Villains Rise

Epilogue

*6 years later*

"Do you really think we should announce it today? I know it's Thanksgiving, but today shouldn't be about us." I admit I'm a little anxious about the news myself, and I don't want to drop this on everyone else.

Jonas grabs my hand, keeping his left hand on the steering wheel. "You're crazy if you think everyone else won't be excited. We're thankful for this, aren't we? So today's the perfect opportunity!" I'll always admire Jonas' positivity. He's like my ray of sunshine when all I see is storm clouds.

He squeezes my hand, "Hey, you don't have to be scared. We're in this together."

His deep brown eyes meet mine for a brief second before he puts them back on the road in front of us. I may not be a mind reader, but I know he's nervous too. Looking down at my left hand, I see the diamond ring on my finger and smile. We're in this together.

"I love you." I say randomly, with a cheesy smile.

His smile grows wide and his dimples are more evident than ever. "Really? You still love me after four years of dating and two years of marriage?"

I laugh aloud, "Yeah, I know, call me crazy." He chuckles and begins to rub his thumb in circles around my hand. He only does this when he's terrified of something. My heartbeat races.

"Del, I'm okay, calm down. So we're both a little jittery at the moment. I'm not terrified, though. This is just a big step," I try to take deep breaths to calm down. "And we're ready to take it."

We pull into my parent's driveway, and I immediately spot Mason and Ash's Chevy Cruze. Meanwhile, Jonas may have upgraded from his high school truck, but nonetheless we're still riding around in a Chevy truck.

Mason and Ash have been married for three years now, but it's still odd to see my brother bring my best friend to holiday dinners. Even though we're 23 now, we still run up and hug each other, not wasting a second to talk about anything under the sun. We went to different colleges, but we stayed close enough to remain each other's best friend. How awkward would holiday dinners be if we weren't friends?

"Are you ready?" Jonas looks at me with pure joy as he turns off the engine. I feel my stomach churn.

"Yes." I put on a smile. He runs around to open my door for me and gives me a hand to help me down. I shut the truck door and when I turn back around, he pulls me in close to him. His hands wrap around my waist. I clasp my hands together behind his neck and press my face into his sweater. I dressed in long sleeves and jeans too, but I always feel better when I feel his warmth.

I look up into his eyes. He kisses my forehead, then travels slowly to my nose, then my cheek, and stops right as he brushes his lips across my own lips, only a second before his lips meet mine and a whirlwind of feelings overwhelm me. How did I get so lucky to have Jonas in my life forever? How is he here, protecting me, caring for me, and loving me unconditionally?

We finally break apart, and he's the first to speak as he grabs my hand in his. "Now are you ready?"

"With you by my side, I could take on the world." I reply without missing a beat.

Every step we take towards the door, I feel more confident. Then Jonas opens the front door, we step inside, and a wave of nausea overcomes my senses. Come on, Della, you can do this.

"Hey, look who finally showed up!" My mom rushes up to the two of us from the kitchen and tries her best to hug us without getting sticky cake batter all over our clothes. She's wearing a fall themed apron. My mom always gets excited around holidays.