Stellaride - A CinderStella Story

Their happily ever after (76)

2 months later

Kellys POV

I threw the last of the dirt around the apple tree I just planted as I wiped the sweat across my forehead and stood back, I felt a hand on my back and I turn to see Stella handing me a glass of water and I take it. 

"you didn't have to do all this" she says leaning her head on my shoulder and looking at the apple tree I've planted in our back yard along alongside a baby angel statue and water feature. 

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to" I say before taking a sip of my water, it was something ive been working on for a few weeks, I have created a little memorial garden in the corner of our back yard for the baby we lost, Stella constantly told me it didn't Bother her but I often found her looking at the scan photo April printed out for her as a keepsake, talking to it asking herself what they would have been, and even if the wasn't planned they would have been loved unconditionally. 

she returned to work not long after the shooting, she said the sooner she got back to normal the better, so on our days off I planned and got to work on this memorial garden so we had something to always remind us of what could have been. I hear our doorbell ring and I pass Stella my glass "wait here, that will be the final touch to this" I say pointing at the garden as I run inside and go answer the door.

it was the parcel delivery guy in the truck, he was bringing the box down off the truck as another gentleman asked me to sign a sheet to confirm delivery. I signed the sheet as they carried the box over to me. "I've got it, it's fine" I say as I take the box from them. 

"thank you" I shout as I shut the door and carry the box out to the back yard

"what is that" Stella says seeing me walk over with the box as I place it on the floor "you will see" I say as I go and get my tool box from the garage. I come back out to the garden to find stella trying to figure out what it is. 

"why don't you go check on the kids, they are being awfully quiet and I'll build this, it won't take me long" I say kissing her cheek as she smiles and walks inside. I sit down and start building the contents from the box. 

I had ordered a wooden bench with a named plaque to go on the back, we agreed on a name for the baby during one of our talks when I caught Stella looking at the picture for the first time, we decided to give him or her a name, it was a gender neutral one obviously as we didn't get to find out what they were.  

after 10 minutes it was completed, I placed it beside the tree and stood back and looked at it as I wiped my hands on my jeans. 

I heard giggling behind me and see Leo run out of the house covered in some kind of white cream, I see Stella run out chasing him as I grab him "what have you done" I say laughing as I recognise the cream was actually my shaving foam "decided you wanted to be like daddy early did you" I say carrying him inside as Stella follows me shaking her head "he is a monkey, hes got it all over the bathroom" Stella says trying not to laugh. 

Leo just giggles as he waves his arms flicking the foam everywhere as I grab his arms as Stella strips him down and clears him of the foam. once he is clean I pick him up and carry over my shoulder upstairs to get him into some clean clothes. 

once he is dressed I put him down and he goes and plays with his cars. I walk out of his room and check on Delilah dancing around in her room copying the dancers on the TV as I smile at her and walk downstairs without disturbing her.

Once I'm downstairs I see Stella stood out in the backyard looking at the bench Ive just built. I go out and wrap my arms around her as I lean my head on her shoulder "so, what do you think" I say as she turns around with tears in her eyes "Kelly, its beautiful" she says wrapping her arms around my neck hugging me tightly.