Epilogue
Seven months later...
I stand in the dressing area, looking at the beautiful white gown.
Bianca and Dad are looking at me, both crying. My stomach keeps turning over. I'm so fucking nervous, and I have no idea why. I'm about to marry the man of my dreams.
"Nora, you look beautiful. Don't worry—I won't let you trip on your way down the aisle," Renzo says.
I laugh softly and wrap him in a hug.
I draw a deep breath, thinking about the last secret I'm keeping. My hand settles over my stomach. I haven't told anyone. Yesterday, I took a pregnancy test, and it was positive. I've been thinking about surprising Graham with the news today.
Renzo looks at me. "Are you ready, sweetheart?"
I slip my arm through his and smile.
The music begins, and Renzo leads me down the aisle. I look into Graham's bright blue eyes and see tears. Is he starting to tear up?
At the end of the aisle, Dad kisses my cheek. I step forward and take Graham's hands. "Baby, you look amazing," he says, his gaze moving over my face and body.
My heart pounds against my chest. "So do you." My eyes wander over his perfectly sculpted body, and he smirks at me.
I'm so caught up in Graham that I'm not listening to the preacher at all.
"Nora?" The preacher gives me a concerned look.
I turn toward him quickly. "Yeah?" Graham, my family, and our friends chuckle.
He clears his throat. "Do you, Nora, take Graham as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"
I smile from ear to ear. "I do."
"Graham, you may now kiss your bride."
Graham steps closer and kisses me gently. His hands rise to cradle my face as he draws me against him. All our friends and family begin to clap.
Reception...
Everyone is dancing, laughing, and enjoying themselves. Graham draws me onto the dance floor for our first dance.
The way you curse when we're in trafficA million flavors of your chap stickThe way that you keep my heart captiveThe Journey concert in A. CRemember, we sang "Faithfully"I've still got that old hotel room key
I loop my arms around his neck, and he draws my waist closer. I gaze into those bright blue eyes, filled with love and admiration as they look back at me.
This is the way I feelI can't wait for you to be my wifeTo live this life togetherAnd I won't let you goI need you to knowThat you are my heart foreverAnd on and on and on
I lean close to his ear. "There's something I need to tell you." He looks worried. "I'm pregnant."
He stares at me as though he's looking into my soul, stunned. Before I can say anything else, he slides his hands into my hair and draws my mouth to his, kissing me hungrily. "You have no idea how happy I am right now," he says.
A few months later...
We're sitting in the doctor's waiting room, waiting to find out how the baby is doing. Graham's knee keeps bouncing, and it's driving me crazy.
I rest my hand on his knee. "Baby, you need to calm down. You're making me anxious."
He covers my hand with his. "I'm sorry. I'm just nervous. I wish they'd hurry the fuck up. I just want to hear her say the baby's fine."
I give him a sad look. "I know. Me too."
"Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker." A nurse gestures for us to follow her into the exam room.
We go inside, and the nurse asks me to change into a gown. "The doctor will be with you in a moment." We both nod.
As I begin to undress, I hear Graham draw a deep breath. I glance at him and find him watching me intently. "You know, baby, I've always fantasized about bending you over a doctor's desk." He gives me a seductive smirk.
I shake my head at him. "Not a chance."
I finish putting on the gown and climb onto the bed. The doctor comes in. "Are you ready to hear your baby's heartbeat?" she asks.
"Absolutely," Graham answers before I can. I chuckle at him.
The doctor spreads gel over my stomach and searches for the baby. "Oh..." she exclaims.
Her reaction makes me nervous. "What's wrong? Is the baby okay?"
She turns to us with a smile. "Both babies have strong heartbeats. Can you hear them both?" Graham and I listen, our eyes widening as we hear not one heartbeat, but two. I begin to cry. I can't believe I'm going to bring two babies into the world. My heart aches with happiness.
Graham wipes away my tears and kisses me all over my face. "God, Nora... I love you so fucking much."
He turns to the doctor. "And the scarring? At our last appointment, you were worried about all the scarring and trauma Nora's been through. Will that cause problems with her pregnancy?"
The doctor smiles. "I was concerned, but Nora is over that hurdle now. The babies' heartbeats are strong, and I believe she'll carry them to term. Would you like to know their genders?"
We both nod.
"You're having a boy and a girl."
I throw my arms around Graham and hold him tightly.
Four months later...
Graham is acting like a madman. We're on the couch, and he's timing my contractions. "Baby, they're three minutes apart. You're going to the fucking hospital."
I catch his arm. "I'm not sure it's time." A groan escapes me as the pain hits.
He gets up from the couch and grabs our bag. "I don't give a fuck. You're having twins, and I want to make sure we get there in time."
He guides me to the truck and helps me inside. When we reach the hospital, Renzo, Bianca, and Owen are there to greet us. "Looking good, Nora," Owen says with a chuckle.
I glare at him, struggling to breathe. "Fuck off, Owen."
Liquid runs down my leg, and then pain shoots downward. I double over, and Graham and the doctors hurry me into the delivery room.
I'm sitting on the delivery bed with my feet in the stirrups. Graham rubs my hand. "Baby, you're doing amazingly. You're so beautiful, Nora. I can't wait to meet our babies."
I smile up at him, but another wave of pain sweeps over me. "Fuck!" I yell. Graham holds my hand.
The doctor is positioned between my legs. "Okay, Nora. I need you to give me a big push."
I bear down hard, screaming with the effort.
"Okay, one last big push," she says. Gritting my teeth, I push as hard as I can.
"Ah, Nora, it's a baby boy. You're doing well. Now we have the other baby. I know you're tired, but I need you to give this everything you've got," she says as she hands him to the nurse.
I can't stop myself from looking toward the nurse. I just want a glimpse of him. "Fuck..." I scream as another contraction takes hold.
"Baby, you're doing well," Graham says, stroking my hair.
"Nora, give me a big push." I push hard. "That's good, Nora. Now I need you to breathe." I take deep breaths, trying to steady my breathing.
"All right, one last push, and you get to meet your baby girl," she says.
I push hard, digging my knuckles into the bed. A baby's cry fills the room. The doctor passes her to the nurse to be checked. Another nurse brings our little boy over and settles him in my arms.
I look down at him. Graham bends close, tilts my chin up, and brushes a kiss over my lips. "Nora, I can't even begin to explain what I'm feeling. You brought our babies into the world. I love you so much."
I kiss him back, holding our son, Caden. Before long, the doctor has finished stitching me up.
I shift over on the bed, and Graham lies beside me, admiring our son. The nurse comes over and places our daughter, Lillian, in his arms.
He looks down at her and smiles. "I'm in deep shit, aren't I?" I watch him smiling at her.
"Why?" I ask.
"She looks just like you. She's beautiful," he says.
Tears fill my eyes as I rest my head on his shoulder. "God, Graham, I'm so happy right now. I feel like my heart could leap out of my chest." I start to cry.
Graham wipes my tears away. "Baby, I know."
We lie together on the hospital bed, holding our beautiful children.
If someone had told me almost three years ago that I'd find this kind of happiness, I would have called them a liar. I thought I would die miserable.
But then Graham found me. He loved me through everything, even when I pushed him away. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank him enough for the love and compassion he's shown me, or for giving me the greatest joy of my life: Lilly and Caden.