Chapter 8 - The Twist Part Two
Years later, the chaos of that night was a story passed around at family gatherings. The karaoke
battles, the spilled cake, Taiga’s unorthodox vows—each retelling grew bigger, louder, and
funnier.
But in one quiet evening, Joe sat on the couch with a little girl curled up beside him. His
daughter. She had Taiga’s sharp eyes, but Joe’s easy smile, and in her tiny hands was a photo
album.
“Daddy,” she said, pointing at a picture of Taiga in her wedding dress, “Mommy looks like a
princess.”
Joe chuckled, brushing her hair back. “Yeah. She did. Don’t tell her I said that, though. She’ll
never let me live it down.”
From the kitchen, Taiga’s voice cut through. “I HEARD THAT, DUMBASS!”
The little girl giggled, and Joe shook his head fondly.
He turned another page, showing pictures of the rooftop showdown, the ceremony, the after
party. His voice grew softer, warmer. “You know, kiddo, life throws a lot of surprises. Some bad,
some good. But your mom… she was the best surprise of all. And everything we went
through—the fights, the laughter, the wedding, all of it—it was worth it. Because it led me here.
To you.”
The girl nestled closer, eyes heavy with sleep. Joe kissed her forehead and whispered the
words that carried all the weight of the years behind them:
“And that’s how I met your mother.”
From the doorway, Taiga leaned against the frame, watching them with a smile she’d never
admit to having.
And for once, in the messy, unpredictable story of their lives… everything was exactly as it
should be.
