Chapter 211 EPILOGUE: Good Luck
Chapter 211 EPILOGUE: Good Luck
\[Lilah’s POV\]
I watch silently while Collin eyes the box that I have given him. It is clear from his expression that he wasn’t expecting me to give him anything, but it was our anniversary.
“Go on,” I urge him when he doesn’t move. “Just open it already.”
Nodding, he does as instructed and then eyes what is within.
For a moment, it is clear that he doesn’t know what it is that he is looking like, but when his eyes finally widen and snap to me, I know that he understands and honestly, I enjoy his reactions.
Since Collin was usually hard to read because of his doctor nature, it was nice to see him completely caught off guard.
“This…” he says, looking to the box and then back to me. “Is this…”
“It’s real,” I smile. “I’m about six weeks along.”
When my period was late, I didn’t necessarily expect to learn that I was pregnant, especially since the twins were a few months shy of their first birthday, but I guess fate worked in mysterious ways.
“No way,” Collin whispers, clearly in shock. “I’m going to be a dad.”
“You’re already a dad.” I point out. “But you are going to be a dad again.”
“Does anyone else know?” He asks me.
“Well,” I respond. “Mom knows and Vincent since he was the one who confirmed for me.”
“That bastard,” Collin growls. “I’m going to kill him when I see him.”
“Don’t be mad at him.” I laugh. “I’m the one that made him swear to secrecy.”
Of course, Vincent wanted to tell Collin right away, but when he suggested being the one to break the news, I told him to let me because I wanted to be the one to do it. And now, I was happy that I was the one doing it because Collin’s reaction was priceless.
“Anyway,” I say now, breaking the silence that has fallen around us. “It looks like life is about to get a bit more hectic.”
Not like our life wasn’t hectic already between the twins, my mothers still being in the hospital, and of course the unknown when it comes to our future, but even then I wouldn’t change the life I was getting used to.
Well, that’s a lie, I would change something about it.
Jeremiah.
Even after over a year, he still hadn’t returned from overseas and it was starting to seem like he may never come home.
I missed him. I missed his constant presence. I missed our time together, but most of all, I hated that he missed out on the first year of the twins’ lives. I was certain that if he was here, he would spoil them absolutely rotten.
But I couldn’t dwell on his absence, not when I was blessed enough to have so many others around me that cared for not only me, but for Nessa and Theo.
Now, I focus on the main reason for my happiness in the world while he slowly processes the fact that we are about to have another child.
It is clear from his expression that he is overcome with emotion and when his lips twitch into a brilliant smile, I feel my breath hitch.
“It is,” he laughs. “Wow, another child.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “Another child.”
When I first discovered I was pregnant, I was nervous, but now that it settled in and I was seeing Collin’s excitement, well, I couldn’t stop my own.
“Happy anniversary.” I tell Collin, lifting my glass of water for a toast. “Here’s to many more.”
Nodding, Collin clinks his glass against mine and when he pulls it away, he reaches beneath the table into his pocket.
“Since you’ve given me my present,” he says, eyeing me. “I guess it is my turn to give you yours.”
“What did you get me?” I ask curiously.
“Close your eyes.” He tells me.
I do as instructed and then listen as Collin’s seat rubs against the floor.
Growing even more curious, I wait as he moves to my side of the table and then I feel him grabbing my hand.
“Keep your eyes closed.” He warns me as I feel something small and metallic brush onto my ring finger. “Alright,” he continues once what I realize is a ring is in place. “Open them.”
Slowly, I open my eyes and once they are open, I focus on the diamond ring sitting on my finger.
“Collin,” I breathe, my heart beginning to race. “This…”
“Is a promise,” he tells me, lifting my hand to his lips and kissing it. “A promise to tomorrow, to next week, to next month, to next year. A promise to forever and my way of telling you that I can’t picture my life without you.”
I watch as Collin grows quiet, his expression serious, his gaze determined.
“Lilah, I want you. I want you more than I want the air in my lungs. I want to continue waking up next to you and falling asleep beside you. I want to continue down this road called life with you and when the time comes for me to take my last breath, I want you to be the last thing I see. Will you do me the honor of making me the happiest man and marry me?”
At Collin’s words, my eyes widen as I’m overcome with so much emotion, words evade me, but even when words don’t come, I’m nodding.
“Yes,” I finally squeak, the world around me growing blurry from the tears that are starting to erupt. “Yes. Of course!”
As I speak, Nessa and Theo start laughing and clapping and I truly believe that they understand what is happening.
“Thank you,” Collin murmurs, pulling me against his body. “Thank you so much.”
“Don’t thank me,” I tell him. “You may come to hate me at some point.”
“Never going to happen,” he growls. “There’s no way that I would ever come to hate you. I will love you with everything I have until my dying day.”
“Don’t forget that promise.” I tell him.
Honestly, I’m not sure of what the future holds for us. I don’t even know what tomorrow will bring, but one thing is certain, compared to the bad luck I was having over a year ago, I was now experiencing good luck for all my suffering.
“Then it is settled,” Collin announces, kissing my lips. “We have a wedding to plan!”
THE END
AUTHOR’S NOTE: To all of you who made it this far, thank you. It is because of your kind words of encouragement that I can keep pushing forward. With that said, this is the end of Lilah and Collin’s story, but it doesn’t mean that this is where everything ends. Keep an eye out to my socials for announcements about this books sequel that will focus on our broody Jeremiah and Rika. Again thank you and until next time, thank you!