A Truth and a Lie

by V. Sousa

  “It’s all right.” He shrugged. “I hate myself for waiting so long, but I never expected him to look just like Sammy.” Emmett brushed his hand gently over Samuel’s head, trying to flatten some of the hair that was sticking up. “After Sammy died, I had nightmares every night where I was back at that warehouse with a gun in my hand and Sammy tied up in front of me. The last thing I’d see before I woke up was his face when the bullet pierced his skin. Eventually, I just forced myself to stay awake most nights, so I didn’t have the nightmare.”

  Emmett moved to hold Samuel’s hand, and Samuel wrapped his hand around Emmett’s finger, causing him to smile.

  “I’d always planned on telling you. I knew you would hate me for a little while, but I told myself that you would forgive me eventually and that it would be okay because you would understand. But the night before the funeral, when we had sex for the first time? Well, that was the first night I had the nightmare, and damn if that didn’t change my view. I woke to your naked body wrapped around me, and I hated myself. I hated myself for taking something I sure as hell didn’t deserve. I stared at you for what must’ve been hours until you woke up, trying to figure out a way to resolve this, to fix things, but I just kept coming to the same conclusion. I didn’t deserve you. How is it fair that I get to move on with my life with you by my side when he couldn’t? I took that opportunity away from him. So, I did what I felt I deserved. For two years, I watched from afar and drank myself half to death on many occasions because I didn’t deserve the feeling of happiness and pure bliss that came with you, and I sure as hell didn’t deserve your forgiveness.”

  “But that wasn’t your decision to make,” I finally spoke up. “You may not feel like it, but it wasn’t your fault. You’re punishing yourself for something that you had no control over. It comes down to the fact that you had two choices, and they both ended horribly. It was Sammy or me. And if you had told me back then? I would’ve understood. I would’ve forgiven you, but you never gave me the chance.”

  Emmett got up and gently placed Samuel in the bassinet, then took Madison from me and laid her beside Samuel before taking both my hands in his.

  “You’re right, and I regret not telling you, trust me. There’s nothing I can do about the past, but I can do something about our future, I promise.” He planted a kiss on my forehead and let go of my hands. “I’ll be right back, okay?”

  I nodded, and he kissed the babies before he left.

  Emmett was gone for most of the morning, only to come back an hour before it was time to leave.

  “You got everything?” he asked, strapping Samuel into his car seat.

  I looked around one last time, and I was about to ask him how we would carry everything, including the babies, when Lorenzo walked in with a huge grin on his face.

  He kissed me on my head, then walked up to Madison and picked her up. “How are you feeling?” He turned to me and asked before kissing Madison and gently placing her in her car seat.

  Emmett growled at Lorenzo and shooed him away. “Leave my wife and daughter alone. Help with the bags and flowers.”

  Lorenzo rolled his eyes. “You sound like a broken record, Rossi.”

  “Well then, maybe you should stop touching my wife, Moretti,” Emmett scoffed.

  The nurse came in, interrupting their banter, and asked, “Everything all set?”

  “Yes.” I smiled at her. “Ready to go.”

  She led us out of the room and down the elevator to a waiting car at the entrance.

  We all hopped in. Lorenzo was driving, Emmett was in the front, and I was in the back between the babies.

  The ride home was uneventful. Emmett and Lorenzo were in the front arguing per usual, and the babies were asleep the whole ride.

  We pulled into the garage, and Emmett hopped out first, grabbing Madison, then went around to grab Samuel while Lorenzo took all the bags and ran inside.

  I walked in the house first, turning to Emmett when I’d opened the door, and didn’t hear kids running around. “Isn’t Stephanie here? I wanted her to see the twins.”

  Stephanie didn’t have a chance to visit us at the hospital. She had been taking some GED classes online, and between classes and the kids, she didn’t have time for anything these days.

  He shrugged his shoulders, and I kept moving forward.

  Turning the corner to go into the living room, I jumped back when I heard a loud whispered, “Welcome home.”

  I looked to see my mom and dad, Claire, Delilah, Tommy, Lorenzo, Emilia, Stephanie, and all of Emmett’s siblings looking back at me with bright smiles, and my eyes instantly filled with tears.

  I turned back to Emmett, and he placed the car seats down gently on the floor and gave me a shrug. “I knew today would be hard for you, and the only way that I know I can make you smile is by bringing together the people you love most.” He laced his fingers with mine, and I saw my mom and Emilia had already pulled Madison and Samuel out of their car seats.

  I said hi to everyone and gave them quick hugs. I looked over at my mom and saw her on one of the couches, holding Samuel with the biggest smile on her face.

  “I haven’t seen your mother smile like that in years,” my father said, coming up behind me.

  “He looks like Sammy,” I replied with a smile of my own.

  “They’re beautiful, Rosie,” my father said, not taking his eyes off my mom.

  I looked up at him and wrapped my arms around him for the first time since Sammy had died. “I’m sorry for blaming you all these years. You did the best you could, and I understand that now. You were right about bringing Emmett back into my life. It had to get hard before it got easier, and I’m grateful for your push.”

  My father gave me a gentle squeeze before pulling away. “Thank you.” He smiled back at me, and I swear I saw the tiniest bit of moisture building in his eyes before he turned away.

  “Go see her,” I told him, pointing my head at my mom.

  He gave my arm one last squeeze before nodding and walking away.

  I watched as he hesitantly approached her, and she looked up at him, her smile never wavering. I looked over to see Claire on the other couch, sitting with Tommy while he played with Delilah, and I was about to go to them when Emmett stepped in front of me.

  “Do you have a minute?” he asked, rubbing his hands on his pants.

  I double-checked to make sure the twins were in good hands before I nodded and allowed him to lead me down the hall, and he stopped at his bedroom.

  “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted Madison to have her own room, so I made one for Samuel.”

  He opened the door, and my jaw dropped when I looked around.

  The whole room décor was themed with the moon and stars, even down to a beautiful night sky painted on the ceiling.

  “I love it,” I whispered to him.

  He grabbed my hand, walked me to the room end of the hall, and opened the door.

  I looked around and saw a huge master bedroom with what had to be a custom-size bed in the middle.

  “I had the room reconstructed for us to have private entrances into the babies’ rooms, but I also added this.” He walked into the walk-in closet and opened up another door that led to the library. He placed his hands over my eyes and walked me a few feet forward before turning my body and whispering in my ear, “Are you ready?”

  I nodded, and he slowly pulled his hands away. I opened my eyes, tears instantly forming when I saw a huge portrait of Sammy and me on our seventeenth birthday.

  This was my favorite picture of us. Everyone said that a picture was worth a thousand words, but this one was worth two thousand.

  We had an arm around each other, and my head was tilted up while he was hunched over, both of us in a fit of laughter. We were trying to take a serious picture, but Sammy kept cracking joke after joke, and after five minutes, Claire just took one and called it a day.

  “I love it. Thank you so much.” I turned to Emmett, ready to throw my arms ar
ound him, when he grabbed my hand, pulled the ring off my finger, and sank onto one knee.

  He took a deep breath before looking up at me. “Five years ago, I bought this ring for the love of my life. You see, she made a promise to me that when she turned eighteen, we would run off and get married, but everything got fucked up. I hope I’m not too late, but Rose Maria Rossi, would you do me the honor of marrying me? The right way this time?”

  I pulled him up, pressing my head to his, and he wiped the tears that were currently streaming down my face. I looked into his eyes, and I saw a color that I never thought I’d see again.

  “I missed those blues,” I whispered at him, and he smirked. I pulled away and held my hand out to him. “Of course, I will. I thought you’d never ask.”

  He slid the ring back on my finger, and I slammed my lips onto his. That was when I heard a loud whistle and clapping. We pulled apart, and I looked over to see everyone squished in the doorway, watching us.

  Emmett threw his arm out and motioned for everyone to come in, and the next thing I knew, Claire, Tommy, and Lorenzo were throwing their arms around Emmett and me, forming a big-ass group hug.

  I looked over at our parents holding all the babies and then up at Sammy’s portrait, and I couldn’t help but smile because, in that moment, everything felt lighter.

  Thirty-Eight

  Emmett

  Rose’s mom and dad left, and everyone else went to their wings in the mansion, leaving just Rosie and me with the twins.

  “Do you think we could go somewhere really quick?” I asked her.

  She nodded her head, and we put Samuel and Madison into their car seats, quickly telling Claire and Lorenzo that we would be right back.

  Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the entrance of the cemetery.

  “What are we doing here?” Rose asked.

  “There’s someone I need to talk to. I think it’s been long overdue.” I stopped right next to Sammy’s spot and turned to Rose. “Wait here for a second.”

  I got out of the car and finally faced his gravestone.

  “Hey, Sammy.” I took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for being too much of a pussy to come to see you. And I’m sorry for breaking our promise and hurting Rose after you died.” I took a seat and stared at the picture of him that was on the headstone. “I know it’s a late apology, but you did always say that I was the slowest fucker you’d ever met.” I chuckled.

  “I have to make this quick because it’s getting late, but I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being my best fucking friend—actually, fuck that. Thank you for being my brother.” I let out a sigh and moved to stand. “I have some people I want you to meet.”

  I ran to the car and grabbed Madison. “Can you get Samuel out and follow me?” I asked Rose.

  I walked back to the stone and smiled at my daughter. “This is your niece, Madison Claire Rossi. She looks just like me, so you already know she’s going to be a stunner. I’m definitely gonna be in trouble with her when she’s older, but I’ll worry about that when I have to.”

  Rose walked toward me with Samuel, and I smiled at them when she reached me.

  “And this, well, this is your nephew, Samuel John Rossi. He looks just like you. I couldn’t even face him when he was born. I guess a part of me never let go of what happened, but I’m getting better. I was a shell for a long time, but not anymore. I promise I’ll do right by your sister and our kids. There’s no other option.”

  Samuel started to fuss, and Rose bounced him a little bit to soothe him.

  “I have to go, but I’ll be back. We have some catching up to do.”

  After walking back to the car, we buckled them back in their seats and hopped back in.

  “Are you okay?” Rosie grabbed my hand and gave it a slight squeeze.

  I reached over and planted a soft kiss onto her lips.

  “I’m perfect.”

  Epilogue

  Rose

  Today was the twins’ birthday, and we were throwing a little party to celebrate. I couldn’t believe they were already one.

  I also couldn’t believe that Emmett and I will be married for two years in two weeks. We haven’t had our redo, but I wasn’t entirely sure if I even wanted one.

  To think that two years ago, I was at one of my lowest points and about to get married but now look at us.

  Peeking out the window, I caught a glimpse of Emmett and the twins in the backyard, chasing the puppy we’d just gotten them for their birthday, and I couldn’t help but stop to watch.

  The twins had gotten so big. Samuel had started walking two months ago, and Madison had started walking a few weeks ago, so she was still a little rusty, but Emmett was always right there, waiting to catch her if she fell. Madison was definitely a daddy’s girl.

  Samuel, however, well, that boy was a tank. Nobody believed me when I told them he was only one because he towered over his sister and was built like a three-year-old. He was quiet for the most part, always looking around and observing his surroundings.

  Madison was the talker, though. I could tell her middle name was perfect because she definitely had her Auntie Claire’s negotiation skills, and even though we couldn’t understand her, I knew she was arguing.

  Looking at the three of them together, I could finally say I’d found my purpose.

  Although there was still a piece of me missing, I would always keep Sammy’s memory alive, and I couldn’t wait to tell my kids all the stories of their parents and uncle growing up.

  It still hurt, and I still missed Sammy so fucking much, but I’d learned to accept how my life had turned out.

  Happily-ever-after doesn’t come easy. You need to keep fighting, even when you don’t want to anymore. In the end, you’ll find that all the bruises were worth it.

  The End

  Author’s note

  First, I want to say thank you so much for reading! This book took a lot out of me, and I really hope you enjoyed it.

  I started writing this book in a notebook late one night when I couldn’t sleep, and I’d probably made it through one chapter before my hand started getting tired, so I grabbed my computer and started typing.

  I had no idea what the book was going to be about, but the more I wrote, the more the story became clear. I wrote on and off, and after about a year and a half of deleting and rewriting so many things, I finally feel it is finished.

  As much as this story will always be my baby, I’m glad it’s over—now onto our boy Tommy.

  Follow me on Instagram for updates!

  @v.books11

  Acknowledgments

  Readers: Thank you for giving this book a read! I can’t wait to write more, and I hope you like this one enough to give my next one a chance!

  My fiancé: Thank you for being a pain in my ass and everything I will ever need. You mean more to me than you’ll ever know. I love you forever.

  My parents: Thank you for letting me turn one of your rooms into a cool-ass office and for birthing me, I guess. You guys are the best.

  My sister: Thank you for hyping me up, and you’re welcome for having a cool-ass sister who’s an author now! And don’t worry, I will name a character after you one day. She just has to be a Cancer with a Scorpio moon, and those are complex characters to write, so I have to get a little better at this whole writing thing before I do that.

  My girl Sabrina: Thank you for being a loyal-ass bitch and the best book bestie a girl could ever ask for! You are the real MVP. Also, Tommy is yours, I promise.

  Madison: Thank you for taking the time to read even though you are busy and thank you for being my girlfriend (sorry Tim) but really, thanks for being the best friend I never knew I needed. And thank you for buttering me up like a lobster. I would say bread, but lobster is more expensive, and so am I.

 

 

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