Under The Moonlight

Epilogue (Part 2)

Raven's POV

It was getting extremely chilly but I did not want to move. The hot cocoa was long gone, both mugs because I was extremely hungry and I rummaged through my pocket for my phone. 

"I figured you would be doing this." A gruff voice sounded in my ear and a warm comforter was placed over me. My heart jolted and the tears that I had been containing finally flowed. I sobbed into the comforter, refusing to look up, scared that it was just a figment of my imagination. 

"Honey, I would have been here earlier if the damn plane had not gotten delayed. So don't cry and let me hug you. It's been way too long." 

"It's been a year, Seb. I fucking missed you. I thought that you forgot when you weren't in bed next to me when I woke up." I cried softly into the comforter. Seb slowly pried the comforter away as he sat behind me, holding me from behind as he kissed the nape of my neck. 

"I was supposed see you jump in joy when I returned to surprise you but I made you cry instead. I'm sorry love."

I could feel his warmth take over me and my cries reduced to soft sobs. By the way his body was heaving, I knew that he was crying too. His job needed him to travel a lot and the past year had been the longest we had been apart. We would always try to make calls to each other whenever we could but the time differences and the sheer amount of stress our jobs gave us took over our lives. 

"I love you, Seb." I whispered, finally turning to look at my stunning husband. He had tears streaming down his tired face and I wiped them away. There were a few lines of ageing all over but Seb looked as beautiful as ever. 

"I'm retiring. I cannot take the constant travel anymore and I want to spend the remainder of my time with you." He murmured and I silently agreed. The constant travel and stress had made Seb fall ill multiple times. There was this one year in which he had a minor heart attack and the both of us never recovered from it. I could never live through that again. 

"The trio are here with the kids. Trixie is here as well. Lucy and Felix will come to pick her up tomorrow." I leaned into his chest. "Caleb will be visiting tomorrow."

Caleb and I finally patched up a year after I got disowned from my rotten parents. I was set to leave for New York in a few days and to my shock, Caleb had turned up on Seb's porch, crying. He kept asking why I hated him and when I explained what happened, cutting short multiple parts to make the kid understand, he began to hate my parents with a passion. We became very close after that, him visiting New York during his vacations, courtesy of me and then he finally moved to New York as well when he was old enough to do so. My parents stopped all contact with the both of us after and the only time I returned was for my mother's funeral. When my father threw a fit at my being there, I decided that it was best if I did not turn up again.

"That's great. I'll probably be killed in the morning by them though. Trixie always complains that I'm not around most of the time." He kissed my forehead and then giggled when he finally saw the letter flutter underneath the mug. "Why did you read the letter again when you were alone? Do you like making yourself cry? Should I just burn it?"

I elbowed him in the ribs and he chuckled. 

"Don't you dare touch it. I'll smother you in your sleep if you do." 

"Want to read it again?" Seb asked, pulling the letter towards us and I complied. 

"Yeah. I do."

--

The Letter

R.S,

It's been a hard year, hasn't it? Well I'm sure you'll say no when in reality you know it's true. We have been fighting a lot as well and I know how much of a toll it is on the both of us. I know that you have had thoughts about the both of us breaking up and leaving many times during this period and I also know that these thoughts are the reason you're up in the middle of the night crying your eyes out. 

But I can assure you that it's not going to happen, at least from my side. I might have days where I feel like cursing at everything but my love for you never diminished. Not even after the huge blowouts of anger we've had. I thought about whether my leaving would do you good, especially since you were so stressed with the number of projects and that shitty senior of yours who keeps wanting to have his way with you and I did not want to be an added burden but the very thought of not having you by my side as we slept tore my heart. 

I want you to know that I need you and want you in my life as much as you do. 

You know, when I'm having a bad day, you unknowingly try to make my day better. Those are the days you are more clingy, more attached and smiley ( If that makes sense). 

Funnily enough, those are also the days I think about our relationship the most and what comes to my mind are only happy memories. None of the sad ones. I remember the time when we went back to the ice-skating rink for our second date and the coach remembered who we were. You were so pumped up, saying that you would beat me and everything and then we returned home with me in a cast because I fractured my hand trying to stop you from falling. 

And then there was the carnival date where I puked my guts out because I was too excited and you bore the brunt of it most. I wanted to have a kiss in the Ferris wheel but we could not after my vomiting episode and that made me hella dejected. And then you, you precious human bean, made a make shift cabin in my room the very next day so that I could have that moment. I loved that. 

What I'm trying to say to you love, is that I choose to love your gorgeous self through all the good times and the bad. I love the way you giggle when I kiss you because my hair would be tickling you. I love the way you pout when you don't have your way sometimes. I love the way you start dancing spastic-ally to random songs when you're drunk.

Most off all I love the way you love me. You make me confident and make me feel desired. My beautiful bedhead, my Raven, the love of my life, if I could make this my vow for our wedding, I would. I want to wake up next to you and have you smile at me sleepily while you pull me closer for more. I want to eat the dishes you cook no matter how burnt they are. You might not be perfect but for me you are the closest thing to perfection and I love you.

There is no way I could have anyone else by my side when I got all I ever wanted and more from you. 

Once again, I love you Raven (soon to be Raven Shaw)

Your's lovingly,

S.S