purple, and blue as the summer sun began setting over the lake behind the vast family home. A few white chairs were dotted on either side of the crisp white aisle runner that led up to the floral arch underneath a large palm tree. The arch was adorned in beautiful white peonies with little pedals scattered around the bottom.
Seated in the white chairs were the family and friends of the bride and groom; a few of Edgar's cousins and their children, Olivia's squad members such as Fin, Kat, Amanda and her daughters Jesse and Billie, as well as Sonny. Though all of her squad was extremely happy for her, it was Fin who was truly feeling the full weight of this moment. After all, he had known Olivia for over twenty years and had seen the many highs and lows of her life. He'd been extremely protective over her since day one but especially since she continued to rise through the ranks as despite knowing that she could hold her own, he wasn't going to let anyone try to knock her down. He had seen her crack several times and picked up every little piece that fell.
But now, Olivia was in good hands, as Edgar had proven on many occasions that he was capable of giving her all the love and protection that she deserved. Though Fin would always look out for anyway, he did feel like he didn't have to worry as much anymore.
Meanwhile, upstairs in the master bedroom of the beautiful home, Olivia was seated at Kelly Pierce's dressing table as both Adeline and Lamai helped put the finishing touches on her look. She was a vision; the stunning, sleeveless white jumpsuit hugged every curve perfectly, and she had teamed the look with a stunning gold belt around her waist, and her white heeled sandals. She wore a minimal amount of makeup – a little eyeliner and bronzer, and some lip gloss – which gave her a beautiful glow. Her glossy brunette spilled halfway down her back and over her shoulders and was in loose beach waves with the front parts clipped back. Her engagement ring was glistening away on her left ring finger.
And in less than an hour, a thin band would be on her finger. She smiled at the thought. She really couldn't wait to be Edgar's wife.
Adeline twirled some of Olivia's hair around her fingers as she quietly asked; "You nervous?"
Olivia blushed a little, looking at her soon to be sister-in-law through the mirror; "Mhm…" she turned and looked up at her, and she asked; "Were you nervous on your wedding day?"
"Girl, I wanted to throw up from being so nervous…" Adeline laughed a little as she leaned against the dressing table; "But honestly, I think I was more nervous because I thought I was going to be a shitty wife. I mean – between my parents and his – I always had a great example of what a great wife should be, and I ended up putting so much pressure on myself because I wanted to be like them."
"I think that's my problem," Olivia laughed a little; "I never really had a great example until recently, like seeing you and your mom, and then Lamai; you guys are all such great wives and I want to be like you guys because after all, Edgar deserves the best wife."
"But the thing is, Edgar doesn't want you to be like us…" Lamai chimed in as she stepped out of the en suite. She had been listening in on the two women's conversation as she finished putting on her earrings. She made her way over, and she crouched down beside Olivia to look at her;
"I was just like this too, wanting to be the same as the wives I had seen around me. But my mom reminded me that Christian didn't want them, he wanted me…" Lamai brushed some of Olivia's hair out of her eye then smiled; "You be the best damn Olivia Pierce that you can be. Just be yourself, be the woman that Edgar has fallen in love with. You're already amazing Olivia, so don't be putting pressure on yourself and driving yourself insane. You're going to be a damn awesome wife."
Olivia had to blink back some tears as she looked between the two women that had become her best friends. She had needed this little pep talk and she was so grateful to have them. She stood up and threw her arms around them both, and the three women shared a group hug as they all squeezed each other as tight as possible.
"Thanks girls; I needed that."
"You know we love you." Adeline remarked.
"And we always got your back too…" Lamai kissed her cheek, then spoke up; "Okay, everything should be all sort-"
Knock knock! "Ladies – are you ready?"
"Come on in, Mom!" Adeline called back. The door opened, and the three women looked up as Kelly Pierce walked in, looking equally stunning as them all as she wore a sleeveless gold dress that fanned out around the knees as well as a pair of gold heels. She had come in while holding the hand of a very handsome looking Noah Benson. The little boy was all cheesy smiles as he wore a crisp black suit with a white shirt and trendy gold bowtie, and his shiny black shoes.
"I have a handsome little man here that is ready to walk his mother down the aisle." Kelly smirked, earning a laugh from all the women. Olivia opened her arms, to which Noah came right over and gave her a hug. She kissed his cheek then pulled back to rub her hands down his arms; "You look very handsome, sweetie."
"Thanks Mom, and you look very pretty." Noah replied, giving her a sweet smile. Olivia pinched his cheek, then shared a quick hug with Kelly as well as the older woman whispered about how stunning she looked. Seeing as it was almost time for the ceremony to begin, Kelly and Adeline began making their way out of the room to start heading outside. Olivia grabbed her small bouquet of flowers, then she, Noah, and Lamai headed out of the room and down the stairs. Outside, Edgar and his father were already standing at the altar along with his groomsmen – Christian and Sam. Kelly was heading outside now to go take her seat in the front row with the rest of Edgar's family.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Noah tugged on Olivia's hand and whispered; "Mom, can we talk really quickly?"
Olivia's anxiety quickly spiked as she crouched down to talk to Noah. She was worried that something was wrong or that this was too much, so she spoke; "What's wrong?"
"Nothing…" Noah laughed as he took in the look on his mother's face; "I just wanted to say that I love you, and I'm really excited about today. Thank you for letting me walk with you."
Olivia's heart melted at the sweet look on her son's face. She brushed a couple of his curls back then pulled him into a hug; "I love you too, and thank you for walking with me…" she kissed his cheek a couple times then pulled back; "You know that me and you will always be a team, right?"
"Yeah I know; it's always team me and you – against the whole world," Noah replied, his bright blue eyes sparkling with happiness; "But now Edgar's on our team too, and that's pretty cool. Team Pierce – forever."
Olivia found herself blinking back tears once again. All she could do was hug her son, whom had gone from that sweet little boy that she rescued those years ago into a smart, and very sweet eight-year-old that was wise beyond his years. She kissed his cheek a couple times, then pulled back as she gazed at him;
"Team Pierce – forever."
She then stood up properly and held his hand tightly in hers. As Adeline and Sam's daughter Lianne began playing a beautiful melody with her violin, and as guests looked on, the ceremony began.
Adeline made her way down the aisle first, followed by her younger daughter Noelle whom was serving as a bridesmaid as well. Lamai – whom was the maid of honor - then made her way down the aisle, followed by her and Christian's daughter Abby whom served as the flower girl.
And then, as guests stood and as Edgar watched, down the aisle came Olivia whom was being escorted by little Noah.
This was now the first time Edgar had seen Olivia since that morning, and what he saw now was blowing him away. She was a vision in that white and gold jumpsuit, and her eyes sparkled due to the rays from the setting sun. He found that his vision was starting to blur with tears as he watched both her and Noah come down the aisle. Today was going to change their lives in the best way, and he found himself so incredibly emotional as he thought about the future together. The three of them – the little Pierce family.
Once the pair reached the front, it was then that things could begin. Noah moved to stand beside Edgar now as he was his little best man and a ring bearer. Ron Pierce was officiating the ceremony and started off with a small prayer. The ceremony progressed and the 'I Do' was exchanged. Then came the time for their vows, to which Ron explained that the two of them had decided to go with their own vows rather than go with traditional ones.
"Ladies first." Edgar smirked. Olivia laughed a little and rolled her eyes, then took a deep breath as she began to say what was on her heart;
"Edgar, from the moment I met you, I knew you were special. I'll never forget those very first words, about me being just as stunning as Lamai said – because apparently you'd been talking about me…" she playfully shot a glance over her shoulder at her best friend and maid of honor, who innocently looked away while everyone laughed. Olivia smirked at her before turning back to Edgar, and she squeezed his hands as she continued;
"I know we had a little wobble, but as fate would have it, we would see each other again. I had no idea that things would end up like this, but I am so thankful that they did. You've changed my life and made me the absolute happiest woman in the world. You showed me and my son so much love and broke down every wall I had built up. You are truly my best friend, my love, my true partner for life, and I promise to be the best wife I can be for you, because I love you so very much."
Tears were falling down her cheeks, and she squeezed his hands again while giving him a smile. Edgar squeezed her hands in return before speaking as well;
"Olivia, you are still just as stunning as Lamai said you were…" he began, earning a laugh from everyone. He cleared his throat a little, then he continued;
"That night when we met, you took my breath away and have continued to do so ever since. When we found our way back into each other's lives, I figured that this was a sign that my chance hadn't been missed. I didn't realize it was going to be this magical, but I'm thanking the higher powers constantly for this, and for you. I thank you for allowing me into yours and Noah's lives; I thank you for allowing me to love you both. But I also thank you for loving me, for breathing some life back into me again. You have my heart now Liv and I never want it back. I love you, and I love Noah so much. You're my best friend too, and the absolute love of my life, and I promise to not only be the best husband I can possibly be for you, but to also be the best father I can be to our son."
Not a dry eye was in the room as they watched the ceremony and listened to the vows being exchanged. Even Ron had to clear his throat before asking for their rings. Noah reached his pocket and handed over the rings, and more tears were shed as the couple exchanged rings. Ron took the time to pray yet another moving prayer over the couple, and after a few more words, he finally spoke the words they'd both longed to hear;
"I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may finally kiss your bride."
The words had barely left Ron's mouth when Edgar grabbed Olivia and pulled her against him for a soul stirring kiss. She giggled against his lips as she reciprocated the kiss, then she pulled away as she snuggled into his chest for a loving cuddle.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Ulrich Pierce."
Claps and cheers filled the air as the couple continued to gaze at each other for a few moments, allowing the full weight of what happened to settle over them. Olivia especially wanted to cry again; finally, she was Edgar's wife, and she couldn't have been any happier.
Noah was hugging their legs, thus bringing them back to the present for a moment. Edgar lifted him up so the three of them could have a family group hug. Edgar kissed his curls before kissing Olivia once again.
"I love you, both of you." He smiled, looking between too.
"I love you…Dad." Noah winked before wrapping his arms around Edgar's neck, hugging him back. Olivia placed a hand on her son's back before standing on her toes to kiss Edgar once again;
"I love you too, my husband." Saying that out loud made her feel so damn giddy, and she loved it.
As darkness fell over the area, he fairy lights that dangled from the large trees lit up the vast back yard. Guests looked on as the couple enjoyed a tear-jerking first dance to Boyz II Men's The Color of Love, though Olivia was practically in tears during that moment as Edgar quietly sang the song in her ear. They enjoyed speeches from a few of their friends and family, including a hilarious speech from Lamai, who had pretty much taken full responsibility for this relationship. Everyone was on the verge of tears, however, when Edgar took his time to deliver a moving speech to his new wife and stepson. This resulted in Olivia finally letting her tears overflow as she and Noah hugged him again, and Edgar too was crying as he pressed kisses to her head. This day had been nothing short of perfect and had set them out on a brand-new path of happiness for the rest of their lives.
As the night dragged on, Noah was having the time of his life as he and a few of the other children – whom were pretty much his cousins now – were enjoying themselves as they played with sparklers. The adults were all laughing and drinking and enjoying themselves. Edgar and Olivia had snuck off to the second-floor outdoor balcony that provided a view of the backyard as well as the lake behind the house.
Edgar was stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her torso and his chin resting on her shoulder. Olivia was leaned back against him, and their fingers were locked together as they rested on her torso. They were watching their guests, and the smiles on their faces couldn't have shone any brighter as they basked in the happiness and warmth that came about due to this day.
"Think we can sneak off and get our wedding night started?"
She had to laugh, but she couldn't deny that she hadn't been thinking about that as well. They had a plan for the next couple days; tonight, the little Pierce family were heading about an hour north to the a small vacation area called Amelia Island, and they would be staying at a beautiful, two story beach front home; courtesy of Edgar's parents of course as they partly owned the property as some sort of timeshare thing. Though Noah would be with them, Olivia knew that they'd still enjoy the next couple of days. They'd enjoy time as a family, but after Noah went to bed, she and Edgar would no doubt enjoy time alone as husband and wife.
She felt his lips on her shoulder, and she turned her head to look at him; "Well we can't sneak off quite yet, but just so you know, I'll be very happy when we get to that house tonight, and even happier when our son goes to bed." She raised an eyebrow as her plump lips twisted into a smirk, and Edgar couldn't resist giving her a quick kiss.
"Our first night as husband and wife…" he smirked a little, his lips brushing hers as he whispered; "Tonight, I'll be making love to my wife."
Olivia felt butterflies in her stomach at the tone of his voice. God how she couldn't wait to be with him tonight. All she could do now was kiss him again as he tightened his hold on her.
About an hour later, it was time for the little family to head off for a couple days of solitude. Family and friends gathered around as the three of them slipped into the car, and after beeping the horn, Edgar was driving off with his little family for a couple days on the island. He already had a plan – no phone unless absolutely necessary, and Olivia was in agreeance with such. Afterall, they wanted nothing more than to enjoy time with their son and each other. As they drove along, Edgar looked over at his new wife and gave her a stunning smile, one that she returned. Her reached over and took her hand, and he rubbed his thumb over her rings before pressing a kiss to the jewelry. Olivia squeezed his hand as the smile on her face only grew. She was so happy; more so than she'd ever been in her life.
Before long, they had reached the beautiful, two story beach front home located on Amelia Island. Edgar grabbed all their bags and led his family into the house, and Olivia looked around in awe as she took in the luxurious looking home.
"A timeshare thing, eh?" she remarked as she took in her surroundings; "Your parents won't mind if we use this place for family vacations, right?"
"I'm sure they won't, baby," Edgar let out a laugh before looking at Noah, who looked about dead on his feet; "Dude, you look like you're about to pass out. You tired?"
Noah nodded while rubbing his eyes. The events of the day were catching up with him and now he was ready to fall into bed. Olivia let out a little laugh while rubbing his curly hair; "Come on kiddo, let's go get ready for bed."
She then turned to Edgar, and she placed a gentle kiss onto his lips before whispering; "I'll meet you in our room in a bit, husband." She winked at him while her soft lips twisted into a smirk. Edgar's eyes darkened just a little, and he squeezed her hip as he gave her another kiss. She dragged her fingers across his chest before heading upstairs with Noah, and Edgar bit his lip as he watched the way her hips moved in that damn jumpsuit.
He looked at the ring on his finger and smiled. He was the luckiest man in the world.
It was about half an hour later when Olivia finally did make her way into the master bedroom. She'd helped Noah get out of his suit, and after he put on his pajamas and brushed his teeth, she sat with him for a bit until he fell asleep because of course, he wanted to talk about any and everything even though he was tired. As she made her way further into the bedroom, Edgar was already waiting for her in bed. He smirked as he looked at her, and she shot him a playful look before making her way into their en suite and shutting the door behind her.
She freshened up a little before finally stripping out of the white jumpsuit she was wearing, thus now revealing a stunning pale blue lace bra and panty set that she'd been desperate for him to see. She tousled her hair a little and applied a bit more lipstick, before finally opening the door. She leaned against the doorway with her arms folded as she spoke up;
"Mr. Pierce, do you approve?"
Edgar looked up from the television and his jaw dropped right away. He seemed to be at a loss for words as his eyes roamed over every single curve of her body. All she could do was laugh as she flicked off the bathroom light, then she made her way over to him. He was still staring at her even as she crawled up the bed to him until she was straddling his waist.
"This was my something blue for today…" she smirked, running her fingers over his cheek; "Do you like it?"
"I'm the fucking luckiest man in the world…" he slipped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer as he sat up; "You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"
"You'll die a happy man." She shrugged. She then pressed her lips to his for a kiss, though she was forced to laugh against his lips as he suddenly flipped her onto her back. Her hair was sprawled out across the pillow, her arms remained around his neck, and her lips remained connected to his as he hiked her legs up around him.
Their first night as husband and wife, and what a night this was going to be.
Edgar pulled away just enough to whisper against her plump lips; "I love you so much, Mrs. Pierce."
Mrs. Pierce. She would absolutely never get tired of hearing that.
She tilted her head just enough to stare into his eyes as she whispered back;
"I love you too, forever and always."
Finished.
Well, we have reached the end. Don't forget to leave your reviews and all that. Thank you guys so much for all of the support all the time. Stay safe and wear your mask! :)
