Page 60 of A Minute Past Midnight

One night.

That was all this was supposed to be.

One unexpected night that neither of us could’ve predicted would change everything. That one night had turned into something I never saw coming, with a woman I couldn’t imagine living without and now two beautiful little boys who had inherited their mother’s dimples, my face, and skin complexion.

I took Juliana’s hand in mine and kissed her fingers.

“I cannot believe you put two babies in me. God sure is funny,” she said kissing both of their foreheads.

“You know what’s crazy?” I whispered.

“What?”

I looked into her eyes. “That one night with you gave me the forever I didn’t even know I was looking for. Big Homie knew who to make the mother of my kids.

Her eyes softened. “I love you.”

I smiled, leaning down to kiss her softly. “I love you too, Cinderella.” Then I looked down at our boys.

Our lil family and our forever.

In that moment, I knew without a doubt that sometimes the best love stories began when you least expected them.

The boys stirred. Samir made a small, indignant sound while Jamir settled against Juliana’s side. I knew he was going to be the chill one.

I took Samir from her arms and held him close while planting a kiss on his forehead, then looked over at Juliana in admiration.

She was exhausted, pale, and smiling anyway. I reached for the blanket slipping from her shoulder and tucked it back into place, the same careful motion I knew I would repeat a thousand times.

There was no grand promise waiting in the room and no perfect map for what came next.

I had once thought forever was something a person found, but now I understood it was something we would make in midnight feedings, unfinished conversations, shared fears, and ordinary mornings that would matter because they belonged to us.

Juliana closed her eyes while holding my hand. I watched our sons breathe, then looked back at her. The night that brought us here was already behind us.

Everything after it would be built one day at a time, and for the first time in my life, that didn’t feel like uncertainty.

It felt like forever.

I didn't see that shit with Forever and was glad she didn’t bring drama into my life after our divorce. She had moved on to the next nigga that would believe her lies or get rid of her ass because of it, as I did.

I brushed my thumb over Juliana’s knuckles and smiled at the woman who had turned one reckless night into a lifetime. Maybe that was why I called her my Cinderella. She had stepped into my life unexpectedly, changed everything in a single night, and had me believing in a love I never knew could be produced from two strangers.

Only Juliana hadn’t disappeared at midnight.

She had stayed.

And so had I.

The End.