Hi Hi, guys! I am so sorry it took so long to post this epilogue which I know isn't that long. It's because I have been editing and working hard to finish the Novel I decided to turn it into. So as of today, I knew I loved you is available on Amazon for purchase! But I digress; I really hope you all have enjoyed this fanfic, and if you want to take a look at it on Amazon and if you buy it, review it because I really love hearing your thoughts! Anyways enjoy! I love you.
Mercedes pulled the three sweet potato pies out of the oven as she sang along to her playlist. So much had happened in the year proceeding her brush with death. She and Sam had a quiet ceremony six months after he proposed. He would have married her right away, but Mercedes needed to make sure she was ready for it. Counseling to deal with everything that happened, including almost dying for her and Sam. Selling her home and buying a new one with Sam. Finally, admitting to herself that the ordeal scared the hell out of her still, to this day. It took a lot of growth, but as she reflected on the last year, she couldn't be happier with the outcome. Her life wasn't all black and white, but she learned to love the grey.
Sam walked into the kitchen, sniffing the air appreciatively. "Mmmmm, so this is a taste test pie, right?"
Mercedes laughed, pushing him away from her. "No! That was the last pie; these are actually going out for an order."
"But there's three! Come on and have a heart, are you really gonna deny me just because you are selfish?"
"Okay, now you need to get out of my kitchen." She laughed. "Besides, if I were selfish, would I have made you a mini pie with the leftovers?"
She pulled a mini pie from the fridge, and Sam beamed. "See, this is why I love you!"
He kissed her softly, pulling away and grabbing a fork." Soooo are we gonna talk about the elephant in the room?"
She looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "Which is?"
"The trial for Dom's team and brother. Testifying is a big deal, and I want to make sure you aren't going to feel overwhelmed with everything."
She turned to him, narrowing her eyebrows at him. "Overwhelmed? What do you know?"
Sam gasped, faking surprise. "What? Nothing?"
Her eyes widened. "Liar! How did you find out!"
Sam smiled. "I just…I wasn't trying to, I swear, but it's what I do. I was a profiler; it wasn't hard to figure it out…but why didn't you tell me?"
She sighed, moving out of the kitchen and towards the living room, reaching under the tree and handing him a small box. "Should have known, never surprise someone who analyses people for a living.
Sam opened the box and smiled down to the pregnancy test with a bow on it. He looked up at her teary-eyed. "So it's true…are you having my baby?"
Mercedes nodded, feeling her own eyes tear up. "Yeah, it is; I'm having your baby. Baby."
Sam moved to her, pulling her close. "I love you, I love you so much." He spun her around before putting her down. "I can not wait to tell mom and your mom. l I can't wait to spoil her or him; baby, we are gonna be so happy."
Mercedes smiled chewed her bottom lip. "Baby, it's still early; I am only 6 weeks, and I am trying my best not to get overly excited, but I am. I have always wanted to be a mother; I have always wanted to be a mom…." She held him close for a few moments before she spoke again. "We finally get it, don't we?"
"Get what, baby?" He asked, staring down at her.
She smiled, blushing slightly. "The life we talked about all those years ago. The love, the marriage, the family."
"We do, and I know these next few months are going to be stressful, but I promise to keep you as calm as I can through the trials, through everything."
"I know you will, I just…I am worried about the stress from testifying. I know your brother said it's an open and shut case, and the DA's office just needs me to go over what happened after we left the bank…I just don't want to see his brother. He blames me for Dom's death; the letters prove that."
"He shouldn't have had his lawyer reach out to you, and I wish you wouldn't have read it," Sam said, running his hand over her cheek.
"I just wanted to know why he wrote me; he knew what his brother did to me and then to have him die on my front porch. I thought he needed closure, and maybe I did too. But the way he blamed me, the way said that if I hadn't been taken, they all would have been in the Dominican Republic, and no one would be the wiser."
She sighed, moving to the loveseat, "Are you sure your brother isn't mad he has to be second chair because of me?"
"My brother will get over it. He is still on the case and is lucky at that." He kissed her forehead, pulling her closer. "Plus, the whole reason he is second chair is because of you, so he owes you if anything."
She nodded, cuddling with him, her mind roaming to the future and the things she wanted. For the most part, she knew what would happen. She and Sam would have this child and another two if she had her way; she would be the mom who baked cookies and cupcakes, who went to soccer games and promised they couldn't date until they were at least 30. She was ready for the future, prepared for whatever this world had in store for her.
