Surviving Valentine (18 page)

Chapter 21

Epilogue

One year later*

Scarlet

“No, No, NO! I can’t do this! ” I screamed. I have never ever felt pain like this in my life! It was horrible! I don’t think I will be able to survive this! “I can’t do this anymore! AHHHH!!!” I cried out. “Baby you have no choice now, you have to. We did natural this far, now we can’t get an epidural. You can do this baby we are almost there!” My husband spoke calmingly to me. Of course he could. Him getting shot in the chest was nothing compared to pushing a giant watermelon out of your vagina!  “HOLY HELL!”  I groaned again.  He tried to soothe me but it wasn’t helping. “Baby, think happy thoughts. Remember what the doctor said, you need to stay calm.” Screw him! Screw the doctor! I just need to get this little demon out of my body!

I tried to think happy thoughts. I thought about how happy I was when Darien came to after they did surgery to save him when Frank shot him. I was so scared. But he made it. I thought about our wedding day. It was magical. We got married in our back yard on the beach in April. We decided to keep my house, and give his house to Candace and Ross as an early wedding present. We had flowers of all colors strewed about the sand. It was a small wedding, just family and close friends. Even my parents made it, I was so happy. My strapless dress trailed lightly behind me as I walked down the aisle towards him. He was a stunner in a buttoned down cream shirt, and khaki pants. We said our I do’s and danced to our song under the lanterns and stars on the grass.

About a month later we found out we were pregnant. Darien was ecstatic. He had been the best partner in life any one could ask for. He was perfect. He even rubbed my feet and did 3 am milkshake runs for me. Thinking about our wedding was helping with the contractions, until the baby started crowning.

“OHHHHH MYYYYYY GOOOOOOOOOOODDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I scream at the top of my lungs. Then there was nothing. Just relief.  A baby’s cries erupted into the room. Tears started running down my face. He was here. Our little angel. I couldn’t believe it. I was a mother. Darien kissed me as we watched the doctor place our son on my chest. He was beautiful. I looked at Darien; his eyes were full of tears. It was just as beautiful seeing him so emotional over seeing our son. “I love you baby, thank you.” I said to him. He kissed me again. “I love you baby, Happy Valentine’s Day.”  I laughed. My favorite holiday.

Acknowledgements

              In my new adventure into the world of writing I’d like to give out HUGE THANK YOU to my cousin Christina for helping me along with writing, editing, for helping me create Fox, and letting me know that it wasn’t  a total disaster.

Thank you to Jeff, Samantha, and Ross for letting me use your names, first or last. Thank you mom, even though it was embarrassing as hell to have you read this book, you have been there and I appreciate it. Thank you Jessica P. and my sister Katie for all of your wonderful advice and comments to help me finish my writing.

I definitely couldn’t have gotten through writing without listening to music so thank you music gods for inspiration!

Thank you Cheryl for your ideas in the beginning and for helping me come up with Candace’s character.

To all of my favorite Authors who inspired me Jennifer Armentrout, Alice Clayton, R.K. Lilley,  Inara Scott, Laura Kaye, Rachel Van Dyken, Rick Roirdan, J.K. Rowling. Thank you; although your books distracted me a lot, they were my greatest inspiration of all. I have always been a reader first and a writer second.

A HUGE thank you to my 9
grade English teacher Mrs. Daily, I remember your peanut butter and jelly assignment for descriptive writing. I thought of it the whole time I was writing.

Special thanks to my husband, thank you for letting me use your “Beach eyes” as inspiration for Darien. Thanks for being there and saying I was amazing for writing.

Thank you everyone for taking a chance and reading the book, and for being supportive!

Jessica <3

                        
        
About the Author

Jessica Florence makes her home in Southwest Florida where she works as a massage therapist, and of course writing!

She one day after reading a book a day for a year just sat down and started writing the story of our dear Scarlet and Darien, thus finding a new amazing hobby that she was looking for, for years, and that was also very therapeutic.

She spends her days reading, watching TV, working, playing with her black German Shepherd Rogue aka Rogue-i-bear, and fishing with her husband.

She enjoys taking naps, playing ultimate Frisbee, bubble baths, eating pickles like candy, and having Harry Potter marathons.

<3

Contact info: [email protected]