Ghost (Second Edition)

Epilogue

Luis

Three years later.

Luis sat curled up on the sofa in their small living room in their Gold Coast apartment. Cuddled in his arms was his and Nathan's newborn son, Simon.

Simon cooed softly and waved his little arms. He had a mess of black hair and green eyes, just like Luis. It had been agreed that it would be Luis's genes used in the surrogate process.

"I want our baby to look cute, not sharp and handsome!" Nathan had said when they were discussing it.

Luis hadn't cared what the baby would look like. It was never something Luis had seen in his future, to be holding a baby. His baby.

His baby.

His child.

Luis had never seen himself getting that far in life. Had never seen himself engaged to the love of his life or being halfway into the study of his dream job as a therapist.

It had never seemed possible until he met Nathan.

He owed Nathan so much. So much!

"You don't need to repay me." Nathan had said after they had moved here. "Your love is enough."

That didn't stop the fact that Luis owed Nathan his life.

A life of love. We will grow old together. Love each other forever.

His thoughts were cut off as Simon let out a loud wail, kicking his legs and waving his arms.

"Someone hungry?" Luis guessed, slowly coming back to the present.

"Whoa! Smells like someone needs a diaper change!" Nathan exclaimed, coming in from the balcony, his hair messed by the sea winds.

Nathan had been on a call with his father, who said he was retiring, so the business was being handed down to Nathan. Nathan had been studying hard to learn the tools of the trade.

Luis lifted the still-wailing Simon, gave the baby's nappy a quick sniff, and reared back in disgust. "Whew! You're right!"

Both Nathan and Luis looked at each other.

"Who's turn is it?" Nathan asked at last.

"Yours," Luis said, standing and holding Simon in the crook of his arm. "I changed him just before lunch."

"But—"

"No buts. Them's the rules." Luis interrupted, handing Simon over.

Nathan sighed. "Alright, alright."

Luis laughed and kissed Nathan on the cheek. "I'll get his bottle ready."

Nathan smiled.

"You should be studying." He murmured, jiggling Simon as he wailed.

"Hence why you're going to spend time with our son," Luis said, heading to the kitchen.

Their apartment was small. Only two bedrooms, with an open kitchen, dining room, and living room. There was a flat-screen TV and a large sofa in the living room. A single wooden dining table sat between the kitchen and the living room. The kitchen was small, doing a little L around the tiled space with just enough room for a stove, fridge, and cooking space. Along with the marble bench tops Luis had asked for three years ago, back when all this had still been a dream.

There were windows and a sliding door all along the back wall of the main space. The view of the ocean made up for the simple living. They had decided to live a modest life since they wanted their son to fit in with his peers.

"Alright." Nathan chuckled, before heading down the hall to the baby's room.

Luis set about warming a bottle for Simon, as was routine. He hadn't really lied to Nathan. He'd already studied today and was in desperate need of a nap. Having a newborn did that. Having a newborn while being in university did that.

Sometimes Luis wished they had waited three more years before having a kid so he could catch up on the forty-eight hours of sleep he had missed this first week of Simon being alive. He had kept count out of weak, half-felt spite.

But he loved Simon more than anything. He wouldn't change this for the world. Besides, he still got twenty-eight hours of sleep this week, it wasn't that bad....

Okay, maybe half that... I study late... Nah, who cares?

It didn't matter. He had a son. A family.

He had a life.

He was loved and cared for.

He was alive. That's what really mattered.

Smiling, he headed to the nursery bottle in hand. When he got there, Nathan was by the wooden changing table, fitting a wiggling Simon into a fresh nappy.

Luis went over and wrapped his arms around Nathan's waist, burying his face into his neck. Nathan smelled like baby powder and sea salt.

"Thank you," Luis murmured into Nathan's neck.

"In that mood, are we?" Nathan said, finishing Simon's nappy change. "What are you thanking me for?"

"Everything." He moved his head slightly to watch Simon as he cooed.

"You don't need to thank me for loving you, Luis," Nathan said gently, leaning his head on Luis's.

"And yet I still do," Luis said. "I owe you so, so much. You saved me. You gave me a life... A family. Things I never dared hope to dream of."

"We can cuddle while he's eating." Nathan insisted, scooping Simon into his arms.

Luis unhooked himself from Nathan and smiled.

"Want to head to the bedroom?" He asked, holding up the baby bottle.

"Sounds good!" Nathan said with a smile.

Luis smiled back before letting Nathan take the lead. He followed them to the main bedroom. Their room was small, the king-sized bed was facing the large window which gave them a view of the Gold Coast city. Their small wardrobe was on the right wall of the room, and full of clothes, including the ratty grey hoodie Luis insisted on keeping as a security blanket.

Nathan managed to clumber his way onto the soft, grey-covered bed while keeping Simon comfortably nestled in the crook of his arm. He looked over at Luis and smiled.

Luis followed suit and snuggled up to Nathan's side, handing him the baby bottle.

Nathan gently pressed the nipple of the bottle to Simon's lips. Simon latched on at once and started to suckle hungrily, closing his green eyes.

"Greedy little thing..." Nathan murmured.

"It's still so surreal, seeing him. Our son." Luis said softly as he gently stroked Simon's soft mess of hair.

"I know. He's so little!" Nathan replied, just as softly.

Luis yawned. "And he's nocturnal..." He muttered. "It's your turn tonight, I want at least five hours of sleep."

Nathan chuckled. "Alright." He leaned over and kissed Luis's head.

Simon spat the bottle out of his mouth and squirmed, opening his green eyes.

"Want to burp him?" Nathan asked.

"Sure." Luis gently took Simon from him and set the baby's head on his shoulder, patting his back till Simon let out a small burp. "Well done, little one." He whispered, cradling him.

"Ready for a nap?" Nathan asked with a yawn.

"Definitely!" Luis replied. He set Simon down between them and curled around him protectively, Nathan did the same on their son's other side.

They fell asleep like that, curled together in their sunlit room, feeling safe and content. Their lives no longer feeling like a dream.