In Sickness and In Health

Life

Eight months later

Cole POV

Myself and Lili are on our way back from the New York premiere of the new James Bond film that she filmed early last year and she looked as incredible as always, it was our first public event together after she got the all clear. I am so unbelievably proud of her and everything she has achieved, I'm so proud to call her my wife, her outlook on life is beyond admirable, I remember she told me that "The thing about life is, it pushes you until you break just to see if you can put yourself back together" and that being cast in Riverdale and meeting me helped her realise this also.

It is around three in the morning and we decided to go to the after party for a bit and it was great. The movie itself was good but I've never really been into action adventure movies. I enjoyed the after party though , sipping wine while eating canapés and having inconsequent polite conversation with everyone. Lili seemed to enjoy herself too, she introduced me to a lady called Karen who sort of "saved" her in the sense as Karen made Lili book a doctors appointment to check out her dizzy spells and the marks on her arm. Myself and Lili will be both eternally grateful for Karen's gratitude. As we're in the taxi on our way back Lili laughs and giggles while mumbling on about the movie and acting in general, she's a little tipsy but it doesn't bother me as she deserves a bit of fun after everything she's been through.

"You know Cole," she begins

"Know what," I respond trying to keep a straight face.

"James Bond must be immortal, he's been around seventy years, he's got away with murder, he has so many enemies as they've already try to kill him more than once, like I know he's a spy but still," she says, she hiccups and then giggles.

"You know it's a story Lils," I say beginning to smirk.

"I know, I know Cole." She says resting her her weary head on my shoulder.

"Lils?" I say as she lifts her head of my shoulder.

"I love you," I say kissing her golden cheek.

"Cole," she says looking at me

"Were we ever strangers? I'm not sure we were. That day I first saw you there in that Los Angeles Taco Bell while in the midst of reading my book for the millionth time and eating my burrito I felt something even though I didn't know what. I wonder if there's an element of time that allows us to feel a strong love, like an orange glow bursting over a dark horizon. It was light for our eyes only, something to carry us through this life. It was the dawn of the person I am today, the person I was destined to be. I would give up anything in the world for you, I would do anything to keep you safe. I love you unconditionally and even though we fight and we work long and difficult hours to keep up our current standard of living , I'd rather be poor in money than risk loosing your heart. I recall the day we got married, the best day of my life might I add and it was like being let into the warmth after a lifetime of winter. I could never wish to go back to even a day before that. You are the greatest treasure of my life, the one, the only one so I love you too." She says kissing my own cheek and sounding completely sober, I smile but I'm a little suspicious of her sobriety.

"Did you drink tonight?" I question her as what she said was beautiful but no one can speak so delicately with a few alcoholic drinks in their system not even myself.

"Em sure I did." She says in a suspicious way so I'm not convinced.

"Lili?" I laugh

"Well Cole," she turns to me.

"I'm pregnant." She smiles shyly.

"Lili, that's amazing, come here." I say throwing my arms around her and kissing her grape juice stained lips.

"I found out only two days ago , I'm only a few weeks along, I was going to tell you in the morning but I couldn't hold it in any longer," she giggles and kissing me again.

I laugh and I can't stop smiling right now, Lili is honestly glowing.

"So where's my paragraph?" She says smirking.

"What do you mean?" I laugh.

"I gave you my speech about I love you, now give me yours." She says digging her index finger in my stomach while absolutely smitten with herself.

"Give me a second, I need to make it perfect!" I say taking out my phone beginning to type as she gives me a quick peck on the cheek. She laughs as I silently type away on my phone screen.

"You ready?" I say as I get ready to begin.

"Hit me with it Cody," she laughs once more.

"When I met you I'd already lost my entire world. How can you hang on to something so incomprehensible? How can you keep pouring love into an abyss? But then there you were. There was something in those emerald eyes of yours that was so beautiful, so safe and warm. In just one look I was "home." I reached out and made the connection, and like God Himself had arranged it and you know I've never been a spiritual person, you fell for me just as hard. That first day we talked, just the two of us in Taco Bell once more after our first table read. I still recall the conversation, the feeling you gave me. The way you spoke so candidly about your depression and your anxiety made feel instantly in love with you. You didn't know it, but that day you saved me. We became inseparable, and though not married yet, we were one from that day on. But don't the years take their toll my darling ? Or perhaps it isn't time, it's this modern life we all work for, strive for, embrace while it destroys us. When you were ill I couldn't and wouldn't come to terms with you leaving me. It would be as if I would a part of my self. We will work to raise a family, we will love this child and hopefully our future children bounds, and then we look at one another with tired eyes and empty limbs. I am as much in love with you today as I ever was, perhaps even more so, Lili Pauline the words I love you do not mean enough to show my love for you..."

I glance up my from the screen of my phone and Lili is crying, I then cry.

"That was beyond beautiful Cole." She says wiping her face as I kiss her beautiful cheeks as George Micheal's "Careless Whisper" appears on the radio as we cuddle up together in the back of the New York cab together making our way back to our humble home...