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“Thank you,” Julie threw an uncertain smile. She turned and sat on the edge of the bed.
“Come,” she said and patted a seat beside her.
Robert obeyed, never taking his eyes off his wife.
“Does that mean you’d be joining us for dinner tonight?” he asked.
Julie nodded her head.
“What happened to you?” he asked.
Julie laughed lightly. “Nothing.” She shook her head. “Nothing profound or crucial in any case. I just woke up today, and the fog of grief had lifted. I guess it’s true what people say; time heals.”
“You are not upset with me? Or angry?” Robert frowned, drawing away and looking into her eyes.
“For what?” Julie gently moved the lock of hair off his forehead. Robert caught the movement and placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist.
“For not being here when you needed me, for leaving you here—”
Julie interrupted him, placing two fingers against his lips. “Robert, is that what you think? That I’ve been angry with you this whole time?”
Robert grimaced and looked away.
“I was grieving, just like you. But I was never angry with you. It wasn’t your fault; you couldn’t have known.” She placed her palm against his face, forcing him to look at her. “I thought about it all day. About what you said after it happened.”
“What did I say?” Robert searched Julie’s face, hoping to uncover any hidden messages in her features.
“You said that our deal is off,” she said quietly, and Robert’s heart caught in his throat.
Julie stood and paced in front of him. “I think it’s only right. I don’t want to be with you because of our deal. I don’t want to give you heirs.” She paused and swallowed. “I want to give you children.”
All the things we’ve been through, all the good and the bad and—” she paused and bit on her lower lip. “And I want to try again.”
Robert frowned in confusion. “What?”
“Not now. Perhaps, not even soon. But when the doctor said that we could start trying again, my heart was ready to sing. I realized that I do want a babe. Maybe several.”
“Julie,” Robert groaned and scrubbed his palms against his face. “I can’t. I can’t watch you go through that. Not again.”
“I know, and I have been so afraid of it myself, most of my life. But having experienced what could have been—” she shook her head again, “This grief and despair I was in, it wasn’t because my biggest fears have realized, it was because I’ve never wanted anything more than to hold that babe in my arms. Our babe. And I still want that.”
Robert stood and walked closer to her. He took her hands in both of his and regarded her intently. “Julie, you’ve just recovered. It’s the first day you’ve talked to me more than a couple of words in a month. How about we talk about it in a few weeks?”
Julie nodded. “All right.”
“Don’t pout at me,” Robert said with a smile. “I want to give you anything, you know that. I would give you the world if I could. I love you,” he looked at her beautiful face, praying inside to never see her grieving again, never seeing her in pain.
“I do know that.” Julie smiled at him, her radiant smile, the one that lit up her entire face. “But do you know I love you too?”
Robert blinked in surprise. For all the things he’d expected her to say, that was nowhere on his list.She loved him.It felt unreal. Julie laughed then, and he realized how much he’d missed this lively, laughing Julie and that he’d be willing to do anything to keep her thus. He hugged her and whirled her around once as she continued laughing.
“Good,” he said, looking into her eyes. “Because I am never letting you go.”
He lowered his head and took her mouth in a slow and sweet kiss. It wasn’t an erotic kiss. It was soft and full of love and reassurance. The kiss meant to soothe their battered souls and to give hope for a brighter future. He finally raised his head and ran a thumb over her lower lip.
Julie leaned into his touch.
“Come,” he said with a smile, “Our family is waiting for us for dinner.”
“We are probably already late,” Julie said with a slight grimace.
Robert took out his watch from his pocket and checked the time. “No,” he shook his head. “According to my superior watch, we are right on time.”
