novelxo Chapter 0814
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Valerie and Alden kept chatting while the café prepared a salad for Serenity. Valerie was surprised at how well Alden already knew her daughter's tastes.
As she watched her future son-in-law, she realized her daughter had made a good choice. Guilt crept in when she thought about her initial reaction-not just guilt, but embarrassment, because that had been the first impression she gave him.
After a few minutes, Valerie walked beside the young man. At times, when she looked at him, it was as if she were seeing a young Peter-the confident man who, from the moment they met, had welcomed her into his life.
She smiled to herself. Life hadn't allowed them to be together, and now, they were both where they were meant to be. They had moved on, and as ridiculous as it seemed, life had brought them back together- not as a couple, but as family.
When Celeste walked into Peter's room, he was still awake. He looked at her with wide eyes and said: "Celeste... my love, you should go rest. Get a room and get some sleep."
"Peter, how could I? I don't want to sleep-not until I know you're okay," Celeste said, sitting beside him and resting her head on the bed.
Peter reached out and ran his fingers through her hair, playing with it gently.
"Celeste..."
"Hmm?"
"Can I feel the babies?"
"Of course!" she said, quickly sitting up.
At that exact moment, the tiny lives inside her started to move. Peter's eyes lit up.
"They're moving! The babies are moving!"
His voice was full of joy. He had always wanted to feel Serenity move in Mary's belly, but life had denied
him that experience. Now, it was giving him a second chance-twice over.
"They've been moving a lot lately. I think they're starting to run out of space."
"They're still too small to be moving this much. Are you sure that's normal?"
"Of course! Babies start moving as early as sixteen weeks. I recognize their movements because I've been pregnant before. And now that there are two, it's only natural that they're fighting for a little more room," Celeste said with a smile.
"Thank you, Celeste."
"For what?"
"For giving me the chance to be a father. I know I already am one, but I never got to experience these moments..."
"There's still so much more to experience. We don't even know if they're boys or girls yet. We have a long journey ahead of us... That's why you need to be strong. You have to get better so we can go home and live it all together."
"Celeste, there's something I need to give you..."
"What?"
"Can you help me?"
"Of course... What do you need?"
"You see that coat hanging on the rack?"
"Yeah? What about it?"
"Can you bring it to me, please?"
Celeste got up, took the coat, and handed it to him. Peter, struggling a bit with only one hand-his other
arm was still holding little Ethan-searched through the pockets.
"Here it is!" Peter said, holding something in his hands.
"What are you looking for? I can help you—"
"No! I have to do this myself, just wait..."
With a quickness only he possessed, he opened a tiny box and pulled something out. "Celeste... Come here... Closer..."
"What is it, Peter?"
"I'm so sorry for the whirlwind of nonsense I've put you through. I'm sorry for keeping my problems from you. I've been alone for so long, carrying the weight of this little
family on my shoulders. I never net
allowed myself to get sick or feel weak. But now I know-I
my side. I have to get bave you by
I have
to pull through. For you, for our
children, for my Ethan, for Alden, and for my future grandchildren...
I know I can't do this alone, and I thank God and life itself for giving me you..."
"Peter... "
"Wait... Before you say anything, let me finish.
"Celeste... I know that since I came
into your life, all I've done is
complicate it know I've turned your routine upside down, that I barged into your life like an invader. And you know what? I will never regret it. Celeste, I love you. I love you in a way I can't even understand. I love you with everything I am and everything I have. I love you, and I refuse to live my life without you.
"You, the woman who appeared out of nowhere, stole my breath, my attention, my focus-my entire world.
"I want to spend whatever time I
have left with you. Whether it's days, months, or- dare to
dream-years. I want to watch our children grow, see my grandchildren be born, witness Ethan become a man know I'll be going into surgery, and I have no plans of dying. I'll do everything in my power to make it through. But before anything else, there's something I need to give you..."