Late evening….

Stephanie was in her pajamas waiting for Eric to come back. He had been gone the entire day. She refused to call him although part of her wanted to. The door opening caught her attention. She stood up and waited.

Eric walked in hoping she was asleep. He did not want to fight. He knew he had been wrong to walk out and disappear the whole day, but he was angry, honestly, he was hurt by her keeping secrets, deceiving him. It reminded him of who she used to be, and he did not like it one bit.

Stephanie put the light on.

Eric turned and saw her.

The silence was deafening.

"Can we call it a truce for tonight? I'm tired and I'm sure you are too" He said hoping she would let it go.

"No, we can't. We are long overdue this talk" She said firmly. She was not going to let him avoid this any longer.

"Fine" He spat as he walked over to her.

"I stopped my medication right after I told you and the family that I wasn't going to get treatment again" She admitted.

Eric clenched his fist as he sat.

"I was wrong for not telling you" She admitted.

Eric remained silent.

"And I had planned to say yes to your marriage proposal because I did not want you to have any more regrets. I did not want you to have to live with that once I was gone. That is what I told Taylor so I'm sure you know that I am not lying" She confessed as she sat.

"You married me out of pity. That is what I heard" He said finally speaking.

"No. I didn't" She said wanting to be honest.

He looked at her as if he doubted her.

"I had intended to marry you not out of pity, never out of pity, it was to take away any regret. I love you Eric and I did not want you to live with that. Can't you understand that" She asked?

"What I understand is that you don't love me the way that I love you. I don't think you ever have" He said breaking her heart.

"Eric…I…" She sighed at a loss for words.

"You're dying Stephanie" He said as he kept eye contact.

She nodded her head yes.

"Is that what you wanted me to say" He asked angrily?

"I wanted to talk to you about it. Not pretend that it wasn't true" She explained her own anger lessening.

"No Stephanie, you wanted to control" He replied still angry.

"Do not start with that" She warned him.

"You wanted to control your cancer. How we all deal with your cancer. How I deal with you…dying" He said his voice wavering with emotion.

Stephanie was going to object but then she realized he was partly right. She had chosen to stop treatment which, in some ways meant she was trying to control her cancer, her death.

"It was not enough that you took away every chance that we have by not taking those treatments, by refusing to participate in clinical studies, by stopping your medication and wanting to talk to me about moving on when you are still here. As if all that was not bad enough you marry me out of pity or guilt or whatever but not the one reason that I wanted, needed, not for…love" He finished as tears sprung out of his eyes and down his cheeks.

Stephanie went to him instantly. Before he knew it, her arms were wrapped around him.

"I'm sorry" She apologized. She truly was sorry. For hurting him again.

"So am I" He replied as he tried to pull away from her.

"Eric, listen to me. When I said yes and Gladys married us, that was not out of guilt or to prevent you from having regrets. It was most certainly not out of pity or anything like that. It was out of love. Love for the things that you said to me that day. The love I still feel for you" She whispered as she looked into his eyes.

"Do you really mean that" He asked hopeful?

"Yes, I do" She reassured him.

"You should have told me, all of it" He said sadly.

"You're right" She admitted. "I should have."

He reached out and took her hand in his looking at her wedding ring.

"I don't regret marrying you. Do you regret marrying me now" She asked? She held her breath as she waited for an answer.

"I could never regret marrying you" He confessed as he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Never say never" She teased as she hugged him tight.

He held her tight as he buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent.

"Let's go to bed" She said since she felt they had an understanding now. He had been right she should have told him, and she hoped he now knew that she did marry him for love.

"Alright" He gave in. He followed her to the bedroom.

The next day…

Stephanie awoke her arm draping over her eyes as the sun shined brightly into the bedroom. They had forgotten to draw the drapes. She peeked out from under her arm and saw Eric lying in bed wide awake.

"Good morning" She whispered as she turned to face him.

"Oh, hi, good morning" He smiled as he looked at her.

She noticed he had his cell phone in his hands.

"What are you doing" She asked curiously?

"Nothing" He lied as he put the phone on his bed stand.

She arched an eyebrow at him in suspicion.

"It is a surprise" He confessed.

"Oh…" She smiled.

"I'm not telling" He said adamant.

"I think I can convince you to tell" She teased mischievously.

He looked at her narrowing his eyes as he got closer to her.

She slapped his arm as she laughed at his silliness.

"I can think of some things" He flirted.

"Oh no…" She laughed as she tried to get up, but he tackled her back onto the bed making her scream.

"Eric! Stop! Stop it right now" She laughed as he tickled her and nibbled on her neck.

"Stop!" She laughed as she pushed at him unsuccessfully.

A knock on the door caught their attention.

"Who could that be" She asked curiously?

"That is breakfast" He said as he looked into her eyes.

Another knock.

"Go let them in" She said in disbelief by his nonchalance.

"Breakfast can wait" He smiled flirtatiously as he kissed her.

Sometime later….

"That was wonderful" Eric commented on the breakfast as he sat back and sipped his coffee.

"Yes, it was" She smiled as she sipped her tea, the sun shining brightly on her face making her glow.

"Aren't you glad we waited" He teased as he hinted toward their tardiness this morning. The kisses.

Stephanie blushed.

"Say you are glad" He continued to tease.

She looked at him and smiled but remained silent.

"Poor sport" He said pretending to be upset as he smiled back at her.

They spent the next hour sitting out on the deck enjoying the sunshine and their beverages.

After, they got showered and dressed so they could venture out.

They left the hotel and the car service drove them to a beautiful scenic park.

"Shall we go for a walk" Eric asked since he did not know if she was tired especially after their playfulness this morning?

"Yes, it's beautiful" She said amazed as they walked hand in hand.

They spent a wonderful day together and retired back to their suite in time for dinner. They decided to order room service because Stephanie was tired.

While they waited for the food, they sat in the living room and chatted with the balcony doors open. The fresh air blowing the drapes.

Dinner arrived and they sat down to eat near the balcony it made for a beautiful, romantic setting.

"It's a full moon tonight" Eric said as he watched Stephanie once they were done with dinner.

"Yes…" She smiled as she looked out at it.

"How about we sit on the sofa" He asked wanting her to be comfortable?

Moments later they sat on the sofa side by side, Stephanie eyes fluttered closed a few times. He knew she was tired.

"You want to go to bed" He asked gently?

"Would you mind" She asked? She hated ending their night early but, she could not keep her eyes open.

"Of course not. Come on" He whispered as he extended his hand to her. She took it and he helped her up. They walked to the bedroom together.

While Stephanie got ready for bed, Eric sat on the bed contemplating everything. Memories of their life together began to flood his mind and heart. His chest felt tight. For some reason, it hit him hard in that moment. So hard it knocked the breath out of him. She was finally his wife again and he was going to lose her.

Stephanie came out and approached him. She realized he had not noticed that she was out of the bathroom. His hands covered his face.

"Eric…" She whispered as she sat beside him.

"I'm sorry" He apologized as he wiped his eyes.

Stephanie felt her heart clutch.

"It's alright" She whispered as she embraced him.

Eric wrapped his arms around her holding her close.

After some time, Eric got ready for bed while Stephanie waited in bed for him. Eventually he came out and joined her. He was quiet, she noticed.

"Come closer" She encouraged as she opened her arm to him so he could lay closer.

Eric went into her arms without a word. She held him close as they lay in bed both quiet.

Stephanie felt his hot tears fall onto her bare arm. She squeezed her eyes tight trying not to cry herself. Instead, she kissed his head lovingly as she held him closer.

The next day….

Stephanie woke up and noticed Eric was still asleep. She watched him silently, taking in every detail of his face and body. She did not want to forget him. Her eyes filled with tears as she realized how afraid she truly was that she would forget him or one of the kids…grandkids. As much as she tried to have more time with them, she knew time was no longer on her side. The thought of leaving her family broke her heart.

Eric rolled over and looked into her eyes. He saw the sadness.

"Steph…honey…what is it" He asked concerned?

"Can we stay in bed for a while" She asked in a low voice? She tried to keep her voice calm.

"As long as you want" He reassured her.

To his surprise, Stephanie snuggled down under the covers and went into his arms. He held her as they lay together. Her hand covered his chest where his heart was as she closed her eyes listening and feeling his heart- beat. He pulled her closer making her feel safe.

"I'm sorry about last night" He whispered.

"Don't be" She reassured him as she placed her hand in his so they could hold hands.

"You need me to be strong" His voice wavered with emotion.

"I need you to be you" She said honestly.

"Do you really" He asked unsure? He knew he was not strong enough to cope with this. He was barely keeping it together now.

"Yes…" She replied softly hoping to reassure him as she squeezed his hand tight.

"Are you sure that you would not prefer…Massimo…" He asked as she laid in his arms.

"You heard us" She whispered.

"Yes…" He admitted.

"Eric…" She wanted to try to explain.

"He would handle this better. Be strong for you. He would make you fight" He spoke over her.

She looked up and into his eyes sadly.

"He would" He insisted, his eyes tearing.

"He would try but my answer would be the same" She said honestly.

His tears fell once again.

"I love you Eric, only you…it's always been you" She reassured him with a loving smile.

His tears fell heavily now.

"I don't want to prolong this by taking medication or treatments. All I want is to be with you and the kids for as long as I can. That is all I want" She explained as she wiped at his tears.

"How much longer" He forced himself to ask?

She looked down avoiding his eyes.

"Tell me, please…" He begged her.

"A few weeks" She admitted as she looked at him.

His face fell and her heart clenched tightly.

"Please don't focus on that. We'll take this honeymoon and then go home and be with the kids…" She reassured him.

"Then what" He asked, tears falling?

Her own tears fell as she thought for a long moment.

"Then when it's time, I'll go" She whispered.

"Go where" He asked alarmed?

She remained silent.

"No Stephanie, no. You cannot say that and not tell me" He begged her.

"I won't make you all suffer by watching me…I won't" She insisted.

"I understand not wanting the kids to see you that way but…I have to be there. You can't be alone" He challenged her.

She looked at him and he knew, she would not be. It just would not be him.