Full-throated, belly squeezing laughter overpowers the comedy playing on the flat screen in my living room. "Troy!" I throw a kernel of popcorn at his laughing face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"...citrus fruit should stay in the kitchen. It has no business in the bedroom."

...We both bust out laughing.

Troy grabs a handful of popcorn from the bowl in my lap...

...Now, where's the hot sauce?" ...He licks his lips...

...I return to the couch. "You're serious about your sauce, huh?"

He chuckles as he douses the entire bowl with it.

I snicker at his childlike eagerness.

What does the future hold? What will life look like with you?

I rub my belly and sigh.

____________________

—The doorbell rings!

Troy looks up. "Want me to get that?"

"Why not? Let the man work for the woman for a change, right?" I put my feet up on the coffee table and hands behind my head, mimicking an entitled 1950s husband.

Troy chuckles as he opens the door.

"Aria," a voice from the porch calls to me.

Startled, I get up and let Troy know, "I got it."

Troy steps away and returns to the couch leaving the door open. He seems lost in thought as he sits down and grabs the popcorn bowl.

I walk to the door.

Phoenix stands there for a moment staring at me with soft eyes.

I don't plan on being outside long, so I grab a shawl before bracing myself against the brisk November night air as I step outside onto the porch. I close the door behind me. As soon as we're alone, everything comes flooding back. The pain, the loss, the love all mingled into an undecipherable ball of emotion. But resonating more loudly than all the other emotions in this ugly-beautiful symphony is the fact that despite everything, I miss him. My heart is drunk in the sadness of our last moment together and it's almost unbearable standing face to face, here and now.

He swallows. "You've got company."

"Yes and? You decided you wanted out, remember?" I bite back against the bitterness of those words.

"I tried calling but I know why you haven't answered. I'm truly sorry for what I put you through and if you ever give me another chance, I'll never, ever hurt you like that again." He looks for some reassurance.

I stand there, wrapped in the shawl, as indifferent as a garden statue.

He moves in closer to me. "You know, right before I walked out, you asked me a question. You asked me what I was gonna do." Standing in a navy thermal shirt and no jacket, he shivers against the cold as he tucks his hands in his dark-wash jeans.

"Yes — I'm keeping her," I tell him defiantly.

He comes closer to me. "This is a choice we should make together, as a couple."

"She deserves a chance too —" I argue.

"The real question is —"

"I don't care."

"— what are we gonna do, Ari?"

"I'm doing this," I draw invisible circles around my belly, "with or without you, Phoenix. My mind's made up."

"I filed for divorce."

"This baby deserves the chance to live —"

"I filed for divorce, like you asked."

"— and I deserve to be happy!"

Phoenix grabs my shoulders and shakes me. "Aria! You're not listening. Open your ears! Listen to me!" He gives me one more good shake.

I cover my mouth with my hand, trying to hide the hurt.

He lets go, takes a step back and looks at the ground. "Listen. Please?" He comes back and cradles my face in his hands. Speaking in a softer tone, he quietly whispers, "Please listen to me, babe." He pulls a folded sheet of paper out of his back pocket. "I've filed for divorce. Here's the case number." He unfolds it and holds it up to my face. "Look it up. Here. I'll show you." He gives me the paper.

Something in me buzzes. I blink several times trying to quickly scan the document.

He pulls out his phone and hands it to me. "Go ahead. Search it."

I look at him cautiously, wondering what the setup is. When I search the case number on CCAP, his and Nora's names pop up, along with their separate addresses.

"It's been docketed in the system. We've already had our first court date."

"This is real?"

He nods and grabs my shoulders. "Aria, the question is, what are we gonna do?" He searches my eyes for confirmation that I understand. "Did you hear that?" He repeats himself, slowly. "What are we gonna do? Together."

I'm lost for words.

"I did it for you. I can't be without you. It's been hell." His chest rises and falls in quick succession as puffs of cold air quickly dissipate from his lips. Tears well up giving his eyes a glossy look.

On seeing that, goosebumps prickle every inch of my body.

"Ari, can you forgive me? Please? Because no matter what, we're in this together, babe."

Suddenly everything is halted. "Wait? 'We?' You keep saying, 'we?'" The rejection that's been sitting heavy in my chest over this last month finally lifts.

"Yes, Ari! We! Us. You and me. Please say you forgive me?"

It's all happening so quickly. I search the sky for the answer. I pause thinking about everything that has happened, wondering about everything that lies before us. I take a deep breath.

Moments pass before I say a word.

"So, you finally filed for divorce, huh?

He nods. "After everything, I couldn't not do it."

"It almost feels like it's too late."

"'Almost?' There's still a small chance, right? Look, I know I have no right to ask you this. But if you can just — give me another chance," he begs.

"I really shouldn't. You don't deserve it."

"I know but I've learned from my mistakes. Trust me."

"Trust you? Ha!" I rub my forehead in contemplation. "First off, I can't take any more pain from you, Phoenix."

"I'll never lie to you again. I'll be honest no matter how bad it seems. I never want to hurt you again."

I nod, closing my eyes. "You can't or I'll kill you."

He laughs.

I laugh with him, knowing I'm far from capable of hurting anyone. "God, I hope I don't regret this. I'll try to trust you again, but it's gonna take work on your end and I'm warning you, I'll cut you off quick if I think you're going back."

"I respect that." He looks relieved, then he steels himself. "I haven't told my girls yet. I need time for that. I want to tell them the right way." Then he looks past my eyes and peers into me with pure, unadulterated love. "But I love you. I'm completely in love with you, Ari."

A small, nervous laugh escapes my mouth. "All this time I thought you had abandoned the building but you didn't."

"What? No!"

"And there are no strings attached? No ultimatum? Like Aya's situation?"

"Who?"

"A good friend." I wave it off. "Never mind. You accept that I'm keeping the baby? You're all in?"

He gently caresses my neck and face, awakening the frigid regions. "Ari, I'm here! Not going anywhere!"

Relief floods my body as my hand rests on my tiny baby bump.

"After this crazy rollercoaster ride, you're giving me another chance. I've got to be the luckiest man alive, right now. You're incredible, Ari." He stares at me in awe. "Incredible."

"Win or lose, we always win, right?"

He steps closer, softly touching my face with both hands while looking into my eyes. "That's right cause we're in this together."

He's halted from kissing me when Troy opens the door.

"Hey Ari." Troy clears his throat. "I'm gonna get out of here. Let you kids have at it."

Regretting my forgetfulness, I shake my head. "I'm sorry, Troy. I just —"

He holds his hand up. "I get it." He puts on his pea coat. "Talk later?"

I acquiesce. "For sure."

"Cool." He walks past. On his way down the steps, he buttons his coat and looks at Phoenix. "Take care."

Placing his arms around my waist, Phoenix looks back. "You too, man," he says it like he means it.

I let out a sigh of relief. Finally, there's peace on all sides.

Troy walks to his car as flurries begin to fall.

I turn my attention back to Phoenix. "And why exactly aren't you wearing a coat, a jacket, a poncho? Something? Anything?"

Phoenix grins. "Honestly, I thought I'd be in the house by now. Left my coat in the car." His teeth chatter as he shivers from the cold.

"Hmm. Someone was overconfident."

"Guess you knocked me down a peg or two."

Grinning from ear to ear, I turn to open the door. "Come on, boy."

Phoenix and I laugh like two little kids trying to contain a secret. We rush inside, eager to bask in the heat emanating from the living room. Ignoring his own shivering, Phoenix rubs my arms briskly to warm me. I blow hot air on my thawing fingers, awakening my sense of touch. Reaching up, my hands land softly on his facial stubble. Rough. Rugged. It feels like home. His smile is so endearing, so welcoming, I could lose myself in it. Unable to stand being apart any longer, we give in, embracing in the warmth of our renewed love. Lingering for what feels like forever. His heart beats in sync with mine, his breath rises and falls with mine.

There are no words for this moment. Just a myriad of colors, sensations and raw, unrestrained emotions exchanging between us.

I run my hands over the magnificent landscape of his back and shoulders and neck and head and I'm pleased. His hands travel my arches like bridges to a new, foreign land. He's arrived on my shores. I greet him with nothing but love and he mirrors it back to me.

We gaze into each other's eyes, contemplating what's next.

I inhale.

He inhales.

We exhale.

Together.