Heartstrings

Epilogue (Kelly)

Two Christmases later

Kelly

The trek from my parents' house to Mitchell's is wet and cold and soggy. It was another Christmas Eve my parents hosted. And it was another Mitchell and I went to together. As a couple.

Although Mitchell has been acting strangely at the party – well, this holidays, if I were to be completely honest – I try not to make a big deal out of it. I couldn't decide if he was acting distant or that I was being clingy.

Maybe it was the hormones. God, I can always blame it on the pregnancy that I have yet to tell him about.

I look over my shoulder and walked on when I saw Mitchell following behind. I rushed toward the back door, my body uncomfortably cold.

I didn't wait for him. I toss my coat off and slipped my boats off, marching toward the living room. I stood by the fireplace and looked out the window where snow rained on a lot in furious amount.

Tucking my arms over my chest, I rubbed my arms with my hands.

"Baby, you want me to get you a blanket?"

"No. I'm fine," I murmured quietly.

I hear his footsteps behind me. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

His arms crawled from behind me, caging me in.

My eyes flitted to the clock that read eleven fifty-eight in the evening and I smiled nervously. "It's almost Christmas Day."

He stiffened against me.

It wasn't the reaction I was hoping. Not when I had the pregnancy test wrapped in a bow as a Christmas gift, just waiting to be drawn from the back pocket of my jeans.

I wanted a much more desirable response from him. Not the distance we've been having in the last few days. And now there's even bigger distance between us after celebrating Christmas Eve with my family at my parents' house.

A sigh ripped out of my throat. "Mitchell?" A lump raised in my throat but I willed myself to face this head-on. To confront the issue if there was any at all.

"Yeah?"

I turn all the way around and looked up to his face, so tender and inexplicably... nervous? His blue eyes latched to mine as they reflect the dancing glow of the fireplace.

I swallowed. My stomach twisted into knots, my heart aches for the unspoken words. "Mitchell, are we okay?"

His brows knitted together. "What do you mean, sweetheart?"

My eyes flicked down to his nose. "Because I don't think that we are okay."

His fingers went to hook my chin, urging me to look at him. "Kelly, what makes you say that?"

I ramp down the raging hormones that are giving me the hardest time to control. Then his face was suddenly a blur and I realized I was crying. "Because you've been so distant lately and it's giving me the impression that you might not want me anymore."

"Baby," he cups my face in both hands, "no. Baby, I'm not."

I sniveled. "Yes, you were. And I'm freaking out because I had this positive pregnancy test all prettily wrapped up as your Christmas gift and I don't think you'll want it."

His eyes grew wide. "Wait, Kelly. Pregnancy test?"

I nodded, sobbing now.

"And it's positive?"

I nodded.

"And that means you're pregnant?"

I nodded.

"We're going to have a baby?"

I nodded.

I stared at his face with my heart in my throat.

His mouth curved into a grin. A happy grin. His blue eyes twinkled in excitement.

"Mitchell, I—" My sentence ended with a squeal when he grabbed my waist and swing me around.

"Kelly, holy shit, I'm going to be a daddy," he says, putting me back to my feet and sweeping my tears off my cheeks with his fingers. "We're going to be parents."

"Wait, you're okay with this?" I blurted out.

A puzzled frown formed between his brows. "Why not?"

"Because you've been acting so distant lately," I pointed out. "More so after Christmas Eve at my parents'."

"Kelly, I wasn't."

"Yes, you were. I felt a freaking wall when we left the party."

Something flits past his eyes. "I'm sorry."

My heart thudded. "For what?"

"For making you feel that way. Truth is, baby," he paused for a moment, struggle in his gaze, "I've been nervous in the last few weeks. And I'm just pissed about tonight because I wasn't able to propose like I planned to. My nerves kept getting in the way and I know that I just blew it."

It was my turn to be confused. "Proposed?"

He plucks out a sigh. His hand went to the pocket of his jeans and withdrew a green red box. He opened it, exposing a diamond ring that caught light from the fireplace.

My mouth gaped. "Mitchell."

"Marry me?" He asks, eyes a sparkling midnight blue.

I sniffled, my eyes welling with fresh tears. "Yes. Yes!" I threw my hands around his neck and rained his face with kisses.

He chuckled.

I offered him my finger and he slipped the ring, planting a kiss on my forehead. "I love you, Kelly. I love you and our baby." His hand went to my belly and lingered protectively over it.

"I love you, Mitchell."

His arms wrapped around me. I rested my cheek against his chest. I had a goofy grin I couldn't stop. And I really don't mind.

I look out the window again, this time, the snowfall was even lovelier. For a moment, I could picture us both inside a snow globe, happily frozen in time with the snow flakes always churned up like magic. And we all have these love for one another locked up inside, no room for escape. Just us, living happily ever after, never knowing what lies behind the glass – where what if's and if only's lie.

Because we risked to have something that we have.

I did.

And now I have the greatest gift of all.

THE END

Hope you all have a prosperous new year. :)