No Strings Attached

Epilogue

Tori strolled in the next morning – her eyes sparkling as they played over her baby daughter – who was laughing happily in the car seat, and Jayden followed behind – a huge Disney Princess baby bag slung over his shoulder clashing with his dark long sleeved t shirt and the low jeans that were riding on his narrow hips.

Nate was chuckling softly as he sipped his mug of tea, his woman snuggled into his lap like a kitten.

“What are you guys planning on doing today?” Tori asked, as she drew Ava out of her seat, absently rubbing at the baby girl’s cheek with the blanket she was wrapped up in, “Nate’s physio needs to be sorted somehow.”

She was probably right, he thought, deciding to email the good doctor – and arrange a few sessions with the neuro-specialist that they had on staff there. But they had other plans for that day.

“We, um, we’ve decided we’re going to say goodbye to our daughter today,” he said gruffly, his throat closing around a few errant tears as he was thoughtfully stroking his hand over Shannon’s, “She’d have been five in a few weeks.”

Tears sprung to Tori’s lashes as she gave him a sad smile – she’d never heard him refer to Molly before – it broke her heart.

“That’s a lovely idea,” she looked down to Ava, almost ashamed to have her, when the two of them had lost so much, “We could maybe have some dinner later, if you like? I can cook something nice?”

Nate gestured to Shannon – his fingers trailing her spine softly – she got the message, it was completely her decision. She nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’d like that.”

As they walked hand in hand a few hours later down the trails of sand on a beach that held so many memories – so many shadows and demons – his fingers closed tighter around hers. Her pulse was a frantic tattoo against her ribcage – her heart somewhere in her stomach at the prospect of what they were about to do.

“Where do you think we should go?” his eyebrows had dropped into a frown over his dark eyes – he was terrified – this would make everything somehow so much more ... potent. He had a daughter. One he’d never hold, or touch – one he’d never comfort on her wedding day – or protect when some little shit broke her heart.

They’d made a baby girl that would never grow to be a woman.

And his woman – she’d gone through almost every second of it alone.

He knew that today had weighed heavily on her mind for weeks now, since they’d driven back from London and spoken about it – he wanted to make it easier for her, to take away the pain of what they were about to do, but he knew he couldn’t.

The best that they could do would be to share it – as they should have done all those years ago.

“Just here,” she whispered quietly, dropping to her knees on the coarse sand beneath them, running her hand lovingly over the surface – smoothing it, taming it, before she would commit her daughter to this place.