Beautifully Hurt (Beautifully Broken)
Another grin spreads over her face. “She’s going to be beautiful, just like you.”
“She?” I ask, my heart skipping a beat.
“Yeah. You’re having a girl, Quinn. She’ll have Eli’s dark hair and your green eyes. She’s going to be the prettiest little girl.”
“How do you know that?”
She lets out a sputter of laughter. “I just do.”
“Are you happy, Katie?” I ask the one question I’ve always wanted to ask her.
“Of course, silly.” Her chuckle is filled with bubbles. “Every time you smile, I smile.”
“I’ll never stop smiling then.” We stare at each other, then my chin begins to quiver. “This is goodbye, right?”
“For now,” she nods.
Leaning forward, I wrap my arms tightly around her. “I love you, Katie. Thank you for being my best friend.”
“I love you, Quinn,” she whispers. “More than I’ve ever loved anything. I’ll always watch over you.” She pushes me back so we can look at each other again. “I hope you have a beautiful life filled with laughter and love.”
Katie tilts her head, her love for me making her eyes sparkle like the stars above us. “You’re never alone, Quinn. I’ll be there every step of the way.” She presses her hand to my chest. “Right here, safely tucked away in your heart.”
I cover her hand with both of mine.
“Bye, Katie.”
Waking up, a smile spreads over my face as I brush my hand over my baby bump.
“We’re having a girl,” I murmur.
“How do you know?” Eli asks sleepily, his face half burried in a pillow.
“Katie told me.”
His head pops up. “You dreamed about Katie?”
Letting out a chuckle, I nod. “Yeah. I got to say goodbye.”
Eli wraps an arm around me, pulling me closer to him. “I’m glad, baby.” He’s quiet for a moment, then asks, “So we’re naming our daughter Katie?”
My eyes dart to his, and a wide smile spreads over my face. “Can we?”
“Of course.”
I press a kiss to his mouth. “When we have a boy, you can name him.”
“Hmm… how many kids are we having?” he asks, pressing his body against mine.
“Five.”
Eli lifts his head then gives me a playful grin. “I have my work cut out for me.”
“Want to practice?” I ask with a suggestive tone.
“Baby, I’ll never say no to sex,” he chuckles as he moves over me.
With my husband making love to me, my heart is bursting with love and happiness.
Eli’s been my hero since I was fourteen, and thinking how far we’ve come the past ten years, I can’t wait to see what the rest of our future together holds.
ELI
Fifty years later…
“Baby,” I call out as I walk through the house.
“Outside,” I hear her answer.
Stepping out the backdoor, I find Quinn slowly straightening up after plucking some weeds from the flower bed.
“Remember after we met, you said you had one wish?” I walk closer to my wife, who’s given me the most incredible marrage and children, filling my life with happiness.
“What wish?” she says, frowning up at me.
“You said you had one wish… a kiss when you’re old and wrinkly.”
Her frown instantly darkens. “You telling me I’m all wrinkly, Eli?”
I let out a burst of laughter. “But still as beautiful as the day I married you.”
Her features soften into a playful smile. “I’m just pulling your leg, but don’t stop with the compliments.”
Capturing her eyes, I say, “If we lived a million lives, I’d marry you in each one, Quinn.”
Her eyes begin to shimmer with tears. “I love you, baby.” Pressing my mouth to hers, I give her the one wish she had.
When I pull back, Quinn smiles happily. “Only you can make my old heart swoon.”
“I better be the only one,” I mutter.
“Always, Eli,” she chuckles. “It’s only ever been you.”
The End.