Unexpected Love

Epilogue

Kenya's POV

Seven Years Later...

" Go to the timeout chair," I said sternly, pointing to the little chair in the corner.
Small grey eyes looked at me with his bottom lip sticking out and I almost felt bad. Almost.
" Now Stephen," I said.
He groaned and made his way to the chair, slouching a bit. He was four years old but so stubborn. He reminded me so much of Caleb. heard a baby crying and I sighed.
" Don't move."
I left the living room and jogged upstairs and took a left at the second door. I grabbed my baby girl out of her crib and rocked her in my arms. She quickly stopped crying and fell back to sleep. She was only one years old and was quiet most of the time but was loud sometimes. She rarely cried.
A tall, well built man came in with his unshaven face. His hair was all tossed around and his shirt all scrunched up.
" Stephen is in timeout for being stubborn and not listening," I said tiredly.
It was around six in the morning on Saturday and I'm not too happy that Stephen decided to wake up so early.
Caleb came over to me and took the baby girl from my arms, cradling her in his own. I still can't get over how good of a father he is. He always makes time for them and reads them stories and plays with them. Tell them he loves them and they are the second best thing that ever happened to him. Me being the first. I just love him so much.
" Our precious May," I whispered, looking into Caleb's eyes.
He smiled softly and kissed me gently.
" Our May."
I had decided to name her May after Caleb's little sister in remembrance of her. I knew he loved her and I also would have loved her if I had the chance to meet her. Every time he heard somebody say her name his eyes would twinkle and it made me so happy to see him like that.
I walked downstairs with Caleb following, May still in his arms, and went to the kitchen. I made Caleb and I some coffee and poured some into two mugs. He took a sip of his and he set the mug back down. I took my mug with me to the living room and sat on the couch. Caleb came next to me and sat down gently, making sure not to wake up May.
" You can go. What did you learn?" I said to Stephen.
" Not to be mean," he said in his cute squeaky voice.
I couldn't help but smile and held out my arms. Stephen came over and gave me a tight hug and a wet kiss on the cheek. I patted his butt and he ran upstairs.
" That boy," I mumbled to myself.
I lied down and rested my head on Caleb's lap and he adjusted May so her head rested on his shoulder.
" Go to bed. I'll take it from here."
I closed my eyes and didn't budge.
" I'm not going to bed and leaving you to May and Stephen. That's wrong," I mumbled, stifling a yawn.
He chuckled quietly.
" I can handle two kids. Go to bed."
" No."
" Then you wonder where the stubbornness comes from."
I grunted but didn't say anything. I've finished college and Caleb was working on his last year but took classes online so he could help out. I'm a stay at home for now but I'm hoping to have a job by next year
" So I was going to go by Steve's grave today," Caleb said softly.
My heart squeezed as I thought about Steve and Sarah. Steve had went into the military two years ago and went missing. They never found his body and Sarah went to the funeral and cried. I cried and Caleb cried too. We had gotten even closer over the years and they were planning on have kids when he was supposed to come home. But he never did. I hear from Sarah ever now and then but she's still I'm shock. She's been seeing a therapist but I don't think it's working. I feel so bad for her it makes me want to crawl into a dark corner and cry.
" Yeah. I'll come. Have you asked Sarah?"
" She said no and quickly hung up."
I took a shaky breath and nodded, not daring to open my eyes to see the hurt in Caleb's.
" I love you," I whispered.
Every time we say I love you to each other I think of the first time we ever said it to each other. It always brings a smile to my face.
" I love you," he said.
I opened my eyes and leaned up so I could kiss him. His breath was minty from just brushing his teeth and I smiled against his lips.
" Don't you ever leave me," I miles against his lips.
He smiled and tapped the wedding ring on my finger.
" I'm not going anywhere. For better for worse." I smiled and kissed him again but to be interrupted by May letting out a piercing scream.
I sighed and pulled away and Caleb tried rocking her but then the smell hit me.
" You got it!"
" You got it!"
I said it first and Caleb swore under his breath.
" I still can't beat you."
I laughed and gave him one more peck on the lips.
" I shall forever win."
He rolled his eyes and held the red faced crying baby away from him as he got up. I held my nose and grimaced.
" Have fun!" I exclaimed.
He snorted and made his way upstairs.
***
" I miss you. I wait for you everyday to come back and say it was a terrible prank. Or a misunderstanding. But you never came back. Sarah misses you. She still hasn't gotten over you. It breaks my heart. Caleb misses you the most probably though. He never says it but I can see it in his eyes. Sometimes he has nightmares about you too. But anyways. I love you. I miss you. We all love and miss you. Hope you aren't causing too much trouble up there in Heaven. I can't wait to see you. We are all proud of you. Every one of us. We just are selfish and want you back. Love you. I'll talk to you soon."
I sat the rose in front of his tomb stone and and let my years flowed onto the soil below me. After a couple minutes I got up and brushed off my knees and wiped my eyes. I walked back over to Caleb and he put his arm around me and squeezed my shoulder gently.
" You always talk to him forever," he tried to joke.
His voice caught in his throat and I took a breath.
" I miss him."
Caleb rested his head on top of mine and kissed it.
" Who doesn't?"
We stood in silence and looked at his tombstone for about ten more minutes in silence.
We made our way back to the car and I got in and strapped myself up and Caleb did the same. I took one of his hands as he drove and intertwined out fingers. I felt an electric shock go through my body like it always does when I touch him. He rubbed his thumb gently across the top of my hand as he drove to no where in particular.
" I love you."
He chuckled but say the tears in his eyes.
" I love you. Forever and always. Now let's go to Sarah's house. We haven't seen her in a while."
I nodded and sat there in comfortable silence. I looked over at Caleb and smiled gently.
I remember the crash. And how when I first saw him in the hospital he already had my heart without saying anything. How every time he looked at me, even now, I get lost in his eyes. How I am so damn grateful for him and how he turned out to be an amazing father. How we almost never fight and when we do we make up the same day. How even though I see him next to me every morning I'm still shocked at how beautiful he is. How even him just saying my name sends chills down my back. How his smile still makes my heart stop even though I have seen it everyday for the last seven or eight years.
Caleb looked over at me and raised an eyebrow.
" Why are you staring at me?" he asked.
I smiled to myself.
" I just love you. That's all,"
I gave him a peck on the cheek and he squeezed my hand.
He will never understand just how much he effects me and how much I will always love him.
Caleb Morris is my unexpected love.