Meant to Be Together

Chapter 12: Jacob

           "And then, you twirl around, like this, see?" Prima teaches little Katie and Emily a basic pirouette. I'm holding my little Angel, who's intently watching her mother. At one and a half months old, she's the most beautiful baby girl I've ever seen, and she looks exactly like her mother.

"Good! Now, jump, like this," Poe continues, demonstrating a tour jete. Emily and Katie try, but they can't seem to do it right. "No, no, like this." As she instructs them, I smile. Seeing all of her family here makes me wonder about my father. I mean, I never remembered him, and neither did Angel (the older one, that is). 

After Katie and Emily are done with their ballet lesson, I leave Angel, who is now sleeping, with her aunt Angel. "Charity, can you watch Angel for a bit?"

"Sure, Jake." Charity takes my daughter from me and smiles. "I still can't get over how pretty she is."

I suddenly pull a camera out and snap a picture. "Jake, what was that for?" Poe and Charity ask, in unison.

"I just wanted a picture of my two favorite Angels."

Poe smiles. I smile back. "Come on, Prima, I've got somewhere to take you."

"Really? Where?" she asks, a twinge of excitement in her eyes.

          "It's a surprise."

~*~

          I take Poe down to the cove, the spot where we made love for the first time, maybe where Angel was conceived. It's illuminated by candles and roses, pink ones (Paloma's favorite). She gasps. "Jake, this is so beautiful!"

          "I'm glad you like it. Prima," I begin, taking her hand, "we've come a long way together. I never knew we'd come this far."

"But we have. And we have a beautiful baby Angel."

I smile. "Yes, we do. And all of our family. You know what?"

"What?" Paloma's blue eyes sparkle in the candlelight.

"You know, from the moment I first caught you in my arms, I knew we were meant to be together," I tell her. "And it's true. We've been through armageddon and back, plus other horrendous things."

Poe lowers her head. I know she knows I'm talking about her rape. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," I continue on, lifting her chin up. "So that's why I have to ask you this question." I kneel down on one knee and pull out a simple diamond ring, and Poe gasps. "I love you. I don't ever want to be separated from you ever again. Paloma Maria Lopez-Fitzgerald, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes! Oh, yes, Jacob, I will marry you!" she nearly shouts. I smile, pick her up, twirl her around, and set her back down. "Prima, you have made me the happiest man alive." We kiss, in celebration of our new engagement, and then, she says, "We have to get back. Angel's probably awake now."

I nod. "Okay." As we head back for home, hand in hand, I see a man on the beach. He looks cold, so I say to Poe, "Why don't we take this guy home? He looks like he's hungry and needs some rest."

"Jake, I don't know..." Poe hesitates.

"Trust me," I tell her. "It's going to be okay." Then I walk up to the man and say, "Excuse me, sir, but I noticed that you look a bit tired and cold. Would you like to come home with my fiancée and me?" I ask. "We'd be more than happy to take you in."

The man turns around, and I gasp. I know exactly who this is, and Poe sees it too. "Jake, he looks like you."

I nod. The man says, "Thank you. I haven't had anything to eat in days." We lead him home, and my mother answers the door. When she sees the man we have brought home, she gasps. "Matthew? Is that you?"

"Faith? Oh, my goodness, it is you!" The man sweeps my mom into a huge hug and asks, "How are Charity and Jacob?"

"Actually, Jake's the one that took you home," my mom says. "He's right there." She motions towards Poe and me.

"Oh, my goodness," Matthew breathes. "You're all grown up! Do you know who I am?" he asks.

"You're my dad." I know right then that this is my father. I rush and give him a huge hug. "Dad, what happened? Why can't Charity or I remember you?"

"Charity? My angel is here?"

"She sure is," a voice sounds from behind us. I turn to find my two Angels there. "Jake, Angel's awake, and she's been whimpering for her parents," Charity tells us. She hands Angel to Poe and the two of them go into the living room, leaving my complete family. "Dad, I missed you," Charity says, hugging our father. "Now we're a family, too." The four of us smile, and then Charity tells me, "Congrats, Jake. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Charity." She knows everything I have to tell her even before I tell everyone. We walk into the living room and see Skylar, Aiden, Katie and Emily playing in one area, and on the other side of the room, Noah and Tyler fighting over some toy. I just smile. "Everyone, I have an announcement to make," I tell everyone in the room. Sheridan, Luis, Theresa, Ethan, Miguel, Aunt Grace, Mom, Dad, and Paloma's parents look at me. Poe smiles and comes to join me, while Charity nods in encouragement. "Well, Prima and I are going to be married soon," I tell them. Poe flashes her engagement ring and everyone is surrounding us, congratulating us; hugs and kisses are going around, and the little ones are fidgety, wondering what's gotten all their mothers and fathers so excited.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that my father is home. Everyone, this is my father, Matthew Standish. Dad, these are all Paloma's brothers and sisters, their spouses and their children, and those two are your grandchildren," I say, pointing to Skylar, who's trying to mimic Katie and Emily, and Aiden, with his "Sweeties" routine. "Oh yes, this little one is your granddaughter, too." I take Angel from Poe and she yawns and rubs her eyes. "Angel, meet your grandfather," I whisper. "Dad, this is Andrea Hope, also known as Angel."

"She's a precious one," my father says, stroking Angel's cheek gently.  "Kind of reminds me of Charity when she was a baby."

I smile and look out at my whole extended family. I feel so blessed to have everyone I love... and more... here with me. After all the commotion, and when all the little ones are put to sleep, Poe comes up to me and I put an arm around her. "Look, Prima. Look how lucky we are. You know I think we were all meant to be together," I whisper in her ear. She nods. "I think so too."