Sal reached down to his waist and pulled his phone out. “Call him.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I have to explain to my mom first. She’s not going to be happy about this and even though I don’t care, I’d still like to tell her before I tell him.”

After a few moments of him staring at her he finally spoke. “But you’ll do it over the phone right? You don’t have to see him to tell him.”

Grace smiled, running her fingers through his soft hair. “Unless he’s okay with my mom still borrowing his car he’s going to have to come pick it up.”

Sal frowned at that and for some reason that made Grace chuckle. “Sweetie, I can see your reluctance about me going into business with the man but me being around him for a few minutes while he picks up the car he was nice enough to lend me is not going to kill anyone.”

“It’ll kill me,” he muttered

That made her laugh and she brought her hands to his face. “You’ll be just fine.” Then she leaned back and picked up his hand placing it on her belly. “Now lets talk about something else.” She smiled feeling the tears come as she remembered the dread that kept her up all night last night knowing she’d have to face him again and again with the knowledge that he’d never be hers yet he’d be a permanent fixture in her life. A torment she’d be forced to endure forever. She took a deep breath. It was a miracle how feelings about this had gone from dread to absolute delight. “You’re gonna be a daddy.”

His eyebrows pinched and seeing the tears in his eyes made her arms instinctively wrap around his neck. Nothing felt better than feeling his arms around her. It’s where she belonged and for once in her life she believed it. She could have it all.

“My baby momma,” he said against her ear.

She pulled away to look at him and he laughed wiping away a tear from the corner of his eye. She wiped the tears from her eyes and had to laugh, too. “What?”

“Well you know that’s what you’ll be unless you marry me right?”

She stopped laughing and felt the smile dissolve feeling overwhelmed with emotion again and here she thought she already had it all. Then she remembered one very important thing. Rose.

~*~

As the months went by and Sal didn’t get so much as a text from Melissa, he’d begun to believe she’d finally accepted it and he wouldn’t have to worry about her ever again. Then it came: the morning of his wedding. Over four months since he and Gracie had reunited. He logged on to check his email and there it was, an email from her in his inbox. He glanced up but Grace was still sound asleep. She’d slept so much since she’d moved in with him and today of all mornings he was letting her sleep as long as she wanted. He almost didn’t want to but since this was the morning of his wedding he wanted to make sure Melissa wasn’t planning on doing anything to ruin it. So he clicked on it and held his breath until it opened and read:

Hey there. Just wanted to congratulate you on your big day. I won’t lie. A part of me still wishes it was me and not her but I get it. You only get one love of your life and apparently she’s yours. For a long time I thought you were mine until a ton of therapy helped me realize you were what I pictured my ideal guy was. Perfect in every way, but other than how beautiful you are and ha! How well off. I knew very little about you. And obviously you knew even less about me. But enough of that. I just wanted you to know how grateful I am that you didn’t go to the police. I wanted to thank you for that so many times before but Kat and Jason were adamant about me not contacting you even for that. I’m sorry that I caused you so much pain and heartache. Believe it or not, that’s what is going to take me the longest to get over, but I’m working on it. I wish nothing but the best for you.

Missy

P.S. I know you’re going to be a great daddy. =)

Nothing could describe the enormous relief he felt after reading that. It felt so good all he wanted to do was slip back in bed and hold Grace so he did. He’d come to live for spooning Grace’s warm body and holding her close against him.

She exhaled with a smile in her sleep. Okay maybe there was something he loved more. He kissed her cheek. “I love you,” he whispered.

To his surprise she murmured back, “I love you, too.”

A little annoyed at himself that he woke her he whispered, “Go back to sleep.”

Suddenly she clutched his hand and went tense.

“What’s wrong? You okay?” His anxiety levels since he witnessed a few of her dizzy spells had been at an all time high lately.

“I think…” She went stiff again. “There it is again..”

“What?” His heart was now going a mile a minute.

“The baby.”

“What about it?”

She spun around and put his hand on her belly. “I felt it move.”

Sal concentrated but felt nothing, still it was exciting to see the emotion in her eyes. “I felt it, Sal. On my wedding day. Our baby.”

Sal took a deep breath and smiled. “He or she is up early and ready for the day mommy and daddy say I do.”

“I’ve said it a million times in my head already,” Grace said smiling at him.

Sal kissed her. “This is just a formality for everyone else’s sake, Gracie. You’ve owned my heart since day one.”

She wrapped herself around him, Sal’s breathing was just beginning to accelerate as he kissed her deeply, when there was a knock at the bedroom door. They both froze. Grace pulled away and made a pouty face, obviously reading the disappointment in his face.