Page 12 of My Filthy Stepbrother
"We're still married," Dad sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Just separating."
He gently nudges Cody's mother out of the room to give us space to get ourselves together.
"I can't believe this is happening," Cody whispers to herself.
"Do you regret this, Dakota?"
"No, of course not. I've been thinking about this moment for the past what? 10? 11 years? Do you regret it?" she asks with a slight shake of her head. She moves swiftly, pulling on a pair of linen pajama pants and one of my shirts.
She grabs it, bringing it up to her nose for a deep inhale like my scent is a shot of caffeine first thing in the morning. She flashes me a smile and holds her hand out just as I finish throwing on some clothes.
"Of course not. I'm never going back to pretending after last night. Ever," I tell her with assurance and sincerity.
My hand wraps around hers, and we make our way downstairs. Both of our parents sit in the living room. They're literally putting their heads together like this is a problem that needs fixing.
Miss Ellie murmurs with disdain, "What are we going to do about this, Joe?"
My dad looks at his wife, who hasn't slept in this home for over three months, and shrugs his shoulders.
"There's nothing to be done about this, Mother." Cody sighs and sucks her teeth. "We are adults."
"Adults?" Ellie rolls her eyes. "You're barely out of childhood."
"Mom, he's 26 and I'm 22. We are both adults and only staying here by default. You two aren't even together anymore." Cody gestures between us, but her reasoning is falling on deaf ears.
"What we're doing has nothing to do with this," Ellie replies with anger bubbling over.
Once my dad takes a look at me, I know that I'm going to have to say something. "There's nothing to do, Miss Ellie. You two aren't together, and I'm not going to give Dakota up."
"What are the neighbors going to think?" Ellis replies.
"Fuck them." Dad huffs under his breath. "They always borrow my tools and never bring ‘em back."
"Exactly," I say in agreement. "Fuck the neighbors and anyone else who thinks we're not allowed to be together simply because of the relationship between our parents. I love Dakota. Always have and always will."
"I love you too, Dean." The subtlety in her tone isn't as intense as the expression in her eyes. She means it, and I turn to her.
"I know it's a bit crazy, but I think we would make the better married couple in this family. We've known each other for over a decade. We have the same taste in movies, comedy, music, and anything else. We have an eternity to learn about one another. You belong to me, Dakota. I'm asking you, will you marry me?"
My eyes dart from Dakota over to our parents, who shake their heads, but Ellie pulls her engagement ring off to hand to me.
Dad speaks up. "That ring she's giving you is the ring I gave her and belonged to your great-grandmother. It's only right that it goes to you two. Dakota is going to be my daughter through marriage or this divorce, no matter what."
I turn to Dakota, ring in hand and dropping to one knee to properly propose. "You're the love of my life, Dakota. I don't want to move on without you. I don't want to live or leave Tamworth without you. I vow to stick by your side and my only question to you is, will you marry me?"
"Of course I will, Dean." I get up to take her into my arms, kissing her and holding her in my embrace so tight I never want to let go.
EPILOGUE
DAKOTA
One Year Later
Just breathe.
That's what the nurse and doctors continue shouting at me as my contractions come closer and closer together. Between ice chips and excruciating pain, childbirth isn't to be taken lightly.
"You're going to have to push soon, Mrs. Dawson. You're at nine centimeters," the nurse says.
