It’s like a life sentence.
It’s almost imprisoning her in the cage that symbolises the end of the only good thing she ever had in her entire life. She knew it was too good to be true; she knew, one way or another, it would come to an end, and now, the bomb is on. It’s ticking the end of it all.
It should be a relief. How many times has she hoped for this answer to come to her? How many times has she hoped that this sentence would come to her like the breach to freedom in a life she dreamed of?
Obviously, she was quite young when she had those thoughts, and as she grew up, her perspective changed. Somehow, becoming a stable adult made it more plausible.
And yet, each time she had that doubt and did a test, only relief washed over her when it was negative. But this? It’s official; it’s a real diagnosis, not just a decision she made. It’s someone who is telling her the reality of it all in the harshest, truest way possible.
The letters are almost too tiny for someone who isn’t able to focus their eye-sight on the few sentences that are booming in her ears. It’s in a simple envelope with no significant signs to prevent any curious person from reading its contents.
Someone like Ryland, who is entirely too curious for his own good sometimes, is the last person who should read this. He is definitely the last person who should know about this.
Somehow, if she hides this from him, it’s the biggest breach of the rules of a relationship. She cannot lie, she cannot hide, can she now?
And yet, telling it to him that would mean that she would not be someone he would accept to stay with.
Not when his biggest wish is to have a child, and she has been told by a mere fucking letter that she is infertile and cannot have any kids for the rest of her life.
It all started innocently; somehow, a moment she ignored ignited such a feeling within him that he didn’t confess it himself one night.
She decided on a random day, that somehow, her report could wait -actually she just wanted to leave her fucking desk at home- and decided it would be a great decision to bring her wonderful, attentive and the worst picky-eater boyfriend some good food she made.
And because she is certain the idiot is stuffing himself with ramen and Skittles. She might be worse by drinking coffee and energy drinks when she is working, but at least her sodium levels are not above the normal level.
Anyways, that’s how she found herself biking cheerfully towards Grover Middle School, one bag containing enough food to nourish the entire staff of the school if she wanted to. The weather is clement on her, the soft breeze brushing her hair away from her face as she bops her head to the music in her headphones.
It only takes about 15 minutes for the school to appear in her vision, and she decides that she will surprise the teacher and pockets her phone. The custodian, Mr Sith, is smiling when she appears and greets her cheerfully.
‘’Here to see the husband, Mrs Grace?’’ he asks with a smile that makes her blush violently
‘’Oh, you know we’re not married.’’
Yet. She wants to add, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, yeah. The man only shrugs at that, like it’s a silly thought, ‘’Any day, I am telling you.’’ He proclaims, tapping his nose ‘’I am good at sensing these.’’
‘’I absolutely believe you.’’ She replies seriously before they both laugh, ‘’Here, I made the cookies you liked last time; here, have some.’’ She extends the container, and he sighs in happiness
‘’And you really think he is not gonna marry you?’’
But he is not the only one to declare so. Janet at the welcome desk says so, especially after she tastes her cookies, ‘’Oh dear, this boy is foolish if he doesn’t put a ring on soon.’’
Marisa does too when she sees that she remembers to bring the book she saw last time she came over and wanted to read, ‘’Goodness me, you’re an absolute angel, what is that idiot waiting for?’’
And all the kids who know her call her Mrs Grace so easily that she thinks it’s a universally known fact that Ryland is her husband already. She is surprised how easily the honorific rolls on her tongue.
Ryland, my husband. She whispers under her breath, and god if that isn’t something her younger self would cringe at? Being giddy at the idea of having her own husband, bringing him lunch and dessert?
Eh, she wasn’t the one with someone like Ryland anyway. She can blame it not on her weakening sense of feminism but on the absolute worst kind of boyfriend she had at the time. And Jesus, he was really bad, she reminisced with a frown.
The frown softened, letting space for a soft smile at the sight of the man hunched over his desk, scrolling on his computer with quite a focused face. But before she could make her presence known, there was a loud shout behind her, surprising her to the point of letting out a small yelp of surprise.
‘’Good day, Mrs Grace?’’ a group of tweens who are Ryland’s students exclaim so loudly behind her that the man himself jumps out of his seat, slamming the computer shut loudly and looking like a deer caught in the headlights
She is holding her chest, chuckling at their enthusiasm ‘’Hey kids, still so loud and happy!’’ she exhales as her heartbeat comes back to a normal pace ‘’How’s it going, school, grades, all that stuff?’’
They start talking one after another, and it’s quite hard to get the gist, but it’s with a surprising gentleness and ease that she manages to find a way to talk to each of them, having a real conversation and not just a few passing polite words. Under the attentive gaze of Ryland on them, she is getting into quite an agitated discourse on how important AI is in schoolwork, and he knows it’s his time to step in because she can get quite vindictive against that tool (just like him, but she might be more passionate about the whole thing).
‘’I am telling you, it needs rules and regulations!’’ she exclaims to the crowd of unimpressed teenagers who already seemed ready to change the topic
‘’By the way, are you inviting us to your wedding?’’ starts another one before Ryland steps in, grabbing her shoulders
‘’Alright kiddos, lunch break, and it’s also mine before you all steal my lady. Away, come on!’’ he shoos them as they giggle.
‘’Bye, Mrs Grace, I love the cookies!’’ they cheer as she waves enthusiastically
‘’I’ll bring in cupcakes next time!’’ she chuckles as she feels herself being dragged inside the classroom, and suddenly she has a handful of Ryland in her arms
The door is closed, locked even, and she is pressed against it as Ryland presses himself all over her. All her senses are attacked, her back feeling the wood of the door, the metal handle poking her hip. Her chest is brushing the soft fabric of Ryland’s shirt, which he ironed this morning, as she can get a powerful whiff of his natural scent and the softener she used on the last laundry run, making her dizzy and slightly weak in the knees.
But above all, it’s the press of his lips, the sweep of his tongue against them and in a second they are making out like teenagers in his classroom, his workplace, with a principal she knows would not hesitate to throw her boyfriend out if she surprises them in this state.
Still, yet, his lips are so plush, the way he grabs her hips and the way her hands are grabbing his hair and the noises…
She finds the strength to push him away, and he is chasing after her when their lips pull away from each other’s, and she needs to find even more strength not to give in when he gives her his kicked puppy eyes.
‘’I missed you; let me.’’ He whines, trying to grasp her cheeks in his hands, but she shakes her head, firmly pushing him away
‘’The food is getting cold; get over here.’’ She huffs, amused as he whines like the very kids he teaches
‘’Do I get cookies, at least.’’ And she hesitates slightly
‘’Well, I saw Olivia, and you know she likes them so much.’’ She starts as he scoffs indignantly
‘’I bet she told you that you’re the prettiest, that’s how she got you!’’ he whines, and she glares at him
‘’Are you saying I am not pretty, Ryland Grace?’’ she glares as he gulps
She tugged his ear for good measure -and he kissed her as an apology because that’s how it works- and finally, they had a moment for themselves as he chugged down the rice and chicken she made.
‘’Slow down!’’ she hissed as he hiccupped ‘’No one is coming to steal this from you.’’ She laughs as he gives her an outraged look, and he grabs his bottle
‘’They all stole my cookies today.’’ He huffs after drinking ‘’Who knows who’s gonna come to steal my food.’’
‘’How can I hear the emphasis on the my in your sentences.’’ She raises an eyebrow as he chuckles
‘’Mr. Grace?’’ a shaky voice interrupts their childish argument, and they both turn their heads towards the source of the voice
The door is opened slightly, and the young girl is standing there, hesitating to enter, and the adults must have taken too much time to answer because she scurries out of the room before one of them can react.
She is the first one, too. Actually, she jumps out of her seat and catches sight of the girl running towards the girls’ bathroom and makes a beeline towards it.
The door is still moving, like someone just entered a minute ago, and she calls out softly to warn anyone else before she enters the bathroom. There are soft noises coming from one of the stalls, and she wills herself to not loose her nerve before approaching it.
‘’Hey, kid, is it okay if I’m here?’’ she attempts gently, grazing her knuckles against the door’s stall
‘’I’m sorry I disturbed you and Mr G. I am so sorry.’’ And her voice is so sad it breaks her heart ‘’I am so useless and stupid, I always ruin everything.’’ She whispers, shakily
‘’Who said that? Me or Mr Grace? Did we now?’’ she asks ‘’No, we didn’t. How can you think that?’’
‘’Because it’s the truth. That’s why my life is so shit; there is nothing good for me out there.’’
‘’Well, maybe?’’ she shrugs ‘’But, I know it might be true now; it’s not gonna be true your whole life. Ask me, I know a lot about it.’’ She chuckles
‘’And I got my period today, I don’t even know how this works!’’ she sniffles softly
‘’Well, turns out I know; I’ve been getting this in the mail a lot.’’ She chuckles ‘’I can help you if you want?’’
‘’Someone is gonna come in; it’s so embarrassing. I am sorry; I am so annoying.’’ She whimpers, and she shakes her head
‘’Absolutely not, sweetheart.”’ She affirms ‘’That’s a valid feeling, actually. In fact, I might have an idea. If you want, I’ll take Mr G’s keys, and we’ll use his personal teacher fancy ass bathroom, alright?’’
There is a beat of silence, a moment where it seems like she is taking in the idea before she leans in, almost like it’s a secret between them both, ‘’I got some cookies with me.’’
Turns out, teaching a teenager how to use a pad (because thankfully they found both a pad and a tampon) takes more time than they thought, so by the end, when they come out of Ryland’s special teacher’s bathroom, it’s almost the middle of the first period.
She texted him beforehand, and when he excuses himself from his class and comes out where both his girlfriend and student are situated, he interrupts something, and he decides to spy on them. Just because he can.
‘’And these are larger ones for the night. I wrote down the reference for your parents to buy, okay? And don’t worry, it’s not costly at all; she can probably buy it for herself as well if she wants to.’’ And the young girl nods, her gaze fixated on the older woman
‘’These snacks are good for the tummy if it hurts, and if you need someone to talk to about that little thing we talked about, I’ll try to swing by at school, and we can have lunch together.’’ She smiles softly
‘’Really?’’ she asks, expectantly, as her face lights up
‘’Yeah!’’ she affirms ‘’And I make a mean pasta; I’m sure you will love it, and remember. As long as you believe in you and your strength, life is worth your efforts and a brilliant girl like you does not have to worry about the future so soon. Enjoy it for now, okay?’’
‘’Really?’’ she teases, making her laugh and nod
‘’Pinky promise?’’ She extends her promise, and the young girl links her own
He stood there, glued to the floor, his cheeks red and his heart beating wildly.
Somehow, he understood what having an epiphany meant at this very moment, when he understood that this woman would be the only one for the rest of his life. But also the mother of his children.
She has to accept it, of course, she needs to want it too, because he is not one to force his desire upon his women. And yet, as he packs up his bag for the day, his mind is invaded by the sights of her arguing with the group of kids, handing them cookies, and her laughing with them.
He has flashes of her, interacting with kids in public transportation; he remembers them looking up at her from their strollers, giggling as she makes funny faces at them. And yes, most of them do too when anyone would so, but she had a way with them that made it so enchanting to see that he cannot help but wonders how one with his eyes and her smile would giggle at her, from their crib.
And today, when she managed like a boss to make that student from his school calm down, soothe her and navigate the logistics of teenagehood with her?
God, he is so gone for her. So, so gone that he really needs to up his game and save up enough to buy the ring he has been looking at with the kids earlier that day.
They’re done when he feels the young girl pass by him and whispers her gratitude to him, and when she comes into his vision, he forgets it all and just takes her face in his hands and looks at the constellation in her eyes. And he can almost see his entire future in them.
But he won’t tell anyone. Not yet.
Well, he did tell her one night as their naked bodies huddled against one another after he made love to her like a maniac. And boy, she cannot forget the way he wrecked her like he only can before putting her back together, piece by piece.
It was the very same night, her heart knew, Ryland Grace, if it was meant to be, would be the only man for the rest of her life and the father of her children.
He never wanted to be a teacher. He never studied to become one, and yet, no one can brag to have single-handedly brought down the Teacher Of The Year contest because he won it every year.
Colt and her still joke about it when they have their get-togethers sometimes, to his utter dismay at seeing his brother and girlfriend getting along so well -and ganging up on him almost all the time.-
Somehow, he became an even better one when he decided to become a mandated reporter. Sometimes, he will tell her, when they’re in the secure darkness of their apartment, his head on her stomach as he is hugging her waist, how heavy it could be. Sometimes, he hears things that break him on the inside because all he wanna do is break the faces of the people who made his precious kids suffer.
‘’My kids.’’ He would call them, as he ordered an entire batch of stickers to stick in their copies because each of them deserves one
‘’Little menaces.’’ He would grumble as he stocked his class with a mountain of notebooks, pens and even glittery ones because he saw one of his students look at her classmate with these ‘’She deserved it, baby!’’ he exclaimed, as she didn’t even say anything ‘’Glitters are a rite of passage in any kid’s life; she needs them.’’
(She found them in her locker and hugged him at the end of the year, because only Ryland Grace can do something like that.)
But the one thing that began that feeling within her was when she came back home from work, one day, and found him kneeling labelling a questionable amount of gifts bags. He didn’t even notice her coming inside because he was so busy listening to his song, bopping his head to the song in his ears.
‘’I bet he is listening to a song like ‘’Punk rocker’’ or something.’’ She chuckles out loud to herself, but stiffens when he yelps
‘’When did you come home?’’ he asks, holding his chest and suddenly frowns ‘’Hey, how did you know?’’
‘’What, that you were listening to Punk Rocker, wait, there is actually a song like that?’’ she exclaims, dumbfounded as he frowns
(He almost had to wrestle with her, later on, to make her watch Superman ‘’I am a Marvel girl!’’. She watched, and she cried; they both did.)
‘’So, you’re making all these things for your kids? Her question is received with a simple nod ‘’Ryland, I love you, and you love your job, but isn’t it a tad too much like, genuinely, is it even allowed?’’
He sighs then, like he has been caught in a mischievous plan. He sits back, taking off his headphones and motions her to come closer. He grabs her waist, and she settles on his lap, holding his head against his chest as he presses his face there, seeking the comfort he needs.
‘’I’ve never told you this, I think.’’ He starts as she caresses his hair
‘’You don’t have to, if you can’t,’’ she whispers softly, and he shakes his head
‘’No, it’s my -our- story, and it’s a huge part of me. You deserve to know.’’ He takes a huge breath, pulling away from her chest to look in her eyes ‘’I had an older brother, Courtland.’’
‘’He died in prison, jailed after killing our father.’’
And he said it all, what their difficult childhood was. They needed to be as silent as mice because they couldn’t rouse their father from his drunken sleep. The way Courtland, big, tall, strong and horribly kind like no one else, was because becoming a wonderful person like him in the environment they grew up in was a hell of a miracle.
‘’He would never get angry at us.’’ He said, smiling at the memories ‘’He tolerated everything, from my dumb incessant questions to Colt’s horrible tantrums.’’ He chuckled ‘’Colt would always apologise to him, crying, and he would hold us against his chest because he always gave us the same, equal love.’’
One day, coming back from school, Courtland found their father trying to drown Ryland because he found those ‘’treatments’’ effective in making him a man.
‘’He thought I was too soft.’’ He hid his face in her neck, as if ashamed of himself ‘’He wanted to toughen me up.’’
Colt was crying, his head bleeding because he tried to protect his twin.
‘’Court didn’t think; he grabbed the gun and shot.’’
The last time he saw his brother was the time he felt a part of him die with his father.
‘’They told us he died in jail.’’ He is sniffing, trying to keep the tears at bay ‘’Prison fight or something. He died a few days after we turned twelve. He was just eighteen.’’
They were in the foster system, and as if by miracle, stumbled upon them; there was a family that accepted taking in both of them.
‘’The Graces.’’ He smiles, and she does too, caressing his cheek ‘’Long story short, I return to that foster home each Christmas with Colt. We give the kids gifts; he buys them cause cinema pays quite well now.’’
‘’My only job.’’ He smiles
‘’You have good brothers.’’ And his eyes grow misty at her words, hugging her impossibly closer
She came with him because he insists on doing so -and when he told Colt, he sprawled on her until she gave in, the fucker- and now they’re all driving towards the foster house.
‘’You have a brother who spends half of his time cuddling me; you should be jealous!’’ she protests from the driver’s seat as he blows a raspberry
‘’Please, he is half-gay.’’ And said brother protests loudly from the backseat ‘’Furthermore, this guy is like a puppy; he spends his time lounging on everyone he can get his hands on.’’
‘’You’re half-gay too!’’ he protests
‘’Hey, my girlfriend is here!’’
‘’I was talking about her!’’
‘’I saw the way you stare at Scarlet Johansson.’’
‘’Everyone is gay for her!’’
They bicker all the way to the foster house, and finally, they arrive in the vicinity. The car stops, as they step out, gathering all the gift bags (some are kinda wonky as they had to put some of them next to Colt who sat on it ‘’You are so fat.’’ Ryland whispered, and they almost fought, and she had to separate them, swatting each of them on the head).
‘’Alright.’’ She exhales, out of breath, as they rub their head, glaring at one another ‘’Where is the foster home.’’
They look at her like she is dense and point around ‘’You are standing in front of it.’’ She whirls around, facing the block of apartment she confused for an old warehouse.
‘’I thought it was a warehouse.’’ She huffs, rubbing her neck
‘’It is a warehouse.’’ Ryland deadpans and she grumbles loudly
‘’Get me inside you absolute fucke-‘’
‘’Hello, the Grace twins!’’ a voice interrupts them, and they all turn their heads toward its source ‘’Oh, and you have a visitor with you?’’
The woman standing in front of the warehouse-looking house looked small, with a huge cardigan wrapped around her, and she looked like she escaped from a children’s book. She wanted to bury herself in her arms to never leave.
‘’Mrs. Tarts!’’ they both exclaim in unison
Just like in a movie, the warehouse comes to light, and there is a huge clamour inside as both twins make a beeline towards the woman, and she opens her arms out to them.
‘’You’re all grown up now.’’ She chuckles, patting their back ‘’Won’t you introduce me to this beautiful lady?’
Mrs Tarts, as it turns out, gives out the greatest hugs ever, and Colt has to pull her out of her embrace, but they finally enter the foster house, arms full of bags, and for the next few minutes, they gather all of them around the huge tree. They only have five minutes to do so, and they are all catching their breath when the kids enter the room.
Some of them came to greet the twins, and some went on to do their own things. Most of them went out to huddle in front of the TV, ‘’The movie is about to start.’’ Mrs Tarts tells her when she seems lost ‘’It’s always like that, sugar; most of them don’t like adults. I think you can understand why.’’
‘’Oh, yes, I think.’’ She nods sadly
‘’I am gonna put the movie on; you can all stay to watch it, of course.” She tells the three of them
‘’Obviously.’’ Colt affirms ‘’Right after I give them a flying session, who wanna be Superman today!’’ and there is a small group of children tugging his jeans, and soon enough they are all giggling away with him
She feels a tug on her pants, and she looks down to see a little girl holding a doll, looking at her with a certain wonder in her eyes. She kneels down to be at her level and greets the girl with a wave, ‘’Hi there, what’s your name?’’
‘’Molly.’’ She giggles when she tickles her stomach
‘’That’s a beautiful name. What do you wanna do, Molly?’’
‘’Do you know how to read?’’ she asks, showing her a book, and she nods, sitting down with her and hoisting her on her lap
‘’Alright, here we go.’’ She starts opening the book
Ryland has been talking to Mrs Tarts and didn’t notice that neither Colt nor his girlfriend was by his side anymore. When he looked to his left, he see two kids huddled up to Colt’s shoulders to none of their surprise, and they know he always do that.
‘’Be careful, Colt, please.’’ Mrs Tarts calls out, and he reassures them
‘’Oh come on, it’s my job now!’’
‘’Yeah, no wonder why.’’ She chuckles as Ryland does, too
At his right, however, he hears a few giggles, and when he turns there, he feels like his heart bursts out in a way like it never did before.
She is sitting among a group of little girls sitting in a circle around her, the Christmas fairy lights drawing an almost fairylike aura all around her, and he starts walking, as if in a trance, under Mrs Tart's amused gaze.
She is moving her hands, just like when she tells her stories, the one he knows she spends sleepless hours writing. Some kids are sitting around her, one is on her lap, holding her arm, and almost dozing off. And somehow, a flower crown ended up on her head, and she looks like the princess of his fairytale.
His princess, his queen, the love of his damned life. God, he really needs to buy the ring.
He kneels a few feet away and watches as she counts the tale of a story he has never heard before.
‘’And then, the princess’s tears grew a beautiful tree from which hung…’’
‘’What?’’ they all asked eagerly
‘’A beautiful dress.’’ She whispers, almost in awe
‘’And, jewels, like those little earrings!’’ she tickles the pair that one of the girls is wearing
‘’And those, beautiful, gorgeous and glasslike glass-shoes.’’
‘’And here it was: it’s Cinderella because she is ready to go to the ball.’’
‘’And who’s her prince?’’ one of the boy asks
‘’The prince is tall, blond and has blue eyes!’’ and she shrugs slightly
‘’Eh, not always.’’ But one of the kids blew a raspberry at her
‘’Your boyfriend is blond with blue eyes, he is the cliché charming prince!’’ they all laugh as she feels the blush creep down her cheeks and they all start teasing them both
‘’He is always looking at her.’’
‘’They are wearing the same colours.’’
‘’Do you want this crown?’’ one of the kids asks Ryland, who nods, dazed at the entire exchange, and he bows his head, the plastic flowers grazing his hair
He does a mocking royal salute as she chuckles softly, ‘’Now, do I get a kiss from the princess?’’ he teases, and she groans loudly, but he is quicker, sliding next to her and pecking her lips as the kids half-giggle and half-gag at their antics.
‘’Alright, children.’’ Mrs Tarts calls out ‘’It’s time for the movie!’’ and they all scatter around quickly
Molly stops, comes closer to the couple and hugs her, kissing her cheek before running away.
They stay there, for a minute, head bowed against one another, their flower crowns kissing each other’s.
Ryland wraps his arm around her shoulders, pressing his lips against her temple, and she smiles, leaning against him. She raises her head to see that he is already looking at her, and she is almost taken aback at the intensity in his eyes.
‘’What are you thinking?’’ she whispers, and he ducks his head, pressing his lips against her ear
‘’I’ll tell you tonight, as I do whatever you’ll let me do to you.’’ He rasps against her ear as she gasps softly when she feels his hands grazing her backside
‘’Ryland!’’ she gasps, pointing at Colt, who was coming their way and froze, looking disgusted
‘’Come on, bro, gross.’’ Colt’s voice interrupts them, and they pull away, redness covering their cheeks
‘’You made out with Jody on the same couch I was taking a nap on once!’’ he protests, and before it can escalate, she raises her hand, pointing at the little crowd in front of the TV
‘’Movie, first.’’ She orders
They’re about to sit down when a voice resonates behind them, ‘’Mr. G?’’ it calls out, and Ryland freezes, whipping his head towards the voice.
‘’Andy?’’ he exclaims, sounding just as dumbfounded
Both the kid and the teacher stare at one another before the kid runs in the direction he came from, a book falling on the floor in his wake.
‘’Andy! Please, wait!’’ Grace calls out, running after him
They are all tempted to run after them. Mrs Tarts steps in a little before she composes herself, shaking her head gently.
‘’I hope he can handle this.’’ She sighs as Colt frowns
‘’What happened? Why is the kid there?’’ he asks, and she looks away.
‘’His parents died when he was a kid; he was with his grandmother most of his life, but she died last year.”
The movie started, ‘’Toy Story 3’’ but neither Ryland nor Andy -how fitting- made their way back and she started getting skittish.
‘’Do you wanna see where they are?’’ Colt whispers in her ear, but she shakes her head
“I wanna go see them, but maybe it’s better if you go.’’ She sighs, but he smiles, shaking his head
‘’I think Ry would need you by his side at a moment like this.’’ And she smiles, ruffling his hair before stepping out of the room, smiling at Mrs Tarts as she explores the foster house
The warehouse is not as big as it looks from the outside, and because most kids are sitting in front of the TV in the common room, she can find them pretty quickly.
The room she enters looks like a library, decorated with colourful drawings and pictures. The walls are furnished with books, CD and there are a few computers on one side. And in the middle, sitting in front of the huge window, is the shadow of Ryland and Andy, sitting side by side.
‘’Do you think they would have loved me? And don’t lie to me, please.’’ The little boy’s voice rose
‘’I promise.’’ Ryland says solemnly ‘’And to answer you, you’re a teenager; not a single human likes one. Do you like teenagers?’’
‘’Nah, they’re the worst.’’ As they laugh at his remark
‘’Even Liam?’’ he teases, bumping his shoulder with Andy’s, who shoves him away as Ryland laughs like a maniac
‘’But, I think, you’re too much of a brilliant boy to not be liked, Andy.’’ He says, rubbing his shoulder ‘’You are creative, full of life and just so kind; it’s almost offensive. And you like my cardigans and bad jokes!’’
‘’I have the same humour; do not tell anyone I said that.’’ As Ryland promises, wiggling his pinky, waiting as Andy grumbles, taking it in his own
‘’And you are all of that, despite it all. And that’s a hell of an achievement, and I am saying that because I lived here too, with Colt, for a certain time before I left.’’ And Andy turns his head towards him, eyes wide
Andy looks through the window, looking at the night sky, ‘’Am I different because I am here?’’
‘’Why doesn’t anyone want us? What did I do wrong to not have a family of my own?’’ and the boy sounds so much smaller than he really is, and for a moment, Ryland cannot say anything but stops the tears from flowing too.
‘’Andy.’’ Ryland nudges slowly ‘’Please, look at me.’’
Andy does, not even trying to hide the tears as Ryland brushes one of them away, ‘’Your future is so much bigger than you might think, you’re bigger than the whole stars.’’ Andy’s shoulders are shaking slightly
‘’I know, it’s unfair, and it’s never gonna be fair, sadly. But I had the luck of my life to have my brother by my side the whole time.’’
‘’You have me. I’ll be by your side until you kick me out of your life.’’ And they chuckle, not knowing who is crying and who is not
‘’You swear?’’ and he extends his pinky to Ryland this time who holds it in his own
And she felt it, deep in her chest, almost like evidence that sat there the entire time that she ignored, maybe chose to. But right now, it’s here, in plain sight.
The way the kids always elect him as the best teacher. The way the girls in his class never hesitate to talk about them to him is because he is the safest adult for them. How many times did he report back to her their little stories because they knew he would give the best advice?
Those kids come to him because they know they’ll never judge him. The way he always left his classroom open to them at any time. The way he always comes back home for the summer with all of their gifts. The way he always prepares the best supplies for them, out of his own pocket.
Ryland is her safe person, her entire world, the man who made her believe love was worth the chance, the risk of it all, and here he was, proving it time and time again and again. They made it work, they worked for it, he reached out to her in her darkest place, made the voices cease and create a little bubble for them, to breath in, to live in.
Was it not obvious, was it not as clear as the day?
He loved her beyond himself, and it was more than obvious he would love anything from her, if she gave it to him and would cherish it as only he could.
She wanted to become the Mrs Grace everyone always called her.
She wanted to kiss Ryland under the blessing of their families and friends.
She wanted her life to be his and his to hers; he needed to be hers forever and ever.
And above all, she wanted Ryland Grace to be the father of their children.
He had dark and curly hair and beautiful brown eyes; he looked like he has seen way too many things in his young life, and yet, he was brave in a way that reminded her of her very own Ryland.
Sometimes, when Andy and Ryland stood next to each other, even from afar, she could see how much they look alike, and she yearned for the vision they gave to become her future.
She smiles at the memory, sitting in her kitchen, the letter still clutched in her palm as she remembers, remembers how during those times, those carefree Christmas holidays, they thought their entire future was just a door away.
And now, it was nothing but ashes.
A few days later, it was Christmas; they didn’t propose to host Christmas, and Colt flew out to see Jody for the holidays, so they stayed home, together, in their little apartment away from the world for a few days.
They were halfway through the second bottle, her on his lap as he felt himself getting giddier watching ‘’Lady Bird’’ when she scoffed, ‘’I hope I never become a mother like her.’’
‘’No, you’ll be so much better.’’ He shakes his head before frowning ‘’Wait, you wanna be a mom?’’ and she blushes
‘’I guess something changed.’’
‘’What changer your mind?’’ he asks, already breathless
‘’You. And you, do you wanna be a dad.’’
‘’Yeah.’’ He breathes out ‘’I’ve dreamed of it.’’
‘’You with my kid, here.’’ He touched her stomach ‘’There, a mini us, you, stomach full and round with me.’’ She whimpers slightly as she feels him grow harder under her
‘’You’ll give it to me?’’ she asks, breathless, and he needs all his strength to not lose it all and have her right here and there
‘’Say it to me. Tell me you want it before I make a mistake.’’ He begs, and she knows, she absolutely knows she has the upper hand when she leans in, brushing her lips against his ear
‘’Give me your babies, Ryland. Fuck me till it takes.’’ And he moans, loudly, grabbing her thighs, the sheer force he struggles to control once he is tipsy, hoisting her on his shoulder
‘’I am gonna have you, the whole night. You’re not getting away from me, baby.’’ He grumbles, making a beeline towards their room
He slams the door behind him, stepping inside the room and throwing her on the bed with a ferocity so unlike Ryland, yet, at the same time, it’s the hottest thing he could have ever done to her.
She sits back, sitting upright on her elbows as he stands in front of her. He leans in, grabbing her knees and spreading her legs, making her clench around nothing at the movement as his hands disappear from them. She whines at the loss, but he presses a finger against her lips.
‘’Silence.’’ His voice is commanding and oh, so arousing, she cannot help but only nod, her eyes dilated
‘’Good girl.’’ He smirks as she throws her head back with another shameless moan
She does not have the upper hand at all; he flipped the script on her so easily it’s almost painful to accept it. But the mind-blowing sex is gonna be so good; it’s alright. She can accept it.
He stands to his full height, still standing between her parted legs as he looks down at her. His hands come up to caress her cheek, and she leans into the touch, making his soft smile draw on his face.
‘’I love you, Ryland.’’ She blurts, feeling the tears creeping up as his face softens
He falls on his knees so fast that it gives him whiplash, and he probably scratches them, but he does not give a damn. He takes her cheeks in both of his hands, and she presses her face, muttering that she loves him, over and over.
‘’I love you so much.’’ He whispers, coming up to brush his nose against hers, kissing the tip of it ‘’I am gonna worship you tonight, baby, just like you deserve to, yeah?’’ and she nods in answer
‘’Keep your eyes on me.’’
And she does, his hands reach out to her pants, teasing the waistband as he drags it off her legs softly and she takes off her blouse similarly and she sits, lounging in her bed, wearing a piece of lingerie she bought a while ago. He sits back between her parted legs, his eyes travelling from the swell of her breasts, sitting thanks to the push-up cushions, his fingers ghosting the black lace and the delicate lacy panties hiding her pulsating core.
‘’All of that, just for me?’’ he chokes slightly at the way her breasts seem to become bigger, rounder, when she arches slightly, staring into his dilated eyes
‘’Yes, just for you.’’ Her hands grasp her breasts, pushing them up ‘’Please touch me.’’ She is almost begging; the weight of his gaze is too much
He grasps them, gropes them in a way that is almost painful, but he whimpers at the feel of them before ducking his head, his hands taking off the clasp in one single movement, and grasps the soft, pink bud of her breast.
She gasps when his tongue swirls around her tits, his tongue lavishing with his attention as the other fondles the other making her gasps. He mouths the valley of them, lowering himself softly, kissing the plush of her stomach, making her giggle at the movement, and he does it again, just to elicit the sound from her another time.
He pulls back gently, raising his eyes towards her and finds her already looking at him, ‘’Our baby is gonna be right here.’’ And she chuckles, wetly, her hand caressing his cheek
‘’Our baby, me and you, the best of them all with the best mother they could ever have.’’
His mouth travels even lower, leaving her to writhe in his wake as his grazes the lace of her panties, making her moan at the wetness of his tongue smearing all over it. She tries to clench, close her legs, but his hands spread them apart, ‘’Not yet.’’
‘’Grace, please.’’ She pants, hands grasping his hair as he hums against her clothed mound, chuckling softly
‘’I am gonna take my time.’’ He professes, the words pressed against her ‘’My sweet, sweet time.’’
She opens her eyes because the intensity of it all made them close. She tugs his hair, and he raises his own head to look at her, his eyes crinkling like he is having the time of his life.
Their eyes are locked on each other as Grace opens his mouth and his teeth grasping the waistband of her panties and she lets out a wrecked moan when he pulls it off her legs just like that. A single, straight motion of his mouth making her toes curls and warmth spreading in her lower stomach.
And before she can understand it, he surges towards her naked core, and he licks a long, bold line on the aching, pulsating folds of her clit. He hums when he gets a taste of her wetness, like it’s the best thing he has ever tasted. His tongue swirls slowly around it, tracing the shape of her cunt, not letting her catch her breath. He alternates between sucking and licking, taking his sweet time to make her lose her mind. And that is the best and worst thing ever, the tension, the sensation, the edging she hates but he absolutely adores.
Every time she feels herself coming closer, he slows down, making it last and making her protest louder and louder each time.
‘’Grace, fucking hell!’’ she whines and he tuts
‘’No swearing in my classroom.’’ The teacher's voice, the stern voice he uses sometimes to make her lose her senses, resonates from between her legs
‘’Fuck off.’’ She cannot help but swear
Oh, but it’s such a mistake, and she realises that when the silence goes on for a tad too long.
She gasps loudly. She is in such disbelief because he just slapped her cunt.
She felt a slap directly on her vagina, and she looked down at him, her breath hitched in her throat when the sternness in his eyes, over his glasses that somehow, miraculously stayed on, made her impossibly wetter. If it were possible.
‘’Behave, baby. Or I’ll stop. Do you want me to stop?’’
She shakes his head, and he smiles, rakishly so, ‘’That’s what I thought.’’
He raises his hand, and she thinks he is about to slap her cunt again when he trails it upwards, until he reaches her mouth. She opens up without him, having to tell her so, and he slides his finger in.
She reaches out, taking off the glasses, keeping their gaze interlocked as she makes a show of sucking his finger off. One, and then, two and at the end, she is sucking three of his fingers, the drool of her spit spilling from her mouth as he almost forgot what he was meant to do.
‘’Alright, enough.’’ He breaths out and pulls his fingers out, she lets them off slowly, kissing the tip of them as he whines under his breath
His fingers trail a wet arc from the apex of her neck, down her breasts and all over her stomach until he reaches where she needs them the most.
She lets out another moan when his fingers tease her throbbing and empty hole. One tease its way inside, testing the waters to see, and she is so dilated already that he slides inside easily. He pumps in and out until he adds another finger and soon enough, it’s overwhelming. His tongue circling her pulsating bud as he is fingering her, her vision is whitening, her thighs are shaking violently, and she is close, good god, she is so close.
She conveys just so, grasping his hair to keep herself sane, and he must know it too, because he whispers against her cunt, ‘’Come for me baby, let it go, now.’’
And she does, it’s like a tidal wave, violent and unabashed as she moans loudly, not even caring if anyone hears them as she lets out all her pleasure in his face directly as he fucks her with his tongue and fingers through it.
She is panting, unwilling to come down the orgasm he gave her as she feels him kiss his way upwards, coming to nuzzle his face in her neck.
They stay there, in silence, breathing loudly, taking their time to gain back some sort of consciousness, and she starts laughing at the absolute, mind-blowing orgasm that he just gave her.
‘’You okay, baby?’’ he asks, stroking her cheek
‘’God, yes, more than okay.’’
She wraps her arms around him, their bodies pressed against one another when she feels a poke against her thighs. She looks down as he ducks his face away, blushing so violently that she wonders how far the blush goes. And does just that.
‘’I wonder how far the blush goes.’’ She teases, edging the collar of his shirt as he giggles at her remark
‘’You’re awful.’’ He replied, patting her arm ‘’Let me get you water alright, I’ll be back.’’
He is still fully clothed, she realises, crumped and messy because of her, but he still hasn’t taken care of himself in any way whatsoever, fully focused on her. Her reactions, her feelings and her fucking good pleasure.
And god, the pleasure he gave her is so good, he deserves a reward, does he not?
When he comes back with the glass of water, she is sitting upright, her chin on her knees, her arms around her legs, as she extends her arms out to him when he comes back.
He sits next to her, kissing her nose as he presses the water in her hands, ‘’Drink this, baby.”
‘’Need some help over there.’’ She jests a little, the heels of her feet ghosting towards his lap as he grunts a little at the sensation
‘’All in good time, love.’’
‘’Why, afraid to be too tired?”
But he smiles, shaking his head, ‘’You are gonna need all your strengths for this.’’
She reaches his neckline, grasping the collar of his shirt and tugs at it, ‘’Then, take this off, take it off and make love to me, Ryland.’’
He is unbuttoning his shirt when she gets too impatient, grasping the lapels of the fabric and tearing it apart. She grabs his face, slotting their mouths together as they kiss, sloppily like they were mere teenagers. She pushes him back on the bed as his head falls in the middle of the mattress, as she sits on her knees, hovering his body, her hooded eyes fixated on his body, she takes in.
‘’God, you look beautiful, you’re so beautiful.’’ She presses a kiss right where his heart is as he whimpers softly ‘’I love you, Ryland.’’
‘’I love you so much more, my god.’’
He almost yelps when she lowers herself and mouths the bulge in his jeans, his hands coming in to pat her head, careful to not grab her hair too violently. She peppers his jeans with kisses, humming as she does so, as he can feel himself throbbing against her mouth.
‘’Please, baby, don’t tease.’’ He mutters, breathless, eyes closed, as his chest is heaving
‘’Huh, you really think you deserve that, baby?’’ she teases, grazing her teeth against the fabric as he whines
‘’Come on, Ry.’’ She whispers ‘’Say you want me; show me how bad you need me.’’
And he opens his mouth, uncaring of any kind of pride, “I need you so bad, please, I’ve been waiting for this for so long.’’
His pants are gone, he lift his hips to slid the pair down, and she grabs the hem of his underwear, throwing it somewhere in the room. And before he can understand what’s happening, the heat of her mouth encircles his wavering cock to the hilt.
‘’Oh my God.’’ He swears, head thrown back, as she doesn’t wait to bop her head
Her tongue, mirroring the way she sucked his fingers, circles the girth of his cock as she bops her head. She relaxes her throat, making space for him to take him deeper than she ever did before. She works him quickly, trying to make him feel a whirlwind of emotions by just sucking his fucking dick.
He is a mess, writhing, eyes rolling back, panting as her name falls from the petals of his lips like a mantra, like a prayer. Like she is the last person he’ll ever feel before a sweet, sweet death.
She groans around his length, struggling a little, and she slows down a little to fondle his balls. He almost jumps at the sensation, moaning unabashedly so. He is begging, close to.
The feel of it all is too much and very quickly, because he is weak for her, he is close, so close, and she knows. And, cruelly, she pulls back, making him wail in pain and sorrow.
He opens his eyes, tearing up at the slightly blurry sight of her, and he lets out another guttural moan at the sight of her face, the slick spilling out of her lips, her hair messed thanks to his fingers, and her dilated pupils are observing every single one of his reactions.
‘’You okay there, baby?’’
‘’No!’’ he protests ‘’Why?’’ he trails, pressing his face against the mattress
Her soft fingers grasp the side of his face, tracing the outline of his cheekbones as she smiles softly. She presses her forehead against his, her still slick core pressing against his cock making them moan in each other’s mouth at the sensation.
‘’I want you to come in me, Ryland.’’
She hovers his cock, guiding it to fill her up, slowly lowering herself and then, their pelvis are almost connected together making them whimper in happiness at the mere feeling of being so close to one another.
The closest any human can be, the most intimate act, the act of making love to one another. But this is above this, beyond the mere pleasure of the flesh. It’s the acceptance, the deliverance that she can let him give her the child she hoped to never bring into a world like this.
But with Ryland? It’s so worth it.
‘’You’re gonna be the best dad.’’ She sobs over her words as she presses her hands against his chest
She is bouncing up and down, dragging the girth of his cock in and out of her, making them moan in unison. She rolls his hips and, with a wicked thought, attempts on spelling his name with her hips, ‘’Where did you learn that.’’ He pants, his hands migrating towards her ass, grasping the softness of her flesh.
He gives her a small slap as she jolts at the feeling, whining at the thought, ‘’More, more.’’ she says and he gives her just that.
He grips her ass, slapping it occasionally to move her as he wishes and plants his feet on the mattress to thrust up into her and all of it, it’s so incredible and addicting, almost like a drug. They can feel it; it’s almost in harmony the way they come closer and closer to their climax, and as she falls forward, they come together, violently, shuddering and basking in the euphoria of it all.
They are shaking when they fall together in the mattress, holding onto each other as they breath loudly. He holds her for a few minutes, hands stroking the skin of her back and cradling her, like she is the most precious thing in his eyes.
A hand creeps up her cheek and she raises her head to look into his eyes, smiling at the tears gathering there.
‘’You really wanna do this?’’ he asks, whispering
‘’I am so, so scared. There is so much that can go wrong.’’ And his face crumples slightly at it, she reaches to gently ease the crease between his brows
“But you are the man I hoped to spend the rest of my life with.’’ She whispers, afraid she’ll cry if she speaks loudly ‘’There isn’t anyone who could be the father those children deserve.’’
He is laughing wetly, tears rolling down his cheeks as he presses a long, shuddering kiss against her eyes, her forehead, her cheeks and finally, her lips. They kiss, gently, so unlike the thorns of their passionate night, and press her against his face.
‘’I know you hoped to never have children and that, for a long time.’’ He starts, caressing her hair ‘’But, hey, come on, first I’ll clean you up, yeah?’’
He pulls away from her, but before he can leave the bed, she grabs his wrist, and he looks back at her, ‘’Yeah, baby?’’’
‘’I don’t regret this, Ryland. Never will.’’ And he smiles brilliantly at her
Darkness finds Ryland when he comes home, ‘’Honey? I’m home!’’ he calls out, holding up the fuming plastic bags in his hands ‘’I brought back food, thought we could have a chill night today.’’
He abandons his converses in the foyer, the white tips of his shoes kissing the side of her black kittens heels, taking off his helmet and hanging the yellow raincoat next to her black coat and put his green bag next to her burgundy handbag. He smiles at the frame their little life draws in the eyes on anyone who would see it, in first glance.
‘’Hey, babe, would you like to go see Andy this weekend?’’ he asks, turning on the lights, but he frowns, not getting any answers when she is clearly home
‘’Honey?’’ he calls out for her, some sort of worry etched in his voice, and he feels a cold sense of dread wash him over when he hears sobs coming out of the kitchen
He makes a beeline there, and he almost trips over himself when he sees her hiding her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking violently. He falls on his knees in front of her, hovering around her.
‘’Hey, I’m here; look at me, baby.’’ He whispers, gently, caressing her hair ‘’I’m here, I’ll wait for you as long as you need.’’
He does have to wait too long before he gets a vision of her tear-streaked face before she wraps her arms around his neck, burying her face there, letting out a soul-crushing sob. It’s not usual for one of them to have these moments where they cannot do anything but lose it all, but he was here, for her, to let him cry it out until she couldn’t.
He spreads his legs for her to slot her body there as he puts his hands on her back, stroking it up and down, in soothing, circular motions. She is wearing one of his old cardigans, and he discard the fabric away from her body, gathering up her hair in a makeshift bun and wiping the sweat that gathered along her back.
A few moments later, as he is cradling her body, swaying her softly, the tears give way to small hiccups and then, finally, she calls his name.
‘’I’m here, baby, water?’’ and he feels her nod
‘’Alright. But I need to get up, alright? Maybe we can go to the couch?’’
She shakes her head, but loosens her grasp on him slightly as he rises up from the floor, taking a bottle of water from the fridge and pressing it to her lips. She grabs it, taking a long gulp before putting it down.
They’re still on the floor, in each other’s arms. Here, together, and that’s all that should matter. But she is not used to hiding things and cannot, for the life of her, keep it inside herself, so before he can open his mouth, she interrupts him.
‘’I took a fertility test a month ago.’’ And he falls silent
‘’I took it because I always had issues with my periods and all. So, I checked if my body was healthy enough to bear a child to term. But, uh.’’ She chuckles, mirthlessly ‘’I can’t even have one, so what’s the point of it?’’ and another sob breaks out of her
Ryland’s arms are slack around her body, his mind taking in the information because it’s a lot to take in. It’s a huge amount of information to process, and he realises he never even thought of the mere possibility of it.
She looks up, searching his eyes that have a faraway look in them, and she feels it, the break, the end, the fucking bomb is about to explode, and the clock ticks down to the end. And she has never ever felt grief like it before.
She pushes his body away, and he slumps against the cupboards, going slack, and the lack of answer from him solidifies in her delirious mind that he is indeed about to break it off with her.
‘’I’m sorry, Ryland; I am so sorry. I thought I could give it all to you. I wish I could, but I cant.’’ she sobs, rubbing the tears off her face ‘’I knew it would end. God, I am so stupid.’’
She is wailing like a wounded animal, and it finally brings him out of his trance. His gaze falls on her crouched body as she pulls away from his arms, and she looks so, so small and vulnerable. His own tears are falling down as he shakes his head, ‘’Don’t say that, please don’t, baby, come to me, please.’’
She pushes his hand away, putting distance between them, ‘’No, I don’t wanna hear it. I can’t look at you now. You are hurting me.’’
‘’Hear what? I don’t understand.’’
She stands up, her legs shaking as she wills the tears to stop, taking a deep breath as she looks down at him, still sitting on the floor, ‘’I know you wanna be a father and because I can’t give it to you, I am not..’’ she breaks ‘’You don’t wanna be with me.’’
‘’Why, why would I say that? What the hell!’’ he exclaims
‘’Because, I am useless!’’ she exploded ‘’What is the point of keeping me around if I can’t even give you a family? God, why are you making me say it? Break up with me; I know it’s over.’’
She presses her hand on her forehead, looking up, praying for the first time in a long time for all of it to be over. For it to end as quickly as it can, like ripping off a band-aid, because she is about to have a mental breakdown.
‘’That’s what you think of me.’’ His voice is low, rumbling out of the depths of his chest as he looks up at her while she avoids it
‘’You want something.’’ she says, like it’s the most logical thing ‘’I can’t give it to you; it’s not my food, my secrets or something without any importance; it’s a child, a family. And I can’t give it to you, so you go seek it somewhere else.’’ She ends her sentence silently because saying it is painful
The mere idea of letting him go kills her from the inside.
‘’So, what, it’s a business transaction? I am going towards the best option- that’s what you’re saying? And I am supposed to accept it, listen to you?’’ he scoffs, throwing his hands in the air.
‘’What is wrong with you?’’ she asks, turning towards him as he stands up abruptly
‘’No, it’s you I should be asking this!’’ he exclaims, loudly, violently, so unlike him, she is stunned into silence
He stands there, his chest heaving as he looks at her, drilling holes in her eyes, looking absolutely furious.
‘’I do not know why or how you came to this conclusion.’’ He mutters, stepping closer, slowly ‘’But, I never in my life abandon anything or anyone, no matter what.’’
‘’I decided to love you; I knew I loved you from the moment I met you. I knew you would be the only woman I will ever marry; I even have the ring hidden in Colt’s apartment, that’s how sure I am.’’
She feels her waist bump the counter as he steps into her space, ducking his head so she can see him clearly, feeling so small under the ardour in his oh, so blue orbs. His eyes travel all over her face, from her eyes to the apex of her nose, and they drag until he sees her shaking lips.
‘’I messed up a lot in my life; I made a lot of mistakes, and I hesitate a lot because I am always scared to mess it up.’’ He crowds her against the counter, his arms coming up to cage her ‘’But if there is one thing I am certain of, it is my love for you, so listen to me carefully, sweetheart; you’re stuck with me.’’
‘’Whatever happens, we’re gonna face it together; whatever goes wrong, I’ll be there until I can’t. Until the day I die.’’ He proclaims, like a promise he made, as she gasps at his words
‘’Don’t say that.’’ But he doesn’t let her speak, pressing a finger on her lips to silence her
‘’And if there is one thing I wish for, it is for me to die before you, because I cannot live in a world where you’re not by my side anymore. I don’t wanna be someone’s Ryland; I am your Ryland; I have always been yours.’’
‘’Ryland.’’ She whispers, taking his cheek in her hand, brushing the tear falling there
‘’It’s you; it has always been you, and it’s never gonna be anything else but you, so yeah, I am not letting you go, no matter what.’’
‘’I-‘’ she stutters, ducking her head under the intensity of his gaze ‘’I don’t know what to say.’’
‘’Say you love me.’’ And it’s mesmerising, the way she cannot say otherwise ‘’Say, you’ll stay with me. Say it.’’
‘’I will stay; I love you, Ryland.’’
‘’Me too, my love. I love you so, so much.’’
She has seen men hold their brides like that, just like he holds her against him, at this very moment, smiling softly at her ‘’Let’s go sleep it off, yeah?’’ and she nods, wrapping her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder.
She is sleeping soundly; the pressure on her shoulders for the entire day makes her fall asleep quickly. He put her to bed, taking off her clothes as he did, getting under the covers. She slots herself against him, like two pieces of a puzzle, as he cradles her head.
‘’A ring?’’ she chuckles in his neck, and he smiles
‘’I’ll make an honest woman out of you, my lady.’’ He looks down, brushing her hair away from her face ‘’I will marry you; I’ll make you my wife, and we will live in a world, just the two of us.’’
‘’And Andy.’’ And he chuckles, something deeply warm spreading in his chest
‘’Maybe, we already have our family?’’
He sighs, content brimming within him as they hold one another.
‘’We do, my love, we do.’’
And he falls asleep, vision of a small cottage, a dog maybe and even a cat and the sight of her, in a white dress, walking towards him, and he knows.
They were meant to be, no matter what.
