Amelia – Present Day

Anna and Rory are both finishing up the second part of the story while Karen is already done with the first part of the third and anxiously awaiting more. She’s in the kitchen making cookies since she knows the guys are on their way back now.

The doorbell rings and I call out, “I’ll get it.” I need to get up and stretch anyway. When I open the door, Cadence barrels into my arms.

“Auntie Mel!” she cries out, and I hug her close. Veronica looks down at me with all-knowing eyes as I stand up with Belle’s mini-me wrapped in my arms.

“Mmhm, I heard you’ve been writing and you didn’t fill me in.”

“Hey, Mama,” I say, putting an arm around her. “It wasn’t intentional, I just had to meet this ultimatum head-on. Before I knew it, I’d somehow thrown myself under the bus and let people read it.”

“You already know your heart, baby girl. And you know my thoughts on all this BS. Tell anyone who doesn’t like your choice to suck it up or get out. Life is too short and too precious to worry about other people’s feelings at the expense of your happiness. I don’t need to read your story to know you love him and would lay down your life for him. I got you, baby girl, even if the others don’t.”

Reason one billion and ten why I love this woman. “Thank you. So how was your weekend?”

“We had a blast, didn’t we, Mel?” Veronica calls Cadence Mel. Short for her middle name, Melody. She didn’t like the fact Belle named her something that couldn’t be shortened into something she deemed cute.

“I had fun with Grandma and we ate chocolate chip pancakes!” she says with a smile—Belle’s smile—and every time I see it, I feel like Belle is with me.

“Daddy!” Cadence screams, and I see Darren walking up the drive. They’re back. I release Cadence and she runs like a bat out of hell into Darren’s arms. She is the light of his life and vice versa.

Veronica places a kiss on my cheek and squeezes me tight. “Think about what I said. I’m going to go talk to Darren for a few minutes before my husband starts thinking he’s off the hook making dinner because I’m catching up over here.”

“I will, Mama. Drive safe.” She and Marcus got married a few weeks ago and they’re enjoying their newlywed bliss. Belle would have been incredibly happy for her.

Wyatt comes inside with a sleeping Jake and kisses me on the cheek. “I hear you’ve been working hard. I’m proud of you, and Noah would be, too, Mel.”

“Thanks, Wyatt,” I whisper.

Eli, J, and Sawyer are standing at the edge of the lawn. Sawyer has Nate in his arms but when Nate locks eyes on me, he points frantically and Sawyer releases him. He runs excitedly to the door and throws himself into my arms. “Mommy! I caughted a fish!”

“You did? That’s so cool!” I kiss the top of his head and inhale him deeply. He’s been gone for three days and I missed him like crazy.

“Daddy Sawyer did, too,” he says with a bright smile. Noah’s smile. Noah’s eyes. Noah’s floppy brown hair, and Noah’s love for everything. He’s even got Noah’s stubbornness. Uncle Sawyer never stuck. He still calls Noah “Daddy” when he sees him in pictures. And whenever we talk about Noah we call him “Daddy” because I will never take that away from him. But from the time he could say the words, Sawyer has been Daddy Sawyer.

Rory is still pissed about that, too, but everyone else is used to it. As much as Noah loved Nate, biology doesn’t completely make a parent. Sawyer’s love, time, and dedication make him just as much a father to Nate as Noah is. I think it was hardest for Sawyer to accept, but Nate is a stubborn two-year-old and there’s not much to do except go with what he wants in this case.

“Are you and Daddy Sawyer stinky like the fishes?” I ask while tickling him.

“No,” he replies through a mouthful of giggles. “Mommy, Cady!” he yells, pointing to Cadence. It was hard to decide to keep them apart this weekend, but they wanted to make a real go of the guys weekend again and it seems like this time it worked out better. Unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out for Rob to go. Diane is pregnant, with a girl again, and due any day.

“Go ahead, get Cadence, I know you probably missed her more than me.” As I release him from my arms, I hear his voice.

“It’s okay, Princess, I missed you enough for both of us.” As I rise, my eyes meet his and they’re filled with nothing but love. He pulls me into his arms and clutches me tight. “I’m so fucking sorry, Mel. I should have never done that to you.”

Through tear-filled eyes, I look up at him. “It’s okay. In a way, I’m glad you did. You’re right, Sawyer. You’ve all been right. I’m not living, not the way I should be. I’m still not done, but I’m going to finish and I’m going to give you an answer. One you deserve, I hope.”

He lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me eagerly. It’s been a long three days without him, but the clearing of a throat nips our welcome kiss in the bud.

“Eh-hem.”

“Back off, Watts, she’s mine now.”

“You wound me, Weston, now get the fuck out of my way and let me greet my best friend properly. I haven’t seen her in months.”

Sawyer releases me and Eli scoops me into his arms. “Hey, baby girl, I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too, Eli.” My muffled words vibrate against his shirt and he laughs.

“Sorry, I just needed to squeeze you. I hear you’ve been doing some novel-worthy writing this weekend.”

“Is that so?”

“Yup, your future husband, baby daddy, partner for life, or whatever the fuck you guys are going for told me it’s some damn good reading. Then he also said I couldn’t read it because it was for his eyes only.”

I roll my eyes at them. “The two of you are ridiculous sometimes. You can read it whenever you want, Eli. You already know all my drama. You should go say hi to Rory, she’s reading it now.”

“Yeah, maybe I’ll just go home and catch up with her another time. Give me a call when you make your decision, baby girl. Your heart will never lead you wrong.” Eli kisses me on the cheek and ducks out the door in a flash.

Sawyer chuckles. “Well, on the plus side, you know he’s got our back.”

“Rory asked earlier why no one ever told her you and I kissed first. I think she’s struggling reading this just as much as I struggled to write it.”

He releases a sigh and hugs me again. “I’ll deal with her later, but you’re my main concern right now. Want to go in the bedroom with me and write while I catch up on what you’ve written?”

“That would be really nice.”

“I missed you, Mel, and I can’t apologize enough for what I put you through.”

His heartfelt words wrap around me tighter than his hug.

“I missed you, too.”