Torin and Summer

Epilogue (Torin): The Fairy Tale

New Year's Eve was the ultimate symbol of saying good bye to your past and looking to your future. It was that precise moment between what was and what is to be, the letting go even as you reached out. It was the perfect night to ask Summer the question I'd waited two years to ask.

I was nervous as hell as I pulled on my tux jacket, looking in the mirror to tweak my bow tie one last time to make sure it was perfectly straight. I hadn't been this nervous since I was waiting to see whether Summer would show up for our Little Mermaid date almost eighteen months ago. Thinking about that year-and-a-half, I tallied up our timeline.

Eighteen months of hurting my wife and fucking up my marriage.

Six months of no contact with Summer and working on myself, praying she might someday forgive me.

Eighteen months of working on regaining my wife's trust so she might consider staying with me.

Three-and-a-half years of our married lives. The thought of how much my behavior and actions cost us made me want to punch the hell out of something. Someone. Myself.

Never again, Summer.

After ensuring I had the tickets to the ball inside my jacket pocket, I walked outside to the car I'd rented earlier. My truck wouldn't exactly fit with the theme of the evening, so I'd called around and found an orange Ferrari to rent.

Summer's own personal "pumpkin" coach.

When I knocked on her door, I could only stare at her. She was perfect. Absolutely exquisite and she'd taken the theme and run with it. Her dress was pale blue, very reminiscent of the Disney Cinderella's ball gown, but with a much less poofy skirt. Her hair was up, with small curls tumbling down around her neck.

"I can't even find the words, Summer. Beautiful and gorgeous aren't enough to describe how incredible you look," I finally managed.

She smiled, delighted, and stuck out her foot from beneath the hem of her long dress. "No glass slippers, but I did buy the most rhinestone-studded heels I could find so they would sparkle like glass."

Was it wrong to want to kiss your wife's feet? She was so fucking adorable I couldn't stand it.

"They're perfect," I said. "You're perfect." You always have been. It was me that got way off course.

As we walked to the car, her eyes got wider as she realized which car I was leading her to, and she started grinning.

"Clever man, Torin! You got Cinderella a pumpkin coach!" 

The drive to the hotel passed quickly. The young man at valet parking was thrilled to be parking a Ferrari, and Summer just shook her head at his over-the-top enthusiasm and promises to take good care of it.

Entering the ballroom, Summer and I admired the way it was decorated in black, white and gold and the way the lighting made the huge room feel somehow cozy and intimate. We ate not too long after arriving, and following a dessert that Summer loved so much she helped me finish mine, the dancing began. Summer watched the dancers with a happy face, probably wondering why I hadn't yet asked her to dance, but I was waiting for the song I'd requested from the orchestra. As they began their third piece, I recognized the the familiar strains immediately, so I quickly stood and held out my hand to Summer.

"I realize I'm mixing fairy tales, but I believe they're playing our song," I said.

She took my hand just as she realized the orchestra was playing Tale as Old as Time from Beauty and the Beast. I wasn't an expert by any means, but I knew enough to lead her around the floor well enough, loving the happy smile in her eyes and on her lips.