AllFreeNovel
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How ironic it is that the notion of death, of losing the one you love, was the catalyst for me to finally open my eyes and my heart and begin living?
After so much tragedy, I’ve been able to create a life that I love.
In this moment, as I’m lying in the grass with my children, the sun falling on my face, it’s the sound of Taylor’s laughter as she giggles at something her brother has done that’s filling me with peace.
Her smile reminds me of a girl I once pledged my life to, and I wonder about the gift of little reminders like that.
“Dad, toss me,” she cries.
I can’t say no to her, so up she goes, flying through the air for just a second before she’s back in my arms, safe. When I set her on her feet, she wobbles for a moment and then falls, laughing loudly as if it were the funniest thing in the world. It’s enough to draw her brother away from the football game he’s playing with Quaid. He tells us he’s getting too old to play childish games with Taylor, but he never fails to drop what he’s doing whenever she’s near.
When Eric gets to Taylor, she whispers something in his ear mischievously. Whatever she’s said must have been convincing, because within seconds, he’s joined forces with his sister as they both run towards me and flop down on me.
I gasp when Eric’s knee falls into my stomach, and then I pause.
I always sense Valentina, since she’s everywhere I look and never far from my thoughts. But the energy simmering under my skin is too strong to ignore, and I turn my head in the direction of the dream house we built for her to find her.
She steps out of the doorway just then, Logan’s arm wrapped around her and her hand on her ever-growing bump. Our third child will be here soon, and I send up a prayer that she will look just like Valentina.
Every day with her is a miracle.
That day in the hospital when we thought we’d lost her taught me that lesson in a way that I’ll never forget. Sometimes, I can scarcely believe that this is our life. That I get to wake up every day with my brothers and the love of my existence.
We’ve made a life for ourselves out here in the house that Val’s dad designed for us. Sometimes, I can feel his presence nearby, like he’s watching over all of us, smiling down at the happiness we’ve created together.
I watch as Quaid walks over and swings Valentina up in his arms, her laughter filling the air. The kids pretend to be grossed out over how we can’t keep our hands off their mother, but I know that they go to bed knowing their parents love each other and them with all of their hearts…so I think they will survive the momentary embarrassment over our PDA.
Quaid played one more year of football. I know he did it because he wanted her in the stands for at least one season of his career. She must have been good luck, because he won the Super Bowl that year. Everyone expected he would keep on playing, he was only 29 after all, but playing that season of football had never been about him. It had been about finally experiencing it with Valentina. Once he did that, he was done.
Logan comes over and swings Taylor up in his arms, patting Eric’s shoulder as he passes by, following Quaid and Valentina back into the house. He’s never away from our girl for long. He quit his firm and started his own investment company out of our house. With his talent for numbers, it grew and grew, rivaling the success of his former firm. He doesn’t work like he used to though. He’s hired people he trusts, only overseeing the accounts so that he can spend the majority of his time with his family. He’s a happy bastard and dotes on Valentina every second he can.
I’ve continued to be a photographer, but I travel rarely now. And if I do have to go on a trip, I make sure it’s a short one where I can always take Valentina with me. It’s our time together, and I’ve taken her to some of my favorite places in the world. I don’t miss the life I used to live at all. Once I reunited with her, I no longer had to search the world for meaning, she was the meaning I had been searching for.
Valentina chose not to return to residency, instead, she does research at a lab nearby that concentrates on finding cures for rare types of cancer. She loves her work, and she loves us. So she’s a pretty happy woman, which is something we aim for every day.
Her life is a gift.
Every single day.
And I’ll never forget that.
Valentina’s laughter rings out from inside and floats towards me. As the sun begins to set, Eric comes to sit next to me, leaning against my shoulder, in awe of the orange and gold streaks dancing in the sky. Like his namesake, he’s a happy and loving kid that always sees the good in others. He’s already my hero, and he’s only six years old.
Valentina’s laughter reaches me once more, and I live in the sound of it. I close my eyes to the beautiful sky above, hugging my son to me as I cherish this moment.
We have our house, we have our family, and we have few, if any, bad days. But then, ordinary moments just like these fill my heart with love and hope. Two things I never thought I’d be blessed with.
It’s a fucking beautiful life.
She’s made it a beautiful life.
I never expected my life to be good, but I’ll never stop being grateful for the miracle it became.
And it all started because once upon a time, a golden-eyed girl moved next door to us.
And saved me.
Saved us.
Just by breathing love into us.
And They Lived Happily Ever After…
The End.
