Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 21230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21230 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 106(@200wpm)___ 85(@250wpm)___ 71(@300wpm)
I felt a stab of unease when I heard her words. It was amazing that she'd felt like this about me when we were young, and had been thinking of me all these years, but I felt the pressure of it too; the responsibility of living up to her possibly unrealistic expectations of me. I didn't want to let her down, and though I thought what we'd just shared had been incredible, I was hesitant when I asked, "Was it what you expected?"
"No," she said quietly.
I felt like someone had punched me in the gut.
But she continued, "It was miles beyond anything I could've ever imagined."
I pulled her closer, she kissed me, and I felt like I'd just captured the checkered flag of victory.
EPILOGUE - TEN YEARS LATER
KAYLA
"You look beautiful, Kay." Axel came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. We were in our bedroom, and I'd just zipped up my favorite pair of pants. I'd only recently fit into them; getting back in shape had taken longer than the last time.
My husband was his ever-handsome, only slightly changed self. He stayed trim, needing to fit into the small cockpits of extremely fast cars. His nose was still adorably crooked; his face was still the best thing I'd ever seen. No, that was no longer true. It was among the three best things I'd ever seen.
Together we went down the hall to the nursery, where Emma had just woken up from a nap. While Axel nuzzled her and then changed her diaper, I got out the special dress I'd bought for her first birthday.
"Are you sure we should have left them alone together down there?" I strained to hear voices from the first floor. I heard the murmur of conversation, mostly my father-in-law's deep voice.
"Olivia will keep them in line," Axel said.
"Ha! You've got a point there." Our first born, now four and a half years old, seemed to think she ruled the house. "I can't even believe they're here together."
Our parents had been in the same room together only a very small number of times during our eight-year marriage. The experiences had not been without difficulties.
"It's amazing what grandkids can do," Axel said. He rubbed his nose against Emma's and she giggled.
Suddenly there was a crash from somewhere beneath us and we rushed downstairs, Axel carrying our wiggly birthday girl in his arms. I had flashbacks to the loud fights we'd endured as teens, and gave silent thanks to the very different type of marriage I enjoyed with Axel. Sure, we fought sometimes, but we respected one another, and he never gave me reason to doubt him.
In our living room we found Olivia surrounded by dozens of scattered wooden blocks, which had apparently just fallen from great heights. She was clapping and laughing, while her grandparents, my mom and her new husband, Alexander and his longtime girlfriend, and Axel's mom and Lucas, formed her adoring audience.
Axel laughed as he put his arm around me and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. Together, we joined our family for a celebration.