“What?” Ria blushes. “Okay, yes. I’m pregnant. Three months now, so it’s safe to say. I told Drake you only don’t tell people if they aren’t going to know if something goes wrong. He gave me the okay before we came over.”
I’m almost embarrassed at the squeal of happiness I let out as I hug her. “I’m so happy for you and jealous but more happier than jealous.”
“What happened to the no kids after forty thing and just two?” Elise asks as she squeezes Ria.
Ria rolls her eyes. “He’s not always as bossy as he comes off. I have you and Dmitri and especially your youngest Zia to thank, I’m thinking. She is such a sweetheart, Drake just melted for her. I might have used his adoration to my benefit. It was time for my implant to come out. I told him I wasn’t sure I wanted another implant in my arm when I really wanted another baby. He really just said, okay. Like he was a
greeing for us to have Chinese or something.”
Elise’s eyes go wide. “Seriously?”
“I know, I thought the same thing. I’d been putting it off for months, trying to figure out how to tell him. He said if that’s what I wanted then it was fine. For him, he was worried about me feeling like I was stuck in the mom role and I would grow to resent it. Except he’s seen it makes me happy and he’s still very much taken care of so he’s fine with it.”
“That sounds like Dmitri.” Elise laughs. “As long as he still gets plenty of grown up time in the bedroom, he’s fine with whatever. It doesn’t matter if he has to put up with sticky hands in his hair and the kids climbing all over him. He’ll play with them for hours until they’re in bed and dad mode is turned all the way off.”
“So Dmitri, is fine with however many kids you want?” I ask.
“Yep, he says it’s my body and my sanity. If I want more kids it’s up to me. Although he has made it clear although the nanny was important when we first got pregnant he didn’t want our children to be raised by the nanny so I needed to be able to manage being the mom full time. He was adamant the cooking, cleaning thing should go on someone else because that wasn’t nearly as important as our kids and our time together. I understood and agree with him. I didn’t birth these kids for someone else to raise them.”
“He didn’t mind about the whole being pregnant thing though?” I’m seriously worried about the idea of Leo being turned off by me being pregnant.
Both Elise and Ria blush. Elise shrugs with a smile. “No, not in the least.”
Now I’m blushing. Gertrude clears her throat. “My dear, if we don’t get you in your dress we’re going to have to deal with a cranky Leo.”
I nod. I take off my robe. I’m in the most stunning white lace bra and panties. Stepping into the dress, the zip comes up easily. In the mirror I’m a little stunned at my reflection. I’m beautiful, just the way Leo has told me I am.
The knock at the door has all of us turning. “It’s Victoria, I’m on an errand from Leo.”
Ria opens the door. Victoria is smiling as she offers a black velvet box. “The man was insistent you wear this today. I, of course, must know what it is.”
Opening the box, everyone gasps at the necklace and earrings inside. It’s a rope of intense blue sapphires, the simplicity of it is stunning. There are earrings of single sapphires as large as a quarter. I don’t say anything as the women around me ooh and ahh over it. All I can think is how intent Leo has been to make all his dreams come true and I just know that our happily ever after is one more dream he will make come true.
***
Leo
I’m pacing under a canopy of flowers waiting for Alexa. Drake laughs and shakes his head. The asshole. Miguel and Santos are giggling like little girls. Fuck, I thought this was just going to be Drake and Ria, and Elise and Dmitri. Then it became Gertrude and her wife, Victoria and her husband and now Miguel and Santos. The only reason Jenny and her husband aren’t here is because their son is sick. Whatever, it was fine. I just didn’t need to be laughed at while I’m waiting for my woman to get her ass down here and marry me.
“She’s coming they’re just probably gossiping. I told Ria she could tell everyone she’s pregnant.”
I stop pacing. “Really? I thought you were both done. The two and you’re an old man now.”
Drake shakes his head. “She wants another, she’ll get another. I said it in the beginning before I really understood. Whatever she wants, it’s hers. She can have it all, no question except when and how she wants it.”
Dmitri nods solemnly. Tension eases out of me. “So it’s not crazy? The willingness to lay my world at her feet.”
Both men shake their head. No words necessary to tell me they know exactly how I feel.
The orchestra begins playing. Instead of the typical wedding march it’s Ave Maria by Bach. When Alexa played it I agreed immediately. The music begins to soar. As first Elise walks down the aisle followed by Ria. Christina is the flower girl and carefully drops rose petals as she walks.
When I see Alexa in her dress I forget to breathe. She’s mine, how in the world is someone so beautiful and perfect mine? Her eyes are glittering brighter than the sapphires at her throat. The love in her eyes, fuck, I can live the rest of my life and never see anything as awe inspiring.
I try to follow along, my fingers are numb as I push on the plain platinum band Alexa picked. Her hands are trembling as she pushes my band on. It’s the same style, slightly thicker. Grasping her hands tight, I don’t let them go, and use them to draw her close to me. Her soft, sweet breath becomes mine as I cover her lips with mine. Nothing is sweeter, nothing is more perfect than this moment.
Mine, forever.
Five years later