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Perhaps two months ago, Vivian would have fled, like she did that fateful night. She was different now, though. She had been working to untangle her intimacy issues with Dr. Skye. Vivian now understood that her objection to relationships was purely from her own fear of not having control. The business issue was an excuse she had used for too long. She was trying to face her fear and overcome it.
“I did. Please, Emma, can we talk?”
Vivian had always meant to do this, though perhaps not quite so soon. She didn’t know if she was ready, but she did know that if she threw this chance away, she might never get another one.
“Yeah, okay. Lily, why don’t you go and play in the playground over there?”
“But I want to spend more time with Vivian! I miss her.”
“You can spend time with her later, I promise. Vivian and I just need to have some adult talk.”
“Fine. But you promise?”
“I promise. Go on, now.”
Vivian tossed her now completely melted ice cream in the trash and sat down on the bench opposite Emma. She held out her hand and was surprised but grateful when Emma took it.
“Emma… there’s so much I want to say to you. I know I don’t deserve your time. I treated you horribly, and I have no excuse for that. I’m trying to change, though. I come to this park and have ice cream because it reminds me of you and Lily. And, well, I love you both. Please. Will you hear me out? If after this you never want to see me again, I’ll respect that. I’ll go to a different park and you’ll never need to worry about hearing from me again.”
Emma nodded warily. “I’ll hear you out, Vivian.”
“First, I need to apologize. Emma, I don’t think there are enough words to express how truly, deeply sorry I am for how I treated you. When you told me that you loved me, it should have been a special moment, but I ruined it all. I was afraid, but that was no excuse. I should have fought for you, worked through my fears with you, but instead I let the best thing I’ve ever had slip through my fingers.”
“When you left, I realized that what I was doing wasn’t working and I sought help. I’ve been seeing a therapist for the past two months, working through my issues. I wouldn’t call myself cured, but I’m certainly working on being a better version of myself, that is for sure.”
“Emma, I love you. I’m in love with you and I want you back. If you can forgive me and give me another chance, I swear I’ll never stop fighting to be better for you, to be the woman you deserve. Please, Emma, will you take me back?”
11
Emma
This was the last thing Emma had expected. She had been planning on taking Lily out to play at a park they didn’t usually go to for a nice change. She had envisioned chatting with the other parents while she watched their kids play.
She had not counted on finding Vivian here, much less Lily’s reaction. Lily asked about Vivian constantly, but Emma hadn’t realized that Lily saw her as her second mom. They hadn’t even been together all that long, but Vivian had clearly stolen Lily’s heart as thoroughly as she had Lily’s.
Vivian was saying everything Emma had dreamed in her wildest fantasies, but now that those dreams were actually becoming a reality, Emma hesitated to take what was right in front of her.
She didn’t know if she could trust Vivian again. She stared into Vivian’s dark eyes, remembering everything—the good and the bad. Emma could see nothing but sincerity, love, and burning hope in Vivian’s gaze this time.
“You didn’t just hurt me, Vivian. You hurt Lily, too. If we do this, we do it all the way. You heard her earlier. She sees you as her second mom. Lily and I are a package deal. Are you really up for raising a child with me? It’s a lot of responsibility, and you have your business to think abou—”
“Fuck my business. I want you, Emma—you and Lily. Yes, my business is important to me, but if I had to make a choice, I would choose you and Lily in a heartbeat. Losing you both has taught me that much. I love Lily as if she was my own daughter, and I would be proud to raise her with you, as a family.”
Emma felt tears brimming in her eyes. There was really only one answer—the one she had yearned to give from the moment Vivian first declared her love aloud for everyone to hear.
“Yes. Yes, Vivian, I forgive you. I want you back, too. Let’s try again. We’ll have to do it properly, though. If Lily is going to be yours too, she deserves to have both of her parents living together.”
“Are you asking me to move in with you?”
“Yes, I am.” It was a test. Emma expected Vivian to balk, but instead, Vivian gave her a wide smile.
“I’ll have my first suitcase packed tonight.”
Vivian squeezed Emma’s hand; her eyes brighter than Emma had ever seen them. She wasn’t sure who moved first, but the next thing she knew, they were leaning into each other, bringing their lips together in a kiss. It was sweet and chaste, a mere promise of what was to come, but it still sent tingles all through Emma’s body.
“Ew, gross! Stop it.”
Emma chuckled as she and Vivian pulled apart to see a thoroughly unimpressed Lily looking at them.
