Chapter 107 CHAPTER 107

Chapter 107 CHAPTER 107
Gabriel Morgan

I move closer and whisper into his ear.

"At the wedding you can drink, love."

The smile he gives me back is full of expectation.

"I certainly hope so."

We raise our glasses.

"Congratulations on your recovery, Ethan!" we shout together.

Ethan laughs, with a happiness that makes something expand inside of me.

While everyone was celebrating, I observed Ethan laugh, speak, and exist.

In fifteen days, that chemotherapy chair would be left behind.

While he talks excitedly with my mother and his, my father-in-law approaches in silence. I notice his presence when he stops beside me.

"Thank you, Gabriel."

I turn my face, surprised.

"For what?"

He takes a deep breath before continuing, his eyes fixed on his son, who laughs carefree on the other side of the room.

"You entered my son's life and brought him back into the light. I saw what this disease did to him. I saw the joy disappear little by little… nothing seemed to matter."

I swallow hard, listening in silence.

"When Ethan told me he was going on a date, I saw something different. A gleam in his eyes. That was enough for me."

He turns his gaze back to me.

"Because of that, thank you. For loving my son and staying by his side."

I smile, feeling my chest tighten.

"I am the one who thanks you, sir. Ethan is everything to me. You say I brought light into his life… but he brought it into mine too."

I take a deep breath before completing the following:

"Your son is very important to me. And I promise I will do everything possible to see him happy, every single day."

My father-in-law smiles, proud, and gives a few firm pats on my shoulder.

"You already do that."

He steps away, and I stand there for a moment, observing that simple scene: laughter, blended voices, affection.

I feel a good warmth spread through my chest.

Since my father died and my sister left, it has always been just me and my mother.

Now, without realizing when it happened, I gained more than a partner.

I gained a family.

Ethan approaches with a peaceful smile and wraps me in a tight hug.

"What are you thinking about so much, my giant baby?"

I smile and squeeze him against me.

"About how much I love you, my sun."

He smiles and rests his face against my chest, placing a kiss there.

"I love you too."

Without thinking twice, I pick him up in my arms.

"It's time to rest."

He laughs, lightly, and doesn't protest as I carry him up the stairs to the bedroom. I walk in carefully and place him sitting on the bed. I take off his shoes, then mine, and we lie down side by side. Ethan nestles into me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"I still can't believe I'm finally cured," he confesses in a low voice. "Is this a dream?"

I kiss his hair, taking a deep breath.

"It's not a dream, love. It's real."

I squeeze him tighter, showing that it is real.

"Very real."

He smiles against my throat.

"You know… I never thought that one day I would get married. I always thought I would end up alone." He takes a short pause. "But I'm very glad you took the initiative and asked for my number."

I turn to face him and pull him on top of my body, holding his face carefully.

"I give thanks every day for having asked for your number."

I run my thumb across his cheek.

"Now let's focus on the good things, my sun. Create new memories, fill albums with our pictures, travel the world… You deserve all of this."

He laughs, leans down, and kisses my chin.

"In reality, we deserve it, love." His eyes shine. "Thank you for accepting me."

I kiss his lips with affection, without rushing.

"I would always accept you. And I would always fight by your side." I rest my forehead against his. "We won together. Life won."

He smiles and rests his face against my neck.

"Yes… life won."

I run my hand slowly down his back, feeling his body relax little by little until sleep arrives. When I notice he has fallen asleep, I smile and kiss his hair carefully.

There, holding the one I love, I feel like the luckiest man in the world.

For having found an incredible partner.

For having a wonderful and slightly crazy mother.

And for having gained a new family.

I close my eyes for an instant.

"Thank you, God, for hearing us."