Chapter 25 Epilogue Midnight Kiss

The ladies had a lovely meal together amid laughter as they recounted lots of funny anecdotes from the last several months since they had known each other. They deliberately put the obnoxious stranger out their mind as he was not worth wasting mental energy on. The restaurant was full of patrons as everyone seemed to be in the mood for fine dining that night. The meal was delicious, and being a special night the ladies enjoyed a bottle of Papillon Sparkling White Alcohol Free Champagne from Van Loveren. Everything amount the ambiance at the restaurant that evening was set for romance.

Eventually the ladies left after thanking the chef personally for a wonderful meal. They walked arm in arm through the streets on Midtown Manhattan enjoying each other's company. They slowly made their way to the area that was considered the central area of Times Square, hoping to get a good vantage point to see all the activities clearly.

The big screen TVs around the Broadway and 7th Avenue area were all covering the television networks live showing the buildup of the dropping of the ball at midnight. Hildy looked at Kami with a childlike wonder as the energy all around them was palpable. All types of accents could be heard from the people walking past them in various directions. There were groups of people huddled together as they drank beverages that ranged from hot chocolate to hot tea and coffee. There were even some 'soup in a cup' being sipped by folks as the temperature began to dip a bit more than it did earlier in the evening. There were also lots of families in attendance as excited children found it difficult to stay still.

As Kami watched the children with their parents her heart clenched. She wondered if the desire she had to become a Mom would truly materialize. As she got older the maternal yearning in her heart became deeper. She had all but given up on ever experiencing all the 'firsts' that mothers talk about; the first tooth, the first step, the first word, the first day at school. But then Hildy entered her life and all the mothering desires she had buried so long ago began resurfacing. With Hildy there was hope, with Hildy there was a chance.

Hildy looked at Kami as she looked at the children and their parents. Kami had a very expressive face and it did not take a genius to see the affect looking at the families was having on her.

"Hey, hey", Hildy said softly as she brought her lover's hand to her lips.

"God's willing we are going to be parents", Hildy continued. "Whether we will have them biologically or through adoption, we are going to be parents. Heavenly Father is with us and everything will work out".

Hildy saw the concern mixed with hope in her lady's eyes. "Tell me Kams, what is really concerning you about becoming parents?"

Kami looked at her and paused, this caused Hildy to look at her more intently because Kami usually was an open book when it came to sharing information with her. In an effort to reassure her lady, Hildy wrapped her arms around her as they stood in the middle of Times Square. All thoughts of a falling Big Apple Ball were forgotten as Hildy focused on the precious person in her arms.

Taking a deep breath Kami began to speak. "I would truly like to experience what it feels like to have a baby growing inside of me", Kami said with a longing in her voice that Hildy could not recall hearing before. She realized that her lady felt deeply, more deeply about being a Mom than Hildy first realized. She gently but firmly began to rub her hand up and down Kami's back and she held her around her hips with the other hand.

"But I am afraid my body may not cooperate with the desire of my heart".

Hildy looked at her with a confused expression. "What do you mean Kams?"

"Remember I told you a long time ago I had some issues with my uterus? I was in my twenties at the time, and surgery became necessary to remove fibroids that became a problem. Well even though the doctor told me I could still have children, I have often wondered if my body could cope with the stress of pregnancy".

Hildy stayed quiet for a few moments wondering what to say to reassure her lady. Then she made a silent appeal to Heavenly Father to give her the words of comfort that Kami needed in that moment.

Hildy looked around them and saw several groups of families, some with young children, others with older children but everyone looking like they were having an enjoyable time.

"You see all these children Kami?" Hildy said as she indicated the families all around them. "All these children are on loan".

Kami pulled back her head a bit so that she could look into her lover's eyes as she tried to follow the point she was making. "What do you mean… on loan?" Kami asked.

"I mean the children do not belong to the adults who are looking over them. The adults have been given a sacred responsibility to love them, and raise them in a way that will bring honour to their Creator". At those words Kami leaned in closer to her friend as she laid her head on her shoulder.

"Kami, children are a gift from Heavenly Father. That gift can come through our bodies or the gift can be placed in our hands. But either way the responsibility is an awesome one. I hope Father will keep your womb strong enough to withstand the physical strain a pregnancy will put on it. But if He chooses to bless us another way by giving us children who are already born, I hope we can love them as much as if they came through us".

The ladies held each other silently for several moments before Kami spoke. "I can love them the same as if they came through us. As a matter of fact as crazy as this may sound ….I love them already".

Hildy smiled as she heard these softly spoken words.

Slowly they pulled apart as they heard the crowd around them begin to count down the seconds to midnight.

With each shouted number the excitement in the air rose. At the stroke of midnight the cheers and shouts was deafening as the ball reached its final destination. The ladies looked at each other as the both reflected on the past year and how their lives were before they met each other, compared to how it was after they met.

They stood there as memories flooded their minds. Then a smile that can only be described as pure love graced both their faced as they looked at each other. They slowly leaned forward until their lips touched. The kiss was passionate but in a different way from their previous kisses. It was as if it their kiss held a promise for the coming year. It was like all their combined hopes and desires to be better in every which way was wrapped inside the expression of love they poured into their touching lips.

As they finally pulled away from each they both said at the same time -

"Happy New Year".

Author's Note: This brings Part Two of my little Kami and Hildy story to an end. Please 'Follow' my name so the notices for Part Three can be sent to your Inbox. Thanks.