The Girl He Hid Part 3
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The Girl He Hid Part 3
Chapter 26: The Proposal Setup
Six months later, Adrian started planning.
He had been saving money for months, working extra shifts at his part-time job and skipping nights out with friends. He had talked to Olivia, to Tara, to Marcus. He had even called Sienna's mother to ask for her blessing.
"About time," her mother had said. "I was starting to think you'd never ask."
Now, all he needed was the perfect moment.
The Plan
Adrian rented out The Lighthouse for a private party. He invited all of Sienna's friends—Tara, Marcus, Nina, Elena, and Olivia who flew in from Veridian City. He decorated the bar with fairy lights and sunflowers, her favorite flowers. He hired a photographer to hide in the corner and capture the moment.
All he had to do was get Sienna there.
"The Lighthouse?" Sienna asked when he told her they were going out. "Again?"
"It's a surprise."
"You and your surprises."
The Night Of
Adrian was nervous. His hands were shaking as he buttoned his shirt. His heart was pounding so hard he could feel it in his throat.
"What if she says no?" he asked Derek, who was video-calling him for moral support.
"She won't say no."
"How do you know?"
"Because she's been in love with you for six years, you idiot."
Adrian took a deep breath. "Okay. Okay. I can do this."
"You can do this."
The Arrival
Sienna walked into The Lighthouse and gasped.
The room was beautiful. Fairy lights hung from the ceiling like stars. Sunflowers covered every table. Their friends were there, all of them, smiling and holding up their phones.
"Sienna," Adrian said.
She turned.
He was down on one knee.
Chapter 27: The Engagement
Sienna's hands flew to her mouth. Her eyes filled with tears.
"I spent six years being too scared to love you," Adrian said. His voice was shaking. His hands were shaking. "And I'll spend the rest of my life making up for it. You are everything to me. My best friend. My partner. My home."
He pulled out a ring—a simple diamond on a silver band. It caught the light and sparkled.
"Sienna Hartley, will you marry me?"
The Answer
Sienna was crying too hard to speak. She nodded, then nodded again, then nodded a third time.
"Yes," she finally managed. "Yes, yes, yes."
Adrian slid the ring onto her finger and stood up. He kissed her as their friends cheered and clapped and cried.
It wasn't perfect.
But it was theirs.
The Celebration
The rest of the night was a blur of champagne and laughter and congratulations. Tara cried. Marcus pretended not to cry. Olivia screamed so loud that the bartender covered his ears.
"I told you!" Olivia said, hugging Sienna. "I told you he was different!"
"You were right."
"I'm always right."
Sienna laughed. "Don't let it go to your head."
The Walk Home
Adrian walked Sienna home, just like he always did. But this time, she was wearing his ring.
"I can't believe we're engaged," she said.
"I can't believe you said yes."
"Did you think I wouldn't?"
Adrian shrugged. "There was a moment, right before you answered, where I thought you might say no."
Sienna stopped walking. She turned to face him.
"Adrian Vance, I have loved you since I was sixteen years old. There was never a chance I would say no."
Adrian pulled her into his arms. "I love you."
"I love you too."
Chapter 28: The Wedding Planning
The next few weeks were a blur of congratulations, wedding planning, and happiness.
Sienna called her mother first. Her mother cried. Then she called Olivia. Olivia screamed. Then she called Tara. Tara showed up at her door with champagne and a binder full of wedding ideas.
"You've been planning this for a while, haven't you?" Sienna said.
Tara grinned. "I may have had a backup binder."
The Venue
They chose a small garden on the outskirts of Lunaport City. It was surrounded by oak trees and flowering bushes. There was a stone path that led to a wooden arch covered in vines.
"It's perfect," Sienna said when she saw it.
Adrian agreed. "It's perfect."
The Guest List
The guest list was small—just family and close friends. Sienna's mother and father (who had finally accepted Adrian). Adrian's mother (who cried when she heard the news). Olivia, Tara, Marcus, Nina, Elena, Derek, Marco.
And Dr. Ellison, Sienna's creative writing professor, who had become a mentor and a friend.
"You've come a long way," Dr. Ellison said when Sienna invited her. "I'm proud of you."
The Stress
Planning a wedding was stressful. Who knew there were so many decisions? Flowers, venues, guest lists, cake flavors, dress styles, invitations, seating charts, music, photographers.
Adrian was surprisingly helpful. He had opinions about everything—good opinions—and he never once complained.
"You're enjoying this," Sienna accused him one night.
"I'm enjoying doing things with you."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only answer you're getting."
Sienna threw a pillow at him. He caught it and pulled her into his lap.
"We're getting married," he said.
"We're getting married."
"Best decision I ever made."
Chapter 29: The Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties
Olivia and Tara planned Sienna's bachelorette party.
It involved wine, karaoke, and a surprisingly emotional game of "Never Have I Ever." There were also matching t-shirts that said "Last Fling Before the Ring" and a cake shaped like a wedding dress.
By the end of the night, Sienna was drunk and happy and surrounded by the people she loved most.
"I'm getting married," she kept saying.
"We know," Olivia said.
"I'M GETTING MARRIED."
"WE KNOW."
The Games
They played games that made Sienna blush. They told stories that made her laugh. They cried about the future and the past and everything in between.
"You deserve this," Tara said, hugging her. "You deserve to be happy."
"Thank you for being my friend."
"Thank you for letting me be your friend."
The Bachelor Party
Meanwhile, Adrian's bachelor party was much quieter.
Derek and Marco took him to a baseball game. They drank beer, ate hot dogs, and talked about the future.
"You're really doing this," Derek said.
"I'm really doing this."
"She's lucky to have you."
Adrian shook his head. "I'm the lucky one."
Marco, who rarely spoke, raised his beer. "To Adrian. For finally getting his act together."
Adrian clinked his bottle against theirs. "To Sienna. For giving me a chance I didn't deserve."
The Night Before
Adrian couldn't sleep. He lay in his apartment, staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had brought him here.
The heartbreak. The betrayal. The running. The healing.
And Sienna.
Always Sienna.
He picked up his phone and texted her: "Can't sleep."
She texted back immediately: "Me neither."
"Scared?" he asked.
"Terrified," she replied. "But excited."
"Me too."
"See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow. I love you."
"I love you too."
Chapter 30: The Night Before
Sienna couldn't sleep either.
She lay in her bed—her apartment, which she would be moving out of tomorrow—staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had brought her here.
The heartbreak. The betrayal. The running. The healing. The new friends. The new life.
And Adrian.
Always Adrian.
The Memories
She thought about the night she read his messages. The night her heart shattered. The night she decided to leave.
She thought about the first week in Lunaport City, when she cried every night and thought she would never heal.
She thought about the day he showed up in her creative writing workshop. The shock. The fear. The anger.
She thought about the five-minute visits. The coffee. The walks. The almost-kiss. The first kiss.
She thought about the fight. The forgiveness. The trust.
The Ring
She looked at the ring on her finger. It sparkled in the moonlight.
She still couldn't believe it was real.
The Knock
There was a knock at her door.
She opened it to find Adrian standing there, looking just as sleepless as she felt. He was wearing sweatpants and an old t-shirt, and his hair was messy.
"Couldn't sleep either?" she asked.
"Not even a little."
He stepped inside and pulled her into his arms. He smelled like soap and coffee.
"Tomorrow," he said.
"Tomorrow."
"We're going to wake up tomorrow and get married."
"I know."
"Are you scared?"
Sienna thought about it. "No. Are you?"
"Terrified."
"Of what?"
"Of messing this up. Of hurting you again. Of not being good enough."
Sienna pulled back to look at him. "You won't."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know you, Adrian Vance. The real you. And the real you is good. The real you is kind. The real you is someone I want to spend the rest of my life with."
Adrian kissed her forehead. "I don't deserve you."
"Probably not. But you're stuck with me anyway."
He laughed. "I love you."
"I love you too. Now go home. We have a wedding tomorrow."
The Goodbye
Adrian left. Sienna went back to bed.
She looked at the ring one more time.
Then she closed her eyes and slept like a baby.
Chapter 31: The Wedding
The wedding was on a Saturday in June.
The sun was shining. The flowers were blooming. And Sienna Hartley was about to become Sienna Vance.
She got ready at Olivia's hotel room. Her dress was simple—white lace that flowed behind her like a cloud. Her hair was pinned up with small white flowers. Her makeup was natural, barely there.
"You look beautiful," Olivia said, tears in her eyes.
"Don't cry," Sienna said. "You'll make me cry."
"I'm not crying. I have something in my eye."
"It's called an emotion, Liv."
"Shut up."
They laughed. They hugged. They cried a little.
The Ceremony
Sienna walked down the aisle on her mother's arm. The garden was full of flowers and fairy lights and the people she loved most. The stone path was lined with rose petals. The wooden arch was covered in vines and white blooms.
And at the end of the aisle stood Adrian.
He was crying.
Sienna had never seen him cry before. Not really. He had teared up, sure. But this was different. This was tears streaming down his face, unchecked and unashamed. His shoulders shook. His hands trembled.
"You look..." He couldn't finish.
"I know," she said, smiling.
The Vows
The ceremony was short and sweet. They wrote their own vows.
Adrian went first. His voice was shaking.
"Sienna," he said. "Six years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I let you go. I told myself I didn't need you. I told myself you were just... practice. I was wrong."
He took her hands.
"I need you like I need air. Like I need water. Like I need the sun. You are everything to me. And I promise to spend the rest of my life showing you that. I promise to be worthy of your love. I promise to never take you for granted again."
Sienna was crying too now.
"Adrian," she said. "You broke my heart. And then you put it back together. You showed me that people can change. That love is worth the risk. That forgiveness is possible."
She squeezed his hands.
"I promise to never stop choosing you. Even on the hard days. Even when we fight. Even when it's easier to walk away. I will always choose you."
The Kiss
The officiant smiled. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Adrian kissed her.
It was soft. Sweet. Full of promise.
Their friends cheered.
Sienna Hartley was now Sienna Vance.
Chapter 32: The Honeymoon
They went to a small beach town on the coast of Eldoria called Seabreeze Cove. Just the two of them. No phones. No distractions. No responsibilities.
The town had white sand beaches, crystal clear water, and a small hotel that overlooked the ocean. Their room had a balcony and a king-sized bed and a bathroom with a clawfoot tub.
"It's perfect," Sienna said.
"You're perfect."
"You have to stop saying that."
"I'll never stop saying that."
The Days
They spent their days swimming, eating, and lying in the sun. Adrian got sunburned on his nose. Sienna laughed at him. He threw her in the ocean. She splashed him back.
They explored the town, holding hands, stopping in small shops and cafes. They bought matching seashell necklaces from an old woman on the beach.
"For luck," the woman said.
"We don't need luck," Adrian said, looking at Sienna. "We have each other."
The Nights
They spent their nights tangled in each other, learning new things, making promises.
"I can't believe we're married," Sienna said on their last night. They were sitting on the balcony, watching the sunset paint the sky in shades of orange and pink.
"I can't believe you married me."
"I can't believe you followed me across the country."
Adrian laughed. "I can't believe you let me."
Sienna snuggled closer. "Best decision I ever made."
"Besides transferring to Asteria University?"
"Besides that."
The Return
They flew back to Lunaport City as husband and wife.
"Ready to go home?" Adrian asked.
Sienna looked out the window at the clouds. "Ready."
Home wasn't a place anymore.
Home was him.
Chapter 33: The First Fight (As a Married Couple)
Their first fight as a married couple was over something stupid.
Adrian left his socks on the floor. Not just once. Every day for a week. Sienna asked him to pick them up. He said he would. He didn't. She asked again. He said he would. He didn't.
On the seventh day, she snapped.
The Argument
"I'm not your maid," she said.
"I never said you were."
"Then act like it! Pick up your socks! I'm not your mother!"
Adrian got defensive. "It's just socks, Sienna. It's not a big deal."
"It's not about the socks. It's about you not listening to me. It's about you not caring enough to do something as simple as pick up your socks."
Adrian's jaw tightened. "I do listen to you."
"Do you? Because it doesn't feel like it."
The Storm Out
Adrian grabbed his jacket and stormed out. The door slammed behind him.
Sienna sat on the couch and cried.
She thought about calling Olivia. She thought about calling Tara. She thought about calling her mother.
But she didn't.
The Return
Adrian came back twenty minutes later with flowers.
"I'm sorry," he said. "You're right. It's not about the socks. It's about me being inconsiderate. I'll do better."
Sienna took the flowers. "You'd better."
They hugged. The fight was over.
The Lesson
Marriage, Sienna realized, wasn't about never fighting.
It was about always coming back.
"We need a system," she said.
"A system?"
"Like... if one of us is angry, we say so. Before it explodes."
Adrian nodded. "Okay. What do we say?"
"How about... 'I need a minute'?"
"I need a minute," Adrian repeated. "I like that."
They shook hands.
"Deal," Sienna said.
"Deal."
Chapter 34: The Pregnancy
Three months after the wedding, Sienna was late.
She didn't think much of it at first. Stress, maybe. Or hormones. Or something she ate. The wedding had been exhausting. The move had been exhausting. Everything had been exhausting.
But then she was late again. And again.
The Test
She bought a pregnancy test at the pharmacy on the corner. The cashier smiled at her knowingly. Sienna wanted to sink into the floor.
She stared at the pregnancy test in her bathroom, her heart pounding.
Two lines.
She was pregnant.
The News
Adrian came home to find her sitting on the bathroom floor, staring at the test, crying.
"What's wrong?" he asked, panicked. He dropped his bag and knelt beside her.
Sienna held up the test.
Adrian stared at it. Then at her. Then back at the test. His mouth opened. Closed. Opened again.
"Are you...?"
"Yeah."
He dropped to his knees and pulled her into his arms. "We're having a baby?"
"We're having a baby."
Adrian laughed—a joyful, disbelieving laugh that echoed off the bathroom tiles. "We're having a baby!"
Sienna laughed too. "We're having a baby."
The Celebration
They sat on the bathroom floor, holding each other, crying and laughing and not believing their luck.
"I'm going to be a dad," Adrian said.
"You're going to be a great dad."
"You think so?"
"I know so."
Adrian kissed her. "I love you."
"I love you too."
The Phone Calls
They called their parents. They called their friends. Everyone was overjoyed.
"Finally!" Olivia said. "I'm going to be an aunt!"
"You're going to be a great aunt."
"I know."
Sienna laughed. "Don't let it go to your head."
Chapter 35: The Nursery
They spent the next few months preparing for the baby.
Adrian painted the nursery yellow—they didn't want to know the gender until the baby was born. Sienna picked out furniture—a crib, a dresser, a rocking chair. They argued about names and laughed about their arguments.
"I like Lily," Sienna said.
"Lily is nice. What about James if it's a boy?"
"James is my ex-boyfriend's name."
"Your ex-boyfriend from middle school?"
"He still counts."
Adrian sighed. "Fine. No James. What about Noah?"
"Noah is perfect."
The Preparation
"You're going to be a great dad," Sienna said one night, watching Adrian assemble a crib. He had the instruction manual upside down and was clearly frustrated.
"You think so?"
"I know so."
Adrian smiled. "And you're going to be an amazing mom."
Sienna put her hand on her growing belly. "I hope so."
"No hope about it. You're already amazing."
The Names
They made a list of names.
For a girl: Lily, Emma, Sophia, Chloe (Sienna vetoed Chloe immediately because of Clarissa), Olivia (after her best friend).
For a boy: Noah, Liam, Ethan (Adrian vetoed Ethan immediately because of the date), Matthew.
"We'll know when we see them," Sienna said.
"Yeah," Adrian agreed. "We'll know."
The Waiting
The last few weeks of pregnancy were the hardest. Sienna was uncomfortable. She couldn't sleep. She couldn't find a comfortable position. She was tired all the time.
Adrian took care of her. He brought her food. He rubbed her feet. He listened to her complain without complaining himself.
"You're too good to me," Sienna said.
"You're growing a human. It's the least I can do."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Chapter 36: The Birth
The baby came on a Tuesday.
Sienna's water broke at 3 AM. She woke up to a wet sensation and a sharp pain in her lower back. She had been having contractions for hours, but she thought they were Braxton Hicks. She was wrong.
"Adrian," she said. "Adrian, wake up."
He sat up immediately, eyes wide. "What? What's wrong?"
"The baby is coming."
He was out of bed before she finished the sentence. He threw on clothes, grabbed the hospital bag, and helped her to the car. His hands were shaking. His voice was shaking.
The Drive
Adrian drove to the hospital at 90 miles an hour, running every red light. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel. His jaw was clenched.
"It's okay," Sienna said between contractions. "It's okay."
"IT IS NOT OKAY," Adrian said. "YOU ARE IN PAIN AND I CAN'T FIX IT."
Sienna laughed. "You're adorable when you're panicking."
"I AM NOT PANICKING."
He was definitely panicking.
The Hospital
They made it to the hospital just in time. The nurses rushed Sienna into a delivery room. Adrian held her hand the whole time.
"You're doing great," he said.
"I AM NOT DOING GREAT."
"You're doing amazing."
"SHUT UP."
He shut up.
The Arrival
Twelve hours later, their daughter was born.
She was tiny and red and screaming. And she was perfect. She had a full head of dark hair—Adrian's hair—and a tiny button nose—Sienna's nose.
"Hi, baby," Sienna whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I'm your mom."
Adrian cut the cord with shaking hands. "She's beautiful."
"She looks like you."
"Poor kid."
Sienna laughed. "Shut up."
The Name
They named her Lily. After Sienna's grandmother, who had passed away when Sienna was in high school. Lily had been the one who encouraged Sienna to keep writing, to follow her dreams, to never give up.
Lily Vance. 7 pounds, 3 ounces. Perfect in every way.
"She's here," Adrian said, holding his daughter for the first time.
"She's here," Sienna agreed.
"We're parents."
"We're parents."
Adrian looked at Sienna. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"For giving me a chance. For believing in me. For this."
Sienna smiled. "Thank you for not giving up."
Chapter 37: The First Year of Parenthood
The first year of parenthood was nothing like Sienna had imagined.
She had read the books. She had taken the classes. She had watched other mothers glide through the park with their strollers, looking peaceful and put-together and impossibly calm.
Those mothers, she now realized, were either lying or on heavy medication.
Month One
Lily came home from the hospital on a Thursday. She was seven pounds of screaming, squirming, completely helpless humanity, and Sienna was terrified.
"You've got this," Adrian said, carrying the car seat through the front door.
"I don't got this. I don't got anything. I don't even know how to swaddle."
"We practiced on the stuffed bear."
"The stuffed bear didn't scream."
Adrian laughed. "Fair point."
They placed Lily's car seat on the living room floor and stood over her like she was an alien artifact they had to figure out.
The First Night
Lily did not sleep.
She cried. Then she cried some more. Then, just when Sienna thought she couldn't cry anymore, she cried again.
Sienna tried everything. Feeding. Burping. Rocking. Singing. She tried the lullaby her mother used to sing to her. She tried bouncing. She tried walking in circles around the apartment.
Nothing worked.
At 2 AM, Sienna sat on the couch with Lily in her arms, crying alongside her daughter.
Adrian found them like that. "Let me try," he said gently.
"You don't know what you're doing."
"Neither do you. But we're learning."
He took Lily from Sienna's arms. She was surprisingly gentle with his big hands. He sat on the couch and placed Lily on his chest. Within minutes, she stopped crying.
"How did you do that?" Sienna whispered.
"I have no idea."
Month Three
Sienna returned to her creative writing classes. It was harder than she expected. Leaving Lily at the daycare center on campus felt like leaving a piece of herself behind.
But it got easier. Every day, it got a tiny bit easier.
And when she picked Lily up at the end of the day, and Lily smiled at her—really smiled, with those gummy, toothless grins—everything felt worth it.
Month Six
Lily started solid foods. It was messy. So messy. Food ended up on the walls, on the ceiling, in Sienna's hair.
"She's eating," Adrian said optimistically.
"That's not eating. That's performance art."
"It's bonding."
"It's a disaster."
But Sienna was smiling. Because Lily was laughing—that beautiful, gurgling baby laugh that made everything else fade away.
Month Twelve
Lily's first birthday party was small—just family and close friends. There was cake (which Lily smashed into her hair), balloons (which Lily was terrified of), and presents (which Lily was more interested in the wrapping paper than what was inside).
Sienna stood in the corner, watching Adrian hold Lily on his hip while he talked to his mother.
"Happy?" Olivia asked, appearing at Sienna's side.
"Yeah," Sienna said. "Really happy."
Chapter 38: Lily at Age Two
Lily turned two on a sunny Tuesday in June.
She was no longer a baby. She was a toddler—with opinions, tantrums, and a vocabulary that grew every day. She could say "mama," "dada," "no" (her favorite word), "more," and "cookie."
She had Adrian's dark eyes and Sienna's stubbornness.
"She's going to be trouble," Sienna said.
"She's going to be a handful," Adrian agreed.
"She's going to be just like you."
"I was an angel."
"You were a nightmare."
Adrian grinned. "Fair."
The Terrible Twos
The terrible twos were real.
Lily threw tantrums in the grocery store. She refused to eat vegetables. She colored on the walls with permanent marker. She flushed a sock down the toilet and flooded the bathroom.
"I can't do this," Sienna said one afternoon.
"Yes, you can," Adrian said. "We can do this together."
"What if we're terrible parents?"
"What if we're not?"
The Sweet Moments
But for every tantrum, there was a sweet moment.
Lily learning to say "I love you" (it came out as "wuv you," and Sienna cried every time). Lily running to the door when Adrian came home from work, shouting "Dada!" at the top of her lungs. Lily falling asleep on Sienna's chest, her tiny hand curled around Sienna's shirt.
The Sickness
Lily got sick for the first time when she was two and a half. A fever. A cough. Three days of crying and not sleeping and wanting to be held constantly.
Adrian and Sienna took turns staying up with her. They were exhausted and scared and worried.
But when Lily finally got better—when her fever broke and she opened her eyes and said "mama"—Sienna felt like she could breathe again.
The Second Birthday
Lily's second birthday party was bigger than the first. There were more friends, more family, more chaos.
Lily wore a crown made of paper flowers and refused to take it off for three days.
At the end of the day, when all the guests had gone home and Lily was asleep in her crib, Adrian and Sienna sat on the couch, exhausted.
"We made it," Adrian said.
"We made it."
"Another year."
"Many more to go."
Chapter 39: The Vow Renewal
On their fifth anniversary, Adrian surprised Sienna with a vow renewal.
Back at The Lighthouse. Back with their friends. Back where it all began.
Tara and Marcus decorated the bar with fairy lights and sunflowers—just like the proposal. Olivia flew in from Veridian City. Derek and Marco came too. Even Dr. Ellison showed up.
"This is too much," Sienna said when she walked in and saw everyone.
"It's not enough," Adrian said. "But it's a start."
The Vows
They stood at the front of the room, holding hands. Lily was sitting on Olivia's lap, eating a cookie and watching her parents with curious eyes.
"I meant every word I said five years ago," Adrian said, looking at Sienna. "But I want to add something."
Sienna raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"I promise to always pick up my socks."
She burst out laughing. "You PROMISED that five years ago!"
"And I've failed spectacularly. But I'm going to keep trying. Because that's what loving you is. Trying. Every day. Forever."
Sienna's eyes filled with tears.
"I promise to be the husband you deserve. The father our daughter deserves. I promise to never stop growing, never stop learning, never stop trying to be better."
Her Turn
Sienna took a deep breath.
"Adrian, five years ago, I was scared. I was scared to trust you. I was scared to love you. I was scared to believe that this could last."
She squeezed his hands.
"But you proved me wrong. Every day. You showed up. You tried. You never gave up. And because of you, I learned that love isn't about finding someone perfect. It's about finding someone who is willing to grow with you."
The Kiss
Sienna kissed him. "I love you, Adrian Vance."
"I love you too, Sienna Vance."
Their friends cheered.
Lily ran up and hugged their legs. "Mommy! Daddy! Can we get ice cream?"
Adrian scooped her up. "Anything for you, princess."
Sienna watched them—her husband and her daughter—and felt something she had almost forgotten.
Joy.
Chapter 40: Epilogue – Ten Years Later
Sienna sat on the porch of their house in Lunaport City, watching the sunset.
The house was small—a two-bedroom cottage with a garden in the back and a porch swing that creaked when you sat on it. They had bought it three years ago, after saving up for what felt like forever. It wasn't fancy. It wasn't perfect. But it was theirs.
Lily was ten now. She had Sienna's writing talent and Adrian's stubbornness. She was smart and funny and fierce. She had just won first place in a school writing contest for a story about a girl who befriends a dragon.
And she had a little brother. Noah, age six, who was currently trying to catch fireflies in the backyard with a mason jar. His hair was a mess, his knees were scraped, and he had a smile that could light up a room.
The Porch
Adrian came out with two glasses of wine and sat down next to her on the porch swing. His hair was graying at the temples now. There were lines around his eyes. He was still the most beautiful person she had ever seen.
"Thinking?" he asked.
"Always."
"About what?"
Sienna leaned her head on his shoulder. "About how we got here."
Adrian wrapped an arm around her. "It was a long road."
"The longest."
"Worth it?"
The Answer
Sienna looked at him. At their children—Lily reading on the grass, Noah chasing fireflies. At the life they had built together. The fights. The forgiveness. The growth. The love.
"Yeah," she said softly. "Worth it."
Adrian kissed her forehead.
"I love you, Sienna."
"I love you too, Adrian."
The Sunset
The sun dipped below the horizon. The stars came out, one by one. Noah caught a firefly and showed it to Lily. She smiled and helped him put it in the jar.
They sat there, together, watching their children.
Not because their story was perfect.
But because it was theirs.
THE END
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