Epilogue

Thirteen Months Later: Thanksgiving 2019

Donna had fully recovered from the accident. I'd told her everything that I had thought and felt about her over the past fifteen years, but especially in those hours between hearing about the accident and the moment she told me she loved me too.

Things had moved fairly quickly after that. When she was released from the hospital she hadn't gone back to her apartment, but had come home with me instead. However in the past thirteen months we had bought a four bedroom brownstone and she had redecorated it to fit both of our taste. We moved in last month just in time for Thanksgiving. During Thanksgiving Dinner, here at the brownstone, with my mom, Marcus, Mike, Rachel, Louis, Sheila, and their little boy Donnie, we had all shared what we were thankful for and I went last and of course what I was most thankful for was Donna. As I was getting to the end of my part I got down on one knee and proposed to Donna. She screamed yes so loud I was sure the neighbors were going to complain.

It's now Christmas Eve and everyone just left the house. They will all be back first thing in the morning for breakfast and gifts. This time Marcus will have the kids with him as well. Donna and I agreed to exchange one gift each tonight and that it would be our most personal gifts, that we wanted to exchange just between us.

I am so excited to finally give her the gift I picked out for her. I've been keeping this secret since right after I proposed. I walk into the living room and Donna is sitting on the floor in front of our gorgeous Christmas tree. Her beauty makes our Christmas tree look like the shabby Charlie Brown Christmas Tree. She's so incredibly beautiful. She's absolutely stunning. I don't know how I got this lucky. This gorgeous creature loves me. She chose me. I've never been happier in my entire life. I'm finally home. And it's not about the house or the Christmas tree. It's about this woman. This amazing woman. My amazing woman.

"Hey beautiful. You ready for your gift?"

She turns to me and her eyes are shining so brightly. Will this woman ever stop leaving me breathless? Probably not. I'm not going to complain though. Who would?

"I am"

I step over to her and offer her my hand to help her up. "I need you to upstairs and give me five minutes before you come back down again."

"Okay. I'll go grab your gift while I am up there."

I watch to make sure she is upstairs before going to the backdoor, where I know that Louis delivered her gift. I gently pick it up and bring it into the living room and place it into her stocking, making sure that the holder is sturdy enough to hold it up. I hear Donna coming down the steps and I step right outside the room just in time to catch her before she comes in. I tell her to close her eyes and trust me. Once she closes her eyes I take the gift out of her hand and place it on the coffee table as I lead her to the fireplace. I lift up her right hand and just as I lay her hand upon her gift her eyes shoot open and I watch as her eyes light up even more as she takes in the tiny little strawberry blonde kitten that is poking out of the stocking.

"Oh Harvey. Oh My God!."

"It's a boy and if you are okay with it, I named him Macallan. I figured we could call him Mac. I thought it would be a nice way to honor our history."

"I love it. I love him. I love you! Oh My God! Thank you!"

"I figured we tackled the puppy already. It's time for us to add to our family with this little guy. But I also wanted to tell you or rather show you, that I am ready to really add to our family. I know we aren't married yet, but if it's okay with you, I'd like to start trying."

"Oh Harvey. I'm ready too. This is so sweet. He is so precious. Hi little one. Hi Mac." She said as she gently held the kitten close with one hand and softly rubbed his reddish color fur with her other."

"I'm glad you like him."

"Like him? I love him." She leaned over and kissed me and once again left me breathless. She always does. Whether the kiss last ten seconds or ten minutes.

She walked over and picked the gift she'd brought down for me up and gestured for me to sit down next to the tree before sitting down in front of me. She continued holding the kitten while handing me the gift.

"I hope you like it because it can't be returned." She said with a wink.

It was a square gift box and when I lifted the lid and pulled away the tissue paper I was left breathless once again. Laying inside were four items that left the meaning of the gift unquestionable. My eyes darted to hers and back to the box. The box which held a white piece of fabric, a handwritten note, a Christmas ornament, and the one thing I didn't have to pick up or read to understand.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Donna." I leaned over and gently placed by hand behind her head and pulled her towards me and kissed her with all the love I had to give. I pulled away and gently removed all of the items from the box with such reverence. The Christmas Ornament that said "Baby's First Christmas 2020", the onesie that said "Hello Daddy", the handwritten note that said, "The only thing better than having you as a husband will be our baby having you as a Dad." The final item from the box was the positive pregnancy test. The tears were flowing from my eyes now. They couldn't be stopped and I wouldn't even if they could.

"Donna Roberta Paulsen, soon to be Specter. You are my everything. You have given me everything. This is the second best gift I have ever received. You have been my family for sixteen years, but next Christmas will be the best Christmas EVER. You will be my wife and we will have a new little person to love and share this beautiful, crazy life with. Thank you. Thank you for being you. Thank you for choosing me. I love you so much."

" I love you too Harvey Reginald Specter."

THE END