I tilt my head in question.
"My first kiss, my first love, my first—" he grins, squeezing me again and making me giggle. "Everything is shared with my wife. The most beautiful girl I'd ever seen at twelve years old, to the most beautiful woman in this whole world. And I'm hers."
"And she's yours," I whisper, turning completely to straddlehis thighs. I wrap my arms around his neck and he wraps his around my waist, pulling me in even closer. "Always has been."
"Always will be. I'm lucky, because my wife is not only incredibly beautiful," Atlas presses a quick kiss to my lips. "But also because she's got the kindest soul, she's the best mother to our beautiful boys, and she thinks I'm worthy of forgiveness—"
"You are worthy of forgiveness, Atlas. You... you changed. You're healing. You're..." I breathe, shaking my head as the emotion chokes me. "I'm so proud of you, Atlas."
In the fading light, I can see Atlas' eyes go glassy, but I continue. "You could have drowned in your own thoughts, even after I filed, but you didn't. You fought. You fought for your sons, for your parents, for yourself, and—"
"And for you," he says, his voice like gravel. "Most of all, for you."
"And I'm lucky," I grin, brushing my nose against his and pressing kisses to his bearded jaw and cheeks.
"Because my husband is not only incredibly handsome," I nibble his jaw and feel his chest rumble, "But he's an incredible father, an amazing brother and son, and he's the strongest and most honorable man I've ever known. And I love him with every fiber of my being."
Tears trail silently down my husband's cheeks, and I kiss them away quickly. He cradles my face with one hand and guides my lips to his.
As the sun sets completely and the temperature drops, I can't feel anything but my husband's lips on mine. Heaven. Complete and utter heaven.
For hours, we live in a world where it's just us, looking over our town of Mercy Ridge. We giggle and wonder if Taylor and Trey are down there together somewhere, or if Liam and Noah are having fun at their grandparents' house, or if Trace has finally found his balls to call Bonnie.
We talk about the past and the future.
And I think of the past, and I think of the future.
The last time I was in this spot, I gave myself mercy anddecided to end my marriage.
Now, I grant myself mercy and make another decision.
???
"I am so sorry, I know you have to catch your flight—"
"Don't even worry about it," Imani laughs, handing me a thick file through the car window.
I peek in and smile when I read the top.
Withdrawal of Petition for Legal Separation
The tension in my shoulders bleeds from my body as I hold the official paperwork.
Technically, since Atlas stayed the night last month, the clock restarted on our separation, but I wanted to make sure all the paperwork was withdrawn.
Atlas will most likely get his own copy of the paperwork after his lawyer calls him tomorrow, but I wanted to give it to him tonight, at our usual Sunday family dinner.
After I show it to him, I want us to go upstairs, pack all of his belongings, and bring him home with us.
It's time.
We've done the work separately in therapy, we will continue to do the work in family and couples therapy, and we will keep doing the work forever if it takes, but I feel that we need to be in the same house for that to happen.
Selfishly, I want my husband home, I want my boys to have their father—new and improved—under the same roof.
I want us together again.
"Hey, there's this too," Imani says, reaching into her pocket and handing me a small slip of paper.
