FIFTEEN YEARS LATER
Melody
I watch Abram sniffle as he delicately holds our little bundle of joy against his chest, Mariana Elizabeth Harden... She’d come as a pleasant surprise when we thought we wouldn’t be having any more kids after the twins.
She was our gift, and we’re all happy to welcome her to our family.
“Dad is such a cry baby,” Melissa, our first daughter, says with a dramatic sigh.
“Leave the Dad alone,” Dylan, her twin brother chides. “He’s just happy to finally hold his little princess in his arms.”
“If she’s the princess, what am I?” Melissa asks, rolling her eyes at Dylan.
“Maybe an evil witch,” Dylan says, sticking out his tongue at his sister. “Jealous much?”
“That’s enough you two,” I say with a soft sigh. “It’s hard to believe you are both fifteen and still continue with these childish squabbles. It’s the same way your dad cried when he held you two in his arms as babies.”
“I can imagine,” Melissa says, shaking her head at her father, who seems oblivious to everything else around him apart from the baby in his arms.
“To think he once told me he didn’t know how to cry,” I say with a fond smile. “Believe it or not, your dad used to be... hard.”
“What?” Melissa scoffs. “I saw him wiping his eyes when Dylan scored the winning goal at his last game of the season.”
“Do you remember the stage play you participated in in middle school?” Dylan asks his sister. “Dad wouldn’t stop sniffing even though you had no lines.”
We all laugh at the memory. It’s been over fifteen years with Abram, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world than where I am now.
Abram showed me what it truly means to love and be loved.
There’d been a point in my life where I couldn’t imagine a future for myself, but we’ve come so far now. And I wouldn’t change a thing about our journey. The beginning might have been a little rough but we made it and we're stronger for it.
“Guys, I’m right here,” Abram finally says, turning a mock glare at each of us. “Why do you keep talking like I’m not?”
I’m just about to reply when the door to the hospital room opens, and Ella waltzes in with a big smile. I gasp in surprise. “El!”
“Hello, everyone,” she greets with a big smile. She looks extraordinarily gorgeous in her flowery summer dress, with her long blonde hair flowing freely behind her.
Ella has grown into such a beautiful young lady, one who is making waves in the fashion industry as a top fashion model.
“Ella!” The twins exclaim, rushing into her open arms.
“I missed you guys so much,” Ella says, returning their hugs. “But first, let me welcome little Mariana. Uncle Abe, hand her over.”
“Yes, your highness,” Abram replies, carefully placing little Mariana in her outstretched arms. “There you go.”
“Aww... She is so adorable,” Ella coos, smiling brightly at the baby.
“How about your Mom?” Abram asks her. “I haven’t heard from her in a while.”
“Last I heard, she’s in Tanzania or something that sounds close to that,” Ella says without taking her eyes off the baby. “You know how she and Daniel love to travel to exotic places. So anyway, they sent their love.”
“I hope they don’t send an elephant as a baby gift this time,” Dylan says with a dramatic cringe. He’s probably thinking back to their last birthday when Brenda and her husband sent them iguanas from some faraway country in Africa.
I chuckle softly at the memory...I had laughed so hard at the horror on the twins’ faces. We had ended up sending the iguanas to some animal care facility in the state.
“I hope I got the right room?”
“June!” I greet with a delighted smile. “I thought you couldn’t fly in from London until tomorrow.”