Whoa, Baby!

Epilogue

Epilogue
A Fairytale of Our Own

It felt surreal, almost like I was floating. The night was warm, with the gentle rustle of the ocean breeze mixing with the soft lapping of the waves.

We were on a private beach, far away from the noise of the world, surrounded by the kind of beauty that seemed straight out of a dream.

The entire scene was an ethereal vision of romance, with a heart-shaped display of red roses and flickering candles that cast a soft glow on the sand around us. The aroma of roses mingled with the salty air, and for a moment, everything else disappeared except for Joe and me.

I was still trying to process what had just happened when Joe slipped the ring on my finger, the diamond catching the candlelight and shimmering like it had a secret to tell. The heart-shaped hedge we stood within stretched somewhere between 50 and 60 feet, covered in at least 100 roses per foot.

Around it, about 50 pillar candles in glass vessels completed the picture, their flames dancing in the breeze. It was breathtaking, more than anything I could have imagined. He had taken my breath away with this moment, this proposal. And when he kissed me, I felt like I was being swept up into a fairytale.

There was no denying it—this was the life I had dreamed of, but never dared to believe could be real. When Joe had asked me to marry him, the first thing that escaped my lips was a shaky, "Yes," followed by an embarrassing burst of tears.

I couldn't help it. The weight of all the months, the ups and downs, the laughter, and the heartache—it all came flooding back in one wave of raw, overwhelming emotion. I was so happy I felt like I was going to burst.

I think Joe noticed because he leaned back and looked at me with that trademark concern of his, furrowing his brows. "Why are you crying?" he asked, his voice soft, filled with confusion and worry.

I wiped away a tear with the back of my hand, trying to collect myself. My voice cracked as I said, "I'm just so happy. And pregnant," I added, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

There was a brief moment of stunned silence as Joe's eyes widened. "You're pregnant?" he repeated, a mix of shock and disbelief etched on his face.

I nodded, a smile breaking out as my eyes filled with fresh tears. "We're going to have a baby."

In an instant, his expression changed from shock to pure joy. His lips spread into a grin, and he pulled me into a kiss that felt like the entire universe had paused just for us. We shared a moment, private and perfect, as if the world outside that heart-shaped display of roses and candles hadn't existed at all. He pulled back and looked at me, his eyes brighter than I'd ever seen.

"I can't believe this is our life," I whispered, shaking my head, unable to fully grasp the sheer magnitude of it all. From a surprise proposal on a secluded beach to the realization that I was carrying our second child, I felt like I had stepped into a story that was too good to be true.

"I know," he said, his voice full of wonder. "I can't believe it either."

The next few hours were a blur of hugs, laughter, and shared excitement. We made our way to the post-engagement dinner, which had been set up under a starlit sky, surrounded by our closest friends and family.

The entire night felt like a celebration, a radiant symphony of joy. Our loved ones, who had gathered to share in our happiness, were just as excited about the news of the baby as they were about the engagement itself.

When we arrived, Ocean was already there, cradled in the arms of my sister, Tanya. The moment she saw us, she squealed in delight, her tiny face breaking into a smile that mirrored my own. It was almost like she knew—like she could sense the change in the air, the shift in our family's story.

Jonathan who could always be counted on for a cheeky remark, was the first to break the happy chaos with his usual humor. He pointed a teasing finger at me and said, "Ocean is only eight months, uce. You're already making her a sibling?"

Trinity laughed, rolling her eyes. "I know you ain't talking, Jonathan," she said, shooting him a look that made everyone at the table chuckle.

The sound was warm, familiar, and grounding. For a moment, I felt like I was home, surrounded by the people who meant the most to me, and with Joe by my side, my heart was full in a way that I couldn't quite put into words.

As the evening unfolded, we told our friends and family about the pregnancy, watching their eyes light up and their voices rise in excitement. It was a whirlwind of congratulations, laughter, and hugs that made my heart ache with joy. I had never expected this life for myself, not in the way that it had come together. But here I was, staring down at the diamond ring on my finger, surrounded by the people I loved, and pregnant with a new life.

It was like something out of a storybook, a beautiful, improbable twist that I'd always wanted but had never dared to dream of. And as I looked around the table, the people we'd invited to share in this moment, I knew I had everything I could ever ask for. Joe reached for my hand, squeezing it as if to remind me he was there, grounding me in the reality of this love that had become our own little fairytale.

Later that night, as the candlelight flickered and the sea whispered its timeless lullaby, I caught Joe staring at me, a slight smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

"What?" I asked, playfully.

"I was just thinking," he said, leaning toward me so only I could hear. "We've got a pretty wild story, don't we?"

I laughed, the sound rich and full, full of love and life. "We do," I agreed, squeezing his hand in mine. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

He leaned in, pressing a kiss to my temple before whispering, "Me neither."

The night was long, filled with memories that we would cherish forever. But even as the candles burned low and the laughter settled into gentle conversation, I found myself replaying that moment on the beach, when Joe had asked me to marry him, and the words "I'm pregnant" had slipped out of my mouth without warning. It was a twist I hadn't expected, a new chapter I never saw coming, but I felt in my bones that it was perfect.

Looking at Joe, watching him interact with my friends and family, seeing him look down at Annika with so much love and tenderness, I knew one thing: this was what happiness felt like. It was in the small moments, the big ones, the unplanned surprises and the things that went exactly as you hoped. It was in the sparkle of candlelight, the warmth of a shared kiss, and the anticipation of what was to come.

Joe and I had both come from different places, different stories, and had found our way to each other through a mix of fate, choice, and a little bit of serendipity. Who would have thought that our love story would lead us here? That an act as simple, as profound, as using artificial insemination would be the first step toward a future that looked this bright? That I'd be wearing a ring that glittered like the ocean at sunrise, with our baby growing inside me and a wedding to plan in the not-so-distant future?

The world felt like it had tilted on its axis, and in the best way possible. The kind of tilted that makes you see everything with new eyes, that makes you hold on a little tighter, love a little deeper.

It was more than I ever thought I could have, and in that moment, as I sat next to Joe, surrounded by our loved ones, I knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, we would face them together. Our story was still being written, and it was better than I ever could have imagined.