NO MAN LIKE HIM

EPILOGUE

He noted that his mom was acting a little strange. Her wide smile was clearly hiding something. She smooched his face between two hands and placed a heavy kiss on his forehead. Thomas pretended to hate it but wasn't fighting much when Gigi drew him into a tight embrace.

"I missed you, my lovely son!"

"Ugh, mom-"

"Did you miss me too? Say you missed me or I will keep kissing you."

"Agh, ok fine..I missed you too mom!"

Hakim laughed at the sight of Thomas' red face and Gigi's amused expression. The two couldn't stop bickering lately but it was just another proof of their attachment. Thomas tried to fix his hair after his mother messed it up and when he was done, he noticed the serious face she and Hakim had. He frowned.

"What?"

"Well..." Hakim started. "I think your mom has something to tell you, Thomas."

The boy gasped, holding on to the kitchen's counter:

"You're pregnant!"

Gigi burst in laughter, followed by Hakim. Thomas looked between them, his frown deepening.

"No, I'm not pregnant." Gigi replied.

"No? Then what else could you possibly announce to me?"

He followed the movement of her arm and noticed that his mother was holding an envelope. Thomas's throat tightened as he recognized the logo on it. He could already guess what was inside. He took the envelope from Gigi and opened it without a single hesitation. It was a letter from the PSG academy. He hadn't expected to get a response from them, let alone to receive it so soon. Yet, the letter was there and the first words that caught his attention were "we are a happy to inform you that...."

Thomas let out a happy squeal. His dream academy had accepted his application. He could join it to finish high school while playing basketball on a higher level...And of course, it meant a better chance at joining the national basketball team later.

The boy looked up from the letter to meet his mother's shiny eyes. She was trying to hold back her emotions.

"You did it, baby." She said. "You've proven them your worth. Of course they'd want you, who wouldn't?"

"You...You guessed I had been accepted even without opening the envelope?"

"Of course. It'd have been insane to not accept you, Thomas."

"Mom..."

This time, Thomas was the one eager to give his mother a hug. His heart swelled with happiness and pride at the thought of finally pursuing his dreams. But then, he realised what it'd mean for his family. Going to the academy meant leaving his mother's home and only returning for holidays. That explained why Gigi was fighting with her tears. Thomas realized he wasn't ready to be separated from her yet. Maybe he'd never be...

"I have to start next term..." He mumbled. "That's only in a few months, mom...I..."

"That's what you wanted, baby. It's perfect."

"Yes but...what about you? Are you going to be okay?"

She laughed:

"Of course I will be...Hakim is here, you know. I won't be lonely."

"That's true." Hakim added. "Don't worry so much about your mom, I will take care of her. You're a big guy now and even though it saddens us, we know that you will do great at the academy and that it's best for you to stay there. I'm sure it sounds a little bit scary but as always, you will get used to it and get the most out of this experience. We believe in you, Thomas."

Thomas nodded. His heart thumped loudly against his chest as he announced that he was going to call his friends and inform them. Gigi and Hakim watched him walk out of the kitchen, staring at his letter as if he feared it would disappear if he took his eyes off of it, even for a second.

When he was gone, Gigi looked at Hakim with a pout on her lips. He walked around the counter to take her in his arms. He wiped her tears away with his thumb.

"My baby is going to leave the nest..." she stated.

Hakim smiled and kissed the corner of her lips.

"So soon, right?"

"Terribly...I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday and now...He is already leaving me."

"It's only for the best. He is going after his dreams."

"Yes...But this house will be so empty without him."

"Well..." Hakim wiggled his eyebrows, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "You know that idea he had wasn't bad at all."

"What idea?"

"If we don't want the house to be empty...We must bring in a new child."

Gigi rolled her eyes:

"You know I'm almost forty years old, right?"

"So?"

"I'm too old to have a baby, silly."

"You can't know for sure...Unless you try!"

Gigi laughed when Hakim picked her up, almost as if she weighed nothing. He walked out of the kitchen with her in his arms. Gigi put a hand on his cheek, her eyes looking deep into his brown ones.

"Well...I guess I'm not against the idea of a few trial sessions." She smirked.

"I mean, it's only natural that we spend quality-time together, especially without Thomas around."

"Yes. It's only natural..."

They soon reached their bedroom. Gigi's feet touched the ground again and she pushed Hakim against the door. She kissed his smile away, her fingers exploring again the patch of skin under his shirt that she was already so familiar with. With each drag of her lips, she conveyed a message that he returned with the same intensity. Their bodies fusioned with one another, surrounded by feverish passion. Each kiss, each touch, each gaze was a silent communication and they said to each other:

I will never stop loving you.