The Arrangement

Epilogue - Happy Birthday

"Good morning," I teased as Maverick placed his lips to mine softly. A soft moan slipped past my lips as a smile stretched across my face

"Morning," he responded shortly as his lips continued towards my jawline.

My fingers roamed slowly up his shirtless torso, brushing over his chest and to his jaw. Maverick's lips had already met my neck by the time my fingers laced themselves into his short, soft hair.

I pulled his face back up to mine, and our lips met in a passionate kiss.

"I'll never get used to waking up like this," I breathed against his lips. He smiled.

I moved to throw my leg over Maverick's lap, but the door to the room burst open. Quickly, I returned to just sit on my side of the bed.

"Guess what, Daddy!" Miriam shouted, running over and jumping up onto the bed.

"What, Lovebug?" Maverick responded. She threw her arms around his neck, hugging him.

"It's a very special day," she hinted. He hummed in thought.

"What day could it be...?" he wondered. His brown eyes turned towards me. "Do you have any ideas, Mommy?"

I tapped the side of my chin, feigning thought. "Hmm..."

"Oh!" Maverick shouted in faux realization. "Is it my birthday?"

"No, Daddy!" Miriam shouted with a laugh. "It's my birthday!"

I shook my head. "No. That can't be it."

"Yeah-huh, Mommy! I'm this many now!" Miriam held up four fingers. I smiled before pulling her onto my lap, kissing her forehead.

"Oh, yeah," I teased.

"Are you ready for your birthday party, Lovebug?" Maverick asked. She nodded extravagantly.

"So ready, Daddy."

I smiled. "Is Warren up yet, Miriam?"

She shook her head. "Actually, Mommy, I don't know. He was sleeping when I was in there."

"Alright, do you want to go and see, Lovebug?" I asked. She nodded.

"I'll go wake him up. I'm a big girl now, remember," she declared gallantly. With that, she slid herself off the bed and ran out.

There was no way she was already four.

It felt like yesterday I was in the hospital room, holding her as Maverick got down on one knee. There was no way my small baby girl wasn't so small anymore.

"Oh, God," Maverick said, wrapping his arms around me. "Emerson, what's wrong?"

As my attention turned back to reality, I realized that tears were flowing down my cheeks.

"Shit," I sobbed, wiping my eyes. "I didn't think I was crying."

"What's wrong, baby?" he asked.

"I was just thinking about how fast time passes. It feels like it wasn't so long ago that we were in the hospital with Miriam, but so much has happened now. Miriam's four, Maverick. It's been four whole years."

"I know," he agreed with a slight chuckle, "and I've loved every second of them."

I smiled, but the tears started flowing again. "God, I don't know what's going on."

Crying had become a bit more common since I'd had kids, but I didn't usually cry this easily. The only times I cried over this small of stuff was when I was on my period or when I was...