Walk Away

Epilogus: Isla

/Epilogus/[Epilogue]

5 Years Later:
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I never ever could have pictured anything so perfect. Ever. After the kiss on the airplane five years ago, Charlie and I have been inseparable, more than we were when we were younger, at least. I was currently standing on a deck, staring out into the depths of a large fluorescent blue pool. My two beautiful kids, a young boy (Will) and a small girl (Alice), ran out of a glass sliding door, leading into our grand kitchen. The towels around them drop immediately as they cannonball into the large outdoor pool. A pair of warm, tan arms snake around my waist and a head nuzzles into my neck laughing along with me as they splash into the water. I could recognize that scent from anywhere.

It's Charlie.

This is our house, these are our children, upstairs is our bedroom, and that is our front door on the opposite side of the house. This is my wedding ring on my ring finger. This is our marriage. Charlie turns me around to face him, and kisses me passionately on the lips. His hands snake down to my very pregnant belly, and he kisses me on the check as I lean my head back on his chest. He takes my hand and leads me towards the kitchen. The wall covered in frames and children's artwork, the "Wall Of Fame" as our family likes to call it has pictures of every single moment of our lives, whether significant, or totally insignificant, and all of the are housed there. New ones being added constantly. I see a picture of our wedding day, the day that our son was born, the day that our daughter was born, everything. Right next to the photos of the children is where our new addition will be. I'll let you in on a little secret, we want to name the baby James if it's a boy, or Pippa if it's a girl. We were so over the moon when we found out I was pregnant again. The kids freaked out, and 2 year-old Alice started shaking her booty with excitement like she always does, making us all laugh. 4 year-old Will was in shock. He started giggling with excitement, and just kept hugging my belly continuously for the next couple weeks. Now I'm due in a matter of days, and I'm really nervous. I've already given birth twice, but it'll still hurt.

I snap out of my baby-haze as Charlie calls it, and bring myself back to the present. Charlie just finished the baby's room, and he made sure that it was all a surprise for me. He blindfolded me with his hands, and guided me into the room. He pulled his hands away, and I stared in disbelief at the room. It was painted baby yellow, and had a white wood hand carved cradle, a matching changing table, dresser and rocking chair. The same shade of yellow was on all of the pillows lining the room with a shade of dove grey on them as well. I was ecstatic.

"I do have one more surprise for you though sweetheart." He said, pulling something out from behind his back. He made me quickly shut my eyes tight, as he put something over by the crib. I open my eyes, and almost cried at the sight. It was a mobile hanging from the ceiling above the cradle with pictures of our story. How we became us. Our love story, the one where I almost decided to walk away.

"Charlie... I l-love it!" I said in happy tears. "I love you so much." I said again, kissing him passionately.

"And I love you too Isla. I love you so much." He told me right back.

"Oh and before I forget sweetheart, were going to need to get a new carpet." I exclaim.

"What, why?" He asked like he was ashamed for getting this one, his right hand resting behind his head.

"Oh, darling don't feel bad, it's just that it'll have a stain."

"From what? Did something fall?" He asked looking around.

"No it's just that my water just broke and now we have to go to the hospital." I say as cool as a cucumber.

"What?!?" He. Ego a freaking out like the caring husband and father he is, grabbing the hospital bag and baby supplies.

"It's alright Charlie. We've done this two times before, how hard can it be to welcome baby number three? And no, I didn't mean to rhyme." I said cringing during a contraction.

Let me just tell you this. It still hurts. Beware all women of the reproduction age. It is hell. But in the end, I got my happy ending with my best friend and my little Charlie's, and I got it all because we didn't walk away.

THE END
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the1959