Song: "Trouble I'm" by Twinbed

You are my favorite medicine ...
You are where the edge began ...
You are just one last time again ...
You are the trouble I'm in ...

The sun peeked from the east horizon. My forehead pressed against the tiny window of the airplane as I looked below at the city of Seattle passing by, wondering if this is where I would find Henry.

The intercom came on and the captain told the passengers to fasten their seats and prepare for landing.

Once I made it out of the plane and got to my car waiting at the terminal drop off, there was only one destination I had in mind.

The drive to Mount Vernon was aggravating and stressful. I already knew there was a chance I wouldn't find what I was looking for, but I still took it anyway.

I felt like I have lost Henry over a thousand times.

Yet, here I was, ready to do it over again.

Was I only hurting myself repetitively in the process?

An hour later I arrived at the tulip fields, the first place where I had met Henry. This placed held so many memories, good and bad ones. This was the last place I thought Henry would be waiting for me.

I knew he would want to go back to the beginning of where everything started and undo all the horrible things he had done in the past to my family, to me ... if only he could turn back time.

I knew he regretted his actions. Because it had to be the sole reason why he hadn't come home to me.

He felt guilty. Devastated. And tortured.

He probably thought everything would be better for me and our baby if he wasn't here.

But he was wrong. Truly wrong.

Everything wasn't better, and I wished I could make him see it.

I needed him.

Our baby needed him.

I parked the car on the roadside and took a deep breath before stepping outside in the cold. A lump grew in my throat as I looked around the area in search of that face my heart longed for every second that passed by.

The lifeless, barren fields surrounded me from all around, the mountains looming in the background, but there was no signs of a soul here except mine.

While I walked along the soil, I could see my breaths as the coldness of the wind bit my cheeks, but I ignored the feeling. Inside I was feeling a deeper kind of cold, one that hurts more than the icy burn on my face.

After ten minutes of wondering hopelessly around the fields, my worst fear finally sunk in.

The wall which held me up and made me strong was collapsing again.

The salty drops fell from my eyes moment by moment as the same, familiar pain settled in.

I bent down to my knees and wept quietly to myself.

Why couldn't I stop crying?

Henry wasn't here.

Nobody was here.

Besides the desolate fields and barns around, there was nothing here for me today.

Henry, where are you now?  Please come back to me.

I began to realize that maybe looking for Henry wasn't the answer.

Searching for him was taking a toll on my body and soul, and I couldn't do that to myself when I had another life to protect.

Slowly, the answer came to me the more I thought about it.

Maybe when the right time came, Henry would return to me.

Maybe he just needed time and space to be alone with himself and his thoughts.

Maybe he needed to find himself again through all of this.

Don's letter proved my husband's existence, but the only question that lingered was how did Henry survived in the fire. I could make a thousand assumptions and never get it right, but that didn't matter.

What matter was that Henry was alive.

There was no doubt about it.

For the moment, all I could do was wait until the day Henry came home.

I returned to Chicago the next day after receiving a call from Nick. He advised the papers were finalized through the justice system, and my brother's release date was set in two days.

Never would I thought that this moment would come in this lifetime—that Chris would get to see the light of the day.

Everyone showed up for my brother's release date—Nick, Lily, Nancy, Adam, Eve, who had flown up from Georgia, and my mother.

Once we arrived at the institution, the security guards directed us to the waiting area for family and friends. Everyone was just as excited and nervous as I was.

This was a moment we would all remember for the rest of our lives, and I was happy to share it with these people I loved dearly.

Even when I was standing here waiting for Chris to come out, reality still felt surreal.

At the moment Henry revealed to me that my brother was innocent, I thought he was lying to me because sometimes things in life were too good to be true, making you doubt the truth.

But Henry was right after all.

When the clock struck at exactly twelve o' clock, the security guards opened the door and behind them walked out my brother.

For the first time in a years, it was a good feeling to see Chris not in his regular orange prison outfit and shackles around his wrists, but a white T-shirt and jeans.

I stood in the middle of the crowd, and his attention landed on me first. With his face breaking into tears already, he walked over to me with his arms open wide.

Overwhelmed with emotions and without saying anything, I sunk into my brother's protective arms and cried my heart out. I haven't cried like that in a while after losing Henry, and seeing my brother was just too much to bare.

Finally something good came along.

"I'm sorry, Ally," Chris murmured.

"It's okay, Chris. You're innocent, and that's all that matters. You have the rest of your life in your hands again. Don't let it go."

"Thank you," Chris whispered, nodding.

Chris released me until he saw our mother. "Mom?"

They looked at each other for a few seconds before pulling each other into a long hug.

Henry had done everything in his power to make sure Chris was released from prison, and he did it. He was a man of his words.

If only Henry was here with us in this picture, my life would be whole again.

.....

December 25th

I felt my bulging belly. Only a few more weeks remained until I got to see that precious face who already stole a piece of my heart. I smiled to myself, thinking about that moment as I diced up carrots in the kitchen.

The doorbell sounded, and the first guests were here. I invited everyone over for Christmas this year, wishing too see everyone together for my favorite holiday.

Behind the doors were Chris and my mother with gifts in their hands.

After Chris was released from prison, he was now staying with our mother. I offered him some money to help him get back into society, but just like the prideful brother he was, he didn't accept it.

Chris is currently in school to get his GED to become a school counselor. He wants to become a better person and told me the best way he could do that was to help the younger kids from going over to the wrong side of the law. With the help of my friend Juliet, he is also volunteering with organizations across the city to help the homeless and the abuse.

I thought these were great ways to give back to the community, and it made me proud of my brother, knowing how fast he was able to pick up life after how things were left off years ago.

Adam arrived next, followed by Nancy, Patty, and Larry.

Lily and Nick arrived together in Nick's car, which drew my curiosity about those two.

Were they a couple? I planned to find out today.

"Nick, is there anything else you need help with?" I asked as I greeted them at the front doors.

"Oh, yes, there's still a few presents in the car. You can take these lighter ones. You don't want to overwork a pregnant lady."

I softly laughed and smiled at him.

He handed me the light paper bag. "I'm going to run back to the car."

I followed Lily to the kitchen to drop off the supplies.

"So?" I begin to ask her, teasing her with a smile. "Are you two together?"

Lily smiled back and nodded.

"When?!" I asked.

"Well, you remember the trip to Europe?"

"What?!"

"It didn't happen then, but after we came back to Chicago, things have been different between us. We really wanted to tell you, Al, but with everything that has been going on in your life, we didn't want you to worry."

"Worry? I'm not even worried one bit. I'm so happy for you."

"You are?"

"Of course, to learn that two of my friends are in love, it is one of the best things that could happened."

"I'm so glad. I thought you were going to get mad."

I shook my head. "Why would I be mad? I want you to be happy. And seeing you with him, you are happier than usual."

Lily hugged me. "Thank you best friend."

"For what?"

"For bringing Nick and I together. Without you, we wouldn't have known each other."

I laughed.

Nick walked in after dropping the presents off under the tree. "Is everything alright in here?"

Lily and I released each other. "Everything's fine. Lily just told me about you guys."

Nick's expression turned nervous. "Sorry, Ally, I was going to tell you."

"No need to be sorry, Nick. I'm so happy for you two. Please make each other happy. You guys are very important to me."

"Thank you, Ally." Nick smiled more at ease now.

Adam walked in. "Hey girlfriends—and guy, what's going on in here? Am I missing out on something."

"Lily and Nick are dating," I responded excitedly with a beam.

Adam flocked his hand. "That's old news. I already knew that for a while."

"What?" I asked. "And why haven't you told me about it."

"I must have forgotten something in the car," Adam spoke, ignoring me like he was in trouble. "Let me go get it."

Nick walked over to Lily and pulled her to his side as they laughed at us from the kitchen.

I followed Adam out towards the living room to pester him until the doorbell rang again.

Behind the door was little Violet in a cute purple jacket and her mother Sophia.

"Hello, Violet! Welcome, Sophia. I'm so glad you two could make it."

"Wow, your house is so big!" Violet exclaimed, her eyes wandering up to the ceiling. "And it's so beautiful!"

"I'm glad you like it. Would you like a tour?"

Violets face lit up. "Yes, please."

"Alrighty then." I tussled the top of her head playfully.

"Thank you for inviting us," Sophia said.

"My pleasure."

After they hung their coats in the closet by the door, I introduced them to the others and then took Violet for a tour of the house while Sophia chatted with Nancy and Pattie.

Once the food was prepared and we had eaten dinner, it was time for exchanging presents.

Everyone gathered in the living room by the Christmas tree and took turns opening their gifts.

When it was my turn, everyone watched as I opened the first box from my mother. Inside was a soft knitted blue and pink blanket for the baby.

"Awwww," I could hear everyone saying once I pulled it out from the box to show them.

"Thank you, mom. It's so beautiful."

"You're welcome, Ally," my mom responded. "And there's another thing inside too."

I checked the box and found a tiny pair of knitted socks and hat to go with the same pattern. "Awww, they're so tiny and cute! I love them so much already. Thank you again, mom!"

Seeing everyone together like this with smiles on their faces warmed my heart, especially seeing the happiness on Chris' face.

When the night was over and everyone had left already, the doorbell sounded.

"Adam, did you forget this?" I said after opening the door with his phone in my hand.

"Yes, I was almost half way home until I realized I didn't have it with me. Thank you, girlfriend."

"Are you sure you remembered everything now?" I teased him. "Don't want to turn around again while you're almost home."

"I think I got everything," he responded confidently. "Night, Ally."

"Good night, Adam."

I closed the door and walked to tidy up the kitchen. I noticed Adam's charger plugged into the side of the island counter just as the doorbell sounded again.

"Sorry," Adam ran through the door as I opened them. "I forgot something else."

"You mean this." I held up the charger in my hand.

Adam stopped and turned around before going any further. "Yes!"

"I think you need to invest in another one," I said.

He took the charger from my hand. "I should, but I just haven't had time to go buy one. Anyways, thank you again, Ally."

"You're welcome. Hopefully I don't see you again tonight." I chuckled.

"Good night for real this time."

"Okay, good night." I closed the door behind him.

As I went back into the kitchen, the doorbell rang shortly after for the third time. I smiled to myself, rolling my eyes again, knowing Adam probably forgot something else this time.

I went to the front door again and opened it. "What did you—?"

A gasp escaped my mouth as I stood petrified.

I remained speechless and shocked, afraid my eyes were tricking me.

He stood in front of me, wearing a white collar shirt with black trousers just like how I pictured him in my dreams.

We stood looking at each other in a few seconds of silence.

The person that I longed to see so much for the last few days, weeks, and months ... was standing right in front of me, but I could barely uttered a soul out to him.

His lips turned into a smile, tears welling up in his eyes already. "Remember when I told you ... that I would hold you ... protect you ... and love you without end till the rest of my life?"

I nodded my head as tears surfaced in my eyes.

"I need to come home so that I could honor that promise to you."

"Henry?" I finally broke out in a whisper. "Is that really ... you? I am not dreaming, am I?"

He nodded in response. "Yes, it's really me, Ally. Your Henry. I'm apologize for having to keep you waiting so long. I'm sorry."

I walked out the doors to him and raised my shaking hands to his face, feeling the side of his cheeks, still amazed at what I was seeing. "It is you. It is really you. You finally came home. I knew you would come back to me one day."

He caressed my hands and kissed them, his eyes never faltering from mine. "I'm sorry," he murmured with sadness in his voice. "Please forgive me."

"You know I always do."

Henry's arms wrapped around my waist gently, pulling me toward his safe and warm arms. He leaned in, and I closed my eyes as the overwhelming tears broke through the barrier.

His lips pressed softly against mine in slow motions, the familiar sensation sending a warm feeling through my heart and soul.

He left a kiss on my forehead before pressing his forehead down softly to mine. "I'm not going anywhere anymore. I'm going to be here when and where you need me. It's going to be you, me, and our baby, together."

I nodded with a smile, keeping my gaze locked on him.

"I love you, Ally."

"I love you, too, Henry."

I buried my face into his chest and circled my arms around him as he held me, safe and sound in his embrace.

And for the first time in a long while, I felt complete.

.....

THANK YOU FOR READING! THE LAST AND FINAL CHAPTER WILL BE UP SOON! - MAY