Forbidden Love

~ Epilogue

I woke up feeling a little bit serene than I usually was in the morning. Maybe it was because Christmas finally came, a few weeks after the day Alex and I reunited, or probably because he was gently sleeping right next to me, my head resting on his arms- I couldn’t tell which, but I smiled at the thought of both happening at the same time.

I could stay in bed like that all day, him wrapped around me as I stared at the trees outside his bedroom windows; it was bluer out there. Perhaps the bluest as I had ever seen it. I wanted the world to melt into stone and just stopped everything. I wanted this moment to never ended.

I closed my eyes as I held his arm that were gently placed on my chest and just stayed there, unmoving. Trying to absorb his warmth. That must be what love felt like- when you found someone that you wanted to spend every single morning with.

I heard Alex inhaling heavily, I thought he was awake. But when I turned myself to face him, his eyes were still closed. There was something about waking up and seeing the love of your life just lying there on the bed, beside you, sleeping. So defenseless, so vulnerable, so inevitably yours. All of it. Yours.

Mine, I thought. After all these years  of separation and confusing puzzles, he was mine and I was his again.

I saw him smile. “G’morning," he spoke with his groggy, deep, morning voice. I forgot how much I had been missing that voice- when I woke up and he was there, besides me. It had been so long.

I let out a light chuckle as he slowly opened his eyes. “Morning sleepy head.” I said in almost a whisper. The air was so cold, snow had started to fill in the small town and all I really wanted to do is cuddled in with him.

“Did I oversleep?” He asked, rubbing his eyes.

“No. I don’t mind sleeping in as well.” I gave him my toothy grin, hoping that he'd agree.

“Yeah? That was the best sleep I’ve had ever since I can remember,” He couldn’t believe it. Neither did I. It was in fact the best sleep I’ve ever had as well. I wish it were like this every morning.

“So… Are we-“ I wanted to ask if we can sleep in but the door had bursted open, and Rhea ran towards us and plopped herself down on our bed. I giggled and grabbed her in my hug.

“Merry Christmas, mommy!” She tucked herself in the middle of our bed, between Alex and I. “Merry Christmas, Uncle Alex.”

“Rhea,” I poked her nose playfully. “You can call him dad, you know. I told you. He's your father.”

“It's okay,” Alex chimed in. “She will need some times to get used  to it. Right, angel?"

Rhea scrunched her nose and grinned sheepishly, showing her toothy grin. “Can we open the gifts yet?”

“Ye-”

“No,” I threw Alex a cold glare and smiled. “You have to go take a shower, change your clothes, and then we'll open the gifts. I promise.”

Rhea pouted her lips, making me giggled. But she eventually got up from our bed and made her way out.

Alex sat on the edge of our bed, his smile slowly disappeared. I went up from behind him and hugged his back. “What's wrong?”

“Your parents are on their way, aren't they?”

“Yes,” I stroked his hair softly. “Are you nervous?”

“Kinda.”

“I'm sure it'll be fine,” I said, not knowing how it would go myself. It had been a few months since I last met my dad. Not that he ever called me to ask about my well-being, either. But it was Christmas, and I got everything I wished for, so I was just planning to clear up the air between us. Maybe my dad would be mad, maybe he would still hate Alex, but if he wanted to hate Alex, he shouldn't hate his daughter too. I decided to be the one who apologize. After all, he was still my one and only father.