Chapter 31
BETH
Weeks had passed since the opening day of the food co-op.
Lisa and I continued to manage the operations, along with the help of the board and our newly hired staff.
It had been a little challenging at first to let go of some of the daily operations, but it had been a necessity, as my body continued to change with the baby growing in my belly.
And Chris, well, he had become my rock in all of this, just as I had wanted when I married him so long ago.
It was easy to say that everything was working out, but there had been struggles and hurdles along the way.
Not everything could be a simple fix after what had happened between us.
It took more than just a big gesture for us to repair what we had broken.
But today was another peaceful one, the kind where I could sit on the deck and look out over the water, feeling the sun on my face and my heart filling with warmth.
The community was thriving, our little family was growing, and I finally felt like I was where I was meant to be.
And Chris had finally sold the penthouse in Seattle, officially cutting those ties that bound us to the past.
He came out to sit with me, two bottles of sparkling water in his hands, the sound of the glass clinking softly as he set one on the table next to me.
It was just one of the small ways he continued to take care of me, making sure I had what I needed without me even asking.
It felt good, knowing I didn’t have to carry the weight alone anymore.
“Beautiful day,” he said, settling into the chair beside me.
“It’s perfect.” I glanced over at him, smiling as I watched the way his shoulders relaxed in the sun. He had changed, in subtle ways at first, but now the change was undeniable. He looked more content, more present in every moment.
He leaned forward and placed his hand on my growing belly. “And how is the little one today?”
“Active.” I laughed softly as our baby kicked under his hand. “He’s already showing his father’s stubborn streak, I think.”
Chris grinned, clearly delighted. “Good. He’ll need it. Though I hope he takes more after his mother.”
I raised an eyebrow at him. “You’d be lucky if he did.”
There was a moment of comfortable silence, the two of us just sitting there in the sunshine, enjoying the simple pleasure of being together without anything else to complicate things.
I felt my heart swelling in my chest. There was so much I wanted to say, so much that needed to be said, but I didn’t know where to start.
Everything was new between us, and it had taken time to reach this place. I wasn’t about to ruin it by rushing.
Finally, Chris broke the silence. “You know, I don’t say it enough, but I’m really proud of you, Beth.”
That surprised me. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to hear it, but I had never expected to. I had spent so much time trying to be enough for him, but this, right here, felt like a moment of pure understanding. “Thank you.”
“I mean it,” he continued. “You’ve held everything together, through so much. The food co-op, your pregnancy... All of it. And I’ve been trying so hard to just be here. For you, for him.”
I could hear the sincerity in his voice, and it brought tears to my eyes, tears of relief. Because after all we had been through, hearing him say those words made me realize how far we had come. “You have been,” I whispered, placing my hand over his on my stomach. “You’re more than enough, Chris.”
We sat there for a few more moments, both of us knowing how much we still needed to work through, but also aware that we had finally reached a place of trust, where the old wounds were starting to heal.
It was the beginning of something new, something stronger.
And I knew, as I felt the warmth of his hand on my belly and the weight of our baby pressing against us, that this was the start of a different kind of life for all three of us.
A life we would build together, step by step.
Later that afternoon, as we strolled down to the shore, Chris asked quietly, “Can we talk about what’s next? Not just for the co-op, but for us.”
I glanced over at him, the sand soft under our bare feet. “What do you mean?”
“I don’t want to leave anything to chance. Not anymore.” He stopped walking, turning to face me. “I want to be the husband you deserve. Not just the man who tries too late. So, what do you need from me? What can I do to make this work?”
His words were filled with hope, a hope that echoed the one growing inside me. I took a deep breath before answering, knowing that this moment was too important to rush through. “Just stay. Be here, present. Let go of the past and focus on the future we’re building.”
He nodded, a smile spreading across his face as he took my hand and we continued our walk along the water.
And I knew, without a doubt, that we were finally moving forward.
Not perfect, maybe, but together. And that was all we needed to face whatever came next, as long as we faced it side by side.
Chris still held my hand, our fingers intertwined, as the sun began to dip low in the sky, painting everything in a soft, golden light.
It was peaceful here, a new kind of peace I hadn’t known before, one that had nothing to do with money or luxury.
“Do you think we’re ready for him?” I asked after a while, my voice quiet against the lapping waves.
Chris’s grip tightened on my hand, as if anchoring us both to the moment. “I think we’re more ready now than we ever could have been back then.” His voice was low, full of warmth, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I believed it completely.
We reached a spot where the shore curved, offering a view that stretched on for miles.
We paused, staring out at the endless water, a reminder of the vastness ahead.
The baby moved inside me, and I smiled, placing both my hands on my belly.
It was a small movement, but it filled me with an overwhelming sense of joy, the kind that made everything else melt away.
I leaned against Chris, resting my head on his shoulder. “We’ve still got so much to learn,” I said softly. “But I’m ready to learn it all with you.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he replied softly.
As we stood there together, watching the day slip into evening, I knew we were entering a new chapter.
A better one. Maybe we had faltered along the way, but that didn’t matter anymore.
What mattered was that we had found each other again.
And this time, we’d never let go. That future we were both trying to hold on to, it was finally within reach, and I was ready to grab onto it with everything I had.
We stood together, the breeze carrying the scent of salt and the sound of laughter drifting from somewhere up the beach, and I knew then that no matter what came our way, we’d be okay.
We’d built something strong, something lasting, and it wasn’t going to break.
Not this time. With that certainty settled firmly in my chest, I looked up at Chris and saw everything I ever needed in his eyes.
We didn’t say anything more, but the silence between us wasn’t empty.
It was full of all the words we didn’t need to speak aloud because we already understood.
And in that quiet moment, with the sun sinking into the sea and the world softening around us, I knew everything was exactly as it should be.
I pulled back slightly, turning to face him.
His expression softened as he looked at me, his hand coming up to rest on my cheek.
And when he leaned in to kiss me, it felt like all the broken pieces finally fell back into place.
I kissed him back, not just with the love that had always been there, but with the newness of everything we were becoming.
There was no hurry, no rush to the future.
This moment was enough, and it was ours.
When he pulled away, his forehead resting against mine, I smiled, feeling more complete than I had in a long time. “Let’s go home.”
“Home,” he repeated like the word tasted different now, sweeter.
He kissed me again, briefly, then took my hand once more as we started walking back toward the small cottage we shared with Lisa and the life growing between us.
And as the last of the light faded from the sky, I couldn’t help but feel like this was just the beginning, the start of something lasting and true.
Together, we had everything we needed. And I wouldn’t trade it for all the penthouses in the world.
As we made our way back, I glanced at Chris one last time, the soft glow of the porch lights ahead of us, and I whispered, “I love you.” For the first time in a long while, there was nothing more I needed to add. It was enough.
And from the way Chris squeezed my hand, the love in his gaze, I knew he felt the same. He didn’t have to say a word in return, but I heard him clearly when he whispered back. “I love you, too, Beth.” Simple, sincere, and real.
And to think he had given up his empire for me.
The CEO who had driven me away was gone.
He had given up his role in Seattle and transferred his shares to a trust that was completely out of his reach.
And he had no intention of ever going back.
Chris wanted to be the father our baby needed, and he knew what it took to do that.
It was his decision, and it felt good to have the life of luxury behind me.
I never could have known that things would work out this way.
There was still so much work ahead for our relationship, and there would be times when it might get messy and difficult, but in this moment, it all felt like the start of something truly beautiful.
We’d stumbled, we’d faltered, but we were moving forward. And that was enough.
As we walked through the door, back into the warmth of our little home, I knew whatever came next, we would face it together, side by side, with all the love we had found in each other again. This time, for always.