Loyal

Chapter 99

*******The inspiration for this chapter was from Miguel's song "Coffee" <3 I love you all so much and thank u for reading my story :) *****

"Vera?" Colin is over me, his forehead lined in concern. I shake my head from side to side, trying to fight off the nightmare falling away from me. A nightmare about a familiar darkness....

            "Are you okay baby girl?" Colin's eyes are anxious as he holds me tightly in his arms. My back is slick with sweat against him, hair stuck to my forehead. The last thing I want to do is worry him, again. I nod fervently, sitting up slowly. I'm engulfed in white sheets, and Colin. He pulls me against his chest, the warmth from his body radiating a comfortable heat. I nuzzle his skin, my brow against the firmness of him. "Another nightmare?" He asks gently, pulling me away just enough to hold my face in his hands. I look up at him, his thumb tracing my cheek.

            "Yeah....but it wasn't that bad this time," I lie, biting my lip. It's been three years since that night at the hospital, and ever since then I've had nightmares about hanging in darkness.... accompanied by Cam's laughter echoing in the distance. Whenever I wake up and the darkness falls away, I am overcome with relief. I am a fighter. I press against him once more, forcing the dark memories away from my mind. I won, Cam lost. His soul was somewhere fighting into the darkness of oblivion. And here I am, on the softness of a California King Bed with the love of my life. 

A knock comes at our door, before being abruptly shoved open. 

            "Mira? Is that you?" I smile, hearing the familiar shuffle of her feet. She peers around the door before walking in, nodding shyly with her chin into her teddy bear. I hold my arms out to her as she makes her way to our bed, pulling her off the hardwood floor and in between us.

            "Hey baby!" Colin laughs into our daughter's thick curly brown hair. She giggles and pushes back against her father, who tickles her into surrender.

            "Okay, okay!" She yelps, her high pitched three year old voice melting my heart. Colin pulls her into a bear hug and I hug her from the opposite side.

            "Mira Sandwich!" I exclaim, as we both squeeze her tightly. Mira laughs as she's stuck between us, flailing her arms to and fro. Three years ago this would have been something I could only dream about. Three years ago, I could never have imagined having this curly headed cutie in my bed with Colin, a beautiful baby girl to call our own. 

            "Enough sandwich!" She laughs. We settle down with her in between us, and lie amidst the crumpled white sheets of our bed. If there's anything I'm greatful for, it's our baby girl. That dreadful night I thought I'd lost her, but she made it. Our little Miracle, Mira. I kiss her hair, holding her tightly. Her presence will forever be a reminder that light will always conquer darkness.

            "Are you okay pumpkin?" I ask. Healing from the incident has been difficult for me, but thankfully Colin has been understanding and loving throughout the entire ordeal. Mira, although born premature, has been a fighter as well. After being hospitalized for a little while she has grown to be beautiful and strong with a vibrant personality. She nods in response to my question, lifting her head to grasp my face with her tiny hands.

            "Are YOU okay mommy?" She asks, her deep brown almond shaped eyes searching mine. I try to hold back my tears and smile, kissing her all over her petite face.

            "Yes baby, mommy is going to be okay," I laugh. Colin pulls us into him, and the three of us fall asleep, the nightmare I had is replaced by dreams of Mira playing behind the safety of white picket fences and me slow dancing with Colin.

**

Warm light pours into the window of our room, the gentle peach colored rays barely reaching across space through the white curtains. I stretch and sit up slowly, letting the beautiful colors of dawn overwhelm me. Pulling the blankets from my lap, I slowly stand onto the smooth wooden floor, and inch my way to the large window. Colin had carried Mira back into her bedroom during the night, and lies fast asleep.

            So much has happened over the past few years, it still takes time for me to take everything in. After leaving the hospital, Colin and I didn't hesitate to get married. It was a shotgun wedding, with only a few close family and friends. After we said our vows we moved into Colin's house and made a beautiful home for our little family. Often times I think about how I decided to move to San Francisco with Leah, and how fate at the Levi Stadium Internship brought me closer to Colin. I think about how blessed I am to have Leah, Becca, and Aunty Ray....And sometimes I think about Cam, Trish.....the dreadful night everything in my life changed. As my thoughts change, my hand unconsciously finds its way up my neck, and I feel the mark the noose left on my skin. Scars Cam left that will never disappear. He tried so hard to take everything away from me, to kill our happiness. But he failed. He truly failed. Now, at this moment, I am stronger than I have ever been before. His darkness made me realize I can survive anything. And through it all, I have a family. Out of all the damn ugliness Colin and I have been through, we have a family.

            "Baby girl?" The back of my neck tingles as I feel Colin come behind me, whispering his terms of endearment against my skin.

            "Yes baby?"

            "What are you doing up so early?" He turns me around to face him. His chest is bare, his voice groggy and sexy. He always looks so cute right when he wakes up and his eyebrows are all furrowed from sleep.

            "Just thinking," I smile, moving back against the window. He fills the space I make between us, coming against me, pushing the cool glass beneath my back.

"I'm thinking too baby, and I think I want you. Right here. Right now." Colin groans as he leans down, bringing my bottom lip gently between his teeth. I let out a deep sigh, warmth spreading throughout my entire body. I try not to laugh as he tickles me. 

"But baby!...." I can barely protest because Colin's strong hands are against my chest, touching me in every place I love to be touched. He moves against me, and I against him. Our movements are full of longing, love, and passion. And there, in our master bedroom, we make love all morning to the backdrop of a peach colored sky....the memories of darkness disappearing with the rising of the sun.

And THAT concludes LOYAL!

Thank you to everyone who has read this story from beginning to end. It has been a rough year for me but I finally got the chance to sit down and finish this beautiful story up :) I love you all more than anything!