Two Years Later
Caleb
My fiancée was fucking gorgeous.
She wasn’t thrilled that the green graduation robe was twice the size of her, but I was. I hated thinking others would get to see her body in the little black dress she wore underneath. And the black heels that Iris insisted she wore with the dress made her legs go on for days. I had to bite my knuckles the moment I saw her in the mirror this morning.
When it was her rows turn to stand and walk across the stage, I stood up along with Paisley’s parents.
“Paisley Marie May,” the college president called, smiling as Paisley walked toward the podium. “Master’s in English Education and new professor at Oakland University.”
On cue, our entire row started yelling out her name and cheering her on as she shook the woman’s hand. On her way down the second set of stairs that led back to the metal chairs set up for graduates on the pavilion lawn, she gave me the proudest smile I’d ever seen.
In my arms was a squirming baby girl with her Mama’s dark hair and porcelain skin and my blue eyes reaching out toward Paisley. She cooed and drooled on my forearm when she saw Paisley wiggling her fingers at us.
“Do you see Mommy, Austen?” I cooed, lifting her tiny wrist and getting her to wave back.
Paisley blew us both kisses as she stopped at her seat, waiting for everyone else to get back to their row before sitting down. She looked over her shoulder, locking eyes on our nine-month-old daughter.
Austen Elena had been a complete surprise.
We’d discussed having a family after Paisley got her master’s degree and was settled into her position as a contemporary literature professor. But life had other plans for us, and nine months later we had a beautiful baby girl that wrapped us both around her little fingers.
Not once did Paisley falter with her studies. She always attended her classes and worked as a TA in English classes related to her area of study. She loved every second of the program, even on the worst days of the pregnancy.
I hadn’t seen her any sexier than when she was carrying my child. Even if she thought she looked like a beach ball—her words, not mine.
I bounced Austen in my arms when she started crying after realizing Paisley wasn’t coming over to pick her up.
“Shh,” I hushed, kissing her cheek. “This is Mommy’s big day, baby girl. We need to be good, remember?”
Her watery blue eyes nearly crushed me when they locked on mine. Her palm reached out and touched my clean-shaven cheek. I kissed the center of her hand and bounced her with my thighs again as we watched the rest of the ceremony.
When all the graduates were announced and back at their seats, everybody stood up and threw their caps into the air.
Paisley’s, of course, came back down faster than she anticipated, smacking her on the head before she could catch it.
Even Austen giggled.
After the ceremony, Paisley met us with her robe draped over her arm and the heels dangling from her fingers. She’d been worried over falling in them since they were stick thin and four inches tall, so it didn’t surprise me she’d taken them off as soon as she could. Iris would have been proud seeing Paisley successfully walk without incident.
Both Iris and Tony had wanted to come and support Paisley today, but the boys were sick with a virus that caused two separate pediatric visits within the course of three days. Paisley had understood, especially since Austen came into our lives.
After her parents pulled her into hugs and kissed her cheek in congratulations, Paisley traded her shoes and robe for Austen.
Paisley had dressed Austen in a white and yellow sunflower dress with matching white sandals, but Austen kept kicking the shoes off.
Like mother like daughter…
“Are you proud of Mommy?” she asked Austen, tickling her stomach. Austen’s giggles triggered the people around us to start laughing too. Everyone watched how they interacted with adoring smiles on their faces. Austen wrapped her fingers around Paisley’s as they played with each other, both laughing and cooing as families passed by.
“We’re both proud,” I told her, kissing her cheek and tapping Austen’s nose.
Paisley looked up at me. “We really do make cute babies.”
I chuckled. “Like you had any doubt.”
She rolled her eyes and went back to fussing over our daughter.
“So, Professor May,” I addressed, reaching into my pocket and pulling out the box I’d held onto for nearly a year. It’d been hiding away for the perfect moment, and now was better than any.
“Yes, Mr. Winters?” she replied in mock seriousness.
I held out the opened box. “How about you become Professor Winters, instead?”
Her eyes grew wide. Austen reached out for the ring, but Paisley intercepted her before she could get her hands on it. There’d been an incident that involved Austen eating one of Mashed Potato’s toys a few months back.
We didn’t need a repeat.
“Caleb…” Paisley picked up the silver band, shaking her head. It wasn’t anything flashy, because I knew Paisley was an old-fashioned girl. The smile on her face told me I’d chosen the perfect one.
Did I say she was my fiancée before?
I might have jumped the gun…
“Yes,” she breathed ever so quietly.
…but I knew what her answer would be.
I slipped the ring onto her finger.
How You Know It’ll Work:
She says yes.