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The sun was perfect, shining in the bright blue sky. I was walking along the shoreline with my husband, Newt. He was carrying a quilt over his shoulder and a basket with his hand. There was a lot of food in that basket, and I wanted to help him carry it. I knew he wouldn't let me though, as he said he needed to be a gentleman for me so we could celebrate our two-year anniversary. As we walked past the poles supporting the tents, the huge, slim boulder caught my attention. On that boulder were the names of everyone that we lost to get us to the safe haven. Winston, Mary, Lillian, Chuck, Teresa.
Just looking at that rock made everything that's happened to us come flooding back like it all happened yesterday. It had been six years since W.I.C.K.E.D. had fallen, and The Right Arm brought them to justice. I couldn't believe how time goes by so quickly. Luckily, during those years, we've learned how society works. Cities are beginning to grow, as is the human population. The Flare virus has slowed down, burning itself out. The Cranks are dying along with the virus. Some of us have decided to leave to build their own lives and to help regenerate civilization. They started families, learned how to school again, and even set up police to protect and serve. Things were definitely starting to look up, and they couldn't be happier.
Meanwhile, my friends, husband and I wanted to stay here to help. But love was beginning to blossom for those who were waiting all this time. Minho finally found the girl of his dreams named Alice, and they are coming up four years strong. Brenda and Gally just got engaged and are expecting to be married by autumn. Thomas met a woman named Marie, and already, they got married and had their first baby, and Sonya and Aris are about to have their third. As for Frypan, he's still waiting for the right girl. For now, he sets his love for cooking like he always has.
In doing so, memories from our past lives slowly started coming back to us. Newt and I learned that Sonya is Newt's sister, and her real name is Lizzy. Thomas learned his real name is Stephen, but he preferred to be called by his original name since he woke up in the Maze. I fully remembered who my parents were, and where I lived. I used to have a dog named Bruno, and he died trying to save my family and I when W.I.C.K.E.D. tried to take me. My dad was the second to die from getting a bullet through his head. They had a little bit of heart in them to let my mother say goodbye to me before she died from natural causes. Now that I know the truth, I don't let it deceive me. What's the point in holding onto something from the past when we have the responsibility to shape our future?
"Are you okay, love?" Newt asked, bringing me back to the present.
"Huh? Yeah. I'm fine," I replied.
"Come on, we're almost there."
I followed Newt up the grassy hill where we could have our privacy to celebrate. Newt refused to let me help him set everything up, so I just stood there, watching him; a smile growing on my face. Moments like these make me remember why I fell in love with him. I definitely lucked out, that's for sure.
Once Newt was done setting everything up, I joined him on the quilt. Before we could eat, my husband leaned in to kiss me. I fell into it, smiling into the kiss as I took his hand. It was like an unbreakable bond forced us to stay there, holding each other for dear life.
"I love you, Rosalee," Newt whispered.
"I love you more," I cooed.
He continued to kiss me, giving me a pleasurable sensation. I wanted to make this moment last, but my stomach was set on another prize. Frypan's cooking skills made my mouth water, and I didn't want to let it go to waste.
"Hey, we better eat or else our food will get cold," I reminded him.
Newt had a playful smile on his face as his lips trailed down to the nape of my neck, giving it gentle kisses.
"Newt."
"Hold on, just one more," he said in a playful tone.
No, I thought. I knew what he was doing, and I wasn't going to play along with it. He always won the game.
"No, we need to eat," I said, smiling.
As a response, he giggled and moved up to kissing my jaw.
"I'm not doing this again with you,"
"Well, too bad. Because you're going to, anyway," he teased.
I left my jaw hanging open, then scoffed. Fine. If he wanted to go, then we were going to go. I moved my hand and began tickling him, and he laughed instantly. I took that as my chance to get up and run for the shoreline. Newt pursued, both of us laughing as we splashed water at each other back and forth. I was about to make for the trees when my husband grabbed onto my waist, spun me around and pushed me into the sand. However, I almost lost my breath as I said something that was definitely going to catch him off guard.
"Be careful, I'm pregnant."
Newt's face turned from grinning to shock. While he was momentarily paralized with confusion, I gained the upper hand by rolling him over onto his back, then I pinned his arms down to his sides. I laughed with mockery, and Newt finally gave up. I leaned down to speak in his ear, being proud of it.
"I win," I said and proceeded to kiss his ear and trail down to his neck.
"Okay. You got me there, love," Newt said calmly. "I suppose you saying that you're pregnant was a lie, then?"
I stopped kissing him and looked up to meet his eyes. I didn't answer his question. I let him study my face, which had a soft smile growing wider by the second, waiting for him to figure it out. Once he realized I wasn't lying, I let him sit up to stare at me in shock once again.
"R-Rosalee... Y-You're not pregnant, are you?"
I smiled wider, then cast my eyes to the ground while biting my lip.
"I wasn't really sure at first, either. But those signs of me waking up with morning sickness and weird food cravings made me think otherwise. So, I went to the doctor's to check... and she said I am."
Astonished, Newt widened his eyes and let his jaw drop. It was soon replaced with a huge grin and a delightful laugh escaped him. He covered his mouth with one hand, letting out another laugh as tears began forming in his eyes. I took his hand and kissed it, beginning to have tears in my own eyes. I let his hand trail down to my stomach so he could feel his child.
"Congratulations, Newt. You're going to be a father."
He laughed again and gently pushed me down onto my back. Newt kissed me with so much passion, it felt like my heart was going to melt. He moved down to kissing my neck, chest, then my stomach where our baby was. I ruffled Newt's hair with my hand, giggling by the feathery touch of his lips.
"How far along are you?" He asked once a minute of silence had passed.
"According to the doctor, she said I'm two months," I replied.
"Who else knows?"
"Brenda, Lizzy, Minho and Harriet. Now, you."
"Do you know if it's a girl or a boy?"
"I don't know. I wanted it to be a surprise."
Newt moved his head to kiss my lips again, whispering to me how much he loves me. I said the same thing to him, wanting him to know how much he means to me. It had now been so long since I gave birth to my two children, Oliver and our newest addition to our family, Iris, watching them grow up so fast. Oliver had just turned four, his hair blond and shaggy, and he was just as bright like his father. Iris began wiggling in my arms, so I naturally looked at her. She was absolutely beautiful. Her eyes were like Newt's, but her hair was caramel-colored and thick. Her cheeks were tinted pink, showing how rosey they were.
"Hi, babygirl," I said softly, putting my pen down.
"Hi."
My soft smile vanished, replacing it with shock. Did she just... say hi? Intrigued, I let out a light laugh. It caught the attention of Newt, so he glanced up from what he was doing and looked at me.
"What is it?" He asked, standing up to his feet.
"Iris just said her first word!" I exclaimed.
A smile instantly appeared on his lips. "What? Really?"
"Yes! She said, 'hi!' "
Thrilled, Newt took his daughter in his arms. Iris cooed, her cute smile showing up on her soft cheeks. Oliver came in, stretching his arms, indicating for me to hold him. I scooped him up and gave him a quick peck on his cheek, to which he laughed. A parent hearing their children laugh is the most incredible sound in the world.
"Did you speak, little darling?" Newt asked playfully to Iris, to which she smiled her precious smile. "Did you say hi to mommy?" She giggled.
He kissed atop her head, causing my own smile to grow wider. Newt leaned in to give me one peck on the lips before proceeding to sit cross legged on the floor and bounce Iris on his leg. And as I sit down, writing in my journal, staring at my ring and watching my husband play with our daughter, and me holding onto our son, I can only think that this is what true happiness is like, and that we will watch our children grow to become independent, and that the cycle of love will continue on as my love for Newt, my children and my friends burn like a star in the midnight sky forever.
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I promised I would be posting today, so here it is!