Last Heartbeat (29 page)

Kristen has given me all the information about Alexia’s holiday plans. I thought about surprising her on the flight home but decided not yet. I just need to be patient. I fly up on the later flight and spend a couple days home for Thanksgiving. I talked to my parents about my plans and they are happy for me. Mom surprised me and helped me pick out the special gift I am going to give Alexia. She tells me that I need to talk to Alexia’s parents first, and she says that they are great people to have in my life.

Before I leave to go back to school, I meet with Alexia’s parents and tell them everything I have planned. I even ask them for their permission to go forth with my plans. They remember me from the hospital and know that I really love their daughter. Giving me the blessing to go forth with the plans makes me the luckiest guy I know. I believed my mom was right about having these people in my life, and they are great. They promised not to tell Alexia about our meeting and Julie knows that Alexia is missing me. Julie is going to take Alexia out the next day to the spa. I will have extra time to get back and prepare for the upcoming plans.

I asked the guys and Kristen to come back a day early to help me. They all are as excided about this as I am. We worked hard all day to be prepared for Alexia’s arrival. When we are done, I can’t believe what we made. It is perfect. I look at everyone and they seem to be amazed. Kristen even has tears in her eyes. That evening I treat them to dinner and we just hang out for a while. I am glad Alexia has found a friend like Kristen who loves her.

I know the exact time Alexia leaves the airport and gets to her room. I know she will head to the beach, because I know my princess. Kristen helps out by watching her afar on campus. The first day back, I want to be patient and observe Alexia’s reaction to what we all built. As soon as she sees it, she has tears in her eyes. I know she loves it, and now I know that tomorrow will be the day to finally tell her how I feel.

I wake up early the next morning to set up the plans. I still remember last nights dream when I go to school and I sure hope that it comes true today. I park my car and see Alexia walking toward the classroom. I follow behind her and she doesn’t even know I’m here. I am really close to her when she suddenly stops in front of the door, making me run into her. She turns around and looks straight into my eyes. It is all I can do to not grab her right now and kiss her.

I tell her that I am sorry for running into her and ask her to please forgive me. She says that she does and asks how am I doing? I tell her that I am better now that I ran into her. I let her know how good she looks and she even blushes. I smile and wave for her to go in ahead of me. I really want to watch her walk and move that body.

I decide right then that I am taking my seat beside her. I noticed that professor has been letting people sit wherever lately and hope he doesn’t notice me changing again. When he comes in, he doesn’t seem to care. This will be the longest class since I have plans after.

I love being beside Alexia even if in the seat next to her. Every now and then, I look her way and she would blush. Is she enjoying my being beside her too? This is a good sign that what I am about to do will work. At the end of class, I tell her to have a great day and enjoy the sun. She doesn’t say anything back, but looks confused. Why. I don’t know.

I know Alexia goes to lunch before another class. That is perfect for the rest of my plans. Kristen and the guys meet up with me to finish the grand gesture. I sit down and write a note while they finish. Do you really want to know what my sappy note says?
Okay
, I will tell you.

“Alexia,

From the first time I laid eyes on you, I wanted to get to know you and even felt love on the first day we met. Each and every day after, I grew more in love with you because you are the person who lights up my life; I was in the dark until my sunshine brought me light.

You are the air I breathe, and when you were in the hospital, I was afraid I could never breathe again if I lost you. Ironic, how I did lose you then. I was hurt because of my past demons, not because you have Gabe’s heart. I now believe he gave me another gift beside his liver. He gave me you. If he hadn’t died that day, I wouldn’t be here today with you. It was his last gift to me and that gift was you. I will always miss him and I know we only have a little while here on earth. Why not make the best of it while we can?

Enjoy today because there may be no future. Today, I beg for your forgiveness. Please, Alexia, forgive me for being stupid and letting you go. I shouldn’t have wasted a day without you being by my side. I have been planning today for a few weeks now and I hope you have liked your hearts and castles, because only the best will do for my princess.

While we were on holiday break, I spoke to both our families. Your parents kept it from you. I asked them to and please don’t be mad at them. My mom even helped pick out the ring in your hand. I told her you were my princess and she said only a princess cut ring would do. I agreed with her, because it looked like you. When I asked your parents for their blessing, they said yes and they knew that I love you, and would take care of you.

Alexia, my princess, let us not waste another day apart. Today let us start with forever. Would you do me the honor of being my wife? I promise to love you today and forever. I don’t want forever unless you’re in it. I know this is sudden, but why waste another day? Being with the one you love the most should be the only thing we should do. Never waste a second. By saying yes, I mean for us to be married soon. Yes our parents know what I planned, and even our friends know. They all gave us their blessing.

I need you to look up now and look into my eyes so you can see the man who loves you. Please, princess, say yes to marrying me, now and forever.”

I Love You,

Phillip

Hopefully this note will let her know how much I love her and that she will forgive me enough to say yes and start with forever by my side. I look up and see that everyone is admiring the castle creation, and I believe it is perfect. I can see my princess in a beautiful castle like this, and hopefully, with her by my side, I can give her this and more.

We all hurry up and leave. I know I have to be back soon, and before she comes, I have to leave the ring and note for her to find. I want to make a picnic for her, even if she says no to my question.

Kristen is back at the campus and texts me the minute she leaves. I get back to the beach and place the note and ring in a perfect place. I know soon the sun would hit it in a way that it would shine the brightest. I dusted everyone’s footprints away and hid from her in my usual place.

Alexia arrives at the time I knew she would. As soon as her eyes see the masterpiece that our friends and I created, she is shocked by it. She finally moves closer and then sit down facing it. I watch her study everything about the castle- the shape of the heart around it and the shells on the castle. Finally, when the sun hits the ring, she notices it. I believe she is afraid to go check it out. When she gets up and moves to the ring, my heart stops and I can no longer breathe.

She takes a look around to see if anyone is there. Then she slowly opens the note. Reading it, Alexia finally knows whom the ring belongs to. I start walking toward her then stop when I see tears going down her face. Does this mean she will say no? I can’t live with a no for an answer. I will change her mind no matter what. She looks up and sees me coming toward her.

I stop because now I am afraid of her answer. Tears streaming down her eyes, she clenches the note and ring in her hand. Before I can take a step, she comes running toward me and I open up my arms to catch her. It only takes a moment and now I have her back in my arms. I look into her eyes to see if I can read the answer in them.

I ended up on my knees to I tell her that everything in the note is true and that I want her to be my wife. Now is the time for us to start with forever and I want her to be my wife soon. She surprises me by saying yes. I was prepared to beg if I had to while down on my knees. I’m glad I don’t have to. I end up pulling her down on my lap so I can kiss her the way I wanted to earlier today- like a man who was starved. I had missed her so much and now I was never letting her go ever again. Time for forever to begin, beginning now. Plus there’s a surprise picnic on the beach yet to come.

Epilogue

5 Years Later

Can you believe another five years has past? I can hardly believe it either. So much has happened in the last ten years that I can hardly comprehend it all. I am sitting here waiting patiently but barely hanging on to my sanity. As I wait, I look around at everyone and know that I am truly blessed right now and have been for a while. At the time, I was on my last heartbeat I received a miracle that day, which came with another miracle. Who knew that a tragic day for one family came with a blessing? That family lost a member but saved others. I now am part of that family and have been since I fell hopelessly in love with Phillip.

Let me catch you up to speed while we are all waiting on another miracle to happen. Since the day on the beach that-my now husband-Phillip, proposed in perfect way, I learned that everyone had known it was going to happen, before I even knew we were getting back together. Yeah, they all kept me out of the loop, but it turned out perfectly. They all knew we both fell in love at first sight on our first flight together.

Both of our parents knew we wanted to get married by Christmas and planned it all while we studied for finals. They planned the perfect beach Christmas wedding. Yes, we got married on the beach at Christmas. What a perfect present to the one you love- yourself, forever. Yes, it was a getting cold, but it was perfect for us. All of the most important family members and friends we had came. We had a reception in the condo building we still live in. Phillip’s parents gave it to us as a wedding present. My parents paid for the wedding and are truly happy to have Phillip in their lives. They love him almost as much as I do.

The biggest surprise that Phillip and I had was that while Jacob and Kristen helped Phillip, they fell in love. I know, right? How did Kristen manage the capture the heart of Jacob the womanizer? Phillip told me that Jacob said he’d never be tied down, but when he met Kristen, he fell hard. It took her a while to admit it that she loved him too because of his past. They worked it out and now they are married. Tyler is now dating a nice girl, but he’s yet to let us all meet her. He says it is because he wants to make sure she is the one before bringing her in our group of friends.

Back to Kristen. She remembered when I was in the hospital that I couldn’t have kids. One day Kristen and Jacob came over and surprised us with an offer. Kristen wanted to be a surrogate for us so we could have a child that was ours. We told her no for a while and they even had a kid of their own. When she asked again, we took her up on it. Now that is what best friends do for you.

She and Jacob are going to be our son’s Godparents. Our kids will be a year and half apart in age. She had a girl and now we are waiting on our little baby boy, Gabe, to arrive. See? I told you we were waiting on another miracle. Phillip and I decided on naming our son Gabe because Gabe deserved a namesake. Gabe, our little miracle, will learn everything that his uncle did for us and the importance of what an organ donor is. Although Phillip’s brother is gone, he forever will be alive with us.

Well the nurse just told me that Kristen is yelling for me. Now I will get to be apart of the gift of life and hold my little bundle of joy. This little bundle of joy will make our lives complete, now and forever.

The End

Acknowledgements

I want to thank the ladies who encouraged me along this journey in writing this book. Without your support, I wouldn’t have finished writing
Last Heartbeat.

Thank you, Reba Bowling, for always being there for me in everything that I do. Your love gets me through everything.

Thank you, Sandy Adams, for telling me what I have writing is worth writing and that I should keep going.

Thank you, Tenver Owens, for waiting to read each chapter as it was written and encouraging me to keep up the hard work that went into this book. You always tell me to listen to my heart with every word and I did.

Thank you, Crissy Davis, for all your kind words, making my day when I needed it the most, and always being there when I need you.

Thank you, Keelie Chatfield, for kicking my butt into writing this book, helping me to learn new things in the book world, and helping me with my website. Without your knowledge, I would still be lost. The kind words that you always give me will always be in my heart.

Thank you, Karen Tribble, for making my day when you told me you loved my book. That day I was having a hard time going forth, but with your kinds words, I made it through.

Thank you, Nikki Montgomery, for always standing by me and being a great friend who encourages me to keep writing.

Thank you, Jami Cole, for crying with me through the end of my book and lifting me up with kind words.

Thank you, Lynoda Howell, for your love and support during this journey.

Thank you, Michelle Kampmeier, for helping me keep my focus in the right direction while writing my book and all your kind words that have helped me through this process.

Thank you, Juliana Cabrera, for being my rock when I needed you the most. Sometimes you had to set me straight with kindness.

Special thanks, to my book club girls for showing me kindness, and for becoming my friends, always: Diva’s Lit’Couture Book Club

You can find the Diva’s on here:

http://authortrlykins.wordpress.com/divas-litcouture-book-club/

Thanks to all my fellow author friends who encouraged me every step of the way and inspired me to keep going. You will find these authors on my website at: