My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

The next morning, after checking on his little ones and kissing their mother, Peter headed to his mother's room. He felt nervous-afraid, even. It was an irrational fear, born from 48 years of absence. Years of scattered, blurry dreams-most of which he barely remembered. But one thing had always been constant in them: she was always there.

When he opened the door, a wave of relief washed over him. There she was, curled up on one side of the bed, sleeping peacefully. The morning light filtered through the curtains, illuminating her tired face. She was older now, but still so beautiful. His mother was a truly beautiful woman.

He took a deep breath and sighed before quietly stepping inside, careful not to make any noise. He sat in a chair by the window and simply watched her, losing himself in thought.

In another life, his mother could have been free. In another life, she never met Leonardo. In another life, she and her mother escaped her father, broke free from the chains that held them back. In that life, he was never born. She had set out on an adventure, studied, worked, and traveled.

In that life, she and her mother visited Everstone together. They strolled through the cobblestone streets of the enchanting village, sat at a café, waiting for the sun to set over the horizon. They stayed there for a few days, enjoying a well- deserved vacation.

In that life, Peter could see his mother chasing her dreams fearlessly, without restraints, without sadness or pain. In that life, she had her wild youth, dated different men, maybe even fell in love.

The thought of it all made a lump rise in his throat, and before he knew it, tears started falling. His mother didn't say much, but Peter could understand the weight of her silence like no one else. Just imagining her alone, waiting for his father to decide her fate, filled him with unbearable anxiety, which spilled out in quiet sobs.

He tried to stay silent, but the occasional whimper escaped. It wasn't often that a man cried like this, but at that moment, Peter was just a boy. Seeing his mother, knowing he had never been there for her, knowing she never even had the chance to know him-it hurt more than he could put into words.

His quiet sobs woke Aria. The moment she saw him, she sat up and wr ped her arms around him. Her embrace was warm. She wasn't strong, but that hug was everything Peter needed.

"What's wrong, my love? What's the matter?" Aria asked gently.

"Nothing, Mom... It's just that I still can't believe you're here. It's still hard to process everything. I can't believe life is giving me so much. From what little I know, there was a time when life took everything away from me. But now, it's giving me everything. Today, life has given me my mother. It's given me the chance to watch a child grow from birth-not just one, but two. It's given me the most incredible woman as my wife.

"I have a son and a grandson. Soon, I'll be a grandfather again. Soon, the girl who was supposed to be my daughter will become a mother. I'll get to enjoy this house filled with my family. Soon, I'll see my daughters and granddaughter running through these halls. I'll watch my grandson grow into a good man. And you you'll be here with us.

"It all feels so unreal, like a dream. Just now, I imagined you-saw you as a different woman. A woman who fulfilled all her dreams, who never had to carry a heavy burden on her back. And I loved the thought of it.

"But today, I can tell you one thing I will live for you and for all my girls. There are so many of you, you'll drive me crazy, I know. But it's a challenge I gladly accept.

"Ten, twenty years from now, we'll look back and see how strong the Palmer family still stands. We'll see how all these wonderful

women-including you, Danielle, and Ellie helped shape a thriving, happy family."

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"Peter, my boy, my son... If you can't believe this is real, imagine how I feel. I had resigned myself to living in solitude. I had accepted that you were only a dream, that your face existed only in my imagination. And now, here you are-right beside me. I can see you, touch you, even smell you.

"I have to admit, you're a very handsome man... just like your father."

"...Did you love him?"

"What?"

"Did you love my father?"

"With all my heart. I know he was wrong to hide his marriage from me, but I can't blame him entirely. I fell in love at first sight. And even though he saw me as a child at first, I was the one who insisted."noveldrama

"Mom..."

"I never realized how painful it was to make a bad decision. But now that I see you, now that I have you, wouldn't change a single thing about my past. Not for anything-except for one reason... To have had the joy of raising you by my side." Aria tightened her embrace around her son.

"Mom..." Peter murmured, wiping his tears away.

"What is it, son?"

"Come on, get up. We need to go down for breakfast. Everyone's probably waiting

for us. And don't forget-we're going shopping, remember?"

"Oh... I thought you might forget about that. Don't worry, we can just buy

something nearby..."

"No way! You're my mother, and you along with all my girls-deserve for me to spend everything I have on you."