♡
Michael's POV
December
New York, the Rink at Rockefeller Center
My old Sara was almost back. She was bubbly again, happy and talk-active, but non-stop or constantly clutched to me.
I wanted that - so I could protect her.
It's December, 4 months later after mon amour had been kidnapped.
Sara parked the car and we both got out. I waited until she circled the car, then intertwined our hands as we went to the ice skating center.
Our wedding was planned. Everything was organized, ready for the big day, waiting for us.
We both had finished seeing our therapist, Sara just a few minutes ago. I had picked her up and let her drive us here, to surprise her. The dogs were looked after by Jess and Philipp for the few hours we would be gone.
Now we were waiting for January 23rd, our unofficial one year anniversary and wedding date.
With Sara in tow, her hands wrapped around my arm, while I had my arm propped up in a 90 degree angle, we went onto the ice.
Sara giggled.
"What is it honey?", I turned to her with a smile.
She nuzzled into me with a soft smile and flushed cheeks and ears. "You know, if I didn't know better I'd think you would propose to me." She looked up with those innocent, big brown eyes and batted her long lashes at me. "Because of our first date, remember?"
"I can recall it vividly", I kissed her forehead. "Will you marry me?"
She leaned more into me, and we wrapped our arms around each other.
The past few months I had always asked her that question, because it would remind her of the good times and lighten her mood up.
"Like all the other times - Yes", her eyes were wet, like always when I asked her.
We skated a few rounds. Talked about the wedding - both of us were counting the days by now, eager to exchange our vows.
We were in the midst of writing them too - and it was harder than I thought. I wanted to put all my love into those words for her to hear and I wanted then to be more than perfect.
Sara blew her hands to warm them, her nose red.
"Come here", I commanded.
Sara did. I took her arms and blew my hot breath onto them, warming her hands with mine.
"Better?"
Sara's eyes were shining, her cheeks were blushing. Her plump lips formed a smile and her nose scrunched up. "Yes, dear."
I twirled her around. Drew her to me to kiss her, when she was too beautiful for my heart to take. The lights seemed to bathe this beauty in all her glory. Her red cheeks, nose and ear and her bright smile - she was too cute! "Michael!", she protested, yet kissed me back as eagerly. "You", I kissed her "are", again "too", again "cute!" I said and again, I kissed her.
I made her laugh. Pointed out funny things I saw, heard or thought of. How would our dogs wear their ice skating shoes? It made her snort in laughter as I vividly explained step by step how we would bring them here. I cracked jokes, told her off childhood stories - all to make her laugh.
And Sara hugged me all this time, looked up to me with her big, loving eyes and leaned her perfectly shaped face on my chest as she listened.
It was unnecessary to add that these days my heart was full of love.
This is what we did, day after day, until the wedding came around.
Sara was slowly blossoming into her old self, albeit more wary of people now and she avoided being alone with somebody else in a room. Which was understandable.
Sara made me twirl and giggled as I raised my leg girly.
Every day, I made sure this woman knew how much I loved her.
I told it openly, I went with her on daily dates, I loved her in the night until she was hoarse.
And Sara reflected it. Cherished me, as she told me every evening.
♡
The babies were wide eyed as we brought our dogs along for Christmas. Esi, who loved their dog Mimi, kissed both doggies on the head. Adrien played fetch with them and even fell asleep by their side. Hunter was by their side constantly.
We adults enjoyed each other's company, talked, ate, drank. To nobody's surprise, the 6 month old Sara Isabelle loved her tatie Sara almost immediately.
We exchanged presents, spent Christmas with my family.
For NYE, we flew to Austria and celebrated with her family. On January 1st, we shared our first NYE kiss.
♡
And just like that, January the 20th came around.
We packed our bags and boarded the plane to France, both of us beaming and giggling in anticipation.
Our wedding was in two days time, after all.