This is the last chapter before the Epilogue.

***

The sun shines into my room. I throw my hand over my eyes and move under the covers a bit more.

I hope Cody will be there tonight.

I sigh.

A knock on the door followed by a female saying. "Housekeeping."

I hear the door click open and the person steps into the room.

The woman jumps. "I'm sorry, Miss. I can come back if you like." She has her hand over her heart.

I shake my head. "You can stay. I'm going to get dressed in the bathroom while you clean the room."

I pick up my hand bag and some clothes. I open the door to the bathroom. I drop my clothes on the counter and step into the shower.

After the shower I change into a white dress that ends above the knees. I put my hair up in a bun.

The housekeeper is still cleaning the room. "Goodbye," I exit the room.

I walk around Paris and stop at the Louvre. There's heaps of people waiting to get inside.

I stand in line with the people to get in.

The piece of art in the louvre I want to see is the Mona Lisa. The line slowly moves. I pay for my ticket and I enter the exhibits. The first thing I come across is nude statues of men. There's a picture of the Mona Lisa. I follow the signs and then the sign disappears.

Mona Lisa is a bitch to find.

I feel like I've been walking forever to find the picture. I watch a lady do her own copy of one of the pictures hanging on the wall in the Louvre.

A security guard stands in the room and I approach him.

Time to see how well my French is.

"Excusez-moi, peux tu me dire ou je peux trouver la Mona Lisa." (Excuse me, can you tell me where I can find the Mona Lisa.)

The male security guard smiles. He tells me where it is.

I follow his instructions to the painting. People are crowding around the painting and taking pictures with it. It takes me half an hour to get to the front of the line for a forty second photo.

I walk around looking at the stuff that's inside the louvre.

I look at the time and realise that I need to go to the Eiffel Tower and meet Cody at the top.

***

At the Eiffel Tower I pay for my ticket to the top. The guy at the ticket register looks at me. "I hope the guy you plan to meet will be there tonight."

I smile. "I know he will. My Mum called me the other day saying that he left the United States. I better go before he thinks I stood him."

I walk over to the lift and take it to the top.

When I reach the top I find a place in a corner and I look around this beautiful city from atop this iconic tower.

People keep knocking into me.

I turn to the lift as the doors open again letting people out. I see Dick, Sandra, Kendal they walk over to the other side of the tower.

Where's Cody?

Someone taps my shoulder.

I turn to them.

Cody has a camera in his hand. "Excuse me, Miss. You are beautiful. Do you mind if I take a picture of you?"

I nod. "Sure, but I hope you won't jerk off to my picture."

He laughs. "No, I would never do that." He clicks the button on the camera. He extends his hand to me. "Miss, my name is Cody Black and you are?"

I shake his hand. "Ashton Martinez."

Cody lifts my hand to his mouth and kisses it. "It's nice to meet you."

I laugh. "You're a dork."

Cody stands next to me.

Dick, Sandra and Kendal walk over to us.

Kendal hugs me. "This place is beautiful, Aunty Ashton."

Sandra hugs me. "Richy and I are going to take Kendal to the souviner shop. We'll wait for you down the bottom."

What's going on with them?

Cody pulls me into his arms and her kisses me.

I'm engulfed in his scent. I sniff his neck.

Cody laughs. "What are you doing?"

"I miss your scent it's been too long."

He kisses me and his tongue slips into my mouth.

I wrap my hands around his neck.

He pulls closer to him and his hands rest on the small of my back.

I pull away from him. "I love you."

Cody doesn't say anything. "We need to talk he says."

That's not good.

He pulls me into the lift with him.

Is he going to break up with me? What's going to happen with the baby?

Tears run down my face and I swipe them away from my face before Cody can see.

My hormones are messing me up.

The lift opens at the bottom and we walk down the stairs.

Cody stops in front of the Eiffel and he bends down on knee.

OMG!

Cody pulls out a box from his pocket. He opens the lid. "Ashton July Martinez the love of life, the mother of our child and an Aunt to my brother's daughter will you marry me?"

Tears of joy run down my face.

I don't say anything. My mouth opens and closes.

Say Yes.

Cody touches my hand. "Ashton?"

I shake my head to clear it. "Yes, yes, Cody. I will marry you."

I'm going to be Mrs Black soon.

Someone takes a photo of us and I see it was Kendal.

Cody slips the ring onto my ring finger. He draws a line from my finger and says. "If I draw a line from your ring finger it ends at your heart." He puts both hands on my heart. "You own my heart baby. I love you." He spins me around.

I hug him.

Kendal walks over to us. "I found this in my letter."

Cody pulls his key out as well and holds it in the palm of his hand.

I hold the lock in my hand. "Do you know what we have to do next?"

Cody shakes his head. "No, what are we doing?"

"We are going to the love bridge. We need to lock our love on the bridge for the world to see."

***

At the love bridge I draw a heart on the padlock and put Cody and my initials inside it. I padlock it to the fence.

Kendal turns to me. "Why did you give me a key?"

"Kendal, your family and I want you to help seal the love your Uncle and I have. Cody and I love you." I hold Cody's hand. "One three throw the keys into the water."

Kendal starts the count. "One," she puts her arm behind her head.

"Two," Cody says.

"Three," I say.

The keys are thrown into the water.

Kendal hugs me. "Thank you,"

Cody looks at me. "Kendal your mother left Ashton and I adoption papers. Do you want to be our daughter?"

Kendal nods. "Yes, do I get to call you Mum and Dad?"

I get down to her level. "If that's what you want. Cody and I won't force you into anything you don't want."

"I have a Mum and Dad." She yells.

We walk along the love bridge and look at other couples locks on the bridge. Kendal steps in the middle of Cody and I. She holds our hands and we swing her back and forth as we step off the bridge.

This is my family and I love them.

***

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❤️MissDredge❤️

The epilogue will be posted sometime tonight 😭