The kiss is deep, passionate, and hungry, yet gentle too, because I haven’t seen my husband in an awfully long time.
At least for us.
After Lydia shot him, the paramedics arrived in record time, and I kept on pressing on the wound on the way to the hospital so more blood wouldn’t spill, praying for a miracle, because the loss was so severe even the medics didn’t seem hopeful.
The surgery took hours. I later found out no major arteries were hit, but the internal bleeding might have been catastrophic. Thankfully, the surgeon took care of that, and Zach woke up two days later to my teary-eyed face.
We got married three months later—shortly after I found out we were pregnant with twins—in a quiet ceremony among his family and friends.
I went back to work when the twins turned two, while Zachary continued to expand his empire, making sure he could still spend quality time with us.
Zach and Sebastian still don’t like each other much; however, they stay civil, and when Zach held the twins for the first time in his arms, he understood the error of his ways. He couldn’t have imagined anyone not ever telling him about his boys.
So, for the sake of our daughter, there is a cold peace among them, and he finally has a normal relationship with his father and his family.
All in all, life has been wonderful, and I can’t wait to see what more it has in store for us.
“You are impossible, Zach,” I murmur against his mouth, and he grins, winking at me. “That’s why you love me.”
“I do.” He stays silent, so I hit his chest with a fist, and he chuckles. “I love you too, darling. How could I fucking not?” He leans down to give me another toe-curling kiss, and this time we are interrupted by loud whistles and catcalls. “God give me strength not to kill my children,” he growls, and I giggle as he turns around to face the kids who stand on the stairs, waiting for us.
“Are you guys coming or not? I can’t graduate without my parents!” Emmaline shouts, and we start walking, while I drink in my family and this beautiful life I’m living, going hand in hand with this amazing man.
“Come, darling. Let’s watch our daughter during her speech and pray the twins won’t pull some stunt I’ll have to pay for.”
My laughter fills the air all the way to the building.
Zachary
I sit on the couch next to my wife, who is watching our kids laugh as Wyatt snaps pics of Emmaline while she holds her diploma up in the air. I wrap my hand around her shoulder, and she sighs in pleasure, resting her cheek on my chest. “I think we did good,” she whispers, “for two damaged people, huh?”
A smile curves my mouth, and I place a kiss on the side of her head, while listening to my kids bicker.
“Emmaline, my arm is asleep from snapping so many pics.” Wyatt wiggles his brows to his twin. “Wanna abandon this ship and do something really fun?”
Ian sighs in relief. “Fu—” He must quickly remember we are in the room with them, because he changes it to “Hell, yeah. What do you have in mind?”
“You suck, guys.” She places her diploma on the table before removing her gown and cap, ruffling her hair.
The twins gasp, and one of them puts his hand on his heart, exclaiming dramatically, “Oh no. You shot an arrow straight to my heart.” He groans and falls on his knees and closes his eyes. “I’m not gonna survive it.” He peeks one eye open and asks Ian, “What are you waiting for? Kneel!”
He shrugs. “I don’t want to die, so let’s assume her arrow missed me and went straight to you.”
Emmaline says, “Well, you deserve it.”
“Since no one appreciates my sacrifices, I’m gonna bounce.” Wyatt gets up and snaps his fingers. “Now, who wants to enjoy some ice cream on the terrace until we go to the after party?”
“You’re not invited to it.”
“Do you really want to break our hearts like that?” he whines back.
Fed up with this, Ian grabs their elbows and drags them into the hallway while his siblings continue to argue, although we know it’s just for fun.
Emmaline will take them to the party, where they’ll probably quickly turn it around, and I’ll have to pray the police won’t show up at my door because of another one of their pranks.
I’ve lost count of the shit they’ve pulled through the years, yet I couldn’t love them more even if I tried. I sometimes think God graced me with a perfect daughter to balanced it out with my sons whose middle names are trouble and mischief.
Yeah, we did good, because no matter what happens… our kids know they are loved and always have our protection.
The walls of this house will forever welcome them with open arms, ready to listen to their happiness and sorrow no matter what their sins.
Although, I won’t mind for them to empty the nest, so I can spend the rest of my life with the woman who I love so much that sometimes it scares me.
Life taught me though that it has the power to change so quickly, so why waste time on fear? Instead, love and happiness fill me to the brim, enjoying every single moment, as I never know when it might be my last.
The land where sinners atone.
I think Phoenix was right all those years ago.
The land exists here on earth, and if we are lucky enough… it will give us a chance to atone for our mistakes and get something beautiful out of it in return.
My family is a gift from heaven, and I will never take them for granted, or the woman who gave me a chance when most probably would have told her she shouldn’t.
If you ever have the chance between hell and the land where sinners atone…
Go to the land where sinners atone.
It’s pretty fucking good here.
The End