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Epilogue
Fourteen months later
“Mama up! Mama up!” Charla heard the sweet voice of her daughter long before the little girl found her way on top of her chest, urging her awake. “Mama,” she said softly, pressing wet kisses to her nose and eyes.
She stayed still, letting Amina do her best to wake her up before her eyes shot open, making the little girl squeal with delight. “Mama’s up and ready to tickle you!” Soft giggles filled the room and her heart.
“I tick you,” she said, trying to make her chubby little hands tickle Charla’s neck. “Mama eat.”
Charla sniffed the air and smiled. “You cooked Mama breakfast? What a sweet little girl,” she cooed, loving the pink flush that stained her cheeks. She was such a charming mixture of her mother and father. Big green eyes, almost too big for her face, were striking against her caramel skin and inky black hair.
“Dada!”
With a quick kiss and another tickle session, Charla got out of bed and cleaned them both up before they headed downstairs still in their pajamas, a gift tucked inside the pocket of her robe. “Good morning. It smells divine in here.”
Kasim turned and flashed that panty melting smile that always made her knees weak. “Thanks it’s a new body wash,” he joked, winking at Amina until she giggled.
“Not Dada. Food good!” She talked a lot for her age, which probably had a lot to do with her talkative parents and godparents. She jumped into his arms and kissed his nose.
He returned the kiss while Charla made a cup of coffee and took the stack of pancakes to the table. “Heart shaped pancakes?”
He shrugged but she saw the blush on his cheeks. “It is Valentine’s Day, the day of love.” Sitting Amina in her high chair, he went back and brought the rest of their breakfast to the table. “Good morning and happy Valentine’s Day sweetheart.”
“Dada,” Amina whined, unable to stand watching her parents kiss without getting one of her own, which he happily gave to her.
Charla smiled at her daughter, so brave and precocious, certain in the love of her parents because they made sure of it. The past year had brought so many changes to her life. She’d become a mother, began dating and then living with a future king, and opened a second spa in Las Vegas which Jase now ran. But the biggest change of all was her and Kasim. They were still very much in love and he’d moved in with her shortly after Amina’s arrival, staying in a guest room until they were both comfortable officially living together. Now, everything was perfect.
Almost.
“I have gifts,” she sang to father and daughter with a mischievous grin. Amina clapped happily when she set the small boxed wrapped in cupid paper on the high chair.
“Mama,” she said holding the box out for Charla to open. She pulled out a gold locket, smiling like a goofball at her daughter’s excited squeals. Opening it and showing the picture of her parents inside, she winced at Amina’s even louder squeals. “On,” she said pointing to her neck before her attention was turned by the pile of wrapping paper.
“No fair,” Kasim groaned, holding up a much bigger box of his own. “Daddy’s got a gift too.”
Charla watched with her heart in her chest as her little girl went crazy over the beautiful pink dress with layers and layers of tulle she was sure would make her little girl look like the princess she was. “Very nice,” she said and snapped a few photos of Amina thanking her father with a wet kiss.
Now it was her turn to give Kasim his gift and she was nervous. But determined. Sliding the small square box across the table she captured his gaze. “Kasim this past year has been everything I ever dreamed of when I was a little girl. You’ve shown me that real love does exist and it doesn’t have to be painful. You are a wonderful father, a good man and you have my heart. Now I’m hoping you’ll give me one more thing.” She motioned to the box.
Kasim laughed and pushed his own box—not wrapped in Valentine’s Day themed paper but a very familiar blue box—before meeting her gaze again. “I see you are determined to spend the rest of our lives surprising me Charla.”
She opened the box and gasped at the beautiful ring nestled inside the velvet. “Kasim it’s gorgeous!”
He opened his own box and barked out a laugh.
She laughed in return but she wanted to be the one to do it. She had to be the one to do it, to let him know that she was in this with him. “So what about it Kasim, will you marry me?”
His laughter was so deep and loud it echoed in the kitchen and mixed with Amina’s laugh. “I can’t wait to make you my wife Charla. But do I really have to wear this?”
She frowned, “You don’t like it?”
“No I love it and I love that you proposed to me. But do men wear engagement rings?”
She took the ring from the box and slid it on his finger. “My man does.”
“Yes Charla, I’ll marry you.” He rounded the table and dropped on one knee, holding her hands. “Now it’s my turn. Charla my love, the beautiful sassy love of my life, will you spend the rest of our lives constantly surprising me?”
With a watery smile she nodded. “I can’t wait to be your wife Kasim.” She cupped his face and kissed him long and hard while Amina was busy admiring her gifts. “And I promise our life will be anything but boring.”
