by Sam Crescent
“Why?”
“Because even when I look at myself, and I see what I’ve done, I sometimes think about it. It’s all I can think about.”
“Then we take it one day at a time, like we always have been. I’m in no rush for this to be over between us, babe. I told you once before and I’ll tell you again. I’m in this for life.”
She held onto his arms and turned. “I love you, Edward, so much.”
“Then we keep on going, one day at a time, for each other, and for the life we’re making together.”
He pressed his lips against hers, taking the kiss he’d been craving all day long.
She whimpered. “Can we?” she asked.
“We can if you can come without making a sound. You’re very loud. I don’t know if anyone has ever told you.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not the only one that can be loud. We have to be careful though. Sophie has delicate ears.”
“We can be quiet.” He took her hand and led her back into their bedroom. “I can prove it to you.”
****
“Do you remember all of those other Christmases when we had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah, I remember.” Isabel tore up some parsley and added it to the brining liquid she had set up. There was some citrus fruit, lots of spices, salt, and sugar. Now she just needed to add her turkey.
Picking up the big beast, she lowered it into the water. Once she covered the turkey, she placed it in the fridge, and stepped away.
“This is going to be so awesome.”
“Can I ask you a question?” Isabel asked.
“You can ask me anything.”
She licked her lips and washed her hands, trying to find the right words to say to her sister. “Was I good sister?”
“Of course.”
“Helping you, and working, and stuff. Was I a good person? Do you think I’d make a good mother?”
Sophie stood up and rounded the counter. Like Edward had done a couple of days ago, Sophie wrapped her arms around Isabel’s waist, and hugged her close. “I think you would make the most amazing mother, and I should know. You’re my sister, Isabel, and I love you. We both know you were more a mother to me, even when I was being a total asshole to you, and didn’t deserve any kindness.”
“Everyone deserves an act of kindness.”
“Nah, they don’t, Is. You know, there are not many people who would do what you did.”
“Sure there are.”
“No. I was always worried that you thought you were weak, or stupid or something. Especially when you quit your class. You worked so hard, every single day to help me. To make sure I had the grades to get a good scholarship. Is, I’m the one that owes you, honey. I’m the one that wouldn’t be training to be a therapist if it wasn’t for you.”
She froze up. “What do you mean?”
“I want to help people. I want to help young people who are in similar positions, who have the whole world on their shoulders, and no way of coming out.” Sophie kissed her temple. “I want to help the world the way you helped me.”
Isabel took several deep breaths and finally patted Sophie’s arm. “You’re getting all mushy on me.”
“Good, because I’m so happy. You’ve found Edward, and I’m doing awesome and acing all of my tests. Life is awesome.”
“You’ve said that twice. I’m worried, I guess.”
“That it’s all going to disappear?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah, I guess I am.”
Her younger sister shook her head. “It’s not going to go away. It’s only going to get better. We’re the ones that are in control of our own fate, sweetie. You told me that.”
“What?”
“In fifth grade, remember? I was being bullied because I lived in a trailer park, and you had to sow a patch onto my jeans. Well, you always told me that I could either let it get me down, or I could hold my chin up, and know that I may live in a trailer, but I was a damn good person, and no one could take that away from me. I’m in control of my own life. That’s what you told me, and that I better make the most of it.”
Tears filled her eyes once again. Isabel was always crying right now. “Wow, I sounded so knowing.”
Sophie burst out laughing. “Yeah, it was kind of freaky, but that is the way it is.”
“Oh dear, what did I interrupt?” Edward asked, entering the room.
“Nothing. We’re just having a little heart to heart,” Isabel said.
Sophie placed her arm across Isabel’s shoulders. “I told her that I think she is going to make a great mom. Don’t you think she will be?”
Isabel stared into his eyes, and waited.
“I have no doubts at all. You’re going to be an awesome mom, Isabel, and I know my kids are going to love you so much.”
“Your kids?”
“Our kids. We’re going to have lots of them. I want to fill this house up with the sound of children’s laughter. I’m going to need it with all of Sophie’s giddiness. When she goes back to college, this place won’t be the same again.”
“You’re going to be missed,” Isabel said, kissing Sophie’s cheek.
“Of course I am. I rock, remember? I’m awesome.”
Isabel burst out laughing. She couldn’t help it. Her sister was a screwball at times.
“It’s now,” Edward said.
“Really?” Sophie released her and squealed, clapping her hands together. “Do it. Go ahead.”
“What’s going on here? You are acting even crazier than normal, and normal is still pretty damn crazy for you.”
Edward moved toward her, and then he went down on one knee.
Her heart started to race as she knew what a bended knee meant.
Holy crap.
“Isabel Benson, you are the only woman for me. The moment I met you, I fell in love with you, and let’s not forget lust. You are the most precious woman in the world for me, and I love you with all my heart. Will you please do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife, and then we can get started on all of those wonderful kids?”
She was speechless. The ring was small, delicate, and beautiful. Staring at the man of her dreams, she opened her mouth and closed it.
“You want to marry me?”
“Yes, I want to marry you. I told you. I’m in this for life, and that is not going to change. Will you marry me, and make me the luckiest man in Cape Falls?”
Staring into his eyes, she knew he spoke the truth. Edward believed he was the luckiest man in the world. Even with everything he knew, he still thought that way.
“Yes, but you’re wrong. I’m the luckiest woman in the world.”
“Yay, she said yes. I get to be bridesmaid. No, wait, I want to be maid of honor. Can I be, please, please, please?”
“You know for a grownup woman, you act like a child at times,” Edward said.
“Please, it’s not every day that your big sister gets married, and I was part of it. Hey, what happened to your proposal idea of the big day, huh? That’s tomorrow, hello, shouldn’t you be like, waiting?” Sophie asked.
Isabel couldn’t stop laughing. Her sister was always the kind of person to say it like it is.
“You were going to propose to me on Christmas Day?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Sophie was singing Christmas carols, in between doing the wedding march.
“Yeah, I was. I wanted this to be a moment you never forget. Every time you’re preparing turkey, you will know that I love you, and that I wanted turkey to be the most romantic meal in the world.”
She couldn’t stop laughing. She was so damn happy.
“This is going to be the rest of our lives, no matter what?”
“No matter what, and I mean all of you, Isabel. Every part of you I will love, and I will cherish.” He pressed his lips against hers, and she melted, like so many times before.
Epilogue
Three and a half years later
Is
abel stared down at the box in her hand. Her stomach was slightly swollen with her and Edward’s second child. Mia, their first little girl, was with Sophie out in the yard. They were having their first barbeque. Edward had spent all spring preparing it, and now they were going to feast. All of their friends from Control were there, including a couple of the locals.
Three and a half years had created a lot of growth inside Cape Falls. It wasn’t all clear, but the animosity, the old-fashioned values that was once so rife within the streets, had begaun to fade.
She no longer heard whispers, or gossip. Everyone was moving forward, and trying to build a new reputation for Cape Falls, one that was taking the town’s artisanal flair, and building toward a better future.
It had been four and a half years since she had cut herself. The last cut on her thigh had been the one that Edward had chained her up for when he had completely felt helpless. In the beginning, the desire had been so strong, and at times it had frightened her how strong that grip had been. Over the years, it had faded. When Mia came, Isabel was so scared that she had made sure her focus was on their little girl. She had started to think less and less about the pressures, and more about enjoying what she had.
She didn’t need the cutting anymore, and even though it was a long process, she was done. Staring at the tin that had held what seemed like every single key to her life, she saw it was now empty.
Placing a hand on her stomach, she found that she breathed so much easier, and if it wasn’t for Edward showing her what strength she had, she didn’t know what would have become of her.
All of her life she’d thought she was weak, and yet, she had been strong. She just hadn’t seen it yet.
Leaving the bedroom, she made her way downstairs, smiling at the guests. They were loving the food that she and Sophie had prepared.
Glancing toward her sister, she saw Sohpie had Mia on her hip as she spoke to Ryan. Those two had started to get close. She didn’t know if anything was going to come of it. Her sister was a big ball of energy.
“Hey, sweetie,” she said, standing close to Edward.
“Where have you been?” he asked. “I’ve been completely swamped. I think I saved you a juicy piece of chicken.”
“You’re a star, thank you. Can we have a minute?”
“Sure, sure. William, come man the grill please.”
She took his hand, and they headed out toward a private spot.
“Is everything okay, babe?”
“Yeah, it is.” She held out the tin. “I wanted to give this to you.” Edward stared at the tin for several seconds. “Go ahead, take it. It’s not going to bite.”
He took the tin, and then he opened it up. “It’s empty.”
“I know. I knew where it was this whole time. I saw where you put it, and I got rid of the contents. That was my journey to take. That was what I had to do.” She rubbed her arms. The scars had faded to almost nothing, but they were still there. A distant memory of the past she once embraced. “I love you, Edward, more than anything in the world. You saw so much, and I love you for it. I really do.”
She stepped up toward, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Besides our babies, you have just given me the greatest gift in the world. How can I equal that?”
She smiled. “Simple. All you’ve got to do is love me for the rest of our lives.”
“Done.” He slammed his lips down on hers, sealing the rest of their lives.
The End
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Other Books by Sam Crescent:
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