The Rebel & The Rogue

{36} Mila

As I fit myself into it, I twirl in the mirror. This could be the last time I look at myself. I stand close to the glass, so close that my breath fogs my image. I wipe the fog away, taking a good hard look at my features. My skin, my freckles, my eyelashes -- everything that makes me who I am.

I exhale loudly.

Now's not the time to be guilty. I have to do this. For my boys, for Ares, for everyone.

"Be strong, Aurora. Be strong." I prep myself.

Ares yells from downstairs. "Are you ready yet, Babe?"

"Coming!" I call out, fetching a pair of gladiator sandles. I grab my purse from our bed, admiring how everything's laid out. The blankets are nicely tucked in, the pillows are all fluffed. This is the last time I'll ever see this room. And as much as I wanted to crash on the bed, sink into the sheets I knew that if I did —there was no getting me up.

Pull yourself together, Rori.

"The letter." I remind myself, whispering quietly. I quickly rummage through the bedside table drawer. My hand grasps the envelope I hid a few days ago. I pull it out, shove the drawer in.

Ares.

I kiss it, placing the letter behind my pillow. There's some things that'll I'll never be able to say to his face. And I hope he understands that when he reads the letter. There's so many things I could've said. I tried my best to fit everything in that later that he would ever need to move on.

"Goodbye." I whisper, my finger flicking the light off, my hand shutting the door behind me.

Now is definitely not the time to feel guilty.

Downstairs, Ares waits for me with the boys strapped into their basket seats. His eyes light up as I walk down, and a smile stretches out through his face. "Well, hello beautiful birthday girl."

"Hello to you too." I kiss his cheek, as he tries to spin me to make my dress twirl.

He nods in approval, looking well below my eye level. "I like it."

"Eyes up here." I smack his arm, he chuckles.

"Everything's in the car, come on."

He lifts the boys into the car, and we buckle them in together. Happily, the two make noises to each other, and I wonder if they can understand one another.

The drive felt nice. I was with my family, it was my birthday, and everything felt extremely happy. Why couldn't everything be fine? My time was ticking, and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Are you okay?" Ares asks if we pull up to my parents house, where lots of other cars are parked too. "You're acting odd."

"Me? No, I'm fine. It's my birthday!" I tell him, "A day all about me? Not a huge fan."

"Good thing you have brothers." He smiles, turning the car off. He turns around to take a look at the babies, they giggle when he looks at them. So happy just to be acknowledged by their father. I turn too, to see the little faces we've made. They continue to giggle making their chubby pink cheeks flush with thrill.