"What did you just say?" I asked.
"Do you want to adopt Joelle? Make her your daughter too?" he asked again.
"Are you sure? I mean, I'm never gonna be her real mother either way and I don't wanna take rights away from her real mother. That's not who I am." I said.
"I know. It's okay you don't want to. I just wanted to ask because I love seeing you two together and hearing her call you mommy and the way your face lights up when she does."
I thought for a second and realized that I actually am more of a mother to Joelle than her real mother will ever be. Why not?
"Okay. We can make it official." I said.
"Really?" he asked. His face lit up with joy.
"Yeah. I see how important it is to you and I want to do this for you and for her and for me. For all of us." I said.
He kissed me. "So were you serious about having a baby?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't we get started?" he asked.
"Now?"
"Yeah. Now is as good a time as any." he said.
"Meet me in the bedroom?" I asked. I got up and walked into the house with him following behind me.
***
After a few more rounds of sex we both decided to take a break and get some food. We hadn't really set anything up for the night date wise so we just ordered room service. It was nice to be alone with my husband on our honeymoon.
Once we were done with our food we went to bed.
**********
I woke up in the morning and Joe wasn't beside me. I looked around the room and he wasn't in here so I checked on the patio. Sure enough, he was there. "You really like it out here don't you?" I asked.
He jumped a little and turned to me. "Yeah. When did you wake up?" he asked.
"Just a few minutes ago. You weren't next to me." I said.
"I'm sorry. I just came out here to think."
"Think about what?"
"Everything. How I got here. How lucky I am to be the husband of a wonderful woman like you and the father to a beautiful, smart and talented little girl and plenty more children to come." he said.
"It's not luck. It's fate. I believe this was supposed to happen. Just like the thing with my dad. I think everybody is supposed to go through something in their life to make them stronger and make sure they live their lives to the fullest." I said.
"I love you. So much. I don't know if I say that enough."
"You don't have to say it. I feel it every day." I told him.
"Me too."
We sat there for a while and just enjoyed, not only, the view but the company as well.
***
Later on that night we went out to a nice restaurant and had dinner together. It felt nice to do that.
When we got back to the hotel room my phone started ringing. It was Uncle John. I answered. "Hello?" I asked.
"Hey baby girl. I'm sorry to spoil your honeymoon but I just thought you'd like to know that your dad today." he said.
"What?" I asked. I was a little surprised. He had a few months left.
"He died honey. His funeral is Friday."
"Oh." I said.
"I'm sorry. I know you were just getting your relationship with him back to what it was supposed to be. I wish he had more time with you."
"I know. I'll call you later." I said. I hung up and set my phone down on the bed.
"Everything okay?" Joe asked from behind me.
"He's gone. My dad. He's gone." I said.
"I'm..."
"You don't have to say it. I know." I paused. "I knew it was gonna happen sooner or later."
"You seem like you're okay with it."
"Yeah, well, we weren't really that close. We were trying to be but we weren't. It sucks that I won't have more time with him but he had his whole life. So did I." I said.
"I know babe." he said.
"So, listen, the funeral is Friday. You mind if we cut this honeymoon short?" I asked.
"Yeah. That's fine. You should be able to say goodbye."
"Yeah." I walked out to the patio and sat down. I let a few tears fall but that was it.
***
The Funeral
We were standing around the casket listening to the priest pray and do all of the other stuff he was supposed to do. I sat down with the immediately family. I was in between my mom and my uncle John. I just stared at the casket. I didn't have any tears. I didn't have any words. I just stared.
Someone started handing out flowers and gave me one. I stood up and put the first one on top of the casket. I kept my hand there for a few minutes and then the tears came. The realization that he was gone and that he was never coming back. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see my uncle John standing there. I hugged him and just cried in his arms for a few minutes.
Joe and I had gone back to my mom's house in Miami. That was where the gathering was being held. I was sitting by myself just watching everybody that came and went. To be honest, even with everything my dad had done, he had a bunch of people here that loved him. Even with what he did, I loved him.
"Hey." Joe said as he sat down beside me.
"I can't believe it. I just, I can't. We were just starting to get to know the people we were supposed to be. The relationship we were supposed to have. And now he's just gone." I said.
"I'm sorry babe. It's sad, I know, but you have me to lean on and you have Jon and your uncle John and all of our WWE friends and family. You're not alone." he said.
"Thank you Joe. For everything. I love you." I said.
"I love you too." he said.
We hugged and just sat there for a little while.
