Welcome back to this crazy story!.. I hope you enjoyed the ride and loved it as much as I did.

Thank you for your kind words, your favorites, and thank you to the silent readers who I know are out there.!

Enjoy this last chapter!

See you on the next adventure (If I ever decide to upload it)

THE GHOSTS OF MY LIFE

Chapter 20: Happily ever after.

On Saturday, I was up by 8 in the morning, too excited to sleep more, and too excited to stay in bed. I silently brushed my teeth and went to the kitchen. I wasn't in the mood for anything elaborate so I just ate a bowl of cereal and some orange juice.

My plan was to patiently wait for Sam to wake up so we could go grocery shopping for everything we will need for today's barbecue. Having to feed so many wolves will definitely be hard, but I was very excited to share our news. However, I found my way to the bedroom next to ours. Blessing the day that Sam decided to move in into a house that had two bedrooms. Currently, it held my old bedroom furniture. But we discussed that it would become the nursery for the baby. We still have yet to decide what we wanted to do with the bed and everything else. I found myself cradling my still very small, almost imperceptible baby bump.

Sam's arms snaked through my body and hugged my hands from the top, leaving a kiss on my cheek. "Good morning."

I smiled leaning my head back into his shoulder. "Morning."

"Everything good?"

"I was imagining the baby's room"

"Do you think we should buy the furniture already or wait until we know for sure that we're having a girl?" It amused me so much every time he insisted on me being pregnant with a girl.

"I think we could go window shopping and if we find something we really like we could buy it. The crib and furniture could be white and once we know what we're having we could decide on a color for the walls"

"That sounds like a plan then. But for now we have to get going, otherwise, the pack will be here before us."

I nodded and turned around. Kissing him on the lips as a good morning.

Once we were in the car he asked me again if I was feeling well, claiming I hadn't answered his question back at home.

"No sickness I promise." He smiled at me and I could see the corner of his eyes wrinkling behind his sunglasses. That man could style something so simple. "I was thinking something else, though." I ventured.

"Yes?" He eyed me quickly before gazing back at the road.

"You said some weeks ago that you would think about showing your wolf to me as I proposed."

"And I thought about it. But as you can remember I was banned from phasing for four weeks. I promise next week I'll do it consciously."

"Thank you."

"I still don't know why it's so appealing to you, but if it makes you happy I won't question it."

"I don't know either, exactly. It can be that seeing you again, this time willingly it's like being completely with you." Until he asked me to marry him, if, or when that day came.

"You are completely mine." He swore. I kissed his arm just as he parked.

…

…

Two hours and a half later we were back at home and we were arranging everything in the small garden we had. Sam told me Jared would be bringing a table and we could use the chairs we had in the kitchen. Jake and Leah would bring more chairs. We were so many that there were more people than chairs. And I realized I loved that, and I wanted it to be always like that. More people than empty spaces to sit.

...

…

When Dad and Sue arrived, Sam received them at the door. I couldn't hear very well what were they talking about but as they draw closer I heard my dad say to Sam "I hope you are taking good care of my girl, Uley".

Sam winked at me before answering "The best, Chief Swan." I giggled and stepped forward to great them.

...

…

As soon as everyone was gathered in the backyard, Sam and I called their attention.

"We consider you family, and as such, we wanted to share our news with you all at the same time." Leah smiled and nodded. I saw that everyone was anxious and curious to hear our news.

"This came as a surprise to us as well. Just so you know" I began. Angela winked at me and I smiled.

"Quit stalling Swan and speak already" of course it had to be Seth the one to break the tension.

"Sam and I are expecting." I said. "I'm seven weeks pregnant."

What followed my announcement was a whirlwind of chaos. Congratulations were said, hugs were given, tears were shed and everyone laughed. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

When everyone calmed down we proceeded to eat the delicious barbecue that the boys had put together. Around the dessert dish, I felt Sam move next to me. Assuming he was getting up to get something I turned around to ask him to get me something. I didn't expect to find him kneeling on the ground looking at me.

"Sam…"

He shook his head stopping whatever I was about to say.

"I wasn't planning on doing this for at least six more months. To give you more time to get you used to all this craziness. I've been ready since I asked you to move in with me. So, Isabella Swan, would you marry me?"

Everyone was quiet. I never wanted a public proposal, I used to make fun of that. But here, with our family, I couldn't imagine anything more perfect.

"Yes." I whispered with tears in my eyes.

The wolves started howling and clapping and the girls followed just by clapping.

Sam slid the ring on my finger, stood up and took me into his arms hugging me tightly.

The following week on Friday to be precise, Sam took me to the back yard, just where we had our family gathering last Saturday. He made me stand there and hold a pair of pajama pants. I was confused at first, but when I stepped into the woods I understood that he was ready, finally, to show me his wolf.

He was big and completely black. Imposing, majestic and a bit frightening due to his height. But contrary to wild wolves, you could see something different in his eyes. An understanding of such, or perhaps, some rationality that wild animals sometimes lack. It was the most unique experience I had ever had.

He slowly approached me, lowering his head before me. I knew just enough about hierarchy to know that he shouldn't be doing that. An Alpha never bowed before anyone. It was...strange that he bowed before me. I thought we were more equals than either of us holding a higher position over the other. But nevertheless, he bowed as he advanced, slowly but steady. Once he was close enough that I could reach with my hand and touch him, he stopped, sat on his back paws and stared at me. His gaze was so strong that I felt he was reaching into the depths of my soul. It was an extracorporeal experience.

I reached out and caressed his head, sinking my fingers into his hair. It was thick and soft. He closed his eyes and leaned into my touch.

"You're kind of making me want a puppy." That reminded me that Angela had a Husky as a pet. "Oh my god!" I exclaimed and laughed hard and long while he stared confusedly at me. "Angela has a husky" He made a strange sound. I interpreted it as a laugh.

He suddenly tilted his head and shift his focus somewhere else. I followed his stare, wondering what could have he heard that distracted him. He leaned closer to me as if I was the source of whatever he heard. Then he full-on rested his head on my lower stomach. I realized he must have been hearing our baby's heartbeat. We had another appointment on Wednesday, and we were able to listen to our baby's heart for the first time. Making me cry and making Sam laugh at me, which earned him a throw of whatever I had closer, which was the bottle for the gel the doctor had put on my stomach. He didn't laugh again. We apologized to the doctor for the spectacle and he waved it off. Saying he had seen this scene many times.

…

...

We got married at First Beach in La Push with Billy Black officiating the ceremony. I was never a big fan of high heels so getting married on the beach had its perks. My maid of honor was, of course, Leah, while Seth held the position of best man. The rest of the pack were the groom's men being accompanied by their respective imprints. I was five months pregnant and showing a little when we got married. Funny enough, most brides would either rush the wedding so they're not showing or they delay the ceremony until after the baby was born. We decided, well...I decided (and Sam agreed) to get married while things were still under control.

Leah and Jake got married one month after us in a similar ceremony, this time officiated by Quil Ateara Senior. It was as beautiful as mine was, and I cried just the same. Their wedding gift to us was allowing us to go on our honeymoon first. That's how we spent two weeks in Orlando and that's how we ended up visiting some of the Disney parks. We decided not to waste money on other parks that I would not be able to fully enjoy due to the pregnancy. So he endured Disney for me. My inner child was in heaven there.

When we got back from our honeymoon we found out that I was right all along, I was carrying a boy. Much to my delight and Sam's amusement, who did not hesitate to declare that we would keep trying until we got the girl, making the doctor laugh and making me hit him.

"Do not talk about other children while the first is still cooking!" I would freak out. I was already a bit freaked out thinking that my baby boy would someday follow his father's footsteps and become a wolf. But as I chided Sam for not thinking ahead of time, I tried to apply that advice on myself. Hard as it may be.

When we told the pack the news about our baby boy, the celebrations rivaled mine and Leah's wedding parties combined. They were big on celebrating new life. It was something more than one of their own becoming a father. They were celebrating the coming of a new pack member, a new tribe member, a new family member. Dad and I stood in awe watching everything. Harry and Alison joined in the celebrations in their ghostly forms. Alison never hesitated to speak her mind about her own experience with her own pregnancy. She shared some of Sam's mother moments and made me smile when I would feel down. It made up for the time my mom was not with me.

When Nathaniel Harry Uley (aka Nate) was born was one of the best days of my life. He was a healthy (and hairy) little thing with gray eyes and a tanned skin lighter than Sam but darker than my own. He was a beauty, a very loud beauty. Clara smiled when she met him and laughed when I commented on how loud he would cry. She said Sam was exactly the same. And that I actually got lucky. Sam wouldn't sleep for more than three hours a day for the first few days.

A year later, Jake and Leah welcomed their baby girl Nia. No one understood where the name came from, but it suited her very well. The celebrations for their baby girl were equally as big.

Everyone was happy with their lives. The married couples were enjoying knowing each other in this new stage, and the newly formed families were adjusting their sleeping schedule, as well as the guy, 's patrolling hours. I remembered getting mad at Sam the first month, telling him he was avoiding having responsibility at home. But it quickly passed when one night I caught him singing to Nate while holding him in his big arms and pacing softly down the nursery. I cried and apologized for being a horrible wife. He held me in his arms without letting go of our baby boy. And there, in his arms, I forgot all about the ghosts of my life, literal and figurative. In his arms, I was home.

It's a wrap!

Thank you for coming in into this adventure with me!

Hope to see you soon on whatever adventure I decide to tackle next!

Paty4Hale

7/09/2019