"Just curious…"
"Hmm… Are you sure?"
"Yeah…"
Peter had been wondering about this ever since he came across an old photo of himself standing next to Mary, who had pink hair at the time. Fate worked in strange ways. Celeste had always been there—she was the little girl in the corner of that very picture. And now, twenty years later, she was about to become his wife and the mother of his children.
If someone had told him back then that his future wife was in that photo, he would have assumed they meant Mary. And if they had said that it wasn’t her—that it was actually the little girl in the background—he would have thought they were insane. After all, how could he have possibly imagined falling in love with a child?
At that moment, Dr. Wagner entered the room.
"Mr. Palmer, your brother just told me you're ready. You’ve finally made the right decision."
"Yes, doctor… It’s time. My head is hurting a little."
"Don’t worry, Mr. Palmer. Before you know it, you’ll be out of surgery and back with your wife."
"I know! My son—where is he?"
"He was on his way, but since you’re heading to surgery now, he’s just outside. You’ll see him as soon as you come out."
"Alright! I’m ready."
"Everything will be fine, Peter! I’ll be right here when you wake up," Celeste said, holding his hand as they wheeled him toward the door.
She smiled at him, squeezing his hand tightly.
"Remember that we love you…"
-
Minutes later, Celeste slowly opened her eyes and panicked when she saw the worried faces around her.
"What happened? Where am I?"
"Calm down," Diana said, steadying her. "You fainted. Alden carried you back to Peter’s room. Celeste, you need to rest. You can’t let yourself get this overwhelmed—it’s not good for the babies. If you want, I can take you to my apartment. It’s close to the hospital, and as soon as Peter is out, I’ll bring you right back. You need a proper bed and something to eat that isn’t just salad."
"No, I can’t. I promised Peter I’d be here when he woke up. I’m not going anywhere. The babies and I will be fine—I just need to sleep a little."
"You had a panic attack. They can’t give you anything for it in your condition, but I’ll go get you some tea—maybe that’ll help you relax. Just stay here, close your eyes, and rest. Celeste, remember, it’s not just about you anymore. Your babies need you to be strong. Everything will be alright."
Diana had become part of this family, and in moments like these, she played the role of both mediator and counselor. Maximus couldn’t have been prouder of the woman he had by his side. He silently thanked the heavens for bringing her back into his life at just the right time.
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