can anybody find me... // hardzello [FINISHED]

i'm going crazy (epilogue)

i am fully aware that the lyrics are not over and i'm sad to finish the story now. i left aside for a long long while, but i think that's because i'm done with it! i'm happy about where it is, they're together and i think that's what i intended, to get them together and happy =)

Fast forward six years, Ben and Joe are going to the adoption center. After four years of dating, they decided they wanted a kid, the process was long and dragged on for more time than they expected, but the day had finally come: they were picking up they daughter.

— This feels unreal.
— It does.
— Joe... we're picking up our daughter.
— "Our daughter"... — he smiled, squeezing Ben's hand — we are picking up our daughter, isn't that amazing?

Ben chuckled and shook his head, stopping for a second to look at Joe.

— It's the most amazing thing to ever happen to me.
— Me too.

After paperwork was done and the lady from the adoption center had had her talk with them, they finally saw her. She was beautiful. Her eyes were amber colored, her skin was melted caramel and her head was hidden under black curls, the most beautiful baby they've ever seen in their lives.

— This is Constanza. — The lady introduced her — She is almost one now, her birthday is in a couple of weeks...
— Oh yeah, it's on the fifth right? September fifth. — Joe soon realized he interrupted — Please continue, sorry.
— It's fine. Anyway, as you're aware, someone from the center will come by your house in some time to make sure everything is going well.
— Yeah yeah yeah yeah. — Ben answered anxiously — Anything... anything else you think we ought to know now?
— Well, not really. Here is she, you can hold her now.

When Ben held her, she smiled at him immediately shaking her little baby hands trying to grab his nose, and Ben had never felt something quite so warming, ever. Joe too had his share of tenderness in his heart when he saw the scene, he simply felt love when looking at Ben and Constanza.

— Do you want to go with your daddy Joe? — Ben said with a baby voice — do you want to go with him?
— Yes she does! — Joe did the same — Come here Connie!
— Connie?
— Yeah, why not?
— Connie... I like it.
— Hey, can you imagine us? "Hi this is our daughter Constanza, Connie if you may."
— This "our daughter" thing is so exciting!
— I know right! So baby, do you wanna get home now? Get this little girl on a crib?
— Right on it. Hey, can we stop somewhere first, though?
— Sure, where?
— I'll drive us there.

Ben drove them to the coffeeshop he used to work, he was sweating a bit and breathing a little heavily. Joe asked a couple of times if something was wrong, but Ben simply denied and carried on. He was about to make a memory he wanted to last and cherish forever.

— Benny, what are we doing here, exactly? On the coffeeshop, the one that you used to be employed by? Listen, I don't know if you remember but you own your place now...
— I remember. Joe, I was going to wait until after Connie's birthday...
— The nickname's sticking, great.
— But as soon as I saw the glow in your eyes this morning, right before we went out to pick our little girl up, my heartbeats drowned my ears and I knew I had to do it now.
— Ben, what are you talking about?

And so, Ben went down on one knee and Joe, holding Connie, looked desperately confused at him.

— This is the place we met, and this is the place I fell in love with you. I fell in love with you every time you ordered the simplest thing on the menu, every time you stayed with me until I close the shop and every time you didn't let me do it until exactly 5:30pm. This is the place I found out you are the kindest, funniest and most joyful person I know.
— Jesus Ben...
— And for the past six years, you are still the kindest, funniest, most loving person I know. I still fall in love with you every time we go out for coffee and you order the simplest thing on the menu, every time you get off earlier from work to pick me up when I'm closing the shop and every time you do any of the little things that make you, you. With Connie here with us, with you here with me, I couldn't imagine myself living any other kind of life. I'm in love with you now, I've been for a while and I won't ever not be, so I honestly have nothing holding me back, no better, nothing holding us back. And with that, I can only ask you, Joseph Francis Mazzelo III, will you give me the honor of continuing to fall in love with you, every single day, as my Husband?

Joe stood there in silence for a couple seconds with one of his hands over his mouth, and Ben even got up from the floor.

— Shit... — Ben whispered — Joe, I'm so sorry, if you need to think about it or you're just not there yet that is okay, I'm sorry for making a scene, I just really love you and...
— Get back on the floor, Ben!
— Uh... okay?
— Yes, I'll marry you! Yes, yes a hundred times yes — He mocked — Jesus, how could you think I wasn't?
— I don't know, you didn't say anything! — Ben got up from the floor, taking the thin ring in his hands, putting in on Joe's. They kissed, and kissed Connie afterwards too — We are going to be such a great family.
— We're going to be greet husbands, — Joe squeezed Ben's hand — and great dads, and she's going to be an amazing daughter. I love you so much, Ben.
— I love you too. — He paused for a second — Hey, Joe?
— Yeah?
— You're my "Somebody to love."
— You're the love of my life Ben.

They kissed again, holding their daughter, pressing their foreheads against one another, both tearing up.

Can anybody find me...
Somebody to love