Chapter 305: Say Yes

"It was just a dream," I soothed, stroking her hair. "William can never hurt you again. Daddy and I made sure of that."

She shook her head violently. "It felt so real. Please stay with me tonight. Please, Mommy?"

I texted James that I wouldn't make it to the hospital, citing an emergency at Ephemeral. No need to worry him about Harper's nightmares when he needed to focus on his recovery.

Harper insisted I stay in her bed, gripping my hand so tightly I couldn't have left if I'd wanted to. She whispered fearfully about her nightmare, eventually falling into a restless sleep while I kept watch.

When morning came, I was shocked to find Harper bright-eyed and cheerful, as if the previous night's terror had never happened.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked cautiously, helping her pick out clothes for school.

"Yep!" she chirped, grabbing her favorite purple sweater. "Can we visit Daddy after school? I want to show him my science project!"

I studied her face, confused by the complete transformation. "We'll see. He's coming home today, remember?"

After dropping the twins at school, I returned home for a quick nap before heading to the hospital. I'd just dozed off when my phone rang.

"Elowen?" David's voice sounded unnaturally tense. "You need to come to the hospital right away."

I bolted upright. "What's wrong? Is James okay?"

"There's been... a significant change in his condition. Just come quickly."

The world tilted sideways. After everything we'd been through, after finally finding our way back to each other and creating a family with our children, was I about to lose James again?

Heart pounding, I threw on clothes and raced to Columbia Presbyterian, not bothering with makeup or fixing my disheveled hair. All that mattered was getting to James.

The hospital staff watched me with strange expressions as I rushed past. Even the nurses at the station seemed to be hiding smiles behind their hands.

I pushed open the door to James's room and froze.

The sterile hospital space had been transformed into something magical. White and pink peonies filled every surface, their delicate scent perfuming the air. Eucalyptus sprigs woven between the blooms added touches of soft green.

"Surprise!" a chorus of voices shouted.

Ashley, Camille, Nathan, my father, David—all stood beaming at me. And in the front, dressed in carefully coordinated outfits, stood Harper and Theo, each holding handmade cards covered in glitter and hearts.

At the center of it all was James, standing tall and straight in a pristine white Tom Ford suit. Though still thinner than before, his eyes blazed with life and purpose.

"What's happening?" I whispered, suddenly understanding Harper's miraculous recovery from last night's "nightmare."

James nodded to the twins, who stepped forward importantly.

Harper cleared her throat, then held up her glitter-covered card. "Dear Mom," she read carefully, "you always told me real princesses don't need princes to rescue them. But I think princesses and princes are happier together! Please let Dad be our family's prince!" Her voice quivered with excitement.

Theo stepped up next, displaying his card with a picture of four stick figures holding hands. "Mom," he said solemnly, "I know Dad made mistakes, like when I broke your favorite vase. But you forgave me, so... please forgive Dad too and let us be a whole family?" He glanced at James, checking if he'd said it right.

James moved toward me, taking my hands in his. "This moment," he said softly, "I've imagined it for so many years."

Tears filled my eyes at the words *so many years*.

He lowered himself to one knee, wincing slightly from his still-healing wound.

"Elowen," he said, producing a blue Tiffany box, "or Sarah—I love every version of you. Will you marry me and let me be your and our children's safe harbor forever?"

Harper bounced on her toes. "Mom, say yes!

Theo hugged my leg, looking up earnestly. "Please say yes, Mom. Dad taught me chess in the hospital, and he promised we'd watch movies every weekend without his phone."

I took the bouquet of peonies James offered, my favorite flowers since childhood. Looking into his eyes—the same eyes that had haunted my dreams for six long years—I gave the only answer my heart would allow:

"Yes."

The room erupted in cheers as James slid a stunning diamond ring onto my finger—three perfect stones set in platinum.

"Three diamonds for our past, present, and future," he explained, voice thick with emotion. "And the two smaller ones honor Harper and Theo, without whom our love wouldn't be complete."

Harper stared at the ring, mesmerized. "Wow! It's like the brightest star in the sky! Mom, are you officially a princess now?"

Theo nodded sagely. "This means we're finally a real family. I drew our new house last night—four bedrooms and a huge kitchen for Mom's cooking."

"Kiss! Kiss!" Ashley and Camille chanted from the sidelines.

Theo covered his eyes. "Ugh, the gross part." But I noticed him peeking through his fingers.

Harper twirled excitedly. "I get to be the flower girl! Can we have a seven-layer cake with different flavors on each tier?"

James pulled me close, his lips meeting mine in a kiss that promised forever. Harper and Theo rushed forward, wrapping their arms around our legs to complete the family circle.

"Dad," Theo asked seriously, "will you live with us every day now? Are we moving to your house or are you coming to ours?"

"That's up to all of us to decide," James answered gently. "The only thing that matters is we'll be together."

James leaned close to my ear, his breath warm against my skin. "Every day from now on, I'll prove this was worth waiting for. You and our children are everything to me—my whole world, my forever."

In that moment, surrounded by the people I loved most, I knew we'd finally come full circle. The journey had been long and painful, filled with separation and heartbreak, but somehow we'd found our way back to each other.

Our forever had just begun.