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Five years later
St. Barts is where I was born, and I love it here just as my mom did. Our daughter, Ari, races down the sandy beaches with Ethan trailing behind her. I capture the moment through my camera and amuse myself with a laugh when she topples to the ground.
Their laughter echoes through the air, mingling with the whoosh of gentle waves from the ocean and the sweet, salty tang of the evening air.
After playing with Ari for a while, Ethan walks over to join me on the sand, and he brushes off my hair before kissing the tip of my nose.
“Julia’s wedding is in a week, so we have more time to enjoy the beach,” he tells me.
We’ve become good friends with Julia over the years, and she’s been super helpful with the recent projects the company has handled by working on the photographs for our design catalog.
When Ari was born, she also created an album for us, one that Ethan and I always update with recent pictures of Ari as she grew older.
It’s a pleasure to be a bridesmaid at her wedding, and I’m excited for the start of her new era too.
“We do,” I agree with Ethan while reflecting on the past five years.
Hart Holdings grows with every passing year, and Sunny Aerospace has evolved from an engine manufacturing company to a much larger corporation that is an industry leader in the engine manufacturing market.
Our partnerships with other companies for the electric train, car, and plane engines were a multi-billion-dollar sensation. My parents' company didn’t just survive. It has thrived, and it was all thanks to one man.
The love of my life.
Ethan leans close to me again and asks. “Want to tell me what you’re thinking?” he asks, a smile parting his lips as he stares at me. I can’t resist the urge to stroke his chin and return his smile with a wider one.
“Nothing … Just wondering how we got here,” I reply slowly, taking time to trace out the lines of his firm jaw. “My life is better with you in it, Ethan. A hundred times better.”
“And I’m the luckiest man in the world,” he agrees, while his eyes are on mine. We’re lost in the sweetness of our moment for a long time before Ari starts singing her favorite rhyme she recently learned in school.
We join her, and Ethan leaves me again to build a sand castle with her. Watching them fills me with explosive joy.
Blissful is how I would describe every moment of being married to Ethan. With Ari and him being the center of my world, I’ve never been happier.
“Mommy, mommy, come join us,” Ari calls, waving her hands in the air with boundless energy. I give in to the urge and hurry to meet up with them. Ethan scoops Ari into his arms, and he tucks me into his free side before kissing my forehead.
“We should do this every year. Come out here or to any place away from our lives in Los Angeles and just enjoy the quiet andthe view,” Ethan says to me while he leans closer and rests his chin on top of my head.
“I agree … I love it here.” The moon, appearing so close, bathes the horizon in its light, its glow enveloping us as we embrace.
“So do I,” he whispers, kissing my lips as we stand near the shores.
“But only because you and Ari are here with me. You’re my home, Nelly, so it doesn’t matter where I am. As long as it’s by your side.”
“Aww … Such a romantic,” I tease, and burst into a fulfilling laugh. “Who would have thought?”
“You changed me, Nelly, and I’ll always be your Casanova,” he comments with laughter that merges with the bubble of my mirth.
Our days were full of them, and the nights were full of warmth. I knew nothing would ever change as long as we had each other.
The End
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