by Sierra Rose
“Aren’t you going to sing?”
“Do I have to?” Harvey said.
“Yes,” Caden said, “Mommy and Maria always do.”
“What do they sing?”
“You know, everybody knows that song—you got eyes of the bluest kind…” Corinne crooned. He grinned. That was what Bella sang their babies every night. The song he’d sung to her so long ago.
His heart melted.
Bella had truly never forgotten about him.
So he shut his eyes and sang Sweet Child of Mine to Caden and Corinne, and it felt so right.
Goodnight, Dad,” Caden said.
Hearing his son call him ‘Dad’ was emotional and he tried to keep it together. He didn’t think they’d call him Dad so soon. It was a wonderful surprise!
“Goodnight,” he said.
Corinne then hugged him again. “Goodnight, Dad.”
Harvey’s eyes swelled with tears. “Goodnight.”
He shut the door, took a deep breath, and leaned up against the wall. Hearing them call him Dad was nothing short of amazing. Very emotional. Very heartfelt. He’d never been a father before, and it was exhilarating. He’d take this father thing step by step. He was sure he’d make an excellent father. And he vowed to be a better father than his own was to him. He was going to be there for his kids, love them, and give them his undivided attention.
After they went to sleep, he called the ICU and they told him Bella was awake and had been able to sit up enough to take some clear liquids, and she kept asking coffee. He laughed, relieved that she was herself, that even in pain and adversity she wanted coffee.
Harvey called Greta and told her to have a coffee machine delivered to ICU with a wide variety of K-cup flavors to choose from. Then he stretched out on the couch and went to sleep.
The next morning, Caden woke him up. He looked around, surprised to find himself there instead of the hospital or his own penthouse. The sunny townhouse filled with children’s drawings and more rain boots than two kids could possibly use—it felt like home just now. Caden shook his shoulder and he had to abandon those cozy thoughts.
“The number says seven.”
“What?”
“The clock number says seven. That’s when Mommy gets us on the bus.”
“What?”
“For school.”
“Oh, shit.” Harvey said, and Caden’s eyes got big, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I was just—asleep. Okay, look, you two get dressed, and I’ll drive you. Where’s your school?”
“I dunno.”
“Of course you don’t. You’re five. Okay, um, I guess I’ll call Maria.”
Maria promptly told him it was a teacher’s meeting day and there was no school that day. He nodded slowly, realizing simultaneously that he didn’t have to hurry up and get them to class, but also that, as a result, he had to entertain them till Maria got there. He went and splashed his face and started making breakfast. By making breakfast, he meant putting out bowls and spoons and finding the cereal.
“Where’s your sister?” he asked Caden as the child shoveled dry cereal in his mouth.
“She’s putting on Mom’s makeup,” he said.
“What?” Harvey was certain the girl wasn’t allowed to wear makeup and probably wasn’t supposed to screw around with her mom’s stuff. He groaned and bolted up to Bella’s master bathroom where Corinne had dozens of tubes and bottles strewn across the counter, some rolling across the floor.
Oh, boy. Not good.
She was standing on a vanity chair in her bunny nightgown, applying something red to her face while smiling at her reflection. She had made a mess. She had on enough different colors of eyeshadow all over her face to be an extra in a Broadway production of Cats. She was an absolute sneaky little disaster.
His first instinct was to whip out his phone and take a picture for Bella. Then he lifted Corinne down, lectured her on not getting into other people’s stuff, and made her pick everything up. Then he ruined two washcloths cleaning that stuff off her face. She sniffed and didn’t say much. She was probably missing her mom pretty badly, but he didn’t ask because he didn’t want her to start crying and miss breakfast. These kids needed to eat.
Once he had them fed and dressed, he let them turn on cartoons and he called the ICU. The nurse on duty said Bella had asked for her kids, and for him. He told her he’d be there as soon as possible and messaged Maria about it. When cartoons got boring and the kids started wrestling and telling on each other, he was happy to hear Maria’s key in the door. The kids ran to her and he kissed the twins and took off to the hospital. Maria was going to meet him there shortly thereafter. She wanted to give Harvey and Bella a little bit of time together alone before she showed up.
Chapter 18
He found Bella sitting up in bed, propped gingerly on pillows, the lights still dim. She smiled at him, and it nearly knocked him over.
“You scared me, honey,” he said gruffly.
“Oh, Harvey, I didn’t mean to.”
He cupped her face. “I didn’t know if you were going to make it. It was like my world crashed. I didn’t know what I’d do without you.”
“I’m so glad to see you.”
“I love you,” he said with heartfelt sincerity.
“I love you too.”
He softly hugged her.
“Are the kids—”
“They’re fine. I had them last night and Maria has them now. She’s bringing them soon. Here, check this out. Caden came down to scare me to death about being late for school—there isn’t any school today, by the way—and this is what Corinne was up to.” Harvey held out his phone and she took it, her hand trembling. She looked at the screen, at the photo of their daughter in all her mischievous, sassy glory, perched on a velvet vanity chair with a face full of purloined makeup. Bella smiled. Then she grabbed the small pillow and pressed it to her side where she’d had surgery and gasped.
“I miss them so much.”
“Corinne knew I was her father. She said she overheard you and Maria talking about it, so I wasn’t going to lie. I told them the truth.”
“I wanted to be there when we told them.”
“I know. But she already knew, honey. And they were fine with it. They even called me, Dad. I just wanted you to know, so you didn’t think I told them without you.”
“It’s okay. I’m glad they know.”
“In the short time I had them, I learned it’s very hard to be a parent. When she got into your makeup, I wasn’t sure how to handle it.”
I hope you weren’t too hard on her.”
“I made her clean it up and told her not to mess with your stuff. It was pretty damn cute.”
“Yeah. That’s her besetting sin—being headstrong, but being so damn cute it’s hard to stop her.”
“I love them, Bella. They’re amazing kids, and you’ve done an amazing job with them. I’m just sorry I wasn’t there for the three of you. I promised—”
“Harvey, don’t,” she interrupted.
Harvey sat down carefully on the edge of her narrow bed and took her fingers in his, “I promised myself I’d say this if I got the chance, Bella, so hear me out. Please.” She nodded her encouragement.
“I love you. I’ve never loved anyone else if you want to know the truth, and all I want is to be with you. Raise a family with you. Get over myself and be your husband instead.”
“What? I—I thought you’d take them away from me while I was in the hospital.”
“If that’s what you think of me, then I’ve got a lot to make up to you. Because all I have wanted since you had that accident was to make things right, to make sure we’re never apart again and that those kids have both their parents. Always.”
“Do you mean it?” she asked as a tear dripped down her face.
“I forgive you, Bella.”
She let out a sob as emotion consumed her. “I’ve waited so long to hear those words. They mean everything to me.”
“I know my mother would’ve taken those kids without a doubt. And how could have you ever fought against her?”
“And I should’ve taken a step back instead of being so bossy when you first met the kids. I should’ve let you did it your way.”
“We might have collided at first, but I think everything is going to be okay. I think it’s time we quit living in the past and move forward with a beautiful future.”
Harvey reached into his pocket and took out the velvet box that held the engagement ring he’d given her nearly seven years ago, the big diamond solitaire with the halo of shimmering diamonds surrounding it, the platinum band, itself studded with tiny diamonds.
“This has been waiting for you, Bella. I—I’ve been waiting for you all this time. And you make me fall deeper in love with you every day. I let you into my world, and then just like that, you became it. I want you today, tomorrow, next week, the rest of eternity. You’re not just my lover but my best friend and the mother of my children. I can’t think of a more perfect life than waking up to your smiling face and going to bed with you in my arms. I knew you were special the second I met you and you shot me that gorgeous smile of yours. I was absolutely smitten. Many people search their entire lives to find what we already have.”
“What we have is so special.”
“I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make you and the kids happy. So the question is, will you spend the rest of your life with me? Will you marry me?”
More emotions flooded through her and she could barely speak as tears rolled down her cheeks.
“Yes!” she said, laughing and crying at the same time, “to think it took all of this, this horrible accident to bring us together.”
“I hate that you’re hurt, that you’re suffering, but I’ll get you through this. You’ll have the best therapy, and we’ll get you all the help you need to make a full recovery. And then, we’ll have the wedding of your dreams. Anywhere in the world. On the yacht off Mexico where you loved it, or up in a hot air balloon or on a beach in Fiji—name it.”
“I want to get married as soon as we can. We can have a party later, for the kids, with cake and everything, I just want to be your wife. If we could take our vows here, right now, I would.”
“I would, too, but I want you sober enough to make that decision. You’re on some heavy pain meds,” he joked and she shook her head.
“We’ll wait till I’m out of the hospital then, but only just. I want to be your wife,” she said again. “And I’m not waiting another minute.”
“Fine, but I’m not telling Corinne she doesn’t get to be a flower girl in a big, fancy wedding.”
“Okay, you convinced me. We’ll have a big fancy bash with a dress and vows and champagne and a flower girl dress that would put Scarlett O’Hara to shame,” she giggled, “It’s so good to have you back, Harvey.”
“I never should have let you go, Bella,” he said, kissing her tenderly, “I won’t make that mistake again. This time it’s forever.”
Epilogue…
3 years later…
Bella gave birth to her second set of twins. She was absolutely elated and completely in love with them.
“You have two healthy boys!” the doctor said smiling at her.
Bella beamed as she held each bundled baby. “We’re calling them Landon and Logan.”
Harvey and Bella both felt profound love, joy, and pride. There was no other feeling like this in the entire world.
“Our children…they’re my world,” Harvey said, voice wavering.
“I couldn’t imagine life any different or more wonderful than it is right now.”
He kissed Bella on the lips.
Harvey picked up each child and gazed down at them lovingly. Speechless, Harvey couldn’t stop looking at his beautiful boys. He was such a proud father and the tears welling up his eyes proved it. It was such an emotional and powerful moment.
With tears in his eyes, he gazed over at Bella. “We’re going to have a beautiful life with our four beautiful children.”
Bella grinned. “Yes, we are. I love you so much.”
“I love you too.”
The End
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