Unexpected

Epilogue

Twelve years later

Helen's tenth tour is finally over, and today we get to see our children after more than a month.

It was another amazing experience I'll never forget, but I must admit at the end of the journey we're exhausted.

Now Helen is a worldwide known singer, and I am too. I'm known because I write all of her songs—or we write them together—and I sing a few of them with her.

After Allie was born, I worked in a small music school, and taught how to play the guitar, how to sing... But then a lot of ideas came to my mind and I started writing. When the first album was ready, we released it and it had a lot of success. We made money, and I quit that job.

Now here we are.

"You ready to see the two little devils?" Helen says while we walk to the door.

I chuckle and kiss her hand. "Yeah, I miss them."

"Me too."

My sister and her husband stayed with them this past month, and Allie had her cousin Ethan here, so she wasn't really alone with her little brother that's only seven years old.

The door opens.

"Mom, Daddy!" Cole shouts and runs towards us, then he wraps his arms around his mother's legs.

Helen ruffles his dark brown hair and kisses his head. "Hey, honey. I missed you!"

Allie is almost a teenager by the time, so she doesn't run, but walks towards us with a wonderful smile on her lips.

She hugs her mom first. "I missed you," she tells her.

Helen kisses her temple. "I missed you too."

Then Allie looks at me with her big deep blue eyes, puts a lock of hair behind her ear, and jumps in my arms, wrapping her legs around my waist.

"I missed you more," she whispers. "Don't tell Mom."

I laugh and kiss her shoulder. "I know I'm your favorite, Allison."

She slaps me on the head playfully. "Don't use my full name, Dad, you know what happens."

I chuckle and put her down. "I love you."

"Yeah, I know," and she sticks her tongue out.

Ethan hugs us and then we all sit on the couch and on the arm chairs.

"Sooo..." Allie begins to say. "We have a surprise for you two. Ethan, it's time."

I look at Helen, confused but excited.

Maddie and Colin smile at us. They probably know what's going on.

They get up and Ethan sits at the piano, and starts to play a song.

I look at Helen, she has tears in her eyes already. Never Say Never has become our song in these years, along with Love Me Harder.

Allie starts to sing, and chills run on my body. Cole claps his hands and dances in a funny way.

Ethan and Allie are so good, I wonder if their music teacher gave them some instructions.

By the time the song ends, Helen has tears all over her face and I squeeze her hand.

We clap our hands at them and they bow.

"I chose this song because I know it's your song," Allie says, standing near the piano. "Dad once told me how the two of you fell in love, and that you could have never taught life could turn out like this. But we know life is strange, ironic sometimes, and unexpected. So, Never Say Never."

Now I'm crying too.

Everything I wanted for this kids was a happy life and good parents, and I wanted them to look at us and think, Mom and Dad are so in love.

Helen and I made it. Even though nothing went how we imagined, this is better than anything.

Love is life.

Life is unexpected.