Downhill From Here (#1)

Bonus Chapter

A/N: I'm updating all of my books with a bonus chapter because I know so many of you asked. Enjoy!

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Bowie

a year later

"And all of the sheep made their way home." I turned the page, staring down at the animation. "The End."

"Mommy, can we read another one?"

Lilo sat in between my legs, and both of us leaned back in her bed. Wearing matching bonnets, we'd been reading for almost an hour. I'd read about half of her collection.

We did this most nights. And she'd usually fall asleep by now.

"Baby, it's getting late," I whispered, running her arms. "You need to get to sleep."

She looked up at me through her little brown eyes, a small smile on her lips. "Pwease."

And because I was turning into a sucker these days, I grabbed another book from the pile on her little nightstand and opened it up.

Every now and then I'd have a moment of clarity, where I'd realize this was my life now.

I was a mom.

Lilo had given me a gift I'd be grateful for forever.

I was worried about how Nathan and I would adjust to married life and parenting at the same time. He had more experience than me in the whole parenting arena, so I didn't feel completely lost.

And living together and having a blended family like this was something that felt new and familiar all in one. With my sisters and grandma growing up, our house felt like a blend so I was used to it.

But sometimes I felt like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. After the cancer was gone, my new normal had turned to daycare pickups, Sunday pancakes, braiding Lilo's hair, and taking classes online for my Master's degree again.

And Nathan had started teaching kids snowboarding as well, creating his own elite riding school of sorts. But he didn't make it so expensive that a middle-class family couldn't afford it.

I thought raising a whole child would be the adjustment I'd have to acclimate to the most but it was the husband part that still somehow surprised me every now and then.

He was more thoughtful each day and all throughout my chemo, he'd been the steady anchor of this family.

Truth be told when we got married, I thought it was too soon or that I was too young.

But I was more obsessed with him each day and Nathan had grown into my person. Stevie would always be my soulmate but Nathan was my person.

I lowered my nose and peered down at Lilo to find her snoring. Closing the book we were halfway through, I sighed.

The bedroom door peeked open and I found Nathan's brown eyes watching me intently.

He smiled softly, a wistful look in his eyes.

I carefully pulled myself out from underneath Lilo and removed her head from my chest to her pillow.

She stirred slightly but stayed asleep.

"That took longer than usual," Nathan whispered, coming over to help me out of bed without waking her. He took my hand and I climbed down to the floor, my body bumping into his lightly.

"I know."

He pulled the bedsheets up her body and I kissed her on the cheek. "Goodnight ipo."

We both stared at Lilo, watching her breathing.