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When I walked over to him, he looked surprised to see me. “Shouldn’t you be with Caleb, Pumpkin?” he asked.
“I can’t stop you from being with him, but all I ask is that you let me have a relationship with my son.”
I looked at him to see if he was telling the truth. Did he really think I would go with Caleb?
“I didn’t kill your mother just so I could start a family with someone else, Sebastian,” I said.
Sebastian didn’t say anything before answering.
“I was praying you wouldn’t. It looks like God heard my prayers.” Sebastian smiles.
I smiled back and rolled my eyes before grabbing his wrist. I put him on the toilet, took the cloth from his hand, and carefully dipped it in alcohol before gently wiping his cuts. Sebastian didn’t say much as he looked over my body, as if he were trying to give me time to think about whether or not I really wanted this.
I know for sure now that Sebastian is what I want.
I think my mum didn’t say anything when she saw us kiss before because she knew all along in a really strange way. I wish Sebastian and I had met in a different way, but we didn’t, and I was okay with that. I stopped cleaning his wounds and put my hand on his bare chest.
“You’re a terrible person. You kill, you hurt, you ruin things. But I can’t help but feel most alive with you.” His eyes slowly found mine, and I was out of breath after my speech. “I love you, Sebastian. No matter who you kill or hurt, I’m always going to love you.”
He didn’t say anything, which scared me a little. Why wasn’t he answering? No, he does love me. His chest started to rise and fall, which made it look like he was having trouble. He calmed down and then took my small hand in his big one.
“Aria, that ring on your finger isn’t just any ring. It was my sister’s ring from her first boyfriend. She loved him more than anything else, and she told me to give it to the girl I love the most.”
“Debra was just like you, which might be why I was so mean to you at first,” he says. “I think she brought you into my life to show me that love isn’t just a word, and what my parents had wasn’t love but abuse.” He looked deep into my eyes without a hint of coldness, and his words were full of truth.
“I was scared to let you in because I knew I’d fall for you, and in my line of work, it’s dangerous to love someone, but I’d do anything for you and your mother.” He looked up at me.
“I’ve loved you for a very, very long time, and that’s the point.”
I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck gently. Sebastian’s arms went around my waist. I felt safe and loved in his arms.
He was never defined by the word “devil.” Love defines him. I am completely happy with my life; I have everything I ever wanted and more. However, there was still one thing that worried me.
As Sebastian and I held each other, we looked at Miguel, who was sleeping soundly with his brown hair covering his face.
I was afraid of what would happen to Miguel in the future. I can only think of one question, and I’m sure Sebastian can too.
What the hell did she call Miguel, a reaper?
Five years later
A year ago, Sebastian and I got married. I love learning new things about him every day. He’s changed so much. He is a loving husband and father to two boys and a girl who is on the way. Today, Sebastian and I invited my family over to tell them about our baby girl. Sebastian was overjoyed to learn that I was pregnant again. He was even more overjoyed to learn that it was a girl.
His little girl.
“Boys, you better be dressed,” I yell while I set the table.
It was too quiet; this place is never quiet, especially when Sebastian is supposed to be getting them ready. I shook my head and smiled. I rubbed my small hand over my growing belly as I looked down at it. “Let’s hope you have a father by the time you come out, baby.”
I went over to the boys’ room. Sebastian and I decided that the boys should share a room because they used to have separate rooms but would sneak into each other’s rooms at night. They are so close that they have a strong bond. I hope they welcome this little girl, their baby sister.
Every week, Miguel goes to school and gets in trouble with the principal. Robert stays home with me because he is still too young.
Miguel is grounded right now because he punched a kid in the face for looking at him wrong.
Boys.
I said, “This is why we can’t have family dinners.”
The boys were on top of Sebastian, who was on the floor. Paint was all over them. Three minutes before my family gets here, I have bright blue paint on my a*s.
Sebastian looked up at me and gave me a sweet smile, as if he was trying to get out of trouble. The boys smiled just like he did. Every day, Miguel looks more and more like Sebastian, and Robert looks more and more like me. Robert has my personality, my green eyes, and my blonde hair.
“Guys, Mama and Papa will be here any second.” I glared at them.
“Babe, it’s fine,” Sebastian laughs.
I turned my head quickly at him. “Do you think this is funny?”
I blame the hormones.
Sebastian took a deep breath and then looked at the boys. He gave them a look that said he had a plan. The boys seemed to get what he meant because they both looked over at me. Miguel and Robert let Sebastian get off, which let him stand up. Sebastian pretended to grab the rag from behind me, but instead he rubbed his cheek, which was covered in paint, against mine.
“Get mommy!” he yelled so the boys could hear. My eyes got big when Sebastian carefully picked me up and put me on the floor in the paint puddle. As I moved around on the floor, the boys painted me softly.
“Stop!” I yelled, pretending to be angry. Sebastian stopped the attack right away. Everyone looked at me with fear in their eyes.
I smiled and picked up the paint bottle from the floor. Then I sprayed the paint all over him. Seeing that Sebastian’s eyes were the only part of him that wasn’t covered in paint made me laugh. The boys then agreed with me and painted their dad more. We all attacked Sebastian. I stood on his waist and poured more paint on him. The boys were smoothing out the paint on his face. I couldn’t stop laughing. I laughed so hard that I thought I might pee myself.
The door next to us opened, and we all turned to see my mum and Maria standing there with their mouths wide open. I looked at Sebastian, who was also looking at me. We both turned around to look at them again, but this time we smiled. The boys did too.
“You’d think they’d act like adults,” my mom said, crossing her arms and looking at pregnant Maria.
“Clean up; we’ll be in the dining room.” Maria laughs. As soon as my mum left, the boys burst out laughing.
I laughed with them and then wiped the paint off my face with my hands. I put my hand on top of Sebastian’s arm because he looked like he was in a train of thought.
I asked, “Are you okay?”
The boys were going to the toilet to wash up. My hand brought him back to reality. He smiled at me and stood up, then reached out his hand for mine. I took his hand and he helped me stand up.
He says, “It must be hard for Maria to see your dad and mum together. I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.” His eyes were locked on mine.
Maria got married again a few years ago and is now expecting her second child with her husband. My dad and her weren’t meant to be, but they love each other because they have a child together. They weren’t in love with each other, though.
No matter how much pain they’ve caused each other, my mum and dad have always loved each other.
“I’m not leaving you, Sebastian. You’ve made mistakes and paid for them. Now we get our happy ending together.” I said this while leaning over and kissing his lips. He put his hand on my cheek and deepened the kiss.
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” I say.