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As he left the courtroom, Célia looked towards the older woman, recognising some of the devastation across her features. Because she, herself, had looked like that over the last few days and, no matter what had happened, Célia’s heart ached for the woman.
Her lawyers demanded a short recess from the court, and Loukis took Célia’s hand in one of his just as Annabelle launched herself towards them. They were ushered from the room and back into the small office that was suddenly bursting with frantic laughter and happy tears from Loukis, Célia and Annabelle. But all the while, concern that Loukis still might lose custody beat in her chest.
‘Are you sure?’ she whispered to him as Annabelle wrapped her small body around Célia’s waist. ‘The risk, it’s too great...’
‘Not as great as the risk of teaching Annabelle that love has a price. That love is the price. I won’t do that.’
They gazed at each other with love blazing in their eyes. It seemed to go on for ever, Célia refusing to break the heady, half-fearful, all-joyous and all-consuming feeling bursting within her.
Until one of Loukis’s lawyers knocked on the door, and entered, the smile on his face as broad as she’d ever seen.
‘It’s over. Meredith has dropped the case. The courts are happy to award you full guardianship. Her only request was that she be able to see Annabelle a few times a year, with your permission.’
Célia’s heart soared, to see the sheer happiness and relief across Loukis’s features.
She felt Annabelle tug at both of them. ‘Can I, Loukis?’
‘Is that something you’d like?’ he asked his sister.
‘Yes.’
‘Then you shall.’
‘Can I...go and see Mummy?’
‘Of course you can,’ he insisted, his eyes returning to Célia’s.
The lawyer stretched his hand out to Annabelle and the two made their way out into the hallway.
* * *
Loukis looked at the woman he loved, knowing that they still had more to say. That he did.
‘Can you forgive me?’
She looked so adorably confused in that moment. ‘What for?’ she demanded.
‘For letting you go. For not realising sooner. For putting you through—’
‘There’s nothing to forgive, Loukis. For so long, I was afraid of it all coming out. Of people thinking exactly what Meredith did. And I think I needed that. I needed to actually see it and feel it, to realise that it’s how I see myself that matters. That I know that wasn’t what I had intended. And that sometimes people do make mistakes. Unintentional ones. Like me. Like my father. How did you...?’
‘I called him, told him what happened. That I loved you and asked him if he could provide a statement for the court. He was more than happy to do so and within twenty minutes of the end of our conversation, he’d emailed it through.’
‘You did that for me?’ she asked as if still incredulous at the lengths he would go to for her.
‘I would do anything for you,’ he replied, the promise on his lips soul-deep and eternal.
‘Do you think the judge is still in the chamber?’
‘No idea.’ Loukis was confused as to the direction of her thoughts. ‘Why?’
‘Because I can’t wait a minute longer to become Mrs Célia Liordis. I think it will be my most favourite name yet.’
Loukis’s heart soared. This incredible woman wanted to be his wife, his future and his love. And Annabelle would be with them for every step of it. Family. The thing he’d avoided for so many years was now the only thing he wanted from the rest of his very happy ever after.
EPILOGUE
AUGUST HAD BECOME Célia’s favourite month. Since their wedding—sadly not the day of the court case owing to licences and other frustrating legalities, but a beautiful day full of family, friends, flowers and the most gorgeous dress Célia had ever seen—Ella and Roman’s family would come to the island for four whole magical weeks.
