Her eyes widen in shock, but I still see the hope there.
Epilogue
A few weeks later
Olivia
After the hearing, everything seemed to go back to normal. Faith went back to her confident, sassy self and I went back to work. The only difference is that we spend every bit of our spare time with Johnny. He kept his promise. He protected us and continues to do so.
We just finished eating dinner and Faith is in the living room watching TV. Johnny and I are washing dishes and he’s been quiet the whole night, like he has something on his mind.
Finally fed up, I drop the pan into the soapy water and it splashes all over the both of us. Now that I have his attention, I tell him, “Just say it. Tell me whatever it is that’s bothering you.” God, I hope he’s not breaking up with me. Everything has been so perfect.
He pulls me against him and stares into my eyes. He’s not smiling, and he’s making me nervous. “Honey, I’m tired of sneaking out early in the morning. I’m tired of hiding what we have from Faith. I love you. I love both of you and I want you to be my wife. If you’re not ready…”
Sobbing, I hold on to him. “I’m ready. There’s nothing I would want more than to be your wife.”
“So will you be my daddy?” a quiet voice asks me from the doorway.
We both gasp and look at Faith. My hands clench at my heart. My little girl has been through so much. Her dad is still in jail and he will not be getting out anytime soon. She is so attached to Johnny and I know she would love to have him for a Dad.
Johnny walks over to her and squats down in front of her. “Yes. I would be your step dad.”
She considers what he said and then asks him, “Can I call you Dad?”
He wipes at his eyes and then huskily whispers to her, “Yes, honey. I would love for you to call me Dad.” He gets a jewelry box out of his back pocket and opens it to show her. “I have a ring for your mommy, but I wanted to get you something too. To let you know that I love you and I will always be here for you.”
“Do you promise?” she asks with so much hope in her eyes it about kills me. I’m steadily wiping the tears out of my eyes.
“I promise,” he pledges to her. He helps her put the necklace on and when we both praise how beautiful she looks, she walks back into the living room. When he turns to me, he still has tears in his eyes.
Pulling another box out of his pocket, he opens it to show me the ring. “I love you, honey.” And he puts his ring on my finger with a promise of forever.