Remembering Us

Epilogue

"Good morning." A voice whispers, drawing me from sleep. Warm lips meet my skin eliciting a groan from my lips.

Feather like kisses travel from my shoulder to the tips of my fingers.

My eyes flutter to be met with the blazing emeralds that belong to my husband.

He smiles lightly when my hand brushes away the frown lines on his forehead.

They're new lines, caused by the stress of the past year. His eyes these last few months have held a permanent exhaustion.

"Do you remember?" He's asked the same question every morning for the past four months.

"Every word, every moment." I respond, feeling tension leave him. "Every touch."

With a groan, he rolls tucking me under him.

"Do you remember when last I did this?" Slowly, his hand sides across the silk of my nightgown.

"That was just last night."

He laughs, his breath fanning across my neck. He raises his head for a moment, just to check the bassinet beside me.

"Shh." He whispers, his lips finding mine. "Let me remind you of things you may have forgotten."

-
"She's beautiful." Cameron's mother breathes, looking down to the small, sleeping bundle.

I smile at her but it's forced.

The relationship has taken a step backward in the past few months, as I now remember the words she spoke years ago.

"You will never make him truly happy."

"He deserves more than you."

I always thought if Cameron could forgive we would move on, but I've realized it's also I who needed to forgive. It's a difficult task though, as I'm constantly wondering if I proved her wrong or if she still believes she right.

"You are perfect." Cameron's father says, staring at his newest granddaughter.

"Just like you." My husband whispers into my ear, pulling me against him. "Don't deny it." He interrupts my counter-comment.

And with a kiss, he keeps me silent.

After I pull away, I shamefully make eye contact with my mother in law, a smile and unshed tears decorating her features.

She mouths a simple "thank-you" but it means the world to me.

-

The creaking of the door causes me eyes to snap open.

Cameron stands just under the threshold, seemingly frozen in place.

"Is the baby asleep?"

My husband blinks, shaking away the daze before stepping toward the tub. "Yeah, I put her into the sleep sac and laid her down." He starts to take of his suit jacket and I lean forward, making room for him, as the steaming water sloshing out of the tub.

Cameron starts to slowly sit down on the floor just outside the tub and I frown. "You're not getting in?"

"Not tonight." He shifts to get comfortable and my from deepens.

"Why n-"

"I'm going to read this to you." He holds up a white envelope, my name's largely scribbled across the front.

"Is that-"

"Yes." Cameron nods, ripping open the envelope but freezing when I stand.

"Stop." I reach for my robe and step out of the tub, almost slipping on the marble tile. "I want to read it." I take the envelope from his still frozen form. "Cameron?" And when his hands grip my thighs, just below where the black silk ends,my knees almost buckle. His green emeralds hold sparks of fire, warming more than anything ever has.

My heart starts racing as I pull the folded pieces of paper out of the envelope. I feel Cameron's eyes burn into me as I unfold them, my eyes catching my name at the top corner, in his cursive writing.

"You need to leave." I suddenly say looking at my husband. "I want to read it in private."

"Why?" He questions, reaching for the letter but I pull it back. "I was going to read it to you." He sighs, standing up and brushing himself off.

"No." I shake my head. I want to read it, I want to focus on every little detail and pen stroke, and then I want to read it again. I want to be able to feel it without worrying what he's thinking. "I want to read it alone, like I would have then." I start to push him out while maintaining a vice like grip on the two sheets of paper. He moves slowly, considering my words, before turning and kissing me soundly on the lips.

"Let me back in when you're done." He pulls away, closing the bathroom door and I lock it for good measure. I don't want him coming in when I undoubtedly start crying.

I then let myself sink to the floor, my back resting against the wood door.

"Amelia."

The letter starts off formal, stiff, almost awkward.

"Amelia, I love you."

And then it comes to life with love, and I can almost hear Cameron's passionate voice saying these words. I can see the frustration in words, the bleeding of the ink seeping through in some places.

The tears start to fall as so many emotions fill the pages- fear, frustration, passion, but mostly love.

Love for me and the life he's begging to build for us.

It has promises, each one having been kept and I cry harder.

This man. I will never fully deserve him...

I read the letter a second time, slowly while committing the words to memory.

And a third to pick out my favorite lines.

Forever, my love.

Quickly, I stand to my feet, my hand still shaking and pure emotion seeps through my veins. When I open the door, I catch my husband sitting on the edge of the bed, his head jerking up when he hears me.

"You said 'if' Cameron," I borderline screech. "If I felt something, after you wrote all that."

"It didn't know how you'd take it." He mutters, and I can clearly see the younger version of himself, self conscious and rambling on paper. "I didn't know if you would ever love me."

"You stupid man.." I whisper softly, walking towards him. "I love you.. so much.." My voice breaks, and Cameron wipes tears away from my cheeks. "So much that it physically hurts."

A small smile forms, his eyes darting across my face, memorizing me. "Ditto."And then he kisses me, which so much emotion I get goosebumps.

He notices and smiles against my lips causing me to follow suit.

Because I remembered us and I would forever be, Remembering Us.

***
Please comment. Cameron's letter should be up next weekend.

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