All for you

Epilogue

5 years later

"Are we all sorted?" I asked the photographer stood beside me, his computer flashing up the photos we'd just spent the last few hours shooting, "sorry mate it's just I really need to get home"

"The pictures came out great Hero, thank you for coming on such short notice" Tom replied, his hand moving out to shake my own as I instinctively replicated the gesture, "we're all done now so feel free to head off"

With one last thank you and a quick chat with my manager about some upcoming projects, I quickly dove straight into the car setting off as soon as I could get my hands on the wheel.

"Shit shit shit" I spoke aloud to myself, noticing the clock indicating I was already 30 minutes late to my own son's birthday party with the traffic not showing any signs of giving me a break. Honking my horn knowingly making no difference, I spent 30 minutes silently praying my wife wouldn't kill me and Flynn was too distracted to notice my lack of presence.

Fidgeting with the wedding ring I somehow got lucky enough to gain from the small ceremony Jo and I held over 4 years ago, I quickly slipped off onto the sidestreet thanking heavens id finally managed to escape my most hated part of L.A. Rushing towards the house I'd lived in for the best few years of my life, I quickly parked up next to Hallie's car grabbing my keys at a speed I didn't even know was possible.

Swinging the door open, the most delicious smell quickly took over my sense practically calling me over to the kitchen. Moving forward, the laughter of my family quickly became apparent as my eyes met the sight of Jo, my mum and Kath quickly came into view.

As if sensing my presence, the three women instantly turned around prompting me to rush towards my wife planting a firm kiss on her lips, "I'm so sorry I'm late baby, traffic was so bad and the shoot ran over an-"

"Hero calm down love" she laughed, her hands moving towards my cheeks giving me a cheesy grin, "you didn't miss anything yet baby, the boys are just playing. Mind I'd get out there now if I was you, last time I checked Felix was getting pretty competitive with the football, almost got a shot against Flynn" she continued as I quickly hugged the two other women in the room before moving back to her.

"Ah, the kid finally arrived" Felix interrupts stepping into the kitchen messing up my hair, the sweat dripping from his forehead telling me my kids been handing him a run for his money. That's my boy.

"I've heard my kids been beating your ass, not surprised there mate" I spoke jokingly, his face turning stern, a tint of red creeping up his cheeks.

"Shut it you wanker" he said jokingly, wrapping my head around his arms choking me earning groans from the other three individuals in the room.

"Okay boys, playing is for outside" Jo called, her arm resting against the counter showing me her gorgeous smile which I never grew tired of. Damn I'm the luckiest fucking bastard in the world

"You coming, mate?" Felix called stepping back into the path of the garden after a humourous telling off from my mum about the right way to behave like adults.

"Yeah just give me a minute bro" I replied holding up one finger before walking back over to Jo, planting a final kiss on her lips before leaning down to perfectly align myself with her belly.

"And how's my Romey Grace doing this afternoon," I asked, gently rubbing the spot my girl was notorious for kicking as my wife's glowing eyes proudly stared down at me, "behaving for mummy I hope princess"

"She is for once today" Jo spoke, her hand moving to the top of mine to rub the space where our daughter was growing.

Finding out Jo was pregnant was a whole new experience for me, one that I never knew would feel so fucking fantastic. We'd been trying for a while, Flynn reaching the age where we were sure he'd love a little brother or sister, but the feeling I got when the two lines popped up on the stick didn't fail to surprise me whilst making me the happiest fucker on the planet. Going to the first scan, watching Jo's bump grow from the start, holding her hair back as morning sickness took over, every little thing enforced a feeling I couldn't quite describe using any word but love.

Just as Jo finished speaking, a small kick pressed against where my lips were pressed making us both giggle, "you're the next Fiennes Tiffin football star, ay princess?"

"I think she's going to be a little singer" Jo responded, her eyes staring down at her bump with glee instantly erupting a set of butterflies in my own stomach. Damn what my wife does to me.

"That sounds perfect" I responded, picturing the four of us sat outside, the summer rays beating down as Flynn and I kicked the ball around the yard as Romey and her mum sang aloud. Fuck does that sound perfect.

After a quick goodbye to the women in the kitchen, I quickly took to my feet rushing out into the garden, the image of Felix stood in goal as my son showed no mercy to his godfather only making the proud feeling in my gut grow.

"Hey birthday boy" I shouted, his eyes as green as my own instantly moving my way before his legs took off, the word "daddy" echoing around the place as he launched himself into my arms.

"How's my little superstar five already, " I said leaning back, tickling the little boy who I couldn't believe had grown so fast.

After several moments of laughter and a quick hello to Hallie and her wife Katy with their daughter Chelci Mae, along with Kath's husband Derrick sat beside Felix's most recent girlfriend Allie, I quickly headed back towards the goal post placing my son on my shoulders as we spent the next few hours kicking the ball around the garden, putting Felix to more shame than imaginable.

"One more game" Felix screamed as Jo announced it was time for dinner, by hand instantly reaching Flynns as the two hungry Fiennes Tiffin boys ran towards the patio set.

"Felix, come over here now or you aren't eating," Jo said as I leaned over to hug her mother and father, my own dad coming out moments later squeezing the birthday boy in his arms.

"Fine"

Over the next few hours, my family and friends enjoyed every moment of Flynn's birthday eating, playing games, and finishing with a song of happy birthday with a slice of cake alongside it. After everyone finally left, I took the sleeping boy laying against my shoulder into his room, tucking him in placing a gentle kiss against his forehead before saying goodnight.

Feeling more ready for sleep than ever before, I quickly entered the room Jo and I shared, her presence on the mattress already making it ten times more appealing.

"How did our son just have his 5th birthday party?" I asked, absorbing the fact completely that we'd been parents for five years, "time really does fly"

"I know right" she began, "I remember the look on your face when you first found out I was pregnant" she joked, the two of us now finding humor in the fact we'd managed to put ourselves in such an unnecessary situation for so long.

"I was scared shitless" I spoked, reminiscing on the exact moment I thought my life was over being the stupid kid I was, "but everything really somehow managed to turn out perfectly"

"It did indeed" Jo responded, her head leaning against my chest alongside the yawn escaping her lips letting me know of her tiredness.

"It's been an incredible life so far Hero, thank you for that. For everything" she said pecking a quick kiss to my lips before leaning back down, the small snores escaping her mouth letting me know she'd already drifted off.

"All for you baby, all for you" I responded one last time, my head leaning back against the pillow reflecting on the past few years of my life.

At the start, I was convinced my life was fucking done for. At 22 years of age, I was about to be a parent alongside the woman who I was convinced wanted nothing to do with me. Now, here, today, I'm not only the proudest husband and father on the planet, but I'm also the happiest I've ever been.

Life gets hard and times get tough, so tough that you think there is no answer, no hope. But in the end, ultimately when you are stood at the finishing line, Jo and I are proof alone that there is light, there are smiles, and there is love. They say happy endings don't exist, but to me, the proof of my journey with my growing family alone is enough to show that happily ever afters, however complicated they may be, do in fact exist.

The end