Page 139 of Bastian

WRAPPED IN LOVE

Two weeks later

“It will always be you, for me.” — A

Have you ever felt true peace? I didn’t know how that felt until I met Sebastian. I had short intervals of happiness, yes, but never peace.

Now, here in his world, all I feel is peace.

Autumn is almost over, and as the seasons change, so has my body.

Growing a human inside of me. A human who will be here in the winter.

“Beautiful! Yes! That’s the one!” Micha, one of the photographers that work for my magazine and creative director, praises me as I stand in the middle of the east garden room dressed in all white.

For this occasion, I chose a white crisscross top and a matching skin-tight, long skirt while my huge belly is on full display. I look almost angelic and so does the decor around me.

Sweet, tender, and yeah a bit over the top.

There’s a lavender background behind me, while everything else is white and silver.

There are dozens of gold roses at my feet and some golden rose petals are in between my golden locks making me look as if I were from another world.

Heavenly even.

A maternity shoot.

In my defense, it wasn’t my idea. My team is to blame for wanting me to be featured on the cover of next month’s issue of my magazine, Vive. They came up with the argument that working moms and pregnant women should be showcased more and praised in the media. That’s how they convinced me to do this, plus Oliver let it slip in front of Ella, and of course, she begged to be part of it as well.

I couldn’t say no.

So now I am here.

I’m six months pregnant now, and my belly can’t be hidden by clothes.

This will also serve as my pregnancy announcement, I guess.

But I am not going to lie. I can’t wait to see people’s reactions to the news of my pregnancy. I’m having the president’s baby, and we’re unwed.

Oh, the glorious scandal.

“Mommy, gosh, you look like an angel!” My girl gasps bringing me back to the present. My glam team did a wonderful job with this look. I didn’t want to look over the top, showcase my natural beauty, and that’s what we did.

My long golden hair is curled at the ends while the hairstylist gave me curtain bangs like I used to wear when I was younger. Every day I feel more like myself.

As if parts of who I once was are slowly coming back to me.

Turning my head, I smile at Ella who, like me, is dressed in all white and has gold-colored roses in her hands and hair. My kid is so beautiful.

I thought I knew what beauty, was but then I met this little girl.

A little girl who knows my heart.

Who owns my heart just the same as her father.

“Thank you, baby.” I smile, and at the same time, gold petals fall from above me. Micha captures the moment, screaming like a crazy man. Feeling the moment. “Come.” I urge her to join me because none of this would mean anything if she weren’t in the photos.

I carefully pick her up and place her on my belly. She then wraps her tiny arms around my neck and gives me Eskimo kisses while Micha captures the moment with his camera. “Hey, mommy.” Ella takes a strand of my hair, twisting it in her tiny finger.

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