Forever Yours (20 page)

Stella smiled down at him, touching his cheek with her hand. “Of course I’ll marry you!” she exclaimed as he picked her up in a hug, kissing her quickly and placing the ring on her finger. “But just so you know, I asked you first.” She laughed as he rolled his eyes at her.

“I love you so much Stella,” he whispered in her ear, his forehead leaning against hers.

“I love you too Tristan, always and forever,” Stella replied, knowing she would always love him. He was her rock, her saviour. She loved him in every way that you could love someone, and now she would spend the rest of her life with him, together forever.

6 Years Later

“Daddy, Daddy! Sing that song again, please!” Stella heard Sophia yell as she ran through the grassy field.

Tristan was playing his guitar under one of the large fig trees, while Stella and their daughter Sophia baked his birthday cake inside. But once Sophia had heard Tristan on his guitar she ran out of the door like she was on fire. She loved listening to Tristan sing, he would sing to her as a baby and ever since Sophia had loved his voice.

Life with Tristan was perfect.

After their confrontation with Josh years ago, they never heard from him again. Stella didn’t care
either,
she knew seeking out revenge wouldn’t be the answer. She had said what she wanted to say to him, and couldn’t care less about what happened to him after that, all she cared about is her life now, her future.

Tristan managed to stop the on-sale of Stella’s story to any other media, and fortunately an A list celebrity had a secret wedding that was discovered by the media the very next day so it quickly took the spotlight away from Stella.

After their wedding, Tristan had bought the piece of land Stella had always dreamed of owning. Stella had nearly had a heart attack when Tristan drove her to the block of land and told her he bought it for her. Everyone knew the owner didn’t want to sell it, claiming no offer was ever good enough, that is of course until Tristan gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse, one that the owner could gladly retire early off, leaving everyone happy.

They built their family home on the land, a small and modest place. Stella never cared much for big fancy houses, as long as it felt like a home and not just a house she was happy.

The day it was completed was also the day she found out she was pregnant, it was a day filled with mixed emotions. Although she had finally begun to accept the death of her son, the thought of the same might happen to her again terrified her.

Tristan was over the moon about her pregnancy, promising he’d protect her and she would get the best care possible to try and avoid anything bad happening. Stella knew that stillbirth was not always something you could avoid, but Tristan’s calm and positive outlook on it kept her mind at ease.

He turned out to be right. After a surprisingly peaceful labour, thanks immensely to Tristan’s soothing approach to the whole experience, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Sophia.

Tristan had filled her heart with love, making her feel whole again, and when she thought she couldn’t love anyone else, Sophia came into their life.

She was a beautiful little girl, every day she felt herself love her even more. She couldn’t ask for anything more, her life was everything she ever imagined it would be and better.

Tristan had taught her, not only how to love again, but how to love life and not hold onto the past. He taught her to always remember Jackson, and never hide from herself what happened.

They still had arguments like every other couple. They didn’t know what the future had in store for them and any heartbreak that might come with it, but they knew together they could do anything, overcome anything.

They had both found peace within each other, and a love that those lucky enough find.

“But you’ve heard it a hundred times
Soph
,” Tristan replied as Sophia jumped in front of him sitting down and crossing her legs.

“Please Daddy, it’s my favourite.” Sophia looked at Tristan with her biggest puppy dog eyes, pleading with him. She was only three years old, yet she was already well aware of how to persuade Tristan.

Tristan rolled his eyes. “Fine, but it’s only because you’re the prettiest girl in the whole world.”

“Hey!” Stella mocked, putting her hands on her hips.

Tristan laughed, “Of course mummy is pretty too, very beautiful, but Sophia is the prettiest.” He winked at Stella.

“True, I can’t argue with that,” Stella laughed as she sat down next to Tristan, leaning her back up against the tree, holding her round pregnant belly.

Tristan started singing their song,
Forever Yours
, while Sophia watched on eagerly, a smile beaming from ear to ear. No matter how many times Stella had heard him sing it, it never got old. The same feelings she felt long ago she still felt now. She took in a deep breath and rested her head on Tristan’s shoulders, listening to the beautiful words that changed her life forever.

“…Well my beautiful girl,

I’m doing something about it, I’m taking a chance.

I’d do anything to hold you again,

To love you.

I’ll be your forever,

Forever yours, if you’ll have me.

Stella I’m yours"

There are songs I listened to while writing this book that inspired me and helped me fall into the magical world of Tristan and Stella.

Here are a few of my top favourites:

*
       
Time Stands Still- Uh Huh Her

*
       
Keep
The
Streets Empty For Me- Fever Ray

*
       
Exile Vilify- The National

*
       
Bloodstream- Stateless

*
       
A
Drop In The Ocean- Ron Rope

*
       
Be
The
Song- Foy Vance

*
       
Be Still- The Fray

*
       
Medicine- Daughter, Igor
Haefeli
, Ian
Grimble
, Elena
Tonra

*
       
Human- Civil Twilight

*
       
Seven Devils- Florence +
The
Machine

*
       
To
Build A Home- The Cinematic Orchestra

*
       
Laura- Bat For Lashes

*
       
Hanging On- Active Child

*
       
We Don’t Eat- James Vincent
McMorrow

*
       
Shells of Silver- The Japanese
Popstars

*
       
Duet- Rachel Yamagata

*
       
White Blank Page- Mumford & Sons

*
       
Wake Me Up- Ed
Sheeran

*
       
Falling Slowly- The Swell Season

*
       
Wicked Game- Chris
Isaak

And not forgetting one of my all-time favourite songs that
gives
me shivers every time I hear it:

With or Without You-
U2

I have always been a hopeless romantic. At the early age of fifteen I met my now husband Darby. Together with our daughter Evelyn and dog Rusty, we live in the beautiful state of Queensland, Australia.

When I’m not spending time with my family, friends, and of course writing, I’m working as a child care educator.

Forever Yours
is my first novel. The story came to me one night as I was falling asleep. Some people count sheep to fall asleep, I create stories in my mind.

No matter what I did I couldn’t let go of the story so I began writing it down, to only find myself unable to stop.

I had always wanted to write a book. I’ve enjoyed writing from an early age, but no story I’ve ever thought up has ever inspired me enough to complete a novel.

I believe in living life to the fullest. I created
a bucket list years
ago with the idea I wanted to achieve it all in my lifetime. I find myself now with over half of the list completed and I’m regularly adding and checking off my goals, dreams, and even fears.

I hope you all enjoyed
Forever Yours
as much as I enjoyed writing it! Stay tuned for more stories to come!