Epilogue

EPOV

"You know," I started as I stood there, straightening Parker's tie, "the first few months of your life…phew, you definitely put mom and me through the wringer. We made it though, and then we had Eva and Carlie. I love all of you, but you…you've always had a special place in my heart." I swallowed around the lump in my throat, trying to keep myself from crying.

"Dad…" He placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. "Don't go and pussy out on me today, all right?" Parker laughed, but I could see the hint of tears glinting in his eyes.

I couldn't keep the grin off of my face. Everything I said to him was true, but he was trying to keep it together. We weren't afraid of deep, meaningful conversations—we'd had quite a few.

The biggest one was when he sat Bella and me down and told us he was gay. I didn't know if he thought we'd disapprove of him or abandon him—nor what would have given him that idea. But in that moment, I knew we needed to have a talk that went much deeper than, "Mom, Dad, I'm gay."

So that night, I knocked on his bedroom door, sat on his bed, and we talked for a long time.

We talked about how the love Bella and I had for him was unconditional. That we didn't care who he loved, as long as they treated him well. Bella never shied away from talking about her feelings with our children, but I knew she hadn't discussed with them just how ostracized she'd felt by her parents. She never wanted our children to form opinions of them based upon her. If our children wanted a healthy relationship with their grandparents, we wouldn't stop them, but we also wouldn't allow them to be abused.

So, Parker and I spoke about that as well. It might not have been my story to tell, but Bella wasn't mad when I'd confessed to her later. While they were two very different situations, Bella and I both understood the effect not being accepted by your own parents could have. There was nothing our children could do or be that would make us stop loving them.

That being said…Parker's coming out was what put the final wedge between Bella and her parents. If they couldn't accept something as small as their daughter not being what they thought was healthy and beautiful, they definitely didn't accept Parker's being gay. "What do you mean he's gay?" Renee had shrieked. "Oh, Charlie will never—"

And that was what Bella hung up the phone and never looked back. She refused to let her parents' toxicity leak over into her children.

My parents, Rose, Emmett, Alice, and her husband Jasper, had taken it all in stride. It changed nothing about Parker as a person, and they all knew that. They loved their grandson and nephew because of who he was, not because of who he loved.

I shoved his shoulder, chuckling. "Oh, shut up. What the hell is Eric thinking, marrying a smart ass like you, anyway?"

Parker's eyes widened as though he suddenly remembered what we were doing here. "Oh my God, I'm getting married. Oh, fuck. I'm getting married!" he cheered.

I grinned at him, remembering feeling the same way when I married his mom.

—DC—

"One down, two to go." Bella grinned at me, placing a kiss on my lips as we swayed slowly to the music. "I think we'll be here with Eva in a year or two if things keep going the way they are with Jared." She nodded over to our daughter and her boyfriend.

I pushed out a heavy breath. "I'm not ready for that. But at least we still have Carlie at home for another few years."

"I love all our kids, you know? They each have something…special about them. But Carlie? That girl…she's going to do something extraordinary. I don't know what just yet, but she is."

I glanced around the room, spotting Carlie on the edge of the dance floor. Bella was right, they were all unique. Parker would always have a special spot as my boy. Eva, she could run circles around Alice. I just knew she was going to make a name for herself in the fashion industry before long. Carlie…I didn't know how to explain her. She had a heart of gold, but she was tough as nails. She wouldn't let anything that she saw as an injustice pass without her speaking her mind. I had a feeling I'd be paying for law school soon. She'd be attempting to overturn everything and anything that was wrong in this world. I knew she would very much succeed, and even if she didn't, I didn't care. No matter what my children did, as long as it made them happy, I'd always be proud of them.

I stopped our swaying, slipping my fingers beneath her chin. Her gaze met mine. "I don't know that I can ever thank you enough for giving me your heart and for trusting me so fully with it. My life wouldn't be the same without you or our children."

She smiled at me, brushing her fingers against my cheek. "I love you, Edward. Thank you for always seeing the value in me, and for making sure that I eventually saw it in me as well. I'd be lost without all of you."

I gripped her waist, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her lips, each of us deepening it as I pulled her closer. She let out a soft moan, just as our son and his new husband walked past us.

"Get a room!" he shouted at us, a huge grin on his lips before he leaned in to kiss Eric.

It had taken us time. We'd spent years apart, and when we finally found each other again, the road was full of curves and bumps. But in the end, we found our destination, and there was no looking back.

We were complete.