She sniffled and nodded. “I know. And you’re right. I’m deliriously happy with Jace in a way I never thought I’d be again. I wouldn’t be standing here, in this dress, about to marry my best friend, if it weren’t for you. I owe you, Sierra. I can finally admit I love you and your meddling ways.”
I grinned at her. “Just hurry up and give Ava some cousins.”
She laughed and gave me a wink. “We’ll start working on that right away.”
She hadn’t been kidding. Nine months later, Maya McAllister was ready to make her world debut.
2014
And now we’re back to where the story began.
Wasn’t it fucking awesome? Can you see how much I love my wife? My daughter? Hell, just my life in general. I told you I was a lucky man. Believe me now?
I’m kind of surprised we made it through the entire story before Maya was born. Unlike Sierra’s easy labor, Lexi spent twenty-seven hours in that hospital room. I don’t know how many times Jace paled when the nurses said she wasn’t dilated enough.
Unlike me, he hadn’t taken a peek. Smart man.
“I’m exhausted. Giving birth is hard work,” I say as I fall onto the bed. “Thank God Mom and Dad took Ava for the night. I’m wiped.”
Sierra chuckles and jumps on the bed, landing right next to me. “Just imagine if you were actually the one pushing a seven-pound, oddly-shaped human being out of your vagina.”
“Considering I don’t have a vagina, babe, I can’t really imagine that.”
She laughs and then goes silent. As exhaustion washes over me, I cover my eyes with my forearm.
I hear the way she sucks in a deep breath, though. It’s coming. She’s been keeping something from me for weeks, and she is about to finally spill the beans.
About fucking time.
After having spent the day at the hospital, I’m beat, but as soon as Jeremy and I get home—without Ava—I am reenergized. It’s been a long day, and when Maya finally made her appearance in the world, there was a whirlwind of activity. When she was placed in Jace’s arms, I wasn’t sure he’d ever put her down. The love that emanated from him was spell-binding, and I had to send up a prayer, thanking the Lord for bringing him back into Lexi’s life.
“Jeremy,” I say.
He groans, keeping his arm across his eyes. Nerves twinge in my belly.
“Jeremy, look at me.”
He removes his arm, frowning. “What’s up?”
“I have something to tell you,” I say slowly, hoping he won’t be mad that I kept this from him.
He sits up quickly. “It’s not true, baby. No matter what anyone says, even if she is the cutest baby on the planet, Maya is not mine. There’s only one Sullivan woman for me.”
I raise an eyebrow. “There better only be one woman period for you.”
“That, too,” he says, grinning.
“Why would anyone think Maya is yours?” I ask, scrunching my nose.
“Because she’s the cutest baby ever after Ava? Naturally, they’d assume…”
I roll my eyes, but I’m thankful he gave me my in. “I don’t know how to say this,” I begin.
He takes my hand. “Just spit it out, Sierra,” he tells me. “That’s the easiest way to say anything. Just say it.”
He’s right.
So I do.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt out. Then I brace myself for his response. It’s been four years since the loss of our unborn baby, and we’ve occasionally talked about trying again but haven’t pulled the trigger.
Except, four years later, we inadvertently did.
Jeremy watches me, and I continue.
“As of this morning, I’m thirteen weeks. I know I should’ve told you sooner, but I wanted to wait until we were past…” I trail off.
He leans across the bed and takes my hand, pulling me into his lap. Then he positions himself against the head of the bed and cradles me in his arms. His fingers brush the hair out of my face, and he gazes down at me.
“I know, Sierra,” he whispers softly, causing me to still.
“You know?”
“Yep. I’ve known since your first appointment,” he admits.
“How?” I ask.
“You’re thirteen weeks, baby. I think I know you pretty well. I know I know your body really well. And then the doctor called to remind you about the appointment. I didn’t know for sure, but still, I just knew. Does that make sense?”
“Wow. All this time, I was so nervous something would happen, and I was trying to keep you from being disappointed.”
“Sierra, how many times do I have to say it? We’re in this life together. Anything you go through, I’m going through it, too.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just really wanted to give you everything.”
“Baby, you already have.”
If he only knew how true his words would be.
Six months later, Ava finally learns that the world doesn’t revolve around her. There’s another moon in the Banks family orbit, and in the next five years, two more would follow. Boys this time.
Many people say love at first sight doesn’t last. Neither does young love. It’s true for many people. But ours has, and that’s all that matters.
Who’d have thought that a little girl in a high ponytail and a dirty boy in a Michelangelo T-shirt would’ve fallen in love and ended up spending a lifetime together?
Even though we had a rough patch, our lives have still been relatively easy. Our relationship isn’t full of angst, and after freshman year, the will they, won’t they was officially solved, because we dove head first into a relationship that ends up lasting the rest of our lives.
I could’ve had dark and stormy, swirling passionate romance that ran hot and cold, depending on the day. Many girls want that, and I get it. It’s fun, it’s adventurous, and it’s sexy, but that isn’t me. That isn’t us. Our love is a breezy summer day. Sure, there were showers in the afternoon and storms on the horizon, but they were always temporary. They’d come and go. But, on our love, the sun always shone.
As did our moons.
Our love, without a shadow of a doubt, was the best thing that has ever happened to me.
And most of all?
It was beautiful, it was ours, and it lasted a lifetime.
The End
THEY SAY YOU NEVER forget the ones you’ve lost, and that sentiment definitely rings true. I found out the hard way. But, at the same time, I’ve learned you can’t dwell on that—not when you have ones here who need you, your time, your energy, and your love. Your heart can be heavy at times, but it can also be immensely full.
Sierra always had a pinpoint hole in her heart for our lost one. But so did I. Together, though, we weathered that storm, set our ship back on course, and ended up with a beautiful family, even if one was missing.
Sleepily, I walk outside to pick the paper up when I see a flash a green out of the corner of my eye.
“Hey, Mister B!”
“Hey, Tucker,” I call to the kid next door.
His sandy-brown hair hangs in his eyes, which are also brown, big, and puppy-eyed as he asks if Ava is home.
“She’s at her grandma’s for the weekend,” I tell him, yawning as I glance down at the paper.