Bigger Than The Whole Sky ☆ Jaylor

Epilogue: Alternative ending

June 8, 2026

Joe's lying on his side, facing me, so his shoulder rises and falls as he breathes. I watch him sleep most mornings because I wake up hours before him. He thinks it might be an anxiety thing - ever since June was born I've had trouble sleeping. It was easier when she would sleep in our bed, so I knew she was safe. Now that she's older, she sleeps in her own room. 

I run my fingers through his hair and across his jaw. He shuffles closer to me and curls his head into my torso, before draping his arm over my waist. 

"Morning babe," he whispers, after a few moments of silence, his voice raspy and tired. 

"Good morning" I run my hands over his back. "Should we wake her up or wait to get jumped on?" 

"Hmm, I think it will be more exciting for her once she's woken up properly on her own. Then she can come to tackle us." 

I hum in agreeance and Joe says, "I just can't believe it. Our butterfly is three whole years old. I remember when she was born it was just... She was so tiny and soft and we couldn't even believe she was alive. And now our little baby is starting to grow up." He twirls a section of my hair around his finger, with his other hand still gently resting on my waist. 

The room is getting brighter so June will wake up soon. She never sleeps after the sun rises, even when it rises at 5am in Summer. 

"It's scary." I reply. "I get scared of how her life will change as she grows up because of our lives. And I worry about her going to school soon, and like, what age will she start hiding things from us or lying to us? And what happens when she starts dating? How do we keep that a secret from the media? I know those aren't things we have to worry about yet, but they're going to come eventually, you know?" 

Joe just hums and kisses my chin. We both hear a door creak down the hall, followed by some fast little footsteps, getting closer and closer. 

She runs into the room giggling and Joe sits up to hug her as she climbs onto the bed, with the biggest smile on her face. 

"Friends!" She squeals as Joe wraps her up in his arms. She's started calling everyone friends, even us. 

"Junebug!" I tickle her tummy as she kicks around in Joe's embrace. 

"It's your birthday, Butterfly!" Joe says, kissing the top of her head. 

"I'm TWOOOOO!" She screams, wriggling out of Joe's arms to jump on the bed. 

"No honey, you're three now!" I say. "You're even older than yesterday!" 

"WOAH!" She says, slightly out of breath from jumping up and down between me and Joe. 

"What are we having for breakfast?" Joe asks her, and she stops jumping, looking so excited that she is allowed to decide, as if she doesn't choose her own breakfast every day.

There's a second of silence while she decides, before she screams "ICE CREEEAAAMMM!!!" 

"Hmm, that's not enough for you to grow big and strong, now that you're so grown up. What about pancakes?" I ask. "And you can have ice-cream with yours."

"ICE CREAM AND PANCAAAAKKKESSSS!" June squeals, jumping off the bed onto the floor. 

She runs back to her bedroom before I could ask if she was alright, because it looked like she fell pretty hard off the bed. 

"Buggy's bigger than a bug now." Joe whispers into my hair. He'd cuddled up to me again as soon as June was off the bed. 

I throw my head back laughing, then kiss him hard. "We're so lucky. I don't understand what we did to deserve her."