Little Red

EPILOGUE

*TWO MONTHS LATER*

The sound of dishes clinking together filled the kitchen as Dani hummed to herself softly while her hands worked at washing them. A small smile then curved on her lips as she suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around her waist.

"The main subject of the party shouldn't be in here washing dishes," Mikey murmured and pressed soft kisses against her skin.

"They were bothering me," Dani said with a shrug. "Mom said she'd take care of them for me, but I wanted to do them myself."

"With the party still going on? Everyone's wondering where you are," Mikey said with a laugh.

Dani shrugged again. "I needed to get away from the noise...my senses are still a little out of it," she said in a quiet tone.

Mikey frowned as he turned her around to face him. "You okay?" he softly asked while grabbing a towel to wipe her hands.

Nodding her head, Dani gave him a small smile and said, "Yeah, the music just hurt my ears a little...We can go back now. I'll be fine."

"I don't want you to go back out there if it'll make you uncomfortable, Dans," Mikey said with the frown still on his face.

"You're cute," Dani said and pecked his lips. "Let's go. You can't have a birthday party without the birthday people."

Mikey snorted as she grabbed his hand to lead them back outside. "Technically, neither of us can still be qualified as birthday people because both our birthdays have passed already."

"You're such a dork," Dani said with a snort and opened the patio door.

"Ellie!! You're back!!"

A wide grin spread on Dani's features as she bent down to catch her brother in her arms. "Of course I am. Where else would I be? This party is for me," she told him playfully.

"Noko said you went to sleep on the potty," Frankie said with a giggle.

Amusement shined on her features as she said, "Yeah? Well Noko's a poopy head."

"Hey!!"

Frankie burst into laughter as their older brother made his way towards them.

"Offensive!" Pinocchio said with a playful frown. "You were in there for more than five minutes! How was I supposed to know you hadn't fallen asleep on the toilet?!"

Frankie giggled again as Dani frowned when he was suddenly taken from her arms and she said, "Hey!-"

"Someone has a special present for you...Pretty sure you can't receive it with a little boy in your arms," Pinocchio said with a knowing smile.

"Hey! I'm not little!!" Frankie said with an angry pout.

Pinocchio gave him a half-apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I meant big boy...I'm talking Gigantic-"

The sound of glass clinking rang out in the yard, which caused Pinocchio to huff in annoyance, and Frankie and Dani to laugh at his reaction.

"If I can have everyone's attention please."

Dani turned her head to her boyfriend with a small frown to see him standing on the dancefloor.

"As you all know, part of this party is being held for a very special, very beautiful young woman."

A loud cheer erupted from the audience, which caused Dani to snort as she turned her head to Greta, who stood between her brother and girlfriend with a wide grin on her features.

"Anyway," Mikey said with a playful look in his eyes. "I've been planning to do this since I was eight-years-old, and given the past year that we've had...I see no better time than to do this now...So Dans...Will you come over here please?"

Confusion laced across Dani's features as she turned her head to her brothers, who both gave her looks of reassurance, before she hesitantly walked over to her boyfriend.

"What's going on?" she asked in a quiet tone while grabbing his hand.

Mikey squeezed it with a gentle smile. "Don't worry," he said and kissed her cheek. "You'll love it, I promise."

He then turned back to everyone else and said, "I've been in love with this gorgeous woman for almost thirteen years...We haven't had the most perfect relationship...and I'll put the full blame for that on myself...but through it all, she's proven time and time again that she loves me just the same as I love her..."

He then turned his head to Dani and said, "So it's only fair that I prove to her the same thing."

Dani's eyebrows furrowed before tears formed in her eyes as her hand shot up to her mouth at the sight of Mikey bending down on one knee.

"Daniella Janine Richards, you are my best friend, my lover, and the one thing keeping me sane in this crazy world we live in...I've seen what life is like without you by my side, and I hated every single minute of it. Baby, there isn't anyone else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with than you...So if you'll take me..."

A tearful laugh slipped past Dani's lips as he pulled a black velvet box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.

"I'd love for you to officially become my forever..."

"SAY YES!!" they turned their heads to see their best friend as she hopped in her place, "Say it!! Daniella Janine, you better say it!!"

"Say yes, Ellie!!" Frankie added in with a wide grin.

"Say it, El!!"

"Say it, Dani!!" their parents exclaimed with wide smiles.

"Will y'all hush?!" Dani shouted with an annoyed look on her features.

Pinocchio snorted as Frankie giggled while everyone else obliged to her order.

Shaking her head, Dani then turned back to her fiancé with a smirk.

"Give me my ring, Darling."

Tears formed in Mikey's eyes as he looked up at Dani with a big grin and slid the ring onto her finger.

"As you wish, Richards."

✧
*Cues dramatic sobbing*
MY BABIESSSS!!!

Okay I'm done😌

I just want to thank you all so much for reading this book and sticking with me till the end. When I first started writing, never did I ever think I would actually finish it and get to where we are now. This is most definitely NOT the last time you will read about these characters...so for now...We'll say See You Later.

There is much more to come.

~Kay💓💓