Epilogue
It was spring break of their high school senior year. Corrine "Corra" Grace, Stephen Matthew, Kimberly "Kimber" Gia Fuller, and Jack Donovan were driving slowly along the scenic road on their way to the resort hotel that had been booked for them. The group of eighteen-year-old teens was given a pre-graduation gift and their travel packages had been paid for by their parents. The teens worked hard the previous summer to earn the extra money they would need for their meals, souvenirs, and other amenities during their trip. Their cousin Valentina Joanne Fuller was already at the hotel as she caught an earlier flight and sent the trio a text stating that the rooms were all set up for their stay. Valentina was the oldest of the quartet by two weeks and their grandmother's oldest biological grandchild (Valentina's half-brother was adopted by Tommy Fuller but loved no less by anyone in the family). The trio pulled up to the resort hotel's main entrance and the bellhops quickly helped the VIPs out of their limo and into the hotel.
"Welcome, Mr. Donovan, Mr. and Ms. Fullers. It is a pleasure to have you with us again." The man at the front desk greeted the trio. The teens knew this was one of the managers, he was the day shift assistant manager. "Here are your room keys and the staff will assist you upstairs."
Cora collected the keys and the quartet walked over to the elevator bank. The staff pushed the luggage carrier into the first elevator and made their way to the top floor. The Fuller's caught the second elevator and upon hitting the button for the top floor watched the magnificent scenery that the clear glass allowed them to see. As the elevator rose the landscape pulled back revealing the majestic sights of their family's resort. Their parents and close family have owned this property for twenty years and it was where the Fullers first met the Donovan family. Cora handed the guys their room keys and the girls theirs. The elevator dinged and in short order, the ladies filed out followed by their male escorts. The bellhops followed the ladies into their room where they met Valentina. The room was bigger than they remembered (seemingly huge when they were little). The girls quickly picked out their luggage so that the staff could go take the guys their bags. Valentina showed the girls which drawers she had taken and the girls settled in.
On the far end of the hall, the guys were tipping the concierge who had followed his staff up to ensure that the offspring of the owners were attended to. While the Fullers and Donovans made yearly visits to the location this was the first time that the owners opted to use their private floor during peak vacation season. Looking at his guests it was obvious why this was happening, it was spring break and the teens were now all legally 18, thus, it was a special occasion.
Stephen was just tipping the concierge when his cousin yells, "Hey Beachhead, come on, we can put our clothes away later, now it's time to change and get ready to hit the beach."
"All right, all right, keep your trunks on Flint," Stephen replies.
In their youth, the two boys gave one another callsigns from G.I. Joe when they were younger based on the original characters that they felt fit their personalities. Stephen was called Beachhead for two reasons. One, in his childhood you could always find him at the beach with his head either underwater or in the sand. The second was he always wanted to be in charge which matched the character whose call sign he had. Jack took the callsign Flint from the Army Warrant Officer who at times led the G.I. Joe team. Jack was a natural leader that did not always seek that role but it came naturally to him.
"Val just sent me a text saying that she and the girls are already changed and heading for the lobby," Jack tells his cousin.
"Why don't you go wait with them. I have to let mom know we arrived safe and sound and then I will join you four." Stephen informs his cousin. Jack was the son of Charlie Donovan and Ramona Gibbler. His Aunt Ramona was not a blood relative but she and his father loved one another as if they were full-blood siblings and thus they were to be treated as such. In addition, Jack's father was his stepmother's cousin and the two of them were as close as siblings so again, they were treated as full-blood cousins. Jack didn't have to be told twice and grabbing his towel and room key made his way out the door and loudly hollered with glee as he made his way to the elevator banks.
Stephen changed into his swimsuit and pulled on a navy blue swim shirt. Once he was dressed he set up his Surface Pro and after connecting to the building's wifi video called his mother. He watched the screen attempt to make the connection until the signal went through. "Hi, sweetie." Chloe Fuller answered.
"Hi, Mom," Stephen replies. "As you can see we are here safe and sound."
"I'm glad. Thank you for just giving me this little piece of mind. I know it's been a rough year for the family but your father and I remembered how life-changing our own trip to Cancun was during spring break and we wanted you all to have the same experience." Chloe tells Stephen.
"Well, everything thus far is picture-perfect. Everyone else is downstairs waiting for me so I will sign off."
"Ok honey, before you all go to bed Wednesday please call us, just to let us know how you're doing." Chloe requests.
"I'll let everyone know. Take care and our love to the rest of the family." Stephen tells his stepmother.
Once the connection to the video call is severed Stephen collects his towel and makes his way towards the door. As he turns the knob and opens the door he is tackled to the ground unexpectantly by a young woman. The look on her face is one of shock as she collided so quickly with Stephen that she didn't even realize she was falling until they were both lying on the ground in Stephen's room. The young woman had very striking dark brown eyes, hair almost as dark as his mother's but not black, she was naturally tan so he suspected she was a Latina and as he could feel her feet on his shins knew that she was shorter than he was by almost afoot.
"Hi, can I help you?" Stephen asks the young woman nestled in his arms and pressed ever so close to his body.
"Yeah... you can start by letting go of me." The young woman replied. She was beginning to feel something poking her in the abdomen and Stephen realizing this too quickly releases the beautiful young woman.
"Right sorry," Stephen replies. The young woman pushes herself upright and holds out her hand to Stephen. Bracing herself she pulls and Stephen is now vertical again.
"So, is there anything else I can help you with?" Stephen asks the girl.
"Yes, to keep the noise down. My grandmother isn't feeling well and is sleeping in the room across the hall and it sounded like a fraternity was making its way down the hallway a little while ago.
"Sorry, my family was a little excited about our first parent-free vacation. We are going to be gone well into the evening so I can assure you that no one will disturb your grandmother." The young man informs the girl. "I'm sorry, my name is Stephen Matthew Fuller. My friends call me Beachhead."
"Beachhead... really?" The young woman questions.
"Yes really. And you are..."
Looking at the young man with a skeptical expression the young woman answers, "My full name is Belleza. My friends call me Belle and my family Bella."
"So which would you like me to call you?" Stephen asks.
"You may call me Ms. Lopez." Belleza Lopez informs the young man as she makes her way from Stephens room.
"He lives," Jack announces when Stephen finally appears in the lobby.
"Sorry guys. Our neighbor across the hall accidentally tackled me when I was leaving the room. Apparently, you guys made a lot of noise leaving the rooms, and her grandmother isn't feeling well and was trying to sleep. Once we picked ourselves off the floor and made our introductions I promised her we would keep it down by not being in the hotel today. An easy promise to make since we will be on the beach most of the day." Stephen tells his party.
"Very true," Kimber replies. Kimber and Stephen were the Fuller twins. They had their father's hair and their mother's eyes. Stephen looked like his father did at 18 except he had a lean yet muscular physique due to sports and mixed martial arts. Kimber was her mother's daughter except she had her father's easy-going personality, a fact that really endeared her to her Grandparents. Stephen wore a pair of Navy Blue swim trunks while his beautiful sister wore a Goddess Enhanced Halter Top in Gypsey Pasley color scheme.
Cora was her mother's daughter as well with her hair a blend of her mother's style but her father's coloring. Her parents both had the same eye color and Cora inherited that as well. She wore a Marylin Halter Top and Moderate Bottom in a Deep Ocean black and white color scheme.
Valentina was tall and slim like her mother. While her mother's hair was a dark brown, almost chestnut brown, Valentina's was auburn like Jackson's. Her bust was bigger than her mother's even after Jessica had her other three children. Valentina was the second child of Jessica Fuller, her older brother was adopted by their father and they have another younger brother and sister. Valentina's family moved to California in the house formerly owned by Jack's grandparents. Their next-door neighbors were Valentina's grandparent's home, a house that had been in the family for four generations now. Ownership of the house was being transferred to their Uncle Max and his family as Grandma DJ and Grandpa Steve were planning to move to Arizona to be closer to that branch of the family. Uncle Max's branch of the Fuller's were hoping that with the state turning Red after the last election that taxes might actually go down soon but if that doesn't happen they might finally sell the family home and move to another state as well. She had chosen a Goddess Enhancer Pushup Bikini with slide string bottoms in a Jungle Babe-themed color scheme.
"So... was she pretty?" Jack asks his cousin.
"I didn't notice," Stephen answers lying through his teeth.
"Well, shall we go?" Cora says motioning for the beach.
Jack and Valentina are the first to leave followed by Cora. Kimber is lagging behind with her twin when she says, "Liar."
Stephen just shrugs his shoulders as the group makes their way to the beach for some fun.
The family of five have an amazing time at the beach, spending the entire first-day swimming and sunning themselves. The girls all helped one another apply sunscreen to each other's backs with the guys did the same. When dusk was upon them the group made their way to the Taqueria for dinner. The group had their own private VIP table and were served quickly, the benefit of being the owner's children. The quintet was enjoying the delicious food provided by the resort's restaurant when Stephen's focus is shattered by an unexpected greeting.
"Well Mr. Beachhead, two encounters in one day, this really is a small world." The now pleasant voice of a bikini-clad Belleza Lopez greets her neighbor. The Lopez family was sitting down at the second VIP table that is complimentary to the guests on the VIP floor. Depending on how many rooms a party has determined how many tables a group was given.
Stephen's group turns to see the figure approaching them. Based on Stephen's reaction Kimber guesses this was the young woman from across the hallway. She quickly sizes up the young woman. She wore a monotone snake (silver and black) Pushup Halter Top with adjustable string coverage bottoms. This young woman was an inch shorter than she herself, had straight dark hair similar to their mother's only not black. Her eyes were dark brown eyes and her complexion was a pale tan. She had an ample bust size, easily bigger than their mother's prior to having four children from the pictures they've seen, and a bottom that was turning heads. There was no denying it, this was Overall a very striking young woman.
Stephen sits silently as Belleza stands waiting for a response. He is too stunned by his neighbor's beauty in her swimsuit. Jack leans over to his cousin, jabs him gently in the side with his elbow, and whispers, "If you didn't notice her earlier you must have gone blind."
"I noticed her ok, but she had far more clothes on when I did," Stephen whispers quickly before finally replying to Belleza's greeting. "Hello. I would like to introduce you to my fraternity... I mean family." Stephen quickly corrects his mistake.
"To my left is my twin sister Kimberly, we call her Kimber." Kimber waves her right hand acknowledging the young Latina. "To her left is our sister Corrine who we call Cora." Cora waves as well. "Across from Cora is our cousin Valentina who we call Val." Stephen finishes. When he does so Val smiles at the beautiful Latina and waves politely.
"And the man next to you?" Belleza inquires.
Jack is about to introduce himself when Stephen shoves him "accidentally" off the bench. "I'm sorry, who are you referring to?" Stephen asks looking about while his family laughs at poor Jack's expense.
"I think she means me, dude." Jack proclaims from the ground. Jack rolls backward and deftly manages to pick himself upright from that move. "Jack Donovan, at your service fair lady. I am their cousin."
"And your name?" Valentina inquires.
"My name is Belleza Marie Lopez. The head of your table said you were all here for the first time without your parents when we first met. That must be very exciting. I take it you're all from the U.S.?" Asks Belleza.
"Yes. Our parents all had a similar experience before they finished high school and they insisted we do the same. They paid for the trip as a pre-graduation gift and we worked the previous summer to save up for the things not covered by the vacation package." Cora informs Belleza.
"That is very nice. My grandparents rented the opposite side of the top floor for my family during our stay. They tried to rent the whole floor but apparently, your parents must have considerable clout with the hotel as they couldn't even persuade the management to give them to us three times the price of our rooms.
"An admirable attempt but that was never going to happen," Kimber tells Belleza with a grin on her face.
"You're sure?" Belleza counters.
"Quite," Jack replies with a cocky grin on his face.
"Really, what would it have taken then?" A very curious Belleza inquired.
"An act of god or rescheduling your trip," Valentina tells Belleza Lopez.
"Why is that?" A frustrated Belleza asks as no one is answering her question.
The five family members turn to the one silent person in their group. Stephen really didn't want to air their family's business for everyone around to hear but as he was now backed into a corner, he was forced to say, "Our parents own the resort."
"Really... wow," Belleza responds actually quite shocked at the revelation. "Well, my family and I are about to have dinner. Enjoy your stay... well, I guess you will." Belleza replies thinking about everything being the offspring of the owners must entitle them to.
It coming up on 9:30 in the evening and Stephen was lounging in the hot tub on the roof of the hotel. It was a beautiful night and his family was currently out at the club dancing their life away. While Stephen liked dancing he was a bit put out tonight and wanted a little solitude. The only way to access the roof was to have one of the special keys provided by the management. Even the maintenance department had to get the key from management to clean the pool and even then, only when the room's occupants allowed it (which was usually in the early hours of the morning). Stephen's eyes were closed and he was zoning out to the music coming from his phone when he heard the loud and distinct beep of the rooftop being accessed. Stephen guessed it was going to be one of the guests from the adjacent rooms as his party was dancing the night away at the club. The girls all found handsome men during their time at the beach that they were planning to meet up with while Jack went stag to watch over the girls and hopefully find one of his own. Stephen turned and looked through a half-closed eye and saw the lovely young woman who he had now run into three times today.
"I would say that you're stalking me except you have obviously been here for at least the duration of this song," Belleza announces. She clearly could hear his music as she approached the rooftop access and the elevator was several floors down so he clearly was here ahead of her. Belleza stood on the rooftop as Stephen heard the distinct click of the door locking behind her. She was still wearing her striking bikini with a towel in front of her bust.
Stephen decides it's best to play it cool and says, "Don't flatter yourself too much Ms. Lopez, just because you threw yourself at me once today doesn't mean that I was instantly smitten by your feminine whiles."
Stephen's response actually catches Bella off guard. She is quite used to guys literally throwing themselves at her. Deciding to see if this young man has any ulterior motives she says, "Did you think revealing the fact that your family owns this resort was going to get you into my panties? I hate to break it to you but my family comes from money, it takes more than that to entice me."
"Ms. Lopez, I didn't want to reveal my family's business. I was forced to by my party. While I do think you are a very beautiful woman it's going to take more than you shaking your rack in my face to make me go gaga for you. Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to relax." Stephen tells the young woman.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Bella politely asks her associate.
"Hotel rules, if you have the key the rooftop is open to you. As you are here, help yourself." Stephen tells the beautiful girl beside him. Stephen is doing his best to not ogle the beautiful girl beside him. His eyes remain closed as he hears one foot enter the hot tub followed by another. He counts to twenty and slowly opens his eyes. Belleza is underwater but only to wet her hair. Rising from the water she sits opposite Stephen with half her bustline above the waterline. Stephen can't help but think that Belleza looks even more beautiful wet.
"Stephen... Beachhead!" Belleza yells aloud. Stephen shakes his head as he suddenly realizes he was lost in his thoughts and spaced out on the Latin beauty.
"I'm sorry about that." Stephen sincerely tells the girl. He can feel the heat rushing to his face.
"I guess I can forgive you... if you tell me what you were thinking about." Belleza asks.
Stephen wonders if she really does want to know what he was thinking. He wasn't being crude or rude, just bewitched by her beauty. "Honestly?" Stephen asks still embarrassed.
"No lie to me, girls love that kind of thing," Belleza tells her companion.
"I was thinking that you look even more beautiful with your hair wet than when I first saw you in your swimwear," Stephen answers sincerely.
"You know, if any other guy had said those words I wouldn't believe him. I may even have smacked him. But the look in your eyes tells me you are being very sincere. Especially since you said them while looking me in my eyes and not my chest." Belleza tells Stephen.
"Well, to be even more truthful, it is hard not to ogle you as I find you exceptionally beautiful," Stephen explains.
The sincerity in his words actually causes Belle to blush. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if a male is being sincere or not when talking to her. However, as she looks into Stephen's eyes she can't help but believe what he says when he says it."If you don't mind my asking, you said earlier Kimber was your twin sister and Cora was your sister, but the three of you look to be about the same age. How is that possible?"
"It is a complex story that is one of the reasons our parents sent us on this trip," Stephen says.
"Do you mind sharing it?" Belleza asks moving to the end of the same bench as Stephen.
It was Corrine's sixteenth birthday and what she considered her entire family was present for this auspicious day. Corrine's grandmother Claire Donovan and her mother Chloe Donovan had rented a little hall for her party. While her mother wanted to make it a huge affair Corrine had insisted that she just wanted to share this day with her loved ones. The Fuller's, The Donovan's, the Brennans, and the Fuller's extended family were all present for her sweet sixteen and that was how she wanted.
Cora had often asked her mother about her father and she was always told that she would explain everything when the time was right (while never saying when that time was). She knew her mother had been married once to a man named Sean Brennan. His parents were Jonas and Regina Brennan and they loved Cora with all their hearts. Chloe informed her daughter that he was killed shortly after they were married. While she never overtly stated that Sean was her father she allowed her In-Laws to believe that to be true. The only men in her life on a regular basis were her mother's male cousins and her "Uncle" Jackson. Jackson Fuller was her mother's close friend and she always called him Uncle Jackson and his wife Aunt Rocki. Her best friends growing up were their twin children Stephen and Kimber, her cousin Jack, and Valentina who she saw less due to her living in California. Still, Val spent several weeks with her family during the summer so the five children were very close in age and thus with one another.
Uncle Jackson and Aunt Rocki had two more children as did Ramona and Charlie who had two girls. The family friend, Coco Davis had twin daughters of her own that she had conceived via in-vitro fertilization. She never found that special someone that she wanted to share a life with but the call of motherhood was so strong that she found the right donner to help her with her need to be a mother. The twin girls were conceived the year after Coco returned to her family's life and were now twelve years old. Whether blood family or family by choice, everyone that was important to Cora was here. The food was great, the music was hopping, and the company was all Cora could wish for.
However to her surprise after everyone but her mother, Grandmother Claire, Charlie, Ramona, Jack, Uncle Jackson, Aunt Rocki, Kimber, and Stephen she was told there was one more gift for her. "Honey, I know it's been some time but I think it's time we had that discussion we've been putting off," Chloe tells her daughter.
"Mom, we had that conversation four years ago," Cora says. Chloe realizes what her daughter is implying and sees her grinning at her mother.
"Not that conversation honey, the conversation about your father," Chloe tells her daughter.
"Oh... Mom, while I appreciate the thought, it's not necessary. I have had you, Grandma Claire, Grandpa and Grandma Brennan, Uncle Jackson, the Fuller family, and the Donovans. While I know I have a father it's not necessary to know anything about him." Cora declares.
Chloe looks her daughter in the eyes and tries to figure out how to go about this now that her daughter doesn't feel the need to know her origin.
"It's me, Cora," Jackson announces.
Cora freezes in place as the words hit her ears and then registers in her brain. She slowly turns to look at the man she has known her entire life. "You," Cora repeats. "But... how..." The words were equally as startling to Jackson and Rocki's children. The trio has always been super close but to hear their father claim paternity of Cora, it was unreal.
"I think I should answer your question, Cora." Cora's Aunt Roxanne announces. "The story goes back to your stepfather's death." Rocki begins. "Your stepfather, from what I've been told, was a very nice man and cared greatly about your mother. Unfortunately, his life was cut short because of your father's past."
"How so?" Cora asked.
"To make a very long story short, I use to be a spy," Jackson tells his family.
"A SPY?" Cora, Stephen, and Kimber yell.
"That's right kids. Sean was killed because of your father's life, not by him. After your father left that life behind for good I was already pregnant with the two of you." Rocki tells the twins. "Cora, your mother's life was in utter turmoil after that single event. I won't go into the hows or whys, they aren't important. You know that Jackson has been a part of your mom's life since before you and our twins were born... but what you don't know is that before I married him your mother was engaged to your father."
That single statement shattered not only Cora's world but her children's world as well. "I knew that nothing we did would ever replace her husband, but I could give her the one thing she wanted just as much. Your mother and I talked and I gave her my blessing to conceive you." Rocki states.
A semi-irritate Cora asks, "So... you all knew about this didn't you?"
"We didn't." Jack, Stephen, and Kimber announce in unison.
"Yes, sorry. But the rest of you knew about this." Cora states.
"Yes, they did," Jackson informs his daughter. "With the exception of the Brennans and the kids, all of the adults have been told the truth. We knew this day would come and it was decided to tell you the truth this year but we originally were not going to do this on your birthday." Jackson states.
"So what brought on this revelation? Why tell me today of all days?" Cora asks trying to reign in her rage.
"Because I'm going into the hospital tomorrow," Rocki announces.
Cora's expression changes from repressed rage to bewilderment. "What... why?"
"Yeah... why mom?" Kimber asks. Rocki motions for her son to come beside her. "I learned at my last check-up that I had cancer. Breast cancer to be specific. It came as a surprise as I constantly performed a self-check but this is one of the kind that symptoms weren't present so I didn't know until the case became quite severe." Rocki explained. "I found out I needed to go into the hospital in short order to try and resolve this situation. But, if this isn't curable... if there isn't enough time, I wanted you to know the truth. You deserved to know the truth and I wanted to be the one to tell you the story." Rocki explained.
"So... what happens now?" Cora asks.
"Nothing. Nothing changes except that you know who your father is. You know that you have a bigger and closer-knit family than you've had before. Also, if I can't beat this, I need you to be strong and help your family, for me." Rocki requests.
"So what happened?" Belleza asks totally captivated by Stephen's story.
"The cancer was too advanced to be treated. My mother passed away two days after Kimber and my seventeenth birthday."
"I'm so sorry," Belleza says.
Stephen mutters a thank you and then is surprised when he feels Belleza's head on his shoulder. He doesn't know when she moved, it was gradual but now she was beside him, less than a hands length away comforting him. "Cora and her mother moved into our house to help dad and my family through the hardship. Mom made a video while she was still strong telling the whole family that after she was gone that she wanted our father to marry Cora's mother. It didn't have to be right away but it was her last wish. She told the story of how Chloe and dad were once in love to help his younger siblings understand why wanted their mother wanted them to get married. After the wedding, Cora legally changed her name to Fuller.
Kimber, Cora, and I obviously understood and supported them. We are now one big relatively happy family. We know it isn't fair that our mother was taken from us but we also know that we had so many magical years together that no one can take away either. Our family might have changed but the one thing that hasn't is that we know our father still loves our mother. He may love Chloe, whom we all call mom, but there is a part of his heart that solely belongs to my birth mother."
"So your stepmother... sorry mom, thought that a trip to Cancun would help ease some of the pain you've experienced in the past year." The beautiful girl asks with her head still resting on Stephen's shoulder.
"Yes she did and you know what... she was right. I know it has only been one day but I know Kimber didn't think about the loss of our mother one moment while she was out on that beach. Our family and this place helped her with that. And even though I told you that story, not one moment of it did I feel sadness as I shared it with you. Thank you for helping me with my pain." Stephen says. He then leans forward and plants a soft kiss on the girl's nose.
"I... I thought you were about to kiss me." Belleza informs her companion. She was actually kind of disappointed that he didn't.
Stephen smiles as he leans his forehead against his lovely companions. "I thought about Kissing you. I almost did." Stephen admitted. "But as I leaned in to do so I realized I haven't been told I can call you by a name other than Ms. Lopez. So I figured it might be a tad presumptuous to kiss you before then." Explained Stephen.
Realizing how sweet and considerate Stephen was Belleza decided to throw caution to the wind. The sexy Latina stands up, moves in front of Stephen, and straddles the handsome young man. Placing her arms around his neck she carefully sits down on his lap. She can feel how excited he is and it excites her too. Never in her life has she fallen for a young man so quickly. Her breasts are in front of his face, something he noticed right away but his eyes are fixated on hers. When Stephen doesn't move at all Belleza smiles and removing her arms from his neck seeks out his hands and places them on her backside. Leaning forward after returning her arms to his neck, the young Latina whispers, "You can call me Bella." and with that, the two share their first kiss, a kiss that would go on for the next hour.
The two teens eventually exit the hot tub and dry off their bodies. Stephen leads the woman who has captured his heart to the poolside loveseat. As the night was getting cooler the pair sat down on their towels but Stephen pulls out a blanket from the linen closet against the wall. They are not the first to stay out during the cool nighttime. The pair talk and learn everything they can about the other. Stephen explains he was named after his grandfathers and Belleza tells Stephen that her name means beauty in English. It is only when Stephen's smartwatch beeps that he reads a text from his twin sister that the group is on their way back to their rooms. The couple looks one another in the eyes and comes together for their longest kiss yet.
Stephen and Belleza walk hand in hand to the elevator and as they go down to their floor the taller Stephen wraps his arms around the smaller but very sexy girl. Hand in hand, they make their way to Belleza's room and Stephen gives her one last kiss before bidding the lovely lady good night.
"See you in the morning mi amor." Bella says.
"Morning can't come quite fast enough for me," Stephen replies as he comes to the realization that he has found his soulmate.
~ September 2060 ~
Four years later and the entire Fuller extended family ventured to Cancun to share in Stephen's extra special day. On the very spot that the two met Stephen Matthew Fuller married the girl of his dreams, Belleza "Bella" Lopez. The two fell in love in the very resort that Stephen's father first met his stepmother. Stephen was told another story more recently to made Jackson's son realize exactly how much this place truly meant to his family. Charlie and Ramona Donovan also first met one another at this place and while they returned to it quite often for business or pleasure. However, the Donovan's always returned every five years, just Charlie and Ramona to celebrate the anniversary of when they first met. Now that the five oldest children were all in their twenties the parents decided it was time to transfer ownership of the resort to them. While Valentina was not one of the children of the owners the other four insisted that she be made a part of the group as the resort was a large part of her life. The parents agreed with the understanding that the other children would be entitled to ownership rights as each turned 18.
The long-distance relationship was one of the few that either Stephen and Belleza knew of that worked but that was because they loved one another and made it work. Before the start of his senior year of college, Stephen told his father that upon graduating that he was moving to Cancun to take a more active role in running the resort. Jackson knew why his son had chosen business as his field of study and why he was moving to Cancun. Jackson couldn't blame his son as even he had to admit that Stephen had found a very lovely young woman. He also knew that she had various similarities to his mother, nothing visual, they were two totally different women in that respect. No, it was little things she did and some of her mannerisms. Jackson kept this to himself but the one thing he did not keep was the ring that he had presented to his first wife.
"Are you certain that she is the one you want to spend your whole life with?" Jackson asks his oldest son.
"She is the only woman for me dad. I knew this almost immediately and have never once doubted that fact." Stephen explained to his father. With a smile on his face, Jackson Fuller walks over to his desk and pulls out a small object.
"What's this?" Stephen asked looking at the box he was given.
"Open it." Jackson insisted. He watched his son do just that and then fell into the spare office chair that his mother used. "Your great-grandfather gave that to your great-grandmother Pamela when they got married. He gave it to me to give to the woman I loved, your mother. Before she passed on your mother told me to give it to you when you found the woman you would love all time. I believe that time is now." Jackson says handing his son the jewelry box.
"Thank you, dad," Stephen says hugging his father for giving him something so special.
With the ring in his pocket, Stephen flew to the Lopez's estate in Mexico during the Thanksgiving holiday (they did not celebrate it but Belle was on semester break as well). After telling the Lopez family everything they could ever want to know about him Stephen asked her father, in front of the entire family for permission to marry Belleza. After sitting silently and thinking about all of Stephen's answers he smiled and gave the young man his blessing. Stephen was prepared to go against the man's wishes but hoped he would not have to and breathed a sigh of relief when he didn't. Stephen then dropped to one knee and said, "This ring has been in my family for three generations, it belonged to my great-grandmother, my mother and now I'm giving it to you with the hope you will marry me. I love you, Belleza Lopez, please be my wife." With tears running down her face Bella nodded yes. The two kissed lovingly as Belle's family clapped for their daughter's happiness.
It was Christmas of 2058 when Stephen flew Belleza to Phoenix, Arizona to introduce the lovely Ms. Lopez to his extended family for the first time. Everyone was very pleasant and found Belleza to be open and very friendly herself. Stephen told his family that her name was Belleza upon introducing her to his loved ones. Everyone thought it was a very pretty name but they asked if she went by another name.
"Well, my family calls me Belle." The young woman says trying to remain composed.
Kimber was the first to take in what she just heard and comprehend the statement. "OH MY GOD!" Kimber ran to Belle and lifted the smiling girl's left hand. There on her ring finger was her Great-Grandmother's ring. The same ring that their father gifted to their mother when he proposed to her. Kimber spent quite a bit of time with Belle when she could and knew that she was the perfect girl for her twin brother. "Welcome to our family," Kimber whispers to her soon-to-be sister. Belle simply kisses the girl on the cheek and hugs her tightly as words are escaping how she feels at this moment.
Plans were quickly made for a September wedding to be held at the resort and before the sunset on that magical day, Stephen and Belleza were married in front of their family and closest friends. The resort was closed to the public on that week with the rooms being reserved for the wedding guests. Stephens groomsmen were his cousins Jack, Brandon, and his younger brother Jessie. Belleza's bridesmaids were her two closest cousins and Kimber. All in attendance watched as Belle was led to Stephen by her father. Jackson and Chloe watched as Mr. Lopez gave Belle's hand to Stephen and after raising her veil kissed her before stepping aside. As the priest performed the service in both English and Spanish for all in attendance Stephen heard the priest refer to his soon-be-be-wife as Belle and thought how he was one of the few that knew she truly preferred to be called Bella.
Bella however was reserved solely for him. While she originally informed Stephen that her family only called her Bella, she had lied. Originally an old boyfriend had coined the name but he later dumped her for a prettier girl (his words). Hearing the story Stephen kissed his (then) girlfriend and said, "Your ex was insane. You are the most beautiful woman in the world, Bella Lopez... I love you." It was the first time that Stephen had ever said those words to her and he spent every day proving his love to her.
Chloe Fuller leaned into her husband's loving embrace as the priest called for the rings. Leaning her head on Jackson's shoulder.
"Our children have grown up so quickly," Chloe whispers to her husband. She knows that Jackson wishes that Rocki could have lived to see this day. Even she wishes that Rocki could have been here besides Jackson to watch their son get married. Chloe promised the dying Rocki that she would watch over and care for her family when she was gone and to love Rocki's children as if they were her own. Chloe promised to love them with all her heart.
"Yes, they have." Jackson acknowledged holding his wife's hand in his own.
The Fullers and their family watched as Belleza and Stephen held hands and recited their vows with one of Belle's relatives translating for the members of the audience that were not fluent in English or Spanish. After Belle placed her ring on Stephen's finger all watched as Stephen slid his family's ring onto Belle's ring finger. When the priest declared them man and wife the couple kissed for the first time as husband and wife.
The newlyweds moved to the dance floor to begin their first dance as husband and wife. As the music played Bella whispered, "Roxanne."
"What?" Stephen asked not quite sure what his wife meant.
"When we have children, if it's a girl, I want to name her Roxanne," Bella informs her husband as they swayed to the music. Stephen absorbs the words that his wife has just told him. The pair talked while they dated about their plans once they married and while children were mentioned there was never talk of when much less names. "When we have our daughter, and I know we will, I want her to be named after the woman that shaped my husband into the loving, kind, and considerate man before me. And I will raise her to be every bit the woman that she and I are."
Stephen leans forward as the song ends and kisses Bella with all his heart and soul. He knows that life can be treacherous and difficult. His parents were denied their happily ever after but not a happy life. In the seventeen years that his mother and father were married, they loved a lifetime's worth. His mother, father, stepmother, and the rest of their family showed him that with the right people in your life, it is far easier to navigate those rough times. With this knowledge, he was going to impart those same life lessons to his children and make sure that those children passed down that knowledge to their offspring.
As the families joined the newlyweds on the dance floor Stephen's father-in-law walked over with Belle's maternal grandfather to introduce the two. After a handshake and some pleasantries, the older man says, "Your son is a fine young man. You and your wife must be very proud."
"Yes, we are. He is planning to take a more active role in the running of the resort and we couldn't be happier." Jackson told the men.
"I understand he has a degree in business. Does he take after you and your wife?" Asks Belle's Grandfather.
"No, his birth mother was a veterinarian and my current wife was an accountant before we bought the resort," Jackson states.
"I see, and what did you do?" Inquires Mr. Lopez.
"As I tell all my family these days, My name is Jackson Fuller, and I use to be a spy," Jackson says putting an appetizer into his mouth and walks away.
The End
