Page 118 of Rewriting the Story

He leans his forehead against mine, and tears fall from my eyes as I think about the life we've created. “I’m scared.”

“I’m scared too,” he tells me, a huge smile still on his face. “But this is just another chapter of our story together.”

“We’re having a baby,” I tell him with a smile as I look at this astonishing man in front of me.

“Hell yeah, we are,” he says as the voices of our friends filter in. Everyone is crying, save for Oliver, and as I look at Paige, I find tears pouring from her face.

“We’re pregnant at the same time,” she tells me.

“Which means our kids are totally going to be best friends.”

“At this rate, all of our kids are going to be as close as you girls are,” Grant reminds us. “And what a beautiful family we’re all creating together.”

“Our master plan is complete,” Ella jokes as Leo comes into frame.

“Why are you all crying?”

“Amelia’s pregnant,” Ella tells her husband, because Henry and I are too speechless to say anything.

“That’s wonderful news. Congratulations, you two,” he says to us. “Now we’re going to have two babies to spoil at the end of the year.”

“Thanks, Leo,” Henry says. “But I’m going to spend some time with my beautiful pregnant wife, so we’ll see you all when we get home.”

And with a parade of well wishes, he hangs up the call and captures my lips, whispering sweet nothings as we start this new, terrifying, exciting life together.

Extended Epilogue

Years Later

When We Are Together by The 1975

“Mommy,whyarewedoing this again?” my daughter, Kaia, asks me.

“We’re surprising your daddy with a mix of songs that describe his latest book,” I tell her as I move the files onto a disc. Henry is already at the venue for his last book tour stop, and since this tour is coming to an end and he’s finally back in Virginia, I wanted to do something special.

Not only does he not know we’re coming, but he also doesn't know the apartment is decorated for when we all get back. Our kids, Kaia and Rowan, helped make the decorations, and I know he’s going to love it. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when hesees us in the crowd.

We’ve been married for years, and it still feels like I’m finding more reasons to love him. When I got pregnant with our twins, I was terrified. I was worried about being a mother. This wasn't in the plan we had for our lives—at least not at that point.

But these past years with our kids have been some of the best of my life, and I can’t imagine not having these little bugs around to ask me a thousand different questions.

“I can’t wait to tell Dad about my playdate with Riley,” Rowan says as he paints with his fingers on a sheet of paper.

“He’s going to be excited to be home,” I tell them as I finalize the songs for the disc. “I sent him pictures of you guys all playing while we were at Aunt Paige’s house.”

“Oh yeah,” he chirps, and as I look at the time, I realize we have to get a move on. Getting two kids dressed, into the car, and fed is a pain in the butt, and I don’t want to be late to this.

Henry has been away for about a week, and we’ve missed him so much. I cannot wait to see him.

We moved into this small house near the beach before I gave birth to the twins, and while I love our house, it is a bit farther from things than I would like. Granted, we’re still pretty close to all our friends, but this small bookstore we’re headed to is far, and I really need to pick up my pace.

“Okay, my loves,” I say as I close my laptop. “Can you go wash your hands and get dressed for Mommy so we can go see Daddy?”

As squeals and screams fill the house, I smile to myself.

I love this life I’ve created with Henry, and I’m grateful I get to be living it. I was smart enough to come back and build the life I knew I wanted—the one Ideserve. Because every time I look into the eyes of my kids and see the echoes of Henry in them both, I have to stop myself from crying.

No longer does it feel like I’m breathing when I’m running from things. Now, the only time I feel like everything will be okay is when my two kids and my wonderful husband are around me.

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