I’M SIGNING THE 250^th BOOK and the line is still long. I can’t believe so many people came to my little book launching. But then again, most are women who are probably suckers for love stories.

The first few months of my pregnancy was a breeze. I had no morning sickness at all. My appetite didn’t change.

To kill time while I waited for Jeff to come home from work everyday, I wrote a book.

It’s about a woman who flees from Venezuela to America. She’s being hunted for treason, but she meets the Prince of Manhattan, and he sweeps her off her feet, and slays all the dragons who are after her.

It’s not exactly a Danielle Steele plot, but I tried to write it with half facts, half fiction.

My husband loved it, and read every chapter of my drafts.

He’s my biggest fan.

I look up to see the next person in line. My smile freezes as I recognize the woman. “Celia!”

I jump from my chair to hug her.

“My God, you came!”

“Of course, we wouldn’t miss this for the world!”

“Where’s Dante?”

Celia gestures to her right. Dante, who is Celia’s husband now is standing beside Jeff. He waves at her. She waves back.

“Your husband’s jet picked us up from Miami and flew us straight to Manhattan.”

My tears well up as I look at my husband in gratitude. He’s really sweet like that, always surprising me with his kindness and generosity.

I remember the long line. “Cel, you must stay with us for a week. We have so much to catch up on since we last saw each other.”

“Of course. Dante and I have the whole week off.”

“Great!”

“Go sign those books. I’m so proud of you, my friend.”

I go back to my seat and resume signing.

Every now and then I can feel my baby kick. I’m eight months down and I’ll give birth any day now.

I can’t wait to meet my son.

I finish signing the book and give it back to the woman who bought it. She gushes her thank you and leaves the line.

“You look positively radiant, Sis.”

I’m so shocked to see Nicolette lining up for my book!

“Nicky!”

“I’ve started reading since the line is so long. I’m on page thirty now and all I can say is…wow! I can’t stop reading! The only reason I’m stopping is because I need you to sign it.”

“Oh Nicky, thank you.” She exaggerating I know, but I really appreciate her gesture. My sister-in-law rocks.

“Mom said hi. She’s busy at her house preparing another little book-signing for you there for her friends after dinner tonight.”

“Oh my God, no…” I say nervously while singing her book.

“Yes. You better be there.”

Nicolette hugs me and leaves the line to join Jeff, Celia and Dante.

I’m shaking my head. Malena’s friends are the creme de la creme of New York high society. Why on earth would they even bother with a little book like mine? They donate cash for the Pulitzer awardees!

But Malena has been nothing but the sweetest mother-in-law. Jeff told me that her mother came back from the dead when she learned she’s going to be a grandmother. She dotes on me like a mother hen it’s suffocating me at times, but I can’t complain. After losing my parents, God gave me a new family, and I’m so grateful.

Heather and I are good friends, too. I’d like to believe that it’s because of me that Heather and Malena have started building a friendly relationship. I’m their common ground, and I feel that they both genuinely like me and want to please me by not fighting. Baron is the coolest father-in-law. We split our weekends between Malena’s Sunday dinners and Heather’s Saturday lunch.

I have a good life now.

A fabulous life actually.

I still think of my parents, but I miss them less now, not because their memories are fading from my mind, but because I don’t hurt from the loss of them like I used to. I have a new reason to live now, a new purpose. My family.

Jeff approaches me the moment I finish signing the last book.

“Congratulations, wife. I think your book will hit the NYT list.”

I roll my eyes. “Of the most sappy?”

“Hey, our book is great,” he protests.

I laugh. “I’m just happy I published a book. It’s a milestone for me.”

He touches my stomach gently. “How’s our little champ?”

“Kicking like a pro.”

“I can’t wait to meet him,” he says, gazing at me with adoring eyes that never fail to make my limbs weak.

“Me, too.”

He kisses my lips. I loop my arms around his neck and kiss him back.

He suddenly jerks away, looking at my tummy. “He kicked me!”

“He can’t wait to get out of there, I guess.”

Jeff drops to his knees and caresses my stomach with both his hands, laughing in wonder when he feels a strong kick.

I gaze down at my husband, my heart awash with happiness.

I still love to gaze at his portraits at Everland, but nothing beats gazing down at his handsome face, his eyes shining with joy as he talks or sings to our unborn baby.

Our love story is still unfolding.

It will go on for many, many years with God’s grace.

I can’t wait to write the next volume.