CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE EPILOGUE

Two years later

Melina

I stir awake in my sleep and climb out of bed. I don't bother putting on my slippers before walking downstairs to the kitchen. I open the freezer and take out the chocolate mint ice cream. I hate it, but the little one growing inside me loves it. I am in my second trimester, and so far, everything is great. Of course, the morning sickness hasn't been great or the weird craving I have been having but other than that. I am excited to be a parent, and so is Thomas. I remember the day I found out I was pregnant. Words can't describe the joy I felt that day. We got married a few months after Thomas rescued me. Franky was unable to attend the wedding because of the bad blood between Rafael and Thomas. I miss my sister every day, but I am not sad that we can't see each other because I know Franky is happy where she is.

Tears fill my eyes once I open the ice cream container and find it empty. My hormones are all over the place these days. I walk back upstairs to my bedroom with the empty container. I use my free hand and tap Thomas gently to wake him up. I bite my lips as more tears threaten to fall from my eyes as he doesn't wake up even though I am hitting him. I give up waking him and sit down by the edge of the bed and begin to cry. I look into the empty ice cream container, and Thomas, who is still sleeping, and more tears flow out in frustration.

Thomas

Thomas's brows pull together in his sleep as he hears someone crying. He quickly opens his eyes, and once he sees his wife with the empty ice cream container, he understands why she is crying immediately. He pulls the covers off his body and kisses his wife's forehead. He climbs out of bed and walks to his closet to get dressed. She doesn't need to tell him for him to know what she wants. This is not the first time she has requested it so late at night, so he is used to it. Thomas is excited to finally have his first child. He still remembers the day Melina told him she was pregnant. That was one of the best days of his life.

'Tommy," Melina says, walking into the closet.

'Yes, my love" Thomas walks towards her after throwing a t-shirt over his head. He wraps his left arm around her and uses his right to wipe away her tears. He moves his right hand to her baby bump and rubs it a little.

'I want ice cream."

'I know. Do you need anything else"

'No, just ice cream."

'Alright, I will be back as quick as I can" He walks them out of the closet to the bed. He helps Melina sit and kisses her before walking out of the bedroom.

Thomas drives to the nearest 24 hours supermarket to get his wife the chocolate mint ice cream she wishes to have. He walks inside the supermarket, and because of how much he has come to buy Melina ice cream here, he knows where to go when he walks in. Thomas's eyes widen in a panic once he sees they don't have the brand Melina likes. He still remembers the day he made the mistake of buying the wrong brand. Melina was so pissed off at him that he was worried she was going to kill him. He has learned his lesson ever since and has made sure to always get the same brand of things she wishes to eat.

Thomas walks to the cash register and asks them if they have the brand Melina loves at the back. Unfortunately for him, they don't. Thomas wastes no time leaving the supermarket and begins to drive to another one he can find open right now. He is praying by the time he gets home, Melina won't be angry with him that he took a while to get it.

Thomas takes the steps two at a time once he arrives home. He had to visit five different stores before he was finally able to get the brand Melina likes. He walks into his bedroom, praying his wife's emotion hasn't changed into anger since he left. The way her emotions change surprises him all the time. A soft smile appears on Thomas's face once he sees his wife. She is sleeping peacefully with the pillow he lays his head on tightly in her hand. She once told him that his scent calms her down, so it helps her fall asleep easily. He is not surprised that she is sleeping and doesn't wait up for him. He places the ice cream on the side table and tucks her under the covers properly. He returns downstairs and keeps the ice cream in the freezer before walking back up.

Most people will wonder if Thomas is annoyed that he had to go through such troubles because of Melina. Thomas didn't care. To him, Melina could stress him all she wanted. She is carrying his child, so she has the right to make him go to five different stores at 2 a.m. at night and not eat the ice cream he gets for her. From everything he has seen these past few weeks, he knows it's not easy to carry a child, so he is willing to do anything to make it easy for her.

***

Melina

The following morning I wake up to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes. I smile as I open my eyes to find Thomas with a breakfast tray beside our bed.

'Good morning Mi amore," Thomas says, kissing my lips and baby bump.

'Good morning, honey" I sit up, rubbing my baby bump as Thomas places the breakfast tray in front of me.

'How was your sleep?" Thomas pushes my hair out of my face and stares at me lovingly.

'It was good; I am so sorry I didn't wait up for you last night." I pout, with remorse swimming in my eyes.

'It's okay, my love; I know it wasn't international" he kisses my forehead and gets up from the bed. 'I will run you a bath while you eat."

'Thank you, I love you" I stare at him lovingly as he walks away from the bed.

'I love you too, Mi amore" he walks into the bathroom.

Later in the day, Thomas and I walk outside to our backyard, where we are having our gender reveal party. We are both dressed nicely in white. Thomas has on a white polo shirt with pants, while I have on a white sundress. Thomas's family is here, and we are having a lovely time. We say hi to everyone together before Thomas leaves me to go and speak to his brother. I join Melissa and Andrea, who make space for me on the couch they are sitting on once they see me. We begin to discuss what I will name the baby if it's a girl. I laugh at some of the names they mention and consider some. Kat also joined us and suggested names I could give the baby if it's a boy.

As we continue to try and find the best name for my baby, I start to feel sad. Looking around the room, you can see it's filled with Thomas's family. Its hurts that the only family I have can't be here. I am happy she is with Rafael, but it hurts that it makes it difficult for us to see each other.

I feel someone's eyes on me while I talk to them. I turn and find Thomas staring at me. Thomas excuses himself from his brother and steals me away from the ladies.

'What's wrong, my love? You look a little sad when you should be happy" Thomas wraps his arms around me. My baby bump makes it a little difficult for his arms to entirely go around my body.

'Is it that obvious?" I ask, resting my head on his chest. I can't believe he noticed it. I tried my best to hide it.

'Yes," he places his chin on my head.

'I wish my sister was here." It pains me that Franky missed my wedding. I really wished she could at least be here while I find out the gender of her baby. It would make me really happy.

'I know you would, and that's why I did something" I pull my head away from his chest and look at him, waiting for him to explain.

'What did you do?" I ask, anxious to find out.

'Hello, sis," Franky says from behind me. I quickly turned around to check if I heard right. A big smile spreads on my lips once I confirm I did.

'Franky," I pull out of Thomas's arms and rush and pull my sister into a deep hug, 'I missed you" I hug her tighter.

'I have missed you too, Melina," Franky says, sniffing while hugging me back.

'How are you? I hope you are fine" I pull away from my sister and check her out.

'I am great, and I can see I don't need to ask how you are doing. I can't believe you are pregnant," Franky squeaks as she looks at my belly. 'I can't wait to find out if I have a nephew or niece" she places her hand on my stomach and rubs it a little.

'Which would you wish I am pregnant with?" I rub my belly a little, smiling.

'Any is fine with me. All I wish is that you have a healthy baby."

'Same here"

'I hate to break your reunion, ladies, but it's time to find out the gender of the baby" Thomas drapes his arm on my shoulder and pulls me close to him.

'No problem, we have the whole day to catch up. There is so much I want to tell you" Franky steps away from us.

'Me too"

'Are you feeling better?" Thomas asks once Franky walks to join Thomas's family, who have water guns in their hands filled with the paint of the gender of our baby.

'Yes, thank you for bringing Franky today. I know it must have cost you much with Rafael to get her here."

'I will do anything to make you happy, Mi amore; you are the love of my life." Thomas wraps his arms around me and gazes into my eyes. I can see his love for me swimming in his beautiful blue orbs. The family begins to count down to the reveal of the gender of our baby.

'I love you, Thomas" I wrap my arms around his neck and seal my lips with his. The second our lips are joined, the family shoots us with the paint in the water gun. Pink paint stains our clothes. Thomas doesn't mind what gender the baby is, too; all he wants is a healthy baby.

'I love you too, Melina," Thomas says once he releases my lips. He rests his forehead against mine. I can still see his love for me in his eyes, and I can bet he can see mine.

I can't believe we are here today smiling at each other, happy to be having a baby girl in a few months. If someone told me this day would happen. I would have said they were insane. I feel if things didn't happen the way they did, we wouldn't be here today. Although we suffered great pain, I don't think what we have today would be valued the way it is if we didn't suffer. In a way, I can actually thank James for asking me to seduce Thomas. He didn't know, but he was giving me the best gift life could offer love. I am so happy with my life and won't trade it for the world.

THE END