Epilogue - Six months later #2
That’s not all I’ve done. Gone is all his grey bedding, replaced with crisp white or sky-blue linens that remind me of the beach and the waves when they crash against the rocks.
I’ve kept the white, porcelain bedside lamps shaped like lilies, because they are absolutely stunning, and they bathe the room in the softest of lights.
I look towards the windows, smiling when my eyes fall on the snowflakes fluttering down outside, and my heart is fit to burst from happiness.
I love sitting on the dove-grey mattress on the wide windowsill, the plush lavender cushions stacked in my back, as I watch the day give way to night before I go to bed.
Sometimes, Aidan joins me, and we spend a long time just sitting like this in the quiet watching the sky.
Heavy, green curtains hang from the copper curtain poles and feel like velvet, and I love the silky touch against my skin whenever Aidan makes sweet love to me in the moonlight right there.
There’s no ring on my finger tying me to him, but that doesn’t matter to me. I don’t need a piece of paper to know that we belong together.
My eyes linger on our secret spot, and I stretch languidly. My head turns to Aidan as he walks back into our bedroom and walks towards me. I smile up at him as he sits down on the mattress, his back curved as he leans to the side and gently wipes the warm cloth between my legs.
I reach out my hand to wrap it around his wrist, and he looks up at me.
“Thank you, honey.”
“For what?”
“For making this the best Christmas I’ve ever had.”
He quirks his lips. “I’ve hardly done anything special.”
I shake my head, silencing him. “Being with you and Katie has already made it special. I don’t need anything more than that.”
He swallows hard, the swirling storm back in his eyes. “Mae…”
I blink my eyes, fighting the hardest battle not to well up again. “Come on. Let’s get dressed and go wake up our girl.”
I release my tight grip on his hand and glide to my side, getting up on shaky legs.
Before I’ve taken a step, Aidan’s hands dart out to grab me by my waist, stopping me in my tracks.
Without saying another word, he rests his head on my belly, his arms wrapped tightly around my middle, squeezing me to him.
My nose prickles, and I blink even harder, while I bury my fingers in his longish hair.
I let the peaceful moment wash over us. His fingers trail over my skin, burning and soothing me at the same time, until he leans back and presses his lips on my belly in the softest kiss.
Then he releases me and tilts his head back.
He nods once and smiles softly. I take my cue and walk to the bathroom to get my comfy Christmas pyjamas and robe.
Aidan
Wrapping paper and ribbons litter the floor, the traditional sound of Christmas carols in the background, and as I watch my girls sitting on the floor opposite my seat on the sofa, laughing, I’m the happiest I’ve been in ages.
I smile slowly, my head resting on my fist on the armrest. All of us are wearing the most ridiculous Christmas pyjamas –forest green with small faces of elves all over them–and knitted, bright red socks that Franny and her knitting club have made.
We won them in a Christmas raffle down at Holly’s a couple of weeks ago, and Katie insisted that we all wear them today.
My last gift to Maeve is burning a hole in my pocket, but I don’t want to interrupt their moment just yet.
“Meow.”
I raise my head and glance down at Little Miss. When her feline eyes meet mine, she sits down on her hind legs and stare me down. I raise my eyebrows at her. “Why are you staring at me like that?”
She lifts her right leg and licks her paw, and I shake my head.
“You know what they say about people who talk with their pets?”
I look away from my cat and raise my head, grinning at Maeve. “What do they say?”
“That they’re very smart people.” She returns my grin and then hands me a steaming mug of hot chocolate with a mountain of marshmallows on top. “Here. This is for you.”
“Thank you.” I take it from her outstretched hand, and she sits down next to me. We sit together in silence for a while, sipping our cocoa, and watch Katie admire her new riding gear.
I reach for her hand resting on her thigh and play with her ring finger. I already know that I’m going to ask her to marry me, but now’s not the right time for a proposal. Instead, it’s time I give her a part of me that was always meant to be hers.
“Mae?”
“Mmm?”
I put my put the mug on the small table next to the couch and breathe deeply to settle the nerves that have been lying dormant most of the morning. Still keeping our hands entwined, I slide down on the floor to kneel in front of her.
I lift my head and grin at her audible gasp. “This isn’t what you think it is…unless you want it to be.”
She works her lips with her teeth, her gaze flickering behind me to Katie. I look over my shoulder at my daughter. She’s picked up Little Miss and smiles so wide, I have to choke down the emotion clogging my throat. When she gives me a small nod, I turn back to Maeve.
“You know I love you,” I start and thread my fingers through hers. “The past months with you living with us have made me realise that I can’t spend my life on this farm without making sure you know that I mean it when I tell you this is forever. You’re it, Mae.”
She smiles softly and squeezes my hand. “I already know this, honey. You don’t have to do more.”
My grin widens. “I disagree, and when I told Katie what I had planned, she sided with me, so please hear me out.”
Her eyes flicker to Katie, then back at me. “Okay.”
Still holding her hand, I reach for the bunch of papers in my back pocket and give them to her. “Here. Merry Christmas.”
She frowns but does as I say, unfolding them. “What’s this?”
“Read it.”
I hold my breath while she scans the first page, enraptured by the myriad of emotions that cross her beautiful face.
Confusion. Wonder. Disbelief.
Love.
Her head snaps up. “You’re crazy,” she whispers.
Finally, I fill my lungs. “Maybe, but I still mean it.”
“You’re giving me Lynch Farm as a Christmas present? Aidan, I can’t-I-this is…” She looks down at the papers again, and I watch her smooth the paper, taking great care not to crinkle the corners.
That’s when I know I was right when the idea first came to me.
My Mae doesn’t want serenades, or flowers, or to be lavished with expensive gifts.
All she wants is a place to call hers with the people she loves.
“Half of it, yes. Lynch Farm is your home, and I wanted to make it official.”
“But, Aidan, I…”
“This is a gift,” I interrupt through my scratchy throat. “You can’t say no, and you can’t return it, either.”
Her breath hitches and she wipes her hand under her nose. Her eyes shine with unshed tears when she lifts her head, the passion in her gaze so close to burning me with her fire.
On a broken sob, she throws her body at me, almost knocking me flat on my arse. She wraps her arms around my neck, clinging to me, and I hug her tightly, burying my face in her neck. She laughs through her tears, and I breathe in her scent, my heart fit to burst through my chest.
“I don’t want to give it back.”
I huff. “Thank fucking God for that.”
She lifts her head, then release me from her tight hold, and on a last inhale of her cherry skin, I tilt my head back.
Her hands frame my face, and as we often do, we keep our eyes open while we share the most tender of kisses.
I know I can’t kiss her the way I really want to, not in front of Katie, but I can’t resist tracing the seam of her lips briefly with my tongue.
Her shiver makes me ache, but I can wait to do more about it later.
“Thank you.” She looks over my shoulder, her eyes shining with happiness at my daughter. “Come here, precious girl.”
I twist my upper body and beckon Katie closer. She kisses Little Miss on the head, puts her down, and closes the short distance between us. When she’s right next to us both, Maeve wraps her in a tight hug, rocking her slowly from side to side.
Katie catches my eyes and sniffles. “Best Christmas ever,” she whispers.
Maeve nods and kisses the top of her head. “You make me so happy, Katie. You know that, right?”
“You make me happy, too.”
I have to blink back the moisture from my eyes and breathe hard through my nose until I’ve got myself back under control. I run a soothing hand down Katie’s back before my eyes catch Maeve’s.
I love you so much, she mouths.
A smile tugs at my lips, and I nod. My voice has been swallowed by my emotions, but it doesn’t matter. Even though we can’t know what tomorrow brings, I know that Maeve will always feel how strong my love is for her.
How hard my heart beats for her and my daughter.
From the moment I met Maeve, she changed my life, waking up my heart again.
As we sit here, our backs to the tree, it almost feels like I’ve come full circle.
I wasn’t really living my life to the fullest. I know that now.
I merely existed, going through the motions while making sure that Katie wanted for nothing.
Now, though, with Maeve in my life, I’m finally living again.
I’ll cherish her forever for waking me up. For showing me that love can heal the worst wounds.
And, one day soon, I’ll give her more than my farm.
I’ll give her my name.
I can’t fucking wait.
THE END