The Experience Buddy [Completed]

Epilogue

About three years ago...

"Hey, Hero?" I propped myself up on my elbow so that I could face Hero. No matter how many times I have seen his haggard look, with the tubes sticking into his nose, I still couldn't get used to it. And possibly can never get used to this.

"Yes, Love?" He said weakly, so soft that it was almost a whisper.

"I want to do an IVF. What do you think?" I lay back down at his side after I posed the question. The sound of his heartbeat was weak and his body no longer exudes the warmth it used to.

"Ems, we've been through this." Hero strained to speak. "You have a whole life ahead of you."

"My whole life is with you. And if not with you you, then at least a part of you." I pleaded, tears were welling up in my eyes.

"Ems, I don't know..." He sighed.

-----

"Are you sure?" Heath asked worriedly.

"I have never been more certain in my entire life." I assured him.

As Hero couldn't get out of bed, Heath kindly accompanied me to the clinic for the procedure.

The gynaecologist took some time to explain the process before getting started. I was nervous the whole time but just the thought of having a child with Hero, I couldn't help feeling excited as well.

-----

The clinic informed me that the in vitro fertilization was a success so I made another trip to the clinic. I was thankful to Heath for taking the time to accompany me again and for waiting outside of the room the entire time, like before.

-----

"I'm pregnant." I shared the good news with Hero then he pulled me into an embrace as we both spilled tears of happiness.

To be honest, it was tough juggling between the last quarter of school, writing my next book, being pregnant and visiting Hero every day at the hospital.

Initially, both our parents were strongly against the pregnancy but softened after I showed them the picture of the ultrasound scan.

Every day, Hero and I will talk about our life together after my graduation, after his recovery, after marriage.

After the birth of our child.

After becoming a family.

-----

By the time graduation came around, my baby bump was already super obvious.

I managed to graduate Stanford with First Class Honors. I've decided to have my "graduation ceremony" in the hospital. In order to make it feel more lively, the rest of the gang joined me in renting the robes and caps and we wore them in Hero's room.

"I'm so proud of you." Hero smiled weakly. One could obviously see the strain on him to curl those pale lips of his upwards.

-----

We've had several discussions on naming our child and it came up to a long list because our parents also contributed.

But one thing for sure, was that regardless of the gender, we will give all our love to our baby.

Eighteen weeks into the pregnancy, I went for my next ultrasound scan and told the gynaecologist not to reveal the baby's gender to me just yet. I asked for the photograph to be sealed in an envelope.

I made a mad rush to the hospital and we opened the envelope together. We looked at each other and smiled. Then I planted a kiss on Hero's forehead.

Our son will be called Buddy Stanford Lee Tiffin.

-----

Suddenly, Hero's condition took a downturn. I was never the religious sort but I prayed day and night, hoping that he would pull through. I dare not ask for too much like a full recovery, all I asked for was for his condition to stabilize. But even just that, was it too much to ask?

"Hey, Hero?"

"Yes, Love?"

"I love you, my Hero."

"I love you too, my Love."

If there is even a higher power, or deities, or anything remotely close, then they are not kind. They are absolutely the worst as they took Hero away from his family, from his friends, from me.

And his unborn son.

Everyone kept telling me that I have a whole life ahead of me.

But so did Hero.

Life is so unfair, we've all heard this line before.

But I still couldn't help but question all the time.

What did he do that he had to leave everything, everyone behind. What did I do that I had to learn how to let someone go the hard way?

Spoiler, in the end, I didn't.

Because I couldn't.

-----

My eyes become teary without fail every time I recall about the past. I was snapped out of my thoughts when Buddy tugged the corner of my sleeves.

"Did you say 'thank you' to uncle for bringing you out for ice cream?" I told my son as I lightly brushed his hair with my hand.

Hey, Hero. If you are looking from above, can you see?

Our son has your eyes.

Just like the ones that I got lost in and never found the way out.

He has your smile.

Just like yours that made me melt even in the coldest winter.

I loved you Hero Beauregard Faulkner Fiennes Tiffin. I still love you now and will always do.

You will always be the male lead in my life, in my books.

Our memories will be engraved deeply in my heart.

And our story will forever be written in the stars.

-----

A/N: Thank you very much for your support and I really appreciate each and every reader. TEB is my first ever completed book in my life. Sad that it came to an end, but proud that I finished. Apologies if there are any inconsistencies in the timeline of events, as I didn't write the last arc in order. I did a couple of checks so I think it should be fine? Hahaha but if you spot any inconsistencies, do let me know.

If you would like to connect after this, I have created a discord channel. Feel free to pop in: https://discord.gg/UGPQnkM