It's a Wonderful life

Epilogue - 6

I really hope you enjoyed this story because I did. This is the last part of the epilogue.

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Ariana excused herself from talking to her neighbor Annette and her husband Michael, she was becoming increasingly hotter and she had been experiencing some back pain for most of the day. She needed to get out of the room before she passed out, that would certainly put a damper on the party. She walked out of the room and narrowly escaped running into a caterer carrying glasses of eggnog.

"Sorry Mrs. Brooks," the man apologized even though it had been Ariana's fault.

"No, I'm sorry, totally my fault," Ariana replied.

"Would you like some eggnog Mrs. Brooks?" the young man asked.

"No but thank you," Ariana smiled as the man nodded and headed inside the formal living room. She quickly opened the front door and headed out side. "Hi you," she said, pleasantly surprised to see Luke staring off into the stars.

"Hey Ari," Luke turned around from where he had been leaning on the railing. "What are you doing out here? You're going to freeze to death." Luke was just about to offer her his suit jacket when she stopped him.

"No you keep it, I came out here because I'm boiling inside," Ariana explained. "What about you?"

Luke shrugged, "I just needed a little fresh air....just wanted to do some thinking," he smiled.

"Well if I'm interrupting you," Ariana began, ready to leave and give her friend a little space.

"No, no not at all. You know I always love the company of a beautiful woman," Luke smirked.

"You better watch yourself, Dianna has great hearing," Ariana laughed.

"Yeah," Luke chuckled. "That's my girl."

"Yeah," Ariana smiled as she looked at Luke's own brightly smiling face. "You really love her don't you?"

Luke smiled even bigger; just the thought of Dianna made him smile like a little kid on Christmas morning. "I really do."

"She loves you too," Ariana smiled, trying to keep her hormones in check. "And I love the both of you; I hope that you will be very happy together."

"Thanks Ariana, that means a lot coming from you," Luke responded. "I see you and Jai and the girls and it just blows my mind to see how happy you are as a family. I just wonder if Di and I will have that."

"Without a doubt, Luke," Ariana smiled. "You better pop the question soon; we could use another baby around here soon."

Luke chuckled, "Jai already told me that you know that I'm asking her on Christmas."

Ariana giggled, "That Jai sure can't keep a secret."

Luke laughed, "So true, as long as you didn't tell Dianna it's all good."

"Unlike my husband my lips are sealed," Ariana grinned as she leaned against the railing, letting out a content sigh as she was deep in thought. She turned to look at Luke, "Did you ever think that this is how your life was going to turn out?"

"Honestly," Luke shook his head 'no.' "No, I didn't. But I've never been happier. I'm about to propose to Dianna," he chuckled. "I still thought that I'd be some wild bachelor but this is the life I want, the one with Dianna, and I've never wanted anything more. What about you?"

Ariana smiled as she thought back on the last several years. "Well not at first, but the moment that Jai and I started dating, I knew that he was my happily ever after. I've never been happier, too, in my entire life. I can't even put it all into words but having a family of your own is just...it's so remarkable and there's just so much love to go around. It's indescribable, Luke, it really is."