Page 19 of This Is Our Forever

The ground shifts as the revelation hits me. Amelia’s mother appears out of nowhere and reaches for the boy, her movements hesitant, as if unsure how to navigate this moment.

“I’m so sorry. I turned my back for a second and…”

Her voice trails off, her gaze flickering between me and Amelia. The tension in the air presses down on us, suffocating in its intensity. She gathers the child into her arms, his wide eyes peeking over her shoulder as she carries him inside. The door creaks as it swings shut behind them, echoing in the charged silence.

We’re alone now, the stillness an endless void filled with everything we’ve never said. Amelia turns to face me, wrapping her arms around herself, her eyes shining with the fierce determination I’ve always admired, even in the darkest moments.

“How could I tell you?” Her voice slices through the quiet like a blade. “I was on my way to tell you I was pregnant. But then…” She takes a shaky breath, her lips trembling. “Seeing that woman when I walked in shattered me.”

Her words hit hard, dragging the memory of that day back to the surface—an image that has haunted us for years. I put my arm around her. “It wasn’t me.”

She shakes her head. “She told me it was you, Nathan. She said you were in the shower because you were sweaty.” A tear slips down her cheek, and she wipes it away with the back of her hand. “And then I got that message, telling me it was over, that you didn’t want me anymore.”

The anguish in her eyes is unbearable, a reflection of everything I’ve lost.

She continues. “What would you have done, Nathan? You made it clear you didn’t want me.”

I pull her close, letting her sob into my chest. Her tears are hot against my skin, and my own fall freely as we cling to each other, years of grief and loss flooding back, threatening to drown us both.

“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.” I utter the words in a disjointed mantra, trying to calm her and mend our divide.

The thought of all the moments I’ve missed—the first steps, the first words, the laughter that should have filled our lives—hits me like a punch to the gut. The years I can never get back are a wound that cuts deeper with every passing second.

As the pain grips me, my fists clench, nails digging into my palms. A fierce protectiveness surges through me, flaring up with the force of a hurricane. Amelia and our son are my family, and I won’t let anything stand between us. Not the lies, not the past.

I pull back and frame her face with my hands. “I’m here now. And I’m not leaving. Not without you and not without our son.”

Time passes, and then, “Okay,” she whispers, her hands rising, her fingers threading through mine in a gesture of forgiveness. “Okay.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

AMELIA

The words hang in the air. “I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere. Not without you or our son.”

His sincerity gives me pause. I want to believe him, to let go of the pain and betrayal that have haunted me for so long. But the scars on my heart, the ones time has barely begun to heal, whisper warnings of the dangers that come with hope.

“We need to talk about what’s going to happen next.” His gaze breaks down the walls I’ve put up to protect myself.

“Listen, Nathan––”

A high-pitched shout stops my response. “Mommy!”

“I’d better go see what’s going on.”

“Okay.”

I go inside and find Dylan in the living room.

“Mommy!” His chubby hands reach up toward me, his smile so bright it makes my heart swell. I scoop him into my arms and bury my face in his soft curls, breathing in his sweetness.

“Hey, little man. You ready for a walk?”

He nods, his bright eyes shining. I carry him to the front hall, where his stroller waits. As I buckle him in, my hands tremble. I take a steadying breath before pushing the stroller back out onto the porch.

Nathan is still there, his expression hovering between hope and uncertainty. He steps forward, his gaze flicking between me and Dylan.

Dylan waves at him. “Hi.”

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