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“Misty?” he says again, cocking his brow with mock authority. His smoldering dark eyes always have the same effect.
There’ll never be secrets between us, never.
I take a breath and then slap it down in front of him, on his desk after tearing it from my pocket.
The white plastic point tapering back to a window with a bright blue plus sign takes a second to register for Zak.
I feel his hand gently on my belly before he asks.
“You mean…?” he finally asks, and I’m not sure again. Not sure if he’ll still want me, being all fat and pregnant, the stretch marks… the throwing up, which I’ve already tried to hide from him.
“Misty, do you mean we’re gonna be a Mom and Dad? Are we really gonna have a baby?” he asks, the look of shock turning to absolute joy as he lifts me up from his lap, holding me up in the air like I’m a child myself as he spins us both around.
I have to tell him to stop, I feel like I’m going to be sick and he sits me down in his chair, even puts my legs up on his desk as if that’s going to make a difference.
But he’s excited, he’s more than excited.
He kisses me.“I love you, Misty baby. And now we’re gonna have a baby!” he exclaims again, hitting the speed dial on his phone.
“What are you doing, Zak?” I ask, gritting my teeth, knowing exactly what he’s doing.
“I’m proposing, Misty. Formally,” he adds, a matter of fact.
I roll my eyes, wanting it to be different, but also knowing I already have the two biggest forty year old babies under my spell.
My Dad and my Zak.
“Mark? Zak. I got the pregnancy test right in front of me… it’s all blue baby… and who wants to pay for the wedding? You or me?” he asks before my Dad can even speak.
In the end, we’re all laughing, crying really. Tears of joy and Dad wanting a word with me. In private.
I switch the line and he asks me if it’s true. “Yeah, it’s true Dad. Can’t you just be happy?”
But I know why Dad didn’t want Zak to hear.
He’s crying. Bawling like the baby now that he knows I’m actually carrying.
The wedding’s on and I heave a sigh of relief.
Peace.
Finally.
“I love you Misty, I love you so much,” he says, and I settle back into Zak’s lap, leaning over so he can hear too.
“I love you all so much, and baby makes three.”
“And I love you, wife,” Zak murmurs after he hangs up, pulling my legs over his as we wonder if it’ll be a boy or a girl.Extended EpilogueThanksgiving two YEARS LATERZakThanksgiving dinner. I never thought we’d repeat it at the lake house. But I’m glad we are.
A family. Misty and me, Bella, and a few new additions to the tribe.
I accepted Mark’s offer of the lake house as a wedding gift, eventually. And we sort of just moved in after that.
Misty and me, and little Bella.
I fixed a few things though up, no more landslides, fencing, re-foresting of the lake area, and funding of a local ranger to make sure things were always safe for the local residents, both animals, and people.
That kinda thing.
Things so I knew our kids would be safe. So I knew I’d never have to deep dive to rescue what I love ever again.
So I knew my family would always be there waiting for me when I went into the next room.
“You’ve really changed the place, Zak, and only for the better,” Mark says truthfully as he saunters in, looking for Bella, our number one daughter.
His baby granddaughter.
He loves her and stealing her away.
Misty has to remind me with her own touch, that it’s only a few days.
I love Mark and Misty loves her Dad, but jeez. It’s a short fuse that burns when it comes to the lake house.
Sometimes.
But not today.
I’ve got two surprises for old Mark. And I know Misty can’t wait to share them either.
Kris and Kyle were born almost nine months to the day Misty was cleared after our eldest was born, my schedule, and with the work at the lake house… Mark hasn’t seen them yet.
Thanksgiving has a new meaning for us, as a family. And Misty and I want to share that with Mark as well.
Grandad. A term I know he hates because he’s the same age as me, but age is just a number when it comes to family, to love.
Right Mark?
But he’s here at Misty’s request. I’m here to have all my babies lined up with their Mommy for a very special anniversary.
It’s not where we met, but it’s where it all started. It’s why I was glad to get the house.
Keeping that same feeling alive every day just by being here. Not that Misty and I really need that.
