Hyperion Heights, Seattle, six months later...
Henry: For the first time in a long while, Ivy's mouth corners weren't deepen, but rather bright and rose up. Her marble face warm and sweet just like it used to be when Malibu's sun kissed every inch of it, dripping tenderness.
The amber eyed girl was smiling without even noticing it, and though I couldn't see her eyes, because I placed a blind fold on them, I bet they were shining brighter than a thousand stars.
"Can I take this off, now?!" Ivy impatiently asked me, without holding the thrill my surprise promised to have by the little hints I gave.
"No, I told you may only when I tell you." I reminded her with a smile impossible to disguise, as I led Ivy trough the steps of our new home.
"Henry, you're exciting me to much! I hate surprises!"
"Well, you don't need to worry, this time they will be good!"
"Just as they have been the last months? I can't believe you actually hit New York Times best-selling list with your new book."
"Yeah, me neither, but After Henry started as a modest success and now is being read by millions of people." I sighed, reminding myself of how great life became after we seemingly defeated Belfrey and tried to pick up the pieces of the life we always wanted to build together. "Okay, watch your step!" I advised Ivy and she carefully climbed the little stoned entrance stairs, holding her baby bump with both hands. Our Clara was so grown up, she started to show three months ago and I couldn't be prouder and more thrilled! "Okay, you can take it off."
The ink haired girl didn't even give me time enough to hold on to, she just took off the blind fold faster than I could breathe and her amber eyes brightened so much it spread wild fire through our new house's garden, even touching our lake's wonderful dim blueish waters.
"Henry?!"
"Yes, it's our lake house!"
"Oh my God!" Ivy screamed, exploding in thrill as her all body jumped and shacked with adrenaline and I kept smiling and holding her adorable baby bump.
"You bought a million dollar house?"
"Yeah, I did! I'm not a big fan of Seattle's rain, but since Amy lives here and most of the people we know, even though they're still cursed, this seemed like the perfect place."
"It's wonderful!" She yelled in content, as the golden amber eyes scanned all of the house's little inches, from the stone construction to marble columns, the swimming pool, lake, and even the garden with lots of children playing toys.
"Shall we go inside?" I asked Ivy, not growing tired of her adorable smile.
We entered the giant lake house. The living room was the coziest place one could think of. A fireplace so warm it would make us forget we were in the cold and raining Seattle, the couches, modern paintings and sculptures brought art to that satisfying corner where we planned to teach Clara her first steps.
As for our daughter's first words, we had no doubts that the best place for her to learn them would be on the library, a vast place with hundreds of books and my desk, but also a little pillow and stuffed animals all around, for Clara to play, along with children's books.
"Henry, this is amazing, but I feel like there are toys everywhere." Ivy complained with a smile that failed to be sassy. She was too soft now, too free of her walls to fake being angry or upset about me or anything else.
"I did that on purpose, so that way, Clara can always be around us, in any corner of the house. I'm thinking about writing in this desk and as for you, you can teach Clara how to talk, read, whatever, in this little lovely corner of the office."
YOU ARE READING
After Henry (Once Upon a Time)
Romance"Happy endings aren't always what we think they will be, but that's exactly what makes them special." A book filled with hope and fairytales, Once Upon a Time, fell on Ivy Belfrey's lap, giving her hope that both heroes and villains can have a happ...
