I grab her hand with my left one, leaning my head down so that our foreheads touch, while placing my other hand on our growing baby.
“I’m here,” I say as she uses her free hand to touch my face.Tears stream down her cheeks, and I have to close my eyes to keep mine from falling.My woman needs her strong man right now, not one who’s falling apart.She removes the mask, and I waste no time sealing my lips over hers.It feels like drinking water for the first time after being denied for weeks in the desert.You never realize what little things you miss about a person until they aren’t there anymore.Her lips on mine is something I’ve missed and never want to be without again until I die.
A throat clears, causing us to break from each other.
“We need to keep calm, remember?”Ian says looking right at me.I roll my eyes but concede.
“Do we want to know the gender of our baby Roberts?”Melissa changes the subject, holding up a long string of ultrasound photos.I recall those from when Debbie was pregnant with Zane.
“It’s a boy,” Sutton says, making me turn her way.
“How do you know?Did they do a scan on you?”I ask.Maybe she did get some medical attention.
She shakes her head, but a smile graces her beautiful face.“No.I kept having these dreams that it was a boy.I’d be in the kitchen looking out the window, watching as you and Zane were pushing a little boy on the swing set in the backyard.He looked just like you,” she says.
I have to clear my throat a few times to keep my emotions in check.
“If for some reason it’s not, then we’ll keep trying until you have your dream, Angel,” I vow.Leaning down close to her I say, “I love you so much, Sutton.I’m sorry it took me so long to find you, but I promise that you’ll never be taken from me or Zane again.”
“I love you too,” she starts to cry, not caring that we have an audience in the room.After the shit we’ve been put through, I don’t care who hears or knows how I feel about this woman.“I’ve missed you and Zane so much, but I knew you’d come for us.”
Something pushes against my hand, and my eyes travel down Sutton’s body.A thump hits my palm, and my woman giggles then winces.
“I think the baby agrees,” I find myself saying.“You okay?”If I can feel the kick I know she is really feeling it.
“He’s always moving when I talk about you or his older brother,” she shares.
“Well…do you want to know for sure?”we hear Melissa tease.
Sutton and I both look at each other and nod.
“Confirm our boy,” I say then hold my woman tight to me.
“Baby Roberts is a…” Melissa holds the photo to her chest and looks over at Ian.“Drumroll, please.”She gives him a look, and his confused face makes us both laugh.It melts something inside of me to hear that sound again.Ian looks put out then pats his thighs.“A sweet baby boy!”
“I told you,” Sutton exclaims, and there is nothing I won’t do to keep that perfect smile on her face.
“You sure did,” I say bending down to capture her lips.Once I’m satisfied I’ve thanked her enough with my tongue, I crouch down, level with the bed.My head is eyelevel where my second son is located.“Hey baby boy, I’m your daddy.”
I hear Sutton gasp and feel her hand press against my cheek.A sniffle sounds in the room, and I turn to see Melissa wiping her eyes.She comes over to both of us and places a hand on each of us.
“This baby is so blessed to have you both as his parents,” she says, placing a kiss on each of our cheeks.
“I’m the lucky one,” I say looking at Sutton.The last few months flash through my mind, and the entire series of events that led up to today spins through my vision.So much time has been taken from us, and I’m not willing to let anymore pass us by.“Marry me,” I blurt out.
“Whaaat?”Sutton looks at me like I just spoke to her in a foreign language.
“Marry me,” I repeat.“Right now.So much time has been stolen from us that we shouldn’t put this off.I love you and you love me.You love Zane, and now that you’re safe, we shouldn’t wait.I want you to have my name and every part of me legally…”
“Dude, what part of stress-free—” I hear Ian pop off in the corner while Melissa says, “Havoc, remember we talked about not causing any?—”
“Yes!”the other people in the room fade away when Sutton opens her mouth and answers.
“Yes?”I ask her.
She snorts, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
I hop up from my crouching position as Melissa steps back from the bed.I hover over my future wife.