"Mom," she said going into the kitchen and sitting next to her mother.
"What is it, Jessica?" she asked sharply and Jessica cringed. "I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind."
"That's okay. I was wondering if something was wrong?"
Grace sighed, "What could be wrong?"
"Tell me, please?"
"Everyone is going to find out sooner or later," she said standing up and pacing.
"Find out what?" Jessica took a breath, she had a feeling that it was going to be bad news.
"There's a man in Harmony that's claiming he's my husband," she said running her fingers through her hair.
"What? That's impossible, you've been married to dad forever."
"I know sweetheart, but this man claims that I was married to him before the fire, before I lost my memory."
"Well it's not true is it?"
"I don't remember," said Grace frustrated.
"Does Dad know?"
"Yes, he knows, please don't tell Kay or Charity, I just want to keep this quiet until there is proof one way or the other.
"Sure, Mom."
Grace left the room and Jessica was by herself, she needed fresh air, time to think, so she left the house, by herself.
It was a rare occurrence, her leaving the house alone, she always made it a point to drag someone along with her, but not today. It was cold and a thin layer of snow covered the ground. Jessica pulled her winter coat closer around herself and continued to walk. Harmony, the place she'd grown up, one of the safest places she'd ever known, had become alien to her. Robert had made her afraid, afraid of people and afraid of her home, but she couldn't be afraid anymore, he was gone and she had to move on with her life without anyone there to catch her if she fell. Jessica reached the park and stopped, putting her hands on her belly. One moment had changed her whole world forever, he had taken precious things away from her; courage, security, her virginity, innocence, but he hadn't taken away her ability to love or the love of her friends and family. Maybe that night, despite everything, had given her a gift.
Jessica got home and went up to her room, she felt a weird sort of peace within herself, there was so much that she had had to deal with in the last months and finally she had begun to find an inner peace she had never thought had been possible. She thought back to that night when her world had been snatched up from underneath her. At the thought of that terrible night her heart sped up and for a moment her chest felt constricted, it still held on to her, the memories. But she could control the utter fear and helplessness that had consumed every part of her body. She had her baby, and it was hers, Robert could never claim it, this baby would have all the good in her that Jessica didn't think about how her baby was conceived but how much she had grown to love the life that was growing inside of her. There was nothing more important than the health and happiness of the little child that would soon make its way into the world.
Jessica layed down and lit a candle and sat it on her night stand, the smell of lilacs soon filled the room and Jessica stared off into space her eyes looking up to the ceiling her hands on her belly. She had almost drifted off into sleep when there was a quiet knock on the door. She got up and opened the door and there she saw those beautiful eyes and that charming smile, there was such kindness in his face.
"Hi Reese."
"Hi, I didn't wake you did I?"
"No, I was just relaxing, I'm glad you came, how are you?"
"I'm doing good, I heard about your mom and her...and David. How are you taking it?" he asked sitting down next to her.
"Well, I was shocked at first and I'm worried about my Dad but I think everything is going to work out okay in the end."
"That's a good attitude to have. Look I wanted to talk to you about something else."
Jessica sat up alert when she saw how nervous he looked, something must be wrong, "What is it Reese?" she asked putting her hand on his arm.
"We kind of talked about it before but about the baby and the birth certificate and me as the father, well I was just wondering if you thought that was a good idea because I really want to be here for you and for her and these last few months have been amazing because I get to spend them with you and you've let me be a part of both your lives and I can't say how much that means to me. What I'm trying to say is that I want to be with you and the baby because...because I love you."
Jessica suddenly found it hard to breathe, she had not expected him to say that it was so sudden and unexpected and the sound of his voice saying those words sent a tingle through her whole body.
"I love you too," the words left her mouth before she consciously thought about them but she knew it was true, she had loved him, and his shyness, his intelligence, his gentleness the way he looked at her, she loved hearing his voice and touching him, she loved everything about him, she loved Reese Durkee.
"You...you do?" he had hoped and wished that maybe she had felt something more than friendship and when they shared their first kiss he had never imagined that anything could have been so wonderful, so absolutely life changing.
"I do, I love you Reese Durkee," she said leaning over to him and kissing lightly on the lips.
"I am the happiest man in the world at this very moment," he whispered looking into her eyes and touching her cheek.
"Through everything that has happened in my life you have always been here for me, sometimes I thought you knew just what I was thinking because even though I never said a word you understood and you've never let me down and that's something I admire about you, when we had our picnic on the beach that day I saw something when I looked at you that I never thought could happen for me, I realized how much I envied Kay because you liked her and I never thought that I could be blessed with such a wonderful gift, thank you for loving me."
Reese brushed a tear from her cheek. "It's been my pleasure."
Five months later Jessica held a squalling baby girl in her arms and Reese wiped sweat from her forehead.
"Look at her Reese, she's so perfect, her hair is so soft," Jessica said touching the brown downy hair.
"She's beautiful," Reese said touching the baby's small hand.
"I picked out a name for her."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"Laressa, I named her after the savior in my life, I have the two people most important people in the world sitting right here, and I've never been happier."
The End
I would like to thank all of my faithful readers and I know this ending was long awaited and I hope you all have enjoyed it!