The soft murmur of waves kissing the shore was the only sound that greeted Clair when she opened her eyes. She blinked against the gentle sunlight streaming through the gauzy curtains of their villa, stretching languidly as she felt the warm embrace of silk sheets.
Austin was already up, of course. She could smell the rich aroma of espresso and the faint sizzle of something cooking. Sliding out of bed carefully, cradling her belly with one hand, she waddled to the mirror to check herself. Her growing belly stretched beneath her lace-trimmed nightdress. Her skin glowed with the sheen of health and happiness, and her hair framed her face like a halo.
She smiled. Peace looked good on her.
As she padded barefoot to the kitchen, she caught sight of Austin. Shirtless, muscles taut beneath the morning sun, he stood at the stove flipping pancakes like a seasoned chef. There were eggs, avocado toast, turkey bacon, and an assortment of jams lined up on the island.
He looked over his shoulder and grinned. Clair's heart did a little flip.
"Good morning, mama. Hungry yet"
Clair laughed. "I've been hungry since midnight."
"I told you we should've brought a second fridge," he teased, plating the pancakes and pulling out a chair for her.
She kissed his cheek as she sat, then dove into the feast. As she moaned over a bite of perfectly cooked eggs, Austin sat beside her, sipping his coffee and watching her with quiet adoration.
"You spoil me," she murmured between bites.
"You are my world. My queen. You deserve everything."
After breakfast, Austin surprised her with a spa day. A team of therapists had been flown in to give her prenatal massages, facials, and a gentle foot soak while soft music played in the background. Clair floated in and out of blissful naps as her body was pampered and adored.
She kept thinking of how far they had come. From chaos and kidnapping to this dream-like existence filled with peace and love. Every day with Austin now felt like a reaffirmation of his promises. He had changed—not who he was at his core, but how he showed love, and how deeply he allowed himself to feel it.
Later that evening, they walked along the beach as the sun began to dip below the horizon. Clair wore a flowing dress that fluttered around her ankles, and Austin held her hand, occasionally stealing glances at her profile as the golden light bathed her features.
"I wish we could stay here forever," she said softly.
"Then let's," he said.
She stopped. "Are you serious"
"I have men handling everything back home. If peace is what you need, then peace is what I'll give you. You and our children come first. Always."
Her heart swelled. She leaned against him, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "I love you more every day."
He turned, cupped her face, and kissed her. The kind of kiss that spoke of promises kept, futures imagined, and the still-burning passion between them.
That night, as stars glittered above, Clair stood in the mirror wearing a sheer white robe Austin had picked out. He entered the room with two glasses of her favorite sparkling juice and handed her one.
"To the future," he said.
She clinked glasses with him and whispered, "To us."
They sat on the balcony, sipping their drinks and listening to the world sleep. Austin rested a hand on her belly, feeling the subtle flutters and soft kicks of their unborn children.
"I wonder who they'll take after," Clair said.
"Hopefully you," Austin replied. "But they'll be strong, like us. Loyal. Fierce when they need to be, but full of love."
She traced his jawline with her finger. "They'll be perfect."
In the following days, they did everything Clair wanted. They visited a vineyard, where she sampled the non-alcoholic pairings and laughed when Austin made a face at the lavender grape juice. They tried a pottery class, where Clair somehow ended up with more clay on her belly than on the wheel.
They spent evenings cooking together, even though Austin burned the garlic bread every time. Clair danced barefoot in the kitchen while he chased her around with flour-covered hands.
They made love often and slow, each time a quiet celebration of their bond. No longer just heat and hunger, but tenderness. Passion with purpose.
Austin sometimes woke in the night, watching her sleep, his hand resting on her belly. The weight of what he could lose still lingered in his mind. But he had learned not to dwell on fear. Instead, he surrounded her with safety, love, and every luxury she desired.
He wrote a letter to their children one morning before she woke. He wrote of honor, of strength, and the responsibility of legacy. He wrote of love—how it could change even the hardest of men. He sealed it in an envelope and tucked it into a leather box with their first ultrasound photo.
Clair found him later, standing by the window, staring at the sky.
"What are you thinking about"
"Just how much my life has changed," he said.
She wrapped her arms around his waist. "For the better."
He turned and kissed her forehead. "For the best."
They built dreams in those days. Talked about building a house by the sea with wide windows and a garden where Clair could grow her herbs and vegetables. A room for every child. A hidden safe room, too—Austin never stopped thinking ahead.
They picked names. Argued playfully about who would teach them to ride bikes, who would take them to school. Clair insisted they would have a normal childhood. Austin agreed, with his fingers crossed.
The days passed like that. Light and full of laughter.
And on the thirty-fifth morning of their coastal escape, Clair woke up crying.
"What's wrong" Austin rushed to her side.
She shook her head, smiling through the tears. "They're really moving. All of them. I think they know how happy I am."
He kissed her cheeks dry. "Then let's keep making you happy."
Austin had a private chef prepare a feast for lunch. Clair requested spicy jambalaya, creamy mashed potatoes, honey-glazed carrots, and garlic knots.
Afterward, they sat on the swing by the water's edge. Clair leaned into Austin's arms, watching the sky shift colors.
"I never thought I'd get this," she whispered. "Real love. Not the fantasy kind, but something solid. Tangible."
"You have it now," he said. "For life."
She turned to look at him, her eyes fierce and gentle all at once. "I believe you."
As night fell and waves continued their timeless lullaby, Clair and Austin lay wrapped in each other. Their hearts beat in tandem, their future no longer a mystery but a promise.
Love. Peace. Joy.
And the gentle sound of three heartbeats within her.