My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

"It's funny... How do you remember all that? I only remember our life together- seeing Camille with her daughters at home, Frederick at the office every day, and my little dove running through the hallways of the company."

"Marcus, you're always so absentminded!" Valerie teased, knowing full well he remembered everything but just liked to play devil's advocate.

"Hey, do you know if Serenity has picked out her wedding dress yet?" Marcus asked, shifting topics.

"We've gone shopping a few times, but she still hasn't decided. Her hormones are all over the place," Valerie said, thinking back to their last outing.

It had been a strange trip-Serenity, Valerie, Emma, and Laura had all gone to find dresses for the wedding. Everyone had found theirs except for Serenity.

[A week ago]

"Serenity, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Valerie asked, watching her daughter grow more and more frustrated.

"Nothing! It's just... Every dress I try on doesn't feel right. I don't feel comfortable in any of them. The wedding is days away, and every time we come here, nothing looks good on me!" Serenity blurted out before bursting into tears.

"Sweetheart, breathe. We can come back another day. You'll find the perfect dress, I promise," Valerie said, pulling her into a comforting hug.

"Mom, I'm sorry for being like this. I don't know what's wrong with me. One minute I'm happy, the next I'm crying, then I get angry... I can't focus on this right now," Serenity said, wiping her tears.

"My love, let's do something. Let's stop worrying about the dress for today and go get some ice cream. A little sugar will help clear your mind, and after that, everything will seem a little easier," Valerie suggested, trying to lift her daughter's spirits.

She knew exactly what Serenity was going through-pregnancy hormones were no joke. She had been through three pregnancies herself, and while John's had been the easiest, the first and last had been an emotional rollercoaster that had nearly broken her.

[Present day]

Valerie and Marcus were watching a movie that John had picked. The babies were happily playing on the fluffy rug, and everyone was entertained by Finding Nemo.

Suddenly, an idea popped into el

Valerie's head. Without a word, she got up and rushed to her closet, trying to reach a box on the highest shelf. noveldrama

"What are you looking for, love?" Marcus asked, watching her jump to grab the edge of the box.

"Stop staring and help me!" Valerie huffed, glaring at her husband.

"Mrs. Bartz, that's what the step stool is for," Marcus said, pointing to it under the shelf. "But don't worry I'll always be happy to reach high places for you. Now, what's in this box?"

"This box holds my wedding dress!"

"You brought it?"

"Yes! I realized it got mixed up with a few other things. When I found it, I decided

to keep it here before sending it back to Hesperia. And now I have an idea," Valerie said, carefully unfolding the dress.

"Serenity loved this dress when she was little," she said, running her fingers over the fabric.

"What idea do you have in mind?" Marcus asked, intrigued.

"Serenity has been struggling to find a wedding dress. I didn't tell you because knew you'd want to bring in every designer in the world to fix a hormonal problem," Valerie teased, cutting him off before he could protest.

"So, what's your plan?" Marcus asked, shifting uncomfortably.

"I'm going to show her my dress. If she likes it, we can use parts of it to create a gown that fits her perfectly. She'll be comfortable, and she'll get to wear the dress she loved as a child think this would be a very special gift. Don't you?" Valerie said, feeling pleased with her idea.