Lilac's Lies

Epilouge

"Put your hands here," she told me, moving them around to below her bellybutton. "That's where she kicks the most."

I did as she said, feeling the smile that was beaming on my lips. The large bump that curved beneath my hands was so special to me, there was life in it.

"Nothing yet," I told her, but I didn't mind waiting. I simply stared down at her pregnant stomach, feeling the joy inside me.

But, almost immediately after I said it, I felt it. A small movement, like a flutter.

"Oh, my goodness. That's my niece!" I squealed, glancing up at Clara. She looked different these days, and who could blame her. She was almost six months into her first pregnancy. Yet, as tired as she looked, she looked just as beautiful. Her skin was glowing, her face was rounder, but her eyes, there was love in them.

"She's going to be feisty. Just like us," Clara winked at me, pulling her shirt back over her baby bump as I removed my hands. "I can't wait to meet her."

"It won't be long now," I sighed. Time had gone by so quickly, like we blinked and it had been five years. Clara had gotten married, her wedding like a fairytale.

And Roman and I followed right after. Though, neither one of us wanted to white wedding that Clara wanted. We eloped instead, Samuel and Clara were only the only other attendees. It had been my favourite day in life thus far, the white sand and my favourite people surrounding me. Knowing that finally, nothing else would ever come between Roman and I.

"I won't say I wouldn't like some more time to prepare," I heard Samuel's voice, causing me to turn towards the doorway.

Samuel was walking through it, Roman next to him. I couldn't help but run my eyes over them. They looked so different than when we met them, they grew up. They weren't the local bad boys anymore, clad in leather and smelling of cigarette smoke. They were men now, but they were still a little bit bad. Their tattoos still peaked through their clothes, and their eyes still gleamed with trouble.

I focused on Roman, my stomach bubbling with the feeling I'd come to associate with him. He was still so exciting to me, but I'd never lost that feeling of safety. He's never let me down, after all these years. As if he knew what I was thinking about, his eyes drifted towards me. Those blue eyes, still as vibrant as the night I met him. He didn't say anything, he just moved them around my face. It was something Roman's made a habit of. When I asked him why he did it, he said it's because he can tell by my face if I'm okay, or if something is bugging me.

He seemed to read me instantly, sending me a wink when he saw my happiness. It's been a while since I've had anything but happiness.

"So, we heard something interesting," Samuel let out, shooting a sideways look towards Roman.

"Interesting?" Clara asked, her eyebrow raising. Samuel closed the distance between them, holding Clara's head delicately before tenderly rubbing her pregnant stomach.

"Well, interesting to us, anyways. Karma in action," Roman finished, sitting beside me on the sofa. His arm went around my shoulders, pulling me into his chest. I inhaled his scent, my body relaxing even further now that he was beside me.

"Karma? Tell us," I urged, not understanding.

"Apparently Jesse and Brett, they were in an car accident, drunk driving," Samuel explained, shaking his head.

"Are they okay?" Clara asked, her eyes wide. It's been years since we talked about those two, and surprisingly, my stomach didn't sink with dread anymore at his name.

"No," Roman said, and he didn't sound the least bit sorry about it. "They had some injuries, I guess Jesse got the worst of it. Paralyzed."

"Woah," I breathed out, the disbelief taking hold of me. I didn't feel much beside disbelief. I didn't particularly feel sorry for him. He wasn't a part of my story anymore, he wasn't anything to me.

"You okay, babe? Take deep breaths. We can't have you stressing out," Roman whispered, his hand wrapping over my own stomach. "We can't have this little one stressing out, either."

I placed my hand over his, taking a deep breath like he said. It wasn't needed, though. I was fine.

"Did you two find out the gender, yet?" Clara asked, seemingly as unaffected by the news about Jesse and Brett as I was.

I smiled as her, glancing at Roman who looked just as excited to tell them as I was. "A girl."

"Congratulations!" Clara squealed.

"Congrats, you two. Man, Rome, what on earth are we going to do with two girls," Samuel chuckled, and he looked like he meant it.

"Pray they don't turn out like their mothers did in high school," Roman replied, causing me to laugh.

"Hey, we made it out," I reminded them.

"I mean, barely," Clara added, grimacing.

"They just need what we had," I said, taking Roman's hand in my own.

"What's that, babe?" Roman asked me.

"A little help from some good people," I told them. "People who love them. Just like we had."

That's all we all need, after all. People who love us, people to help guide us, even when we ourselves can't navigate the mazes of life.