A Stripper's Heaven 🏳️‍🌈 ✔

Epilogue

10 years later

I haven't seen this place in ages, I couldn't quite find enough motivation to come back here before now. Still, I'm not particularly excited about my trip but I suppose it isn't the worst thing in the world.

"May I get you anything, Ms. Blake?"

I face the woman with a smile, "No Stacy, Thank you."

Returning my smile, she makes a gesture before walking back to the cockpit area.

I don't recall dosing off but I'm stirred awake by the pilot's voice over the intercom, "Ms. Blake, we will be landing in approximately 20 minutes."

Home Sweet Home. Sigh.

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­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Today's my baby shower and gender reveal party, which I'm excited about but I am completely distracted by whether or not Heaven will be here.

I invited her, with a threat attached, but that doesn't mean that she'll show up. I hope she does.

I miss her so much. The last time I saw her was at my wedding and she was already in the air by the time the reception ended.

"Babe. Stop stressing so much, it's not good for you or the baby."

I lean back into my husband as he rubs my belly.

"I know, I'm just nervous about whether she'll show or not."

"Heaven will be here Dylan." Wrapping me in an embrace, Alexander places a kiss on my shoulder.

"She better. If she wants to continue living."

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I've been here for two (2) days and I already feel like I'm stifling. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take, thankfully the baby shower is mere hours away and then I am on a plane back to Tokyo.

Currently, I'm strolling the mall, more specifically a baby store to find a worthy gift for my future god-child. I was surprised when Dylan asked me to be a god-mother since even I can admit that I have been a bad friend as of late.

I step into the aisle for toys and stuffed animals, I'm perusing the shelves and minding my business when I glance a familiar face in my peripheral. Doing a double-take my head snaps up to get a better look to find her already boring holes into my skull with her stare.

We both stay unmoving for some time before I convince myself to walk over and say hello.

She greets me with a smile and I return it with an awkward grimace of sorts, that was meant to be a smile. The baby in her hand breaks the silence before either one of us can say anything, watching the tiny human fuss, is enough to pull a genuine smile from me.

"This is my daughter Kate."

Thankfully she's chosen to speak first, I allow the conversation to run its course.

"She has such fiery red hair." Well done Heaven, you're just a regular conservationist.

Chuckling at my awkwardness, Kelsey simply nods in reply while running her fingers through her baby's hair.

When I make no attempt to say anything else, she speaks once more.

"The strength of her mother's genes I suppose, but anyway, how are you?"

"No. I appreciate that really I do, but we're not doing it. Not today, but it was nice seeing you." I cut off her attempt at catching up, "Bye Red." I wave at the little one before continuing my shopping.

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"Honey I'm home!" I yell, walking into Dylan and Alexander's home like I run the place.

I walk into the living room expecting to see my best friend, but as my luck would have it, I found another lovely couple staring back at me.

"Heaven! Hi."

"Hey, Lexi."

Using my eyes to scour as much of the house as I can see, I desperately seek to find Dee.

"How have you been? It's been so long. Oh, where are my manners? This is my husband Eric."

Sighing loudly, I turn to Lexi while choosing to ignore everything she just said and ask the question on my mind, "Have you seen Dylan?"

Without hesitation, as if she expected nothing else, she answers "She's outside."

I immediately head in that direction while throwing a thank you over my shoulder.

The moment I step through the back door I am engulfed in a tight hug and in a matter of seconds my shirt is wet with tears.

Panicking a bit, I pull Dylan away from my body to investigate the reason behind her tears.

"What's wrong love?"

"I missed you."

Those three words hit my heart harder than I thought was possible.

Pulling her back into my embrace I kiss the top of her head, "I missed you too darling."

Sniffling she steps back while rubbing her tummy to stare right at me, "Knowing you, you'll be on your way back home by tomorrow."

Forcing a smile through my anxiety, I make a promise I can only hope to keep.

"Nope. I have no intention of missing the birth of my god-child and then some, I plan to stick around for a while this time. If you'll have me."

In response, Dylan wraps me in a tight hug while Xandy glares at me from across the yard.

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As I walk to the check out line with a sleeping baby in my arms, I am pulled from my thoughts when our rings collide as she intertwines her hand with mine.

Turning around I smile at my beautiful wife.

"Are you okay baby? A minute ago, you looked like you had seen a ghost."

Ignoring her question, I change the topic. "Where's Josh?"

"He walked off mumbling something about a play station gift card, I think. So?"

Shaking my head at her persistence, I lean forward to kiss her lips.

"I'm fine KitKat."

Maybe I did see a ghost, in Heaven.