Romeo And Juliet Part II

Chapter 14

"D-d-d." the now ten month old Mary Anne stuttered as she tried to utter her first word.

"Come on darling, you can do it." Evelyn waited excitedly for her to speak.

"D-da da." Mary Anne spoke reaching her arms out to her Father.

"Well done my dear." John held her close to him as he and Evelyn exchanged overjoyed glances.

"She's growing up so fast. Before we know it she'll have moved out and we'll be old." Evelyn gently ruffled her daughter's soft hair.

"I'm not looking forward to the teenage years." John said.

"You and me both." she said as John placed Mary Anne in her crib.

"It's hard to imagine that one day she'll be grown up. I don't think I could get used to her not being a baby anymore." Evelyn said as they watched their daughter sleeping peacefully.

"We're just going to have to treasure the time we have left before she becomes a young woman."

There was a silence as they enjoyed the peaceful mood.

"I can't believe we created something so pure and beautiful." John looked to his wife, sliding his hand into hers.

"I know. See, I told you to have faith that Mary Anne would turn out fine. Look at her now, so peaceful and angelic."

"I love you so much my dear. Seeing how much you love me and how well Mary Anne turned out to be makes me forget about my condition. I feel just as happy as any other man. I dare say even more so." he lovingly caressed her face.

"Oh John, I love you too." she wrapped her arms around his neck and lustfully kissed him.

****

As he sat in his arm chair in the drawing room he thought back to all that had happened the past few years, how he had made it here from a life in the freak show, how he had found true happiness. Never in his time as a freak did he imagine himself living such a life, with a wife and child of his own. He had always thought he was doomed to be a freak for the rest of his days.  Even the maid had fallen for him.

When he first laid eyes on Evelyn he never thought that they would marry and have a child. He thought she would have been disgusted by him like all the others, but she had seen through to the man beneath. And Mary Anne. Where could he even begin? He couldn't believe such a dear little creature could have come of him. He sometimes even wondered if she was really his but he knew Evelyn was a faithful wife.

"Hello dear, you look deep in thought." Evelyn said.

"I've just been thinking about how I managed to get where I am today. How impossible it all seemed." he looked away pensively.

"I still remember the first time we met," she smiled to herself as she relived the moment in her mind, "you were so self conscious back then, I'm glad to see how that's changed."

"There's still one thing I don't understand." he said.

"And what's that?" she sat down on the sofa and turned to face him.

"Why didn't you have the slightest hint of shock on your face when you first saw me?"

Evelyn pondered for a moment, "well, when my eyes met yours I didn't focus on anything else. I only saw the gentle man staring back at me. Once I knew that there was a kind, intelligent human being under that exterior nothing else mattered to me."

"Oh Evelyn, you are the most gracious creature to ever walk this earth." John smiled as much as possible.

"Thank you dear," she smiled at him, amused. "I'm heading upstairs to bed. Are you coming too?"

"In a few minutes, goodnight dear." he said.

"Goodnight." she said before she left for bed.

He took one last look around the room, admiring his lovely, large home before following Evelyn upstairs.

Yes, truly his life was worth living.