Love in the Time of Vanity Fair

Epilogue

5 Years Later

I was eating in the garden while watching over the kids in a playdate. I looked at my watch. It was only a little past three so Sam was still at school.

Giggling filled the air as the two kids ran around the lawn. They were happy and carefree.

I basked at their innocence.

I was lost in thoughts when I felt a kiss touch my forehead and I was surprised to see Ian.

"Dad, you're back" I exclaimed and hugged him tightly.

He was supposed to be in Italy for a business merger and wasn't due back until Sunday, which was supposed to be the following day.

"Conference ended early. Couldn't wait to see you and the kids" he murmured as he snuggled his head on the crook of my neck and breathed me in.

"Missed you too" I giggled at him.

His attention was caught when he heard his daughter and her friend calling each other out.

"Catch me if you can Lea!" the little boy called out.

"Aga, wait for me!" she squealed out and went running after the little boy happily.

I couldn't say the same for the man beside me who turned red.

"Since when did Sabrina Leian become a Lea?" he growled under his breath in irritation.

I could only chuckle at his reaction.

"Ian, they're kids" I reminded him to snap him out of his murderous thoughts of taking out the big guns to keep men away from his precious, perfect little princess who can never do anything wrong.

"Kahit na! That's exactly where we began, with me nicknaming you! Nobody gets to nickname my princess!" he huffed in irritation.

I heard the door open and saw Sam enter, looking exhausted. He went to us and I engulfed him in a hug before he went to pester his dad for his pasalubong.

Aga's, the little boy, nanny approached to inform us that they were going home since his parents had arrived.

The little kids exchanged a cute hug and Aga pecked a kiss on Sab's cheek as a gesture of goodbye before they left. Ian looked like he was going to burst but melted when Sab finally realized he was back and came hurtling and screaming a very raucous "DADDY!"

"Daddy" she drawled out sweetly.

"Yes, cariño?" he responded.

"Daddy I'm going to marry Aga" she informed nonchalantly that caused Ian to redden faster than he did earlier.

Sam was laughing at his dad's reaction as we both sat in the sidelines, watching the two exchange words.

"NO!" he snapped back faster than one could say "Marry"

Sab's lips quivered, "But I loooove him" she started to bawl.

Ian looked torn.

He didn't like seeing the little girl but he wasn't ever going to concede.

"When you're older sweety" I suggested to try and diffuse the situation but Ian snapped.

"NOBODY'S GETTING OLDER, NOBODY'S GETTING MARRIED!" he retorted forcefully which had Sab wailing louder.

"MOMMY TELL HIM!!!"

Their argument went on until Sab fell asleep in her daddy's arms and her daddy went to tuck the little princess in her bed.

Leaving Sam and I clutching our stomachs, laughing at the hilarity of the entire situation.

Who would have known that the man who pursued whatever he wanted with everything he had would be whipped over a little four-year-old girl?

Ian wouldn't let it go and he had been moaning over little boys not being good enough for his little girl the entire night.

"You know that Sab is eventually going to grow up, right?" I told him at hindi na niya ako kinausap for the rest of the night

It's true what they say about the best things in life not being free.

No.

We will end up fighting for them as hard as we can.

It will not easy but it wouldn't be worth it if it were.

And seeing Ian run after our little girl while Sam munches on his burger beside me had me sighing in contentment.

Ian's world is a vanity fair where people valued power, status, and money and would do everything to attain them. If I were after the easy things in life, I wouldn't have gone closer to him.

But Ian, Sam, and Sab are worth every risk.

If I were to face the grief I went through to get here all over again, I will never hesitate to do so.

Never when this is what awaits on the other side.

I would do it all over again.

- Dr. Lea Isabella Lopez- Zobel, on Finding Love in the Most Unconventional Way, Vanity Fair 2016

la fin
May 31, 2020