Mila (Heartbreaker #3) (15 page)

Epilogue I

Mila

One Year Later

So much has happened this past year. Brian and I got married six months ago. I wanted to fly to Vegas for a quickie wedding, but my husband, Mr. Romantic, wouldn’t hear of it. We ended up getting married in the garden at my gallery. The girls were happy to give us a discounted rate to do it there.

It was one of the best days of my life. My mamma surprised me and showed up the day before the wedding. Of course, as soon as she met Brian, she was smitten. She told me very seriously that men like him—sweet, sensitive, and romantic—were a gift and I better treasure him.

Nico and my mom both gave me away, while a pregnant—yes, again—Jill was my matron of honor. Nathan and Caitlyn flew in for the wedding. His wife, Cora, was having terrible morning sickness, so she was unable to make the flight.

My sister didn’t come. That’s a long, drawn-out story. It hurt that she wasn’t there, but there was nothing I could do. My mom has been working on finding a place to live here. She’s ready to leave Italy. I think she just misses her granddaughters terribly. I find it hilarious that my brother, the former playboy, is going to be the father of three little girls. I’ll just say that karma is a bitch.

After the wedding, Brian sold his house and we moved into one that was bigger. We managed to find one with a finished basement so I could have a makeshift studio. He wired it for surround sound so I can have my music playing while I paint or sculpt.

We talked and talked after we moved in to our home and decided to do the foster-to-adopt program. Debbie and Matt were gracious enough to talk to me some more about it and answered the million questions I had. When we started taking our foster parent classes, I started speaking to a psychologist about my fears. It really helped me feel prepared to take on such an important job.

I’m not sure if it went much faster because my husband is a wonderful social worker, but a month after finishing up all of the requirements, we got the call that they had a child for us, a two-year-old boy named Lucas. I was terrified at first. I wasn’t having second thoughts; I was just really scared. What if he hated us? His birth mom lost custody of him when he was a year old. What if she’ll be able to get him back?

The day we went to get him, I kept crying, I was both excited and nervous and just wanted to make him happy. Brian’s family and my family were asked to wait to come over to meet Lucas until we got him home and settled and spent a few days with him. Then we could all get to know each other.

When we got to the office, first we spoke to our social worker and then she led us down the hall to where our son was waiting for us. I was practically running down the hall, and my husband chuckled from beside me.

As soon as we opened the door and stepped inside, I covered my mouth to stifle my cries. He was the most beautiful child I’d ever seen. He had light brown hair and brown eyes. His skin was pale like porcelain. I grabbed the truck I bought for him out of my bag and got down on my knees in front of him.

“Hi, Lucas, I’m Mila. I brought you this truck.”

He looked at the truck and then me, and it didn’t take him long before he was rolling it around on the floor. I had never really believed in love at first sight until I met my son. I don’t know why I was so scared.

Brian and I settled into parenthood pretty easily. I was worried when it seemed like Lucas wasn’t much of a talker, but when he was comfortable, he started talking all of the time. Of course a lot of it we couldn’t understand at first until we got used to his toddler talk.

Now, a year later, we couldn’t be happier. Lucas’s birth mom was a prostitute that had a severe drug problem and lost all rights to him, so now we’re able to start the process of legally adopting him.

***

Brian

The first time Lucas called me daddy, I got a little choked up. He’s such a smart, sweet little boy. I don’t know why Mila worried about not being able to love a child that wasn’t biologically hers because she loves that boy so fiercely. He’s a total momma’s boy, but I’m okay with that.

I’m just getting home from work, and I see my little guy in the window with the puppy we got from the shelter. His chubby hand starts waving like mad when I climb out of the car. He disappears out of the window and I know, in a second, the door will open and my beautiful wife and son will be standing there, waiting for me.

In a few months, he’ll legally be our son, and I can’t fucking wait. Then, legally, we’ll have his last name changed to Burns, the way it should be. Mila and Lucas greet me at the door. They both smile up at me.

“Daddy!” He jumps up and I catch him, swinging him up into my arms. I kiss his cheek and then kiss my beautiful wife on the lips.

I never imagined my life could be so full.

Epilogue II

Brian

Two Years Later

For about a year, we talked about giving Lucas a brother or sister. After lots of discussions, we decided to do surrogacy. We wanted one biological child, so we began the steps. For me, the process was easy. All I had to do was jerk off into a cup, but for her it took lots and lots of hormones and an actual procedure to retrieve the eggs.

We met Christi, the surrogate, through a referral service. Neither of us knew what to expect, but the moment we met, I knew she had to be the one who was going to help my wife have a biological child. She’s married with three kids of her own and we’re the second couple she’s helped. Her husband came to the second meeting and he seemed like such a nice, down-to-earth guy.

After the implantation, we had to wait a couple of weeks to know for sure that it stuck. Mila was tense a lot, but she was trying to hide it. She and Lucas spent a lot of time down in the studio. Lucas loved using his finger-paints so he could make pictures like his mommy.

The day we met Christi at the doctor’s office, Mila didn’t say much. This whole process is expensive, so we pretty much had one shot at this. When the pregnancy was confirmed, Mila cried happy tears for two days. She bought Lucas an “
I’m the Big Brother
” shirt and we took him over to Mila’s brother’s, where everyone was gathering. My mom was the first one to notice his little t-shirt and started to cry.

It pretty much turned into a crying fest, but my wife was so overjoyed, I wasn’t going to complain.

She and Christi talked a lot. Christi was very much into natural childbirth, and when she shared her birth plan with us, she insisted that we be in the room. Once the baby was out, she wanted the baby to be skin to skin with Mila so that bond could start right away. She even set Mila up with a lactation aid, which encouraged Mila to try nursing.

That again involved Mila being on hormones that made her cry a lot, but she wanted this so much. They also set her up with a device that she could wear at first so the baby would get milk and hopefully help Mila’s body produce it.

We just dropped off Lucas at my parents’ house, who, by the way, love being grandparents and spoil our boy often.

Christi is in labor. According to her husband, she goes quickly, so we’re not wasting anytime. Once we reach the birthing unit, we step into the room and find Christi on one of those exercise balls.

“Hey, guys!” She sure is chipper for someone in active labor.

Mila hugs her and Rob. Christi hands Mila a gown and tells her to put it on. That way it’ll be easier to get the baby on her breast so they can be skin to skin sooner.

It doesn’t take long before it’s show time. We don’t know what we’re having. We chose to be surprised since this is the one time we’re doing this. As Christi started to push, I moved behind Mila, who had the recliner right there for her to be able to snuggle up with the baby.

When the ear-piercing cry fills the room, the doctor holds up the baby and announces, “It’s a girl!”

The nurse asks me to cut the cord and then hands me my daughter. A nurse helps Mila undo her hospital gown so she can be skin to skin with the baby. Christi and Rob smile at us while we snuggle our little girl, Rebecca. We named her after my birth mom.

They place Rebecca on Mila’s breast and our little girl latches on immediately. We won’t know right away if Mila will produce enough milk, but the only thing we care about is that our little girl is here. She’s perfect.

After they check Rebecca over, they move us to another room. Christi will stay in the room we’re in now until they discharge her. All of the legal stuff will get handled in the morning after everyone has had the chance to rest.

Mila is asleep in the bed with Rebecca asleep on her chest. I take a picture and send a mass text that our daughter is here. My phone blows up with numerous texts congratulating us on the birth of our daughter. The plan in the morning is to deal with the legal stuff and get Rebecca home. We told everyone to wait until after Lucas gets home and meets his baby sister before coming over. Of course they all grumble that they need baby time.

Our families have been amazing as we’ve taken this journey, and I hope that we will fill our house with even more love.

***

Two Years Later

Mila

Brian slides out of me and kisses my back softly before turning me so we’re snuggled chest to chest. After five years of marriage, I’ve never been more in love with this man. Not only is he a wonderful husband, but also he’s an amazing father. Our life is crazy and chaotic and some days we’re so exhausted, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Lucas is now in preschool and is such an amazing boy. He’s definitely an alpha in the making. He’s super protective of his sister and all of the girls at preschool love him. He’s a ham, so of course he eats it up.

Whenever I’m down in my studio, he is right there with me. I love that we have our “thing” that’s just ours. He gets just like me when the art takes over—serious expressions and silence. Of course, he doesn’t lose hours, like me, but still, the cutie pie does get lost in his art.

Rebecca is two and hell on wheels. She’s got the Bianchi fire and has no problem trying to boss everyone around. She’s got Brian wrapped around her finger. It’s almost comical. Rebecca is definitely my mini-me. Her hair is dark like mine and her eyes are blue. She loves her big brother, that’s for sure.

We send Christi pictures and letters. At first I wasn’t sure about the protocol after the baby has been born, but she helped ease the way by contacting us first, checking in to see how Rebecca was doing. I can’t imagine carrying a baby and just handing it over to someone else, but I’ll always be grateful to her for it.

“Baby?” I ask.

“Hmm…?” Brian mumbles sleepily.

“Once Becca turns three, we should adopt again.” I’ve been thinking about it a lot and I totally want at least one more child.

“Really? Okay, I’ll make sure we’re back on the active registry. Get some sleep, baby. You know the princess will be up early.” Becca is our early riser.

As I feel my eyes drift shut, I say a little prayer, thanking the lord above for the many blessings he has bestowed upon us. I can’t believe, at one point, I almost walked away from Brian, my everything.

***

A year later, Brian and I became the parents to not one boy, but two—brothers, Ethan and Elijah, ages two and one. In a house full of kids, chaos, and toys, we’re so happy. Brian was right. I didn’t give birth to them, but they’re
my
kids and I love them all.

The End

***Sneak Peek***

Gaia

The Heartbreaker Series

Book Four

Chapter One

Gaia (pronounced Guy-ah)

Six Months Ago

I stare at myself in the mirror and don’t recognize the person staring back at me. What did I do? How did my life spiral so far out of control? For as long as I could remember, I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to help people. I wanted to make a difference in the world.

Two years ago, things were great, and then everything quickly fell apart. First, Nico, my big brother, my hero, showed up after finishing a stint in rehab, then my mom developed cancer, and then my father died.

One minute things were good, and then the next it was all spiraling out of control. At first the Xanax helped me sleep. Then I needed them to get through my day.

My mom knew something was going on, but I assured her I was fine and was just stressed out. My sister and brother were both living in America, so I felt like I didn’t have them for support. Then I met Felipe. He was everything I thought I needed at the time, but it didn’t take long to get sucked in and under his web.

The first time he hit me, he cried for hours and said he was so sorry and never had done anything like that before. Six months later was the second time he did it. He accused me of stealing his drug supply, which I didn’t. Well, not all of it.

Two weeks ago was the last straw. He accused me of cheating on him. Then he used my face as a punching bag and held me down as he “taught” me a lesson.

My mom’s worried. I know she is, and Nico and Mila have both reached out, but I just can’t talk to them right now. I paid for the hotel room with cash and hopefully disguised myself enough that if Felipe comes looking for me, the people at the front desk won’t recognize me.

I grab the baggie that holds my pills and swallow two down. Before they kick in and I fall asleep, I move the chair under the door handle and, just in case, I move the table too. On the bed, I curl into a ball and cry myself to sleep.