Page 31 of Beyond our Forever

He got up from where he was, amid protests from his nieces, who argued they had only just begun.

“See that beautiful lady over there?” They nodded when he pointed me, then he said something that I couldn’t hear and the little ones ran off with their hands over their little mouths, like someone keeping a secret.

“Are you mine again now?” I teased.

Bruce took me by the waist, kissing me softly on the mouth.

“Now and forever,” he said, kissing me again harder. “Would you like to go out?”

“Sure, where do you want to go?” He didn’t need to ask, I would have willingly gone to Hades with him.

We got into his truck, the same one that my brother described as a piece of shit, and after a few minutes of driving, Bruce parked in front of the river.

Holding hands, we took a few steps, until we reached a wooden bench shaded by a tree, which despite the weather was covered almost entirely with pink flowers. It was a beautiful spot, it looked like it was taken from a postcard, spring in the arid desert.

An oasis by the river.

Romantic, unique, unforgettable.

Neither of us said anything. We just stood there watching the sun disappear on the horizon, silently enjoying the mere fact of being together.

“You’re what I always wanted,” he said, surprising me. He wasn’t looking at me, his gaze was still lost in the distance. “No, that’s not true. You are more than I ever expected.”

Then he turned his attention on me, his gaze more intense than ever before.

“I grew up believing in love, Ilythia, believing that my other half was out there, the person meant for me. That night, the night of the party, you came as a revelation to me. I had my life all planned out, you know? I thought that when my soul mate appeared, I’d be able to put the world at her feet, impress her with all my achievements, and offer her everything that a woman dreams of having.”

“Bruce…” I murmured, but he silenced me by putting his finger on my lips with the softness of a feather. His speech seemed poignant to me, damn hormones, I was about to burst into tears.

Were the remaining months of pregnancy going to be the same?

I was going to become a walking shower.

“The night of the party, I approached you because I thought you were the most beautiful woman I had seen. Then, when you said the thing about the ‘other Bruces’, I knew that I had to know you better. Now everything is different, you’ve changed my life, my ideas, my plans. You’ve made them perfect. You’re my game changer, you came to complete my life.”

The air was not reaching my lungs. I had given up breathing. All I wanted was for him to keep talking, because something inside me threatened to explode.

“I love you, Ilythia, I love you with all my heart,” he said before getting up, then he surprised me by kneeling before me. “I can’t offer you all the luxuries you deserve, but if you agree to be my wife, I promise you that my world will always revolve around you. Stay with me forever, and I will do everything to make you happy.”

I was so stunned as I looked into his eyes, that I didn’t notice he had a small jewelry box, until the ring was right in front of me.

“Say yes, Ilythia Erickson. Say you’ll marry me.”

Chapter 9

Present

“It’s not Christmas morning,” I say to Emilia as I try to calm her down.

I’ve just returned home from dropping off the children at school and my tea sipping friend wants to know if a new gift has appeared on the entrance of my house. My brain is still half asleep. Last night I could barely glue my eyes shut. I spent hours gently stroking Ava’s little head, until it was time to return her to her own bed. Then, in the loneliness of mine, I kept thinking about my whole situation.

I guess I’m at an age where I feel it’s too late to start again, but at the same time it’s too early to give up, so it might seem crazy, but maybe I should try to do six out of character things before breakfast. Or at least before I get too old for such things.

“Tell me now!” Emilia squeals, almost making me drop my phone. One of these days she’ll make me deaf.

“There’s nothing,” I reply.

“I don’t believe you, there must be something. No one would go through all the trouble of getting those exotic flowers from God knows where, only to end things there. There must be something, so tell me what it is.”

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