My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

The next day, Serenity had her check-up. Little Isabelle stared intently at her mother, those big, beautiful eyes locked onto her face. Serenity couldn't stop admiring her.

She was completely in love with the tiny angel in her arms. Looking at her, she couldn't help but remember how she and the man who was now her husband had started their relationship, secretly, away from the world.

When she looked at her daughter, she smiled, thinking about how their love story had begun.

A love story that now lived on in this little being with striking gray eyes. It wasn't clear yet if they were gray-green or gray-blue, but what was certain was how deeply gray they were.

As a mother, she brought her daughter close. She could barely feel the baby's small weight, and her scent-the unique smell of a newborn-completely overwhelmed her and filled her with immense love.

Alden had gone home to change while Laura stayed to watch over them. She noticed how her sister was totally enchanted by the baby's smell.

"It's amazing, right?" said Laura, watching her sister sniff the little body over and

over.

"What?" Serenity replied with a smile.

"The baby smell! It's amazing!" Laura said.

"Yeah, I can't get enough of it. It's something I've never smelled before."

Laura smiled and said, "Enjoy it! Over time, as they grow, that smell fades. Apparently, that scent helps stimulate milk production for the baby."

"Really?" Serenity asked, surprised.

"Yeah, at least that's what I read."

"Wow, there's so much I'm going to have to learn..."

"You'll see. Bit by bit. At first, you'll feel scared-or even panicked-when you realize this beautiful little person is entirely yours, and now, whatever happens to her is your responsibility. But then you'll start to fall into the rhythm of it all."

"Laura, you sound like a total expert..."

"I had to become an expert. Remember, when it was just the two of us, we only had Emma, and she helped us like a second mom...'

"I know! And I already know I'm going to miss you both now that we're heading back to Mexico..."

"Well... it'll just be like we can't see each other here. Besides, you living in Mexico gives me the perfect excuse to visit. It's the perfect reason to take Adele with me to see you."

"Yeah, that Adele is getting so big every day..."

"I know, and honestly, it scares me a little..."

"Why?" Serenity asked, curious.

"Because the older she gets, the more she starts to look like her father..." "Really?"

"Yeah, I wish I could say otherwise, but as luck would have it, my little girl is turning more and more into her dad-both in looks and personality."

"And what do you think about that?"

"Well... Yesterday... Yesterday I ran into Adrian here."

"What?" Serenity asked, clearly surprised. Her sister was good at hiding her emotions.

"I didn't dig too much into the details. I just found out he's separated from his wife, and apparently, things aren't going great. He wants to see my daughter..." "And what do you think about that?"

"I think... like I said before, I can't deny my daughter the right to know her father. But I also don't want to drag all the drama from his life into hers. I just told him that, when he's truly ready, then..."

"Laura, look at me," said Serenity, seeing her sister struggling internally.

"What is it?" Laura asked, meeting her gaze.noveldrama

"Do you still feel something for him?"

"The honest answer is yes. Of

course I do mean, back in the day, I liked some guys from school, but those were just silly crushes. Adrian was the first guy who ever really looked at me-the first one who noticed me. And I know he didn't do it for the right reasons, but... I'm a fool, and yeah, I'm a romantic. Sometimes, I still think about the moments we had together."

"Not the physical stuff-well, okay, that too—but I mean the real moments. When

it was just the two of us, not surrounded by his crowd of friends. When we'd lie in the grass at some park..."

"Those moments when he really opened up, told me his dreams and hopes. Now that I saw him—well, yesterday when I saw him—it's clear that none of the things he planned for his life turned out how he wanted."

"Life has its twists and turns, and even though I'd like to sound romantic, I can tell you that guy's now getting a taste of everything he put out into the world-good or bad."

"I know that. I really do. But I wish I were tough enough not to care..."

"I'm trying to understand you. I know that at one point, he was good to you. But

when the baby came, he became someone else..."

"I'm not trying to justify him, but part

of me believes it was just his knee-jerk reaction. He says he tried to find me, but it happened right when we all had to leave. Either way, it doesn't excuse him for leaving me alone with my baby..."

"Laura... what is it you want to hear?"

"What?" she asked, confused.

"You seem unsure. Like you're waiting to hear something so you can make a decision. But what exactly do you want to hear?"

"Nothing! I don't expect anything. I'm standing firm in my decision. I want what's best for Adele. So whatever I feel for someone else comes second. My daughter is the priority here."

"Laura, sweetheart, you matter too. And if there's something you want to do, then do it."

"No, there's nothing I want to do. Just remember one thing-he left me when I needed him most. He left me like meant nothing. He moved on with his life, even got married, while I took on all the responsibility of raising my daughter on my own."

"I know... but I can see that seeing your daughter's father stirs something in you."

"Serenity, let's just change the subject. What matters right now is that this little beauty is almost ready to go home..." said Laura, shifting the conversation abruptly.

She'd rather steer the conversation away because she knew Serenity was getting too close to that part of her she had sworn to bury deep down.

She'd promised herself never to give her heart to anyone again. She would focus on her daughter, be the kind of woman her child could be proud of—and nothing

more.

She had left behind the dreams of meeting someone, going out for coffee, eating

ice cream, and living moments like the ones her sister now had with Alden.

Even though she kept those thoughts to herself, she didn't want to face uncomfortable questions. She didn't want people to look at her and see what she was quietly holding inside.