Page 26

The sun glistens off the turquoise water as our yacht glides through the calm waves. Music plays in the background, and the air is filled with laughter and conversation. Friends and family mingle around the deck, sipping champagne and enjoying the perfect weather.

I stand near the railing, surveying the scene. My brother is here, Oleg too, and even some of Jennifer’s friends from her old life—before all of this. It’s a rare moment of peace, one that feels earned after the chaos of the past few years.

Jennifer stands a few feet away, laughing with Katya. Her hand rests on her belly, the gentle curve of her second pregnancy visible even beneath the flowy summer dress she’s wearing. She’s glowing, more beautiful than ever, and I can’t take my eyes off her. She holds a glass of alcohol-free champagne, sipping it occasionally as she chats with my mother.

I’ve never seen her happier, and that makes something inside me settle. Seeing her like this, so at ease, so content, it feels like the calm after a storm.

Oleg approaches, handing me a fresh drink. “Not bad, eh?” he comments, nodding toward the lively party. “Feels good to see you in this kind of mood.”

I grunt, my eyes still locked on Jennifer. “It does.”

Oleg raises an eyebrow, smirking as he follows my gaze. “She looks good with a baby bump.”

“She looks good all the time,” I reply, my voice gruff but honest.

He chuckles, taking a sip from his glass. “Fair enough.”

Jennifer catches my eye, smiling that soft smile she reserves just for me. I beckon her over, and she excuses herself from Katya’s side, making her way across the deck.

When she reaches me, I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her close. “You doing okay?”

“I’m perfect,” she says, resting her head on my shoulder for a moment. “I still can’t believe we’re out here on a yacht. Sometimes it feels like a dream.”

I chuckle. “You deserve it.”

She raises an eyebrow, grinning. “Yeah, I do.”

“Is that what you think?” I ask, my tone teasing.

She shrugs playfully, swirling her glass. “Well, you said it first.”

I turn her to face me fully, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I want you to be happy, Jennifer. Whatever that looks like. I know you love your work, so I’m making you head of marketing at the company.”

She blinks, surprise crossing her face. “Wait, what?”

I smirk, enjoying the reaction. “You heard me. It’s yours, if you want it. The position’s open, and there’s no one I trust more.”

She shakes her head, laughing. “Head of marketing? Timur, are you serious?”

“As serious as I’ve ever been.”

Jennifer’s smile widens, and she leans into me, her arms slipping around my waist. “I didn’t expect that.”

“I didn’t expect you to want to work after everything,” I admit, running a hand over her belly. “But you’re good at it, and I want you to be able to do what you love.”

“I’m really not the housewife type, am I?” she teases, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

I laugh, shaking my head. “Not even close. You’re too damn smart to be sitting around all day.”

She kisses me, soft and lingering, her lips pressing against mine in a way that makes everything else disappear. When she pulls back, her expression is full of warmth, her eyes soft. “Thank you,” she whispers.

“Just doing what’s right,” I say, though her gratitude makes something stir in me. Seeing her happy, seeing her with that spark of life in her eyes, it means more than I’d ever admit.

We’re interrupted by the sound of Tyler’s laughter. I glance over and see him on deck, playing with one of his cousins. Jennifer watches him, her expression softening even more. “He’s growing up so fast.”

“Too fast,” I agree, pulling her closer again. “He’s got everything he needs.”

She looks up at me, her eyes searching mine. “So do I.”

I smile at that, something real and deep settling in my chest. “Yeah, you do.”

Jennifer turns in my arms, leaning back against me as we watch Tyler play, the sun setting on the horizon, casting everything in a warm, golden glow. It’s a good life we’ve built, and standing here with her in my arms, I know it’s just the beginning.

“I love you,” I murmur into her ear, the words surprising even me.

She looks up at me, a soft smile playing on her lips. “I love you too, Timur.”

A little later, the evening breeze from the water is warm, making the lights from the boat shimmer across the surface. The party continues, everyone having a great time, but my thoughts are on Jennifer, as always. She’s standing next to Oleg and Serge, smiling and talking excitedly about the fireworks that are about to start for the big reveal. I can’t stop watching her, my heart swelling at how happy she looks. How different this all feels compared to how our lives used to be. There’s peace now. Happiness.

Tyler is waddling around, trying to keep up with the bigger kids, and occasionally, he looks back to check if we’re still watching him. He’s growing so fast, and part of me still feels guilty for missing the early months of his life. Now, I’m here. Fully here. I get to be a part of this with Jennifer.

Oleg gives me a nod, signaling it’s time, and I see Serge motioning to the crew to begin. Serge has taken on a lot more responsibility lately, and this party—this whole gender reveal—is his idea. Oleg helps make sure everything goes perfectly.

“Everyone ready?” Oleg calls out, drawing attention to the sky as the music fades.

Jennifer squeezes my hand as we both look up. The night is clear, the stars scattered across the sky, and for a brief moment, everything is quiet. Then, the first firework shoots into the air, exploding in a cascade of shimmering light. A few moments later, the sky fills with bursts of color.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is here. Another firework goes off, filling the sky with pink trails of smoke. Pink.

Jennifer gasps, her hand flying to her mouth as she realizes what it means. Her excitement is infectious, and I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.

“We’re having a girl!” she exclaims, looking at me with wide eyes, filled with joy.

The crowd around us cheers, but in this moment, it feels like it’s just the two of us. I pull her close, kissing the top of her head as she laughs, her happiness radiating through every fiber of her being. My heart feels full.

“I can’t believe it,” she whispers, still looking at the fireworks as they light up the sky in pink and silver. “A little girl.”

I can’t think of anything better. Maybe she’ll have her mother’s bright eyes, her determination, her compassion.

“She’s going to be perfect,” I murmur into Jennifer’s ear, my hand resting gently on her belly.

Jennifer beams up at me, her eyes filled with tears, but happy ones. “I’m so glad you’re here for this.”

I nod, pulling her even closer, feeling the weight of her words. “I’m not going anywhere.”

We stay like that for a while, watching the fireworks fade and the celebration continue around us. Tyler stumbles back toward us, giggling as he clutches one of the balloons someone handed him earlier. He’s out of breath from playing, and he’s starting to say a few words too. It feels like everything is moving so quickly, but in a way that makes me appreciate each moment even more.

Jennifer kneels down, pulling Tyler into her arms and pressing a kiss to his cheek. He squirms but eventually relaxes against her, the balloon still clutched tightly in his fist.

“Mommy’s got you,” she whispers, her voice full of love.

I crouch beside them, wrapping my arm around the both of them. “You know,” I say softly, “this girl is going to have you wrapped around her little finger the moment she’s born.”

Jennifer laughs, resting her head on my shoulder. “Oh, and you’re not going to spoil her at all?”

I raise an eyebrow. “She’s going to have the world, just like her mother.”

Jennifer blushes, turning her head to press a soft kiss to my lips. “You’re a different man now,” she murmurs against me.

I pull back just enough to meet her eyes. “You made me different.”

The air between us stills for a moment, intimate and filled with everything we never said before. For all the ways we’ve grown, for all the walls we’ve broken down, we’ve found something neither of us ever expected.

We stand together, watching Tyler yawn and rub his eyes, clearly tired from all the excitement. I take him from Jennifer’s arms, his tiny body relaxing against mine. His weight feels right in my arms, like he’s always belonged there.

***

Later, we amble inside, the weight of Tyler resting against my chest, grounding me in a way I never expected. His soft breaths are steady, the rise and fall of his small body filling me with a peace I’ve rarely known. Beside me, Jennifer’s fingers are laced through mine, her presence as soothing as it is necessary. I don’t remember a time before her, not really. She’s embedded herself into my life, into my heart, in a way that’s permanent.

It feels like a real home—a place filled with love, something I never thought I’d have. Jennifer walks ahead of me, carefully opening the door so I can carry Tyler inside without waking him. The house is quiet now, just the soft hum of the night settling in around us.

I lay Tyler down in his crib, his little hand clutching on to my shirt for a second before releasing. Jennifer watches from the doorway, her eyes filled with something soft and tender. She steps closer, brushing her hand gently over his hair, then leans down to kiss his forehead. The sight of her, so gentle and caring, stirs something deep inside me.

I take her hand again as we step back from the crib, our fingers intertwining naturally. We make our way to the living room, the soft glow of the lamps casting long shadows as we sit on the couch together. Jennifer leans into me, her head resting against my shoulder, and for the first time in a long while, everything feels right.

“Thank you,” she whispers after a moment, her voice soft but full of meaning.

“For what?” I ask, though I already know the answer.

“For giving us this. For being here,” she replies, looking up at me with those bright eyes that never fail to pull me in.

I brush my lips over her forehead, my hand gently squeezing hers. “I’m not going anywhere. You and Tyler, I love you both, and I love our girl just as much.”

She smiles, and it’s a smile that feels like it could light up the darkest corners of my life.

As the quiet of the night settles around us, I hold her close, feeling Tyler’s soft breaths from the other room, and knowing that this—right here—is where I belong.

*****

THE END