Just looking at her made my chest tight. Beautiful, stunning, glorious. All descriptors paled in comparison to the reality of Emily.
I pushed up as she continued, coming to sit on the edge of the bed, appreciating how far she'd come, how far we'd come to be here. Together.
She finished, and in the silence that followed, I stood, crossing to set aside her instrument and pull her into my arms. Her face pressed into my chest.
"Thank you," I whispered into her hair. "Thank you for that gift."
"I love you,” she replied. "Thank you for giving me beautiful memories to replace those I've lost."
I cupped her jaw, tilting her head back to look at me. "In the summer, we're getting remarried. Just you and me at the courthouse. We're starting this over the right way."
Her heart in her eyes, love on her lips, she spoke the only answer I'd accept.
"Yes."
EPILOGUE
Emily
"Cal? We're home," I called, dropping a net filled with soccer balls by the front door. Ahead of me Honey and Tristan's oldest, pulled my son along, tugging him down to our rumpus room.
"Cal?" I called, smiling as I listened to the cousin’s bicker. “You hear?”
"In here," I heard him call. I waddled down the hall, heading to the back of the cottage. We'd finally bit the bullet this year and decided to build an addition to the back. The kids were getting older, and we just needed a little more space.
I rested a hand on my swollen stomach, feeling our surprise baby kick.
So much for the vasectomy.
I couldn't be mad, though. Our children were a gift (if not a little hyperactive), and I loved each of them with all my being.
Besides, Cal holding a baby in his big hands, Cal cuddling our kids, Cal doing anything slightly domestic was the best kind of porn.
I found him in the nursery – or what would be the nursery for baby number four.
"Oh," I whispered, stepping through and looking around.
Cal had designed each of our children's rooms. He'd said he couldn't design their first room, but he was determined to help with their second. I'd reminded him that I didn't have a say in what my uterus walls looked like, but he didn't seem to care. And each time, he'd surprised and delighted me with his choices – and this one was no different.
"Oh, Cal." I lifted a hand to my mouth, tears shimmering on my lashes.
The room featured a jungle theme, with animals peeking out from various areas. Cal had painted a large mural on one wall, and I could see where he'd allowed our other children to press their hands to the painting, creating a little plant out of their efforts.
"What do you think?" he asked, swinging an arm out. "Not too shabby."
"It's perfect," I answered, coming to his side and allowing him to pull me close. "Just perfect."
His hand dropped to my stomach. "Gotta be for our little monkey."
I heard a crash followed by laughter from the other room and sighed. "Speaking of little monkeys…"
"I got it, go put your feet up."
I did as instructed, settling into the rocking chair in the corner of the room near the crib and setting it to motion. My hands settled on my stomach, exhaustion suddenly setting in.
"You have the best daddy, little one. And your big brothers and sister are going to love you."
I must have dozed off because I next woke in my bed, Cal pressing a kiss to my forehead.
