DISCLAIMER: The story doesn't belong to me; the characters are property of S. Meyer, and the plot belongs to Annalau Thank you so much for letting me share your story in English!

Gracias Laura, por darme esta oportunidad!

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Final

What is the color of happiness?

The sound of a new email came from my cell phone. I looked sideways; the device was inside the red bag we were carrying.

I ignored it. It had cost me too much to prioritize work, so things had changed. Several therapy sessions helped me stay on track.

Time with my family was non-negotiable. It was a rule set by me.

Again those sounds of my email notifications kept coming. I finished turning off my cell phone when I discovered they were emails coming from the office. It seemed they didn't know how to do anything without me.

I remembered Dad's words: «Don't let anyone steal your peace, your happiness».

"I won't, Dad," I articulated aloud.

An hour earlier I had made time to send messages to Dad and Angela. With Dad, I was agreeing on the apartments we were thinking of buying to rent. It was a big investment Edward, and I were willing to make for our family's future.

While with my best friend, I was talking and sharing with her the nervous lapse she was going through because she was weeks late, it was up to me to keep up with what was going on in her life and to be her unconditional support, just as she continued to be for me.

She was stubborn about not taking a pregnancy test. So we just had to wait patiently for time to tell us yes or no. I also have to say that among so many emails, I found some from several months ago that had not been read. They were from James. In them, he apologized to me saying that he had nothing to do with what Eleazar had done to me, that he didn't even belong to the shipping company anymore. I didn't want to answer any of the emails, I honestly wasn't interested in hearing from him.

Nor was I interested in receiving Jessica when she came home one afternoon. There was nothing to talk about with her, not even a friendship.

I sighed in relaxation.

Sitting on the white sand I enjoyed the way the breeze ruffled my long hair. I had a smile on my lips as I watched Edward holding Leo in his arms and allowing his tiny feet to be licked on the seashore.

I inhaled softly, filling myself with that salty smell the turquoise waters were giving us.

For the last ten days, we had been on the paradisiacal Dorada beach of the Dominican Republic. We had done everything these days, although with such a small baby it was also logical to rest for long stretches a day, just lie down anywhere, and hold him in our arms. But there was the counterpart of his big brother, Eric. My little chick also wanted to enjoy the place and explore in his own way. We took turns between Edward and me so he could do that.

Chickie ran over to me. He was wearing a little hat on his head to protect himself from the little sun that was left, he smiled happily at me, his cheeks had those bright red spots on them.

"Look, Mommy!"

Eric showed the sea shells he was holding in his hands.

"You can hear the sea," he said as he brought a seashell close to my ear. "Do you hear it?"

"I do," I confirmed before catching him in my arms. He laughed as he squirmed from the kisses I was distributing on his face. "Do you know I love you?"

Chickie nodded as the cap he wore fell off his head onto the white sand.

He caressed my face with his hands as he watched me.

"Mommy, what color is happiness?"

His curious question left me thoughtful. Lately, his questions were more profound, which meant he was growing up too soon.

"Well... It's a state of mind, my love."

My son furrowed his eyebrows. I knew he needed a concrete answer.

I sighed deeply and sat him on my lap.

"Happiness has the color of your choice, chick," I explained, "it can have a thousand colors at once."

"It is blue like the sky" he pointed upwards, "or like the ocean water," his index finger moved towards the sea where the waves were breaking. "It's also white like the sand or brown like your eyes, Mommy. It makes me happy to see your eyes."

My chest could explode with happiness listening to him. He was such an amazing and loving little boy.

"You are the most adorable little boy" I squeezed him tightly to my chest distributing kisses on his head. "That's happiness, it has a thousand colors and shapes."

"It's also green like Leo and Daddy's eyes," he added.

"Of course it is."

"Daddy," he jumped out of my arms and ran to where Edward was, "I know the color of happiness!"

I laughed. My boy sat on the sand next to his father and brother.

I leaned my back against the lounger and crossed my arms in my lap. The sigh that burst from my chest was deep and slow.

I couldn't take my eyes off them... Then the huge stone adorning my ring finger caught my attention: it was an engagement ring.

I closed my eyes.

"What are we doing here?"

We walked barefoot feeling the coolness of the sand under our feet. Night had fallen and the sea breeze was refreshing.

"Don't worry, Bells. We're not going far away."

We stopped just a few steps away from the house where we were staying. Edward interlaced our fingers and left a sweet kiss on my forehead.

"You never took off your wedding ring," he added. "Why?"

I looked at our joined hands and noticed the golden band around his finger. I wanted to refute that he hadn't either, but I preferred to bite my lip.

"I didn't have the courage," I whispered.

"I would like you to take my name again. Marry again, just a ceremony for us where the only witnesses are our children."

"I like that idea."

"Would you prefer a big party with guests?"

"No. Something intimate is better."

He exhaled before releasing my hands and looked everywhere where there was no one.

I covered my mouth as I watched him get down on one knee; the butterflies in my stomach fluttered excitedly coursing through my bloodstream.

It was remembering that first time he made the same proposal to me.

"Marry me, Bells. But this time forever."

I nodded as he gently slid the ring onto my ring finger.

"I want a forever," I gasped.

A flood of emotions kept flooding my system. I didn't know whether to cry, laugh or scream.

I wrapped my arms around Edward and kissed his lips.

"It will be our gift, Bells. And the beginning of a new opportunity for us."

I blinked as I came out of my memories.

The ring with square stone was still on my finger and sparkled beautifully.

I stood up from the lounger and walked over to my boys. I took Leo in my arms and kissed his head.

"It's nap time," I reminded them.

Eric ran out in front of us. At every step he stopped to drop the shells he had collected in the bucket; he knew they belonged in the sea and kindly returned them.

Edward ran for the red bag and some of our belongings, he caught up with me in seconds leaving one of his arms around my shoulders and we continued walking along the seashore.

The sun was about to set, and the last rays were shining on the turquoise waters.

"The nanny arranged to arrive an hour before we leave," Edward mentioned.

"It's better, that way we can meet her and explain about our children. Although I don't think Leo will wake up more than twice a night, he's been sleeping very well lately."

Edward shrugged his shoulders.

"It's our turn to relax, Bells. We'll go dancing the night away."

I narrowed my eyes, watching him.

"Do you think we can hold out? We've had so little sleep."

"Well..." he kissed my temple, "we're making up for lost time, baby."

"I just hope the birth control pills don't fail," I joked. Of course, I hadn't stopped taking any.

Edward stopped laughing.

I took a few steps forward and turned to see him with Leo in my arms. Edward's countenance was funny, and he seemed to be living at a crossroads.

There he was again, that boy worried about everything.

"You know I love you, don't you?" I said.

Edward shook his head out of his stupor and ran to us.

"I love you all," he caught us in his arms and chick joined us, "you are my whole life."

We started laughing.

Were we happy? Very.

Making the decision to divorce and let go was certainly painful.

Instead, we were able to find each other and accept our mistakes.

Letting life be able to surprise us for better or worse and having the fortitude to know that we were willing to walk the same path no matter the days without sun.

We were convinced that more tests would come for us later, we didn't know exactly when, but we were certainly prepared.

The end.

With this chapter, we close Days Without Sun.

I can't thank you enough for all the support and love you have given to the story. Now, I want to share the message Laura (the original author) gave at the end:

"I am grateful that you have accompanied me on this journey unlike anything I have ever written. To an adventure that often hurt and brought tears, believe me, it was hard to write and several times I wanted to give up, but I was able to do it thanks to you.

My only intention was to share more real characters. I invited you to a world different from what I usually write, where in spite of loving each other it was not enough for our protagonists. They needed to reorganize their lives and continue not thinking about themselves, but always keeping in mind that they lived their own grief until they felt better and knew what they wanted for their future."

Please, go over to her profile and just say "Thank you for sharing Days Without Sun" (Dias Sin Sol in Spanish).

I'll continue updating All Yours and Mocking the Bounds soon, take care