by Ella Goode
“Going at it.” He drops his phone down on the counter, coming over to me. He takes my coffee from my hand before setting it on the counter. Before I can complain, he picks me up and sits me next to it.
“Making love, going at it like bunnies. You know what I mean.”
“Maybe you should show me.” He nuzzles my neck.
“Babies mean we should get married.”
He lifts his head. “You asking me to marry you, Vi?”
I pull the box out of my pocket. I am. For so long I ran from this in fear. I’m all in, and I’m not wasting another second of the life Sebastian and I can have together. I want my happily ever after with him, and this is the first step in getting it.
“Yes.” I open it to reveal the simple black titanium wedding ring. He stares at the ring but says nothing. I take it out of the box. “They told me this would be best since you work with your hands so much.”
“Don’t move.”
He steps back from between my legs and turns to leave the kitchen. He pauses to turn back then takes the ring from between my fingers and slips it on before he actually leaves the kitchen this time. I wait, not the least bit worried. I’m more curious than anything. Sebastian would marry me right this second if a priest walked in and said he could do it now.
“I’ve had this ring for a while and you beat me to popping the question,” he says, stomping into the kitchen with what I’m pretty sure is a pout on his lips.
My eyes fill with tears. I try and blink them away, but there is no stopping them. From the very beginning he knew I was the one for him. He never once doubted it.
“I was walking past a jewelry shop and there it was. It reminded me of you.” I hold my hand out as he slips the ring onto my finger. The purple amethyst is surrounded by a halo of diamonds. He’s right. It does scream me.
“Yes,” I say instantly. He kisses me hard and deep, telling me he loves me. I kiss him right back with the same passion. He lifts me off the counter and carries me back toward the bedroom.
“We’re staying in this bed for the rest of the afternoon,” he says when he tosses me down onto it.
“I love this plan, but we need to go grocery shopping before your parents get here.” I get up on my knees, putting my hands on his chest. He puts his hands over mine.
“You don’t have to do that. Make a list and I’ll go.”
I shake my head no. “I know I don’t, but I want to.”
“You’re so damn brave, baby.” He digs his hands into my hair, tilting my head back. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” How could I not? He isn’t only my hero, but he helped put me back together again. He made me want to get back to living my life. He made me yearn for a future where I am his wife and the mother of his children.
No fear comes at thinking about leaving here anymore. Not when I know Sebastian will be at my side. Together we can do anything. He will always keep me safe.
Sebastian will always protect what belongs to him. Me.
Epilogue
Sebastian
“Mommy! Mommy! Look what I made!” Gwennie runs toward her mother and me as fast as her little four-year-old legs can carry her. At the edge of the blanket, her foot gets caught, and she tumbles forward.
I swoop in and set her upright. “Whoa there, tiger. What’s the hurry?”
The tot shoves the crown of mangled daisies into my face. “I made this.”
“It’s very pretty.” I reach out to touch it, but Gwennie twists out of my grip.
“No. It’s for Mommy.” She pushes away and wobbles over to her mother, who is cradling five-month-old Tristan.
Violet gives me a rueful smile as I take the sleeping baby so she can handle our toddler. “It’s beautiful, Gwennie. Do you want to put it on my head?”
Our baby girl nods solemnly as if she’s the queen ready to bestow honor upon a new knight of the realm. Just as seriously, Violet bends her head to receive the favor.
“There.” Gwennie pats the top of Violet’s dark locks with a pudgy hand. “You look pretty, Mommy.”
“Thank you.” My wife drops a kiss on the top of our girl’s head and smooths the wild curls down. “Where’s your brother?”
“He’s playing with them.” She points an accusing hand toward the sandbox, where her twin is happily making mounds of sand with a pink plastic bucket. Two other kids about their age are helping, and by helping I mean pouring sand all over each other. “He ‘bandoned me.”
“Here, baby, have a sandwich.” I pull out a peanut and butter jelly sandwich shaped like a heart and crimped around the edges. It’s a work of art, as are all of the goods that come out of Sweetheart Treats’ Kitchen. The company that Violet and Eden started up five years ago is still small. They’ve never wanted to be a giant corporation. Instead they sell specialty baked goods at a modest price but packaged so beautifully that sometimes you’d rather stare at it than eat it. Unless you’re a hungry man or a four-year-old. Gwennie mashes half of her heart into her mouth and then smiles impishly at me, grape jam smeared on her cheek. “Bet Art wants one.”
“Bet he does.” I shift the sleeping baby to the side. Over Gwennie’s head, Violet presses her lips together to keep her laughter in. She offers me a wet wipe, which I use to clean Gwennie’s face. Contrary to the twin myth, ours are in a constant battle of supremacy but are so deeply attached that if you gain the attention of one, the other twin will become consumed with jealousy. They’re so fucking entertaining, and Violet and I struggle to keep straight faces at all times.
“Do you want to give one to him?” I offer another sandwich, this time in the shape of a castle.
Gwennie immediately bites the turrets off and then runs over to the sandbox, yelling, “I ate your towers. I ate your towers!”
“They take after you and Miles,” I say.
“Miles and I never fought.”
“He says you constantly ride him about being born five minutes earlier.”
“He pushed me out of the way!” she exclaims. “In the ultrasound I was before him.”
“But you never fight.”
“Hmmph.” She slams her arms across her chest and purses her lips together so adorably that I want to devour her right here regardless that we are sitting in a public park and our youngest is asleep in my arms.
“Oh no.” She shakes a finger at me. “I know what you’re thinking, and there are two sets of parents not twenty yards away.”
“They know what sex is. They have kids,” I reply blandly.
“Sebastian!”
I shrug. “I’m just looking at you.”
“In a way that makes me think you’re hungry.” She pulls out a sandwich heart for me. “Feed the other appetite.”
I dodge the food and lean in for a quick kiss. It turns out to be a longer one, and I don’t back away until I hear a throat being cleared.
At the edge of the blanket, one of the park moms stands with her hand shading her eyes. “Hey, neighbors,” she chirps.
I stiffen and place a hand on Violet’s shoulder. She pats it reassuringly. “Hi, there,” she answers without a hint of strain in her voice.
“Is that your little boy over there?” The park mom points in the direction of Arthur.
“Sure is. Is he playing with your son?”
“Yes. He’s adorable. I was wondering if you wanted to meet up again next week for a playdate. This park is wonderful and private, but there aren’t many kids that play here so I was super happy to see your family show up. You from around here?”
“We moved in a few months ago down the road.”
Park mom’s forehead crinkles. There isn’t much down the road except a lot of land which is why we bought it. When Violet got pregnant with the baby, Tristan, she decided she didn’t want to live in the pool house anymore. She wanted a place of our own, so we hunted down a plot of land and built a big house on it. The security around the perimeter rivals that of a bank or the White House, and even the mice on the groun
d and the birds in the air are tracked. Ever since we moved in, she’s been slowly expanding her circle of safe places. This park is one of them.
“I didn’t realize anyone lived down there. Isn’t that a county forest?”
“Some of it. We bought land adjacent to it,” Violet replies.
“Is that so?” Park mom’s eyes are lit up with curiosity. She wants an invite over to the house, but even if Violet would okay it, I’d have to do a background check. Violet says that I’m more cautious than she is these days, but I’ve got a family now. Everyone in that house is more precious to me than my own life.
“Yes, let’s meet up next week. Same time?” Violet says.
Park mom nods. “That sounds great. Anyway, nice to meet you. I’m Mary, by the way.”
“Violet. And this is my husband, Sebastian.”
I give an abrupt nod. Park mom and Violet exchange a few more pleasantries before the other woman returns to her blanket on the other side of the sandbox. I don’t drop my hand away until she’s out of shouting distance.
“Whew. That went better than I thought,” Violet says. I notice her hands are a little shaky and offer her a sandwich.
“You did great, babe.” Violet isn’t ever going to be fully cured of her agoraphobia. She’s not going to shopping malls or crowded bars, but she enjoys things like this—outdoor, quiet events. I’m proud of her, but more importantly, I’m happy for her because she’s happy, and that’s really all that matters. We’ve got each other, our kids, our friends. I reach over and grip her hand. “Love you, Violet.”
A slow, sweet smile spreads across her face. “I love you, too.”
We sit there like that for a long time, hands connected, our baby lying in the cradle of my arm, her eyes fixed on our twins, who are now together throwing sand showers at each other. Life couldn’t be more perfect.
Dear Loves~
If you were wondering, yes, there’s a story of Miles and Eden. It’s Making Her Mine and you can download it right now!
I cannot believe that it’s already the end of May. Half the year is nearly gone. I’m getting ready for sunshine and flowers. I hope you are all gearing up for an amazing summer. I’ll see you outside!
xoxo,
Ella
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Copyright © 2021 by Ella Goode
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