"I honestly don't know. I never fully believed your father would surrender so easily."

"I will."

I kissed her softly. "You will what?"

"I surrender."

"Yeah?" I drew her shirt away from her shoulder. "When?"

But she laughed quietly. "Callum I really can't make love again. You have to stop with all the kissing."

"I knew you were bluffing," I groaned, pulling away. "Fuck."

She laughed at me, snuggling herself back along my side. Her fingers trailed up and down my stomach until I captured them in mine, locking our hands.

"Topolina?"

"Hmm."

"Don't cry if he refuses to come. Promise me."

"That's an easy promise to make," she laughed.

"I mean don't be sad."

We fell quiet for a while, but I felt her awake, tucked into my side. I couldn't sleep with her so close, even though most nights there wasn't anything else I wanted other than to close my eyes with her in my arms. I slid away, but kept hold of her hand.

She opened her eyes as we faced each other on our sides. "Aren't you scared at all?"

"No. What am I Everly Anne? What have you inspired inside of me?"

She watched me for a moment. "Hope. You're hopeful."

I nodded and closed my eyes. Pressed her fingers to my mouth. "Sleep well."

"Callum," she called, but I couldn't open my eyes.

"Yes, Topolina?"

"My initials are going to be E A T."

My eyes flashed open. "What?"

She stared at me. "After we're married. My initials will be E A T."

And then I cringed as I thought about my own. "Holy shit. I'm C A T."

We both gazed at each other in the darkness, before bursting into laughter.

Good Fourth? Good Fourth.

We had the ocean under our feet when we wed. The sun was sinking into horizon. And Everly Anne had the brightest eyes I had ever seen. Her dress wasn't short, but her eyes, they were shining when she said, "I do."

The air felt like Heaven had merged with Earth. Warm sea salt breeze washed over me as I lay under the heat of the sun, basking in the glory of nature, so far away from the sterile and stale of the hospital.

"You're grinning ear-to-ear, Callum."

I opened my eyes, squinting from the sun as I looked at Everly. "You know that part where Red and all the boys get beer because Andy schooled that cretino guard?"

"As you know this pregnancy and I are well versed in all things Shawshank Redemption," she nodded. "Seeing as how it is always on cable and I am always ordered to rest."

"I was just thinking that this is how it must have felt. This sun, this beach, this view," I eyed her full breasts purposefully. "This is free beer on a sweltering rooftop after years of being a slave to The Man."

She laughed at me, shaded under a large umbrella. "Is it now?"

I smiled back at her and then extended my arm so I could reach her stomach. "I'm gonna be a father, Everly Anne. You're my wife."