Holding On

The Final Epilogue

"Next time, tell me when you need help." He says, a breath away from my lips after pulling back.

I nod my head and then rest my ear to his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat as I'm wrapped up in his arms.

In moments like these I'm reminded of how safe and grateful I truly am. Knowing that there were times in my life I didn't even know where I'd sleep or go. Now, without a doubt, I always had a home with this man. We were others homes.

I rub my own stomach, reminded of the life we created and hoped we'd make. When we decided we wanted to start trying, we assumed it might take awhile.

We should've never assumed that.

Only a few months after stopping my birth control did I have a positive sign on a little stick in the bathroom. I immediately threw up and called Tatum to which all she did was laugh at me claiming she knew I'd be pregnant almost immediately due to how often we fucked.

She wasn't wrong.

I told Dante the moment he got home, not having the patience or ability to wait. He looked at me like I had three heads and like he didn't cum in me almost every night.

And then he cried.

The second time I had seen him fully break down, the first our wedding.

The grown man I grew to know and love dropped to his knees in front of me, shoving his face into my stomach and wrapping his arms around my legs, and cried. I had dropped to my knees as well and we looked like a hot mess on the floor of our bedroom wrapped in each others arms, crying.

We were just so happy. And we still are.

After everything we've gone through independently and together, this little life would be our fresh new beginning at righting all the wrongs in our pasts. I would give my child the childhood I never got, and love them unconditionally.

It was the best night of my life, one I'd never forget.

And now here we are. In a new house, a little over four months pregnant and ready to start our new lives.

"Our friends are coming by tonight. We should at least set up the kitchen." I step back, remembering Tatum said they were stopping by.

Dante moves to my side, sliding a hand around my waist resting it on my stomach, a new normal for the last four months.

"That's in a few hours. Let's go sit on the porch that convinced you to move in with me." He squeezes my side teasingly and I shake my head.

We make our way towards the front door, painted red as we always wanted. The porch was a worn down white that could use a retouch of paint but it was perfect. The family who had lived here before left some front porch furniture, including a swinging bench.

I took my seat, scooting to the side allowing Dante to settle in next to me. The bench steeled under his weight and shifted every time he moved to get comfortable. With a relaxed sigh he moved his arm behind to the back of the bench. The other wrapped around me.

I moved into his side, curling up next to him.

"Are we ever going to agree on a name?"

He laughs at my question and squeezes me closer to his side.

"No. Have you met us?" He had a point.

I figure this is the best time now more than ever to say something about what I've been considering. Ever since Dante told me what happened to his sister all those years ago, my heart always aches for the girl I never got to meet.

Lilly.

That was her name. Even though he barely talked about her, he was getting better. His relationship with his family had gotten a lot better, and he's slowly worked with opening up with the past and how it made him feel.

When we found out we were pregnant I knew right away that if it was a girl she'd be a Lilly.

"Can I ask you something?" I sit up to look him straight in the eyes and watch his attention shift from the skyline to me.

He nods and pulls me onto his lap fully.

"What about Lilly?" His body freezes beneath me and his face instantly changes from relaxed to sadness.

It takes him some time to respond and I take that time to rub my hands along his arms, and wordlessly remind him I'm right here. There is nothing to be afraid of.

His eyes water just a bit and he clears his throat, turning away from me but never dropping his arms from my body.

"Fuck." He swears.

He brings one hand to wipe his now teary eyes and blows out a breath of air.

"I wasn't expecting that." He turns back to me and I give him a small smile.

"I had been considering it for a while. If we had a girl you know? I think it'd be a beautiful name." His eyes are pained and he leans into me giving me a soft peck on my lips before resting his head on my shoulder.

It was my turn to comfort him with a warm hug, so I do just that. He sighs into my shoulder and we sit together, wrapped up in one another for another few moments.

He then leans back, forcing me to drop my arms.

"I think that would be beautiful." He finally says.

His voice is a bit strained but his eyes are no longer pained and a small smile tugs at his lips before he leans in, capturing my own in a searing kiss.

He kisses me with all he is, all his love pouring through. My heart beats just as fast as it always does when he kisses me, even all these years later.

"I love you so much. I can't wait until they're here," his hand moves to cover my swelling stomach. "Our perfect little family."

"Our perfect little family." I look down at his hand, tracing my finger along the familiar tattoo he still touches up every few years.

Falling.

I look back up to him, gripping our hands together.

"I love you too. Forever."