Forever and Always (38 page)

So Melanie went and retrieved her bags from the car and suddenly she found herself in the room where she had shared so many amazing nights with Sam all those years ago.

Later that night when she climbed back into the bed she almost felt like she had come home. She just wished Sam was there with her, holding her close in his arms.

When she woke the next morning Dan was already in the kitchen cooking up a storm.

“Good morning Melanie” he said cheerfully. “I hope you slept well. Breakfast is almost ready”.

“I slept really well” she said as she took a seat at the table and she couldn’t help but picture Sam sitting next to her, with his messy hair and his beautiful smile. “I almost forgot how peaceful it is here at the beach. I missed it more than I realised”.

“Well you are welcome to stay as long as you want to” he said as he placed her breakfast in front of her. “It gets a little lonely around here.
So a little company is always welcome”.

“Thank you Dan” she replied. “But I really don’t know what I am going to do next”.

“Have you thought about calling him” Dan said sitting down across from Melanie.

“I am not sure that he would even answer if I did” she admitted. “We didn’t exactly leave things on good terms”.

“I think that boy might surprise you” Dan replied and smiled knowingly as if he knew some big secret she didn’t. Melanie smiled and let this thought go.

After breakfast Melanie returned to her room and had a quick shower before she got ready to carry on her journey. She put on a cream cotton dress and a pair of chocolate strappy sandals; she wrapped a chocolate colour belt around her waist. It reminded her of the outfit she wore the first time Sam called to the house to take her out. The first day he took her to their beach.

Dan insisted that she stayed at the beach house while she was on the Cape and call and cancel her booking at the bed and breakfast. Reluctantly Melanie agreed and thanking Dan for his kindness once again before setting out for the day.

She headed into the town and parked along the street and walked slowly passed all the shops that had once been so familiar to her. Some looked like they had been frozen in time, others looked like they had a bit of a makeover but were still familiar to Melanie. She reached the little restaurant Sam had taken her on their first date, a place that had soon become their favourite. Melanie glanced in the window and saw the same man who had shown them to their seat on their first date. His name was Joe and he and Melanie had gotten on really well when she became a regular in the restaurant.

He looked up from what he was doing and a broad smile spread across his face.

“Miss Melanie” he exclaimed as he busted out through the door of the restaurant and wrapped his arms around her then kissed her on each cheek. “How wonderful to see you back here. It has been far too long since you last visited us. You left the last time without even saying goodbye to your old friend Joe”.

“Hi Joe” Melanie said pleased that he remembered her. “It’s been a long time”.

“And you have grown up to be an even more beautiful woman if that is possible” he said hold her at arms length. “Does this mean you and my good friend Sam have finally come to your senses and realised you were made for each other. I told him every time he came in here that he needed to go to Ireland and bring you back here and never let you go”.

“It’s complicated” she replied simply.

“Love is always complicated my dear” he laughs. “But when you find the one, you must hold on with both hands and never let it slip away”.

He kissed Melanie once again and made her promise she would drop in for dinner before she left the Cape again.

Melanie returned to her car and set off on her journey. Ten minutes later she pulled off the little side road that lead to their beach.

She was surprised to find a high fence was surrounding the boundaries of beach and a big gate covered the little gap that was the short cut to the beach they used to take. It appeared someone had actually bought the little stretch of beach.

Melanie couldn’t help but feel disappointed about this. She wondered if Sam even knew about what had happened. She was about to turn and walk away but she decided to check the gate and to her surprise it was open. She stopped for a moment and thought about sneaking on to the beach. The temptation was too great and she had come all this way, so she slowly pushed open the gate and poked her head inside. There didn’t seem to be any one around.  Nervously she stepped through the gate and followed the pathway she used to take when she was here with Sam. There was a new cobbled pathway replacing the old sandy one they used to take.

When she finally stepped out into the clearing Melanie found the most beautiful house she had ever seen in her life. It was a two store, white panelled building. It had beautiful Sash windows and a large porch that was the width of the house on the back facing the sea. There was a white porch swing in one corner of the porch and a six seated patio set on the far end. There was a beautiful little garden with the most amazing assortments of flowers. A little cobbled pathway lead from the house to a gate that was met on either side by a small white picket surround the whole garden that made it look picture perfect.

She turned away from the house and walked out towards the water and kicked off her shoes. She reached the water and let the gentle waves trickle over her feet. The water was surprisingly warm and welcoming.

She looked out over the sea out at the old lighthouse and she smiled. At least something hadn’t changed.

“Hey” A familiar voice suddenly came from behind her. She spun around and was rewarded by one of Sam’s perfect smiles and instantly she gave him one in returned. He was dressed in a white shirt, hanging loosely over a pair of light trousers. They were rolled up at the ankles and his feet were bare. He needed a shave and his hair was a mess but he had never looked more perfect than he did right at that moment.

“Hey yourself” she replied nervously.

“I was hoping I would find you here” he said as he stepped a little closer.

“Really” she replied. “I wasn’t sure if you ever wanted to see me again”.

“Really” he confirmed.

“Sam there is something I need to tell you” She said looking down nervously at the sand.

“About the baby?” he asked and her eyes shot back up to meet his. “I already know”.

“No what I told you
..”
she began to explain.

“I know everything Melanie” he interrupted her. “Simon told me the truth”.

“You saw Simon?” She asked as a little feeling of panic crept up inside her. “Is Simon here?”

“No” he laughed. “I bumped into him when I busted into the church,
You
know I was planning this big romantic scene where I beg you not to marry Simon and chose me, imagine my surprise when I was told you had a romantic plan of your own”.

“Oh” she replied.

“Yeah oh” he laughed and he stepped closer and whispered. “This is the bit when you throw yourself into my arms and promise me you will never let me go again”.

Melanie just smiled and took a deep breath.

He wrapped his arms around Melanie and pulled her closer to him and kissed her softly on the lips.

“Welcome home” he whispered and kissed her on the forehead.

“Home” she replied and she looked back at the house as she realised what he meant. “You own this?”

“Yep” he replied and gave her one of his amazing smiles. “I told you we would spend the rest of
our
lives together in our house on ou
r own little beach and watch our
kids and grandkids grow up. I never said that offer was only limited to biology. We can adopt a whole army of snotty nose kids and I bet the will still grow up as amazing as their mother”.

“You really mean that” Melanie said as tears of happiness trickled down her face.

“I have never meant anything more” Sam replied “I love you Melanie O’Leary”

“I love you too Sam” she replied.
“Forever and always".

“They’re coming” Jamie called as he hurried into the house from the front of the house. “I can’t believe I am actually an Uncle. I am eleven and I am an Uncle. Isn’t that kind of weird”
.

“You are kind of weird” Grace laughed and hugs Jamie as he scowled at her.

“The question is who will be the best Uncle” Andrew, Sam brother said to Jamie and laughed loudly and winked at Grace. “Cause you know I have the cool car”.

“Yeah but you are also really, really old” Jamie replied like the answer to the question was a no brainer. “That makes me cooler”.

“For pities sake Andrew” Julia, Sam’s Mom said giving Andrew a playfully slap. “Leave the poor child alone”.

“I think Andrew might have met his match with Jamie” Sarah laughed as she walked in from the kitchen carrying some champagne glasses and putting them down on the coffee table and turning to the front door expectantly.

“Ok they are at the door” Alex said as he quickly stepped away from the window. A silent hush fell over the small crowd that had gathered. The front door swung open and Melanie stepped in through the door holding a little pink bundle.

“Surprise” everyone shout as she moved future into the room. Suddenly she was surrounded by her whole family all trying kiss Melanie and see the baby.

“What are you all doing here” Melanie exclaimed completely shocked but completely over the moon that she was surrounded by everyone in the world that meant the most to her. Tears of happiness instantly filled her ever and trickled down her face.

“You didn’t think we were going to miss this” Lucy replied and she wrapped her arms around Melanie. “Beside Sofia wanted to meet her new best friend”.

“Don’t tell me the girls are going to gang up on my poor boy”. Alex said as he stood in the doorway holding his little blue bundle.

“Hey Lucy” he said and kissed her on the check and then turned to Sofia. “Hey Sofia, how is my favourite Goddaughter. Maybe you will fall madly in love with Samuel. After all there will only be six months between you”.

“So you finally chose their names” Drew, Sam’s Dad said as he kissed Melanie on the cheek and then leaned down and kissed his Granddaughter on the forehead.

“Yes we have” Sam announced proudly. “This is Samuel Andrew Cooper”

He turned to Melanie and smiled.

“Mrs Cooper why don’t you tell our guests what our beautiful daughter is going to be called” he said with a broad grin. Melanie smiled and looked at her Dad who was stand next to Sarah with tears in his eyes and a look of pure pride on his face. She walked towards him and placed her daughter in his arms.

“I would like you to meet Alexandria Lucy Cooper” Melanie beamed.
“Or Lexi for short”.

“She is as beautiful as her mother” Alex said as he kissed his granddaughter softly on the forehead. “And she has already robbed my heart”.

“Pictures” Katie shouted as she set her camera up on the counter and waited for everyone to get into place before she set the timer on the camera and hurried back over to the rest of the group and shouted “EVERYONE SAY CHEESE”.

“Who’s for champagne” James asked as he started passing out the glass and Tom offered to help him.

“Can I see your baby aunty Mele” Calum asked as he pulled on Melanie sleeve.

“Of course you can Calum” she replied and smiled happily at him. “Jump up on the sofa and you can hold one”.

“Cool” he exclaims as he happily hopped up on the sofa.

“Which one to you
want
to hold?” she asked.

“The boy one” he says and shoots his little sister Sofia a grumpy look. “I am sick of girls”.

“Here you go Calum” Sam said as he carefully place baby Samuel in his arms.

“Was he in your belly Aunty Melanie” he asked as he examined Samuel closely. “Like Sofia was in Mommy’s”.

“No Calum his wasn’t” Melanie replied and laughed. She looked up at Sam and he gave her one of his amazing smiles.

Later that night when all the parent had headed back to Sam’s Mom’s place, Lucy and James had gone to bed with the kids and Katie and Andrew, who had been having a long distance romance since Melanie and Sam’s wedding had left to go for a walk, Melanie and Sam sat at the edge of the bed and stared into the two cribs that were side by side next to their bed.

“Are you happy Mrs Cooper” Sam whispered.

“I couldn’t be happier Mr Cooper” she replied.

“Me neither” he said and leaned over and kissed Melanie on the lips.

“I love you Sam” she whisper and leaned her head against his forehead.

“I love you too Melanie” he replied.
“Forever and always.”

The End

To the readers

Thank you for believing in me and taking a chance on this book. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much I enjoyed writing it.

Love Beverley x