The next heir

epilogue - 4

Pia's pov - It was amazing looking at my children and my best friend, someone really close to me together. Only I wish all of them to be here. I smiled while making lasagna and Carter making wierd faces at Caleb and sky giggling. After sometime Carter came in the kitchen. We were in my house. I invited Carter to my house.

"So how are you?" He asked sitting on the kitchen stool.

"I am good. What about you?" I asked. He sighed and shrugged.

"Good" he said lying bluntly. Heavy silence settled between us.

"Let me help" he said.

"Oh no it's ok. I am just finishing" I said while shrugging. Yet he got up and helped cleaning.

"Tell me pia. Why?" He asked the most dreaded question. I understood. I knew it's time to let it all out for once.

"After you left, everything changed... " I told him everything right from the beginning. He listened intently as if finally he found his last peice of puzzle. His pained expressions mirrored mine and not a while after I started sobbing, letting all the damn thing out of my system. He never interrupted me nor consoled me. He just held my hand and let me cry.

"And since then, I've not contacted anyone" I sobbed remembering each and every person from new York who held tiny pieces of my heart. He did not move, he just sat there looking at nothing particular.

"I am so sorry Carter" I said after a while. He just smiled lightly and nodded.

"Mom I am hungry... " Sky came running into the kitchen and stopped looking at us.

"Are you crying mom?" She asked concerned. I hurriedly wiped my tears and hugged her.

"No honey. Momma just got emotional meeting her old friend" I said smiling.

"Oh ok" she said smiling.

"Come on, let's have dinner. I'll be out in a minute, ok?" I asked her. She nodded and headed to call Caleb like a Little Angel she is. I smiled at her and started removing plates. Carter came and helped.

We all ate our dinner while Carter joked with kids. Caleb and sky kissed Carter and me goodnight and went to the bed upstairs. We both sat on our couch exhausted without saying anything.

"You are a good mom pia" he said out of no where. I sighted.

"I try" I smile.

"So tell me about you?" I asked about him curiously.

"I live in California. I have built my own business hub and edi, Xavier and Liam live with me. Basically I am pretty contended" he said shrugging. I smiled for him.

"Any girlfriend?" I asked. He just smiled sadly.

"Not after you. No one" he said. Heavy weight settled on my chest. He looked elsewhere. I was not knowing what to do or say.

"Carter... " I tried.

"I know" he said sadly.

"I know you are still in love with Henry. God I wish I was him. But I understand really. Just remember I'll always love you no matter what" he said and my heart clenched badly. My eyes started watering.

"I don't deserve you Carter" I said a lone tear escaping. He came close and hugged me tight.

"Don't say like that" he consoled. We stayed in same position and talked sometime.

"Just go and find someone already" I said smiling. He chuckled.

"For god's sake I tried with all I got. And I am not even lying, it just doesn't feel right" he said. And just like that all the guilt came back again.

"How messed up our lives have become" I said lying on his chest.

"Don't tell me" he said. Nobody said anything for a while contented.

"He will come back for you pia. He loved you" he said and I smiled sadly knowing what he is talking about. I only nodded, not knowing what to say. Henry loved me and maybe he will come back.

"What about you?" I asked looking up at him.

"I am not gonna lie, I still love you a lot. And I am scared to accept the truth that you are really moved on and are happy. I am actually kinda jealous. We all know Henry loves you and will come back. You will have your own beautiful family while I'll be still somewhere all alone not able to move on and it scares me a lot" he admitted. I don't know what came inside me but I kissed him and he immediately kissed me back.

We kissed for as long as we can hold our breath as if we both knew it will be last, like a goodbye forever kiss. And when I stopped, he was yet not ready to let go. He kissed me more passionately and alas he knew he had to let go.

He cupped my face and rested his forehead on mine. We stayed like that closing our eyes and savouring our time together without saying anything.

His phone chimed in his pocket and we parted. He looked at it and sighted.

"I gotta go pia" he said sadly. I just nodded.

He kissed sky and Caleb one last time in their sleep and me on forehead.

"You can tell Liam, Xavier and edi about me and tell them to come and meet me. I miss them" I said.

"They miss you too. I'll tell them" he said.

"Thanks angel. Because of you I got my closure and I am ready to move on" he said and I felt truly happy for him. He called me angel, the nickname he gave me years back. Hearing that tears welled up in my eyes.

"Thanks to you too Carter. It has been long since I kept all buried inside me. Today finally I let it all out" I said through tears. He smiled and nodded.

"Until next time angel" he said smiling heavily. I swallowed hard.

"Until next time Carter. And promise me you'll allow yourself to fall in love with someone" I asked. He chuckled heavily.

"I promise" he smiled again and I saw him leaving.

And I realised making amends and apologizing will make everyone including me move on and be happy.
With a smile I decided that night that it is time to finally meet my people. My sister and friends. I smiled wholeheartedly and slept peacefully after so long.