Rebound: Epilogue Two

The look on my wife’s face is priceless. My eyes should be on stage, but for me, the greatest show on earth is sitting right by my side.

We’re in the crowded auditorium of one of the most prestigious dance schools in Manhattan. They’re putting on their Christmas show, and it has been magnificent—a mix of different styles of choreography and music, with kids ages four to fifteen showcasing their remarkable talents. We’re here to see Shawn, who started his scholarship at the school in September. Our whole row is packed with his cheerleaders—Sissie, the bikers, his mom and siblings. And in the middle of it all, Amber. The woman who made it all happen.

She has her hands clasped together in front of her and is gazing up at the boy she’s become so fond of as he dances on the stage, her tawny eyes alight with joy. Her plump lips are parted, and she looks fucking gorgeous. Yeah, even here, I want her. More than that, though, I admire her.

My wife has become a force of nature in a whole new way, a woman on a mission. She used her settlement money to start a foundation, and Shawn was the first recipient. She made the most of her contacts to get him an audition here, and the rest was down to him. Nobody was surprised when he was admitted and given the largest scholarship the dance school has ever given. The Intrepid Young Voices Foundation pays the remainder of his tuition in addition to all the “extras” required by a school like this.

Sanjay was the first driver employed by the foundation, and more have been added since, so kids aren’t limited by a lack of transportation. Basically, she’s helping kids get where they need to go in so many different ways—there’s a talented young boxer who’s now receiving top-level coaching, a superstar math student who’s taking college-level math courses, and a teenager from the Bronx funded in her quest to become an architect. It’s not only the Leslie Odom Jr. Community Center that has benefited, either, but young people from all over New York. She’s taken all those skills from her years as a charity fundraiser and combined them with her passion to make a difference. I couldn’t be prouder of my clever, kind, and yeah, jaw-droppingly beautiful wife.

The show draws to a close, and she’s the first to her feet, applauding and yelling and shocking the hell out of me when she puts two fingers in her mouth and whistles as Shawn takes his bow. Even after all this time, I am learning new things about the woman I love.

Shawn’s mom has tears streaming down her face, and the way she gazes at my wife really brings it home to me—Amber has completely changed this young man’s destiny. His whole family’s future could now look very different.

I cheer along with the best of them, then wait with my wife as everyone files out of the auditorium, headed for the champagne and canapé reception in the foyer. I hold her back in the darkened auditorium and pull her into my arms as soon as we’re alone.

She lets out a delicious little squeal, and I smooth her hair back from her face. I kiss her cheekbones, her neck, and finally her lips. Her arms wind around me, her fingers twining in my hair.

She laughs as we part. “I see that ballet now makes you horny as well, Mr. James.”

I run my hand down her back and rest it on her perfect ass. “No, that’s all you, Mrs. James. I’m always horny for you. And proud. So fucking proud. What you’ve done … It’s amazing.”

She blushes and waves the comment away. “No, it’s not—Shawn is amazing. And all those other kids. But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t satisfying. I love watching them blossom, you know. Watching them grow. It’s so exciting to see what they might become in life.”

I realize as she says it that in some ways, these young people are like her own children now. She’s invested in their futures, working with their families to give them the best possible outcome. I wonder if that’s enough for her. We’re not too old for surrogacy or to adopt, but so far, neither of us has mentioned it. Partly because we’ve been too busy enjoying each other. We’ve moved into a new home together, a smaller place where we can build new memories, and although there’s room for children, that’s not something we’ve discussed.

“I just talked about them like they’re my own kids, didn’t I?” she says, her thoughts clearly mirroring mine.

“Yes, but there’s nothing wrong with that. You can be mom-like without being a mom.”

She runs her hand down the side of my face, and I turn to kiss her palm. Her eyes are on mine, and I can feel the strength of our connection. We have vowed to always be honest with each other, to always communicate. Hitting rock bottom was a starting point for us to rise back up, together. Now nothing and nobody will ever separate me and my wife again—including us. “I’m happy with this, Elijah. With the life we’ve built and with being an aunt. How about you? Because if not, we can sit down and talk about our options.”

Nathan and Melanie have a new baby, Henry, and Amelia is due soon. The James clan is expanding, and we’re playing an active role in that. We’re on-call babysitters, and Amber has helped Amelia prepare the nursery for their new addition in the Tribeca loft she shares with Drake. Being around mothers and babies no longer seems to hurt her the way it used to. I think she’s made her peace with it, and so have I.

Besides, spending more time with kids has taught me one thing—they’re fucking exhausting. I love having them around, but I also love giving them back. Life with Amber is perfect. We’re like a pair of head-over-heels teenagers who can’t get enough of each other. It might be selfish of me, but I want to keep it that way.

“I’m happy with what we have too,” I say, putting my arm around her shoulders and reluctantly walking with her toward the party on the other side of the auditorium doors. She looks up at me, and I can’t resist sneaking in one last kiss. “You, baby, are enough for me. You always were, and you always will be. I love you so much, exactly as you are. Exactly as we are.”

She slips her arm around my waist and gives me a radiant smile, and we walk together into a room full of friends and happy faces. A lot has changed over the last few months, but one thing remains the same—I cannot keep my eyes or my hands off her. We walked through hell to get where we are today, and I wouldn’t change a single second of it. Because our love is stronger than it has ever been, and there is nothing in the world that can stand in our way.

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