Page 87 of Forgotten Dreams
“But you were mine,” my mother says. “You were ours.”
“I’m still yours.” I try to steady my voice. “I’m here because of my parents”—I look at my mother and my father—“and because of you two. This is my story.” I look at them. “Our story is just beginning.” I look at Carl and Fiona. “That is if you’ll have me. Have us.”
“That’s the question we should be asking you,” Carl replies, then looks at Fiona. “Will you”—he swallows—“allow us to be a part of your life?”
“I never forgot you,” Fiona declares. “You were never forgotten. And I’m not about to forget about you now. I’ll take whatever it is you want to give us.” She looks at my mother. “Thank you for raising her when I couldn’t. For loving her with us.”
My mother lets go of my hand and walks over to the bed. “No, thank you two for creating the perfect child.” Fiona and my mother share a look. “Nothing I can give you can replace what you lost. But we can fill in the gaps.”
“I’d like that very much,” Fiona says, then she looks at Carl. “We would like that very much.”
I look over at Caleb, who comes to squat beside me. “Oh, by the way,” he mumbles, “I may have told them we were engaged.” I gasp. “I had to think of something. They wanted to know how we were related.”
“And you went with engaged?” I roll my eyes. “I better get a big ring.” I look over at Fiona and my mother. The two of them try not to laugh as Fiona closes her eyes. “It’s going to be okay,” I assure them between my own tears. “Everything is going to be okay.”
Two weeks later:
The knock at the door has both of us looking at each other. “Are you expecting anyone?” I ask Caleb as he walks to the front door.
“No,” he says over his shoulder before opening the door and seeing Theo standing there.
“Hey,” Caleb says, moving aside to give room for Theo to come in. “This is a surprise. I thought you were going to visit your parents this weekend.”
“Yeah,” he says and I can see that he’s going through something when he looks at me, then at Caleb, running his hand through his hair. “No.” He looks up. “Fuck, I don’t even know how to say this.”
“You’re scaring the shit out of me,” Caleb snaps at him and I stand here, my heart pounding in my chest thinking he’s in trouble. “Just say whatever it is.”
I don’t know what I’m expecting to hear, but from the shock and gasp out of Caleb’s mouth, it’s not what he’s expecting either. “I’m going to be a father.”
Epilogue One
Caleb
Five months later
The doorbell rings as soon as I walk out of my bedroom and slip on my suit jacket. “Come in!” I shout, and the door opens, and my parents walk in. My father is wearing a blue suit, while my mother wears a satin dress that goes just past her knees.
“Are you ready?” my father asks, following my mother in as she looks up at me with a big smile.
“You look so handsome,” she compliments me when I get to the bottom step, pulling out my sleeves from my black suit jacket, “just like your dad.” She leans into him, and he wraps an arm around her shoulders.
“You look beautiful, Mom.” I kiss her cheek.
“If we don’t leave now, we might be late.” My father looks at his watch. “Or at least late in Sierra’s mind, and she has enough to worry about today.”
“Then let’s go,” I urge, walking to the front door, following my parents. My father opens it, and my mother stops as she looks over.
“You know what this house is missing?” She steps outside, looking over her shoulder.
“If you say kids”—I close the door behind me before turning and locking it—“I’m going to tell you that you have to take it up with Sierra.”
“No, not kids.” She walks down the two steps toward the walkway. “Even though that would be lovely.” I nod, following them as I tighten the tie around my neck. “A dog.”
“Mom.” I stop in my tracks. “I like the kid idea more.”
“You always had dogs growing up.” She looks over at me while my father opens her car door.
“Yeah, and you know what sucked about all of that?” I open the back door of the car. “Saying goodbye to them.”
