Yes Ma'am

Real

Alice

It was one of those so few days where I had a day off, so while my kids were off playing with their cousins, I spent some of my free time going through old mementos, seeing if there were things I could use around the house or if there was anything I could give to other members of my family.

After a while, I begin to panic a little when the realization hits that I could lose all the memories of this life the way I did my old one.

Jasper walks into the room a while later, worried because I hadn't answered any of his texts in the last few minutes or so.

"Alice?" He asks calmly as to not startle me. "Are you okay?"

I look at him with tears in my eyes and some running down my cheeks. "No, not really."

He pulls me tightly against him. "Want to talk about it?"

"I'm terrified." I mumble into the fabric of his flannel.

"Of what?"

"I've already lost one life's memories. I'm terrified that someday I'll wake up and all of this will be nothing but a sweet dream and I'll still be that scared little girl who's cruel birth father and stepmom and birth sister put in a mental hospital."

"Oh love..." He kneels down in front of me and places my hand on his cheek. "What do you feel?"

"I feel warmth and skin and stubble because you haven't shaved and I'm glad because I love it when you let it grow out a bit. I feel you, Jazz. You're real."

"And I always will be real, darlin'. Our children will always be real." I look at him and see tears forming in his eyes and I fall into his arms.

"I love you Jasper Grayson Whitlock-Hale. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me."

He laughs and smiles as he blinks away tears. "I love you too, my dear sweet, beautiful Mary Alice Whitlock-Hale. In this life and the next and all that come after."

I can't help but lean in and kiss him. It's deep and passionate and lasts for a few moments before we have to pull away to catch our breaths.

"Real." I whisper.

"Always." He whispers back.