Too Late 26

Chapter 26 

River stood at a distance, hidden behind the tall trees that bordered the quiet lakeside chapel. He wasn’t invited to the wedding. But something inside him needed to see her one last time. 

Allison looked radiant in white, her hand cradling the gentle swell of her stomach as she walked slowly down the aisle. 

The man standing at the altar, Joseph, looked like he had been holding his breath for years and had only just started breathing again. 

River swallowed hard. It should have been him. 

If he hadn’t let pride rule his heart… If he hadn’t hurt her. If he had protected her like he promised. If he had chosen her over Candice first, maybe she’d be walking toward him now, carrying their child instead. 

But regret didn’t change the past. It only made it harder to breathe. 

He watched as they exchanged vows, as Joseph whispered something that made Allison laugh softly, her eyes glistening with tears. There was no bitterness in her gaze, no hesitation. Just peace. Love. Certainty. 

That was when River knew-truly knew-that it was time to let her go. 

After the ceremony ended, River turned away, heart heavy but resolute. He had nothing left tc offer her. Not now. Not anymore. 

But still, he couldn’t leave without a goodbye. 

The next day, a small package arrived at Allison and Joseph’s home. No note was attached a irst glance-just a delicately wrapped box with soft blue ribbon and a card with her name written in familiar handwriting. 

nside was a tiny, hand-carved wooden music box in the shape of a star. When opened, it playec a soft lullaby and revealed a folded letter tucked inside. 

Allison sat on the couch, the early signs of fatigue and nausea already beginning to press against her, but she took a deep breath and unfolded the note. 

t read: 

To Allison, 

By the time you read this, you’ll already be standing in the life you chose-a life I couldn’t give 

you. 

I want you to know that I’ve finally understood what it means to truly love someone. It’s not about fighting to keep them-it’s about knowing when to let them go. 

I see now that everything that happened… it was my fault. 

My anger. My choices. And I’ll carry that regret forever. 

But you-you deserve peace. You deserve joy. You deserve this new beginning. 

Congratulations on the baby. I hope the music box plays the lullaby that brings comfort on restless nights. This is my final goodbye, Allison. I won’t come back. But I will always wish you happiness. 

-River 

Allison read the letter in silence, her fingers tightening around the edges. 

No tears fell. No pain twisted in her chest. Just peace. A strange, almost sacred stillness settled in her soul-as if the past had finally been put to rest. 

Joseph walked in and found her holding the music box, the lullaby playing softly in the background. 

“Are you okay?” he asked gently. 

She nodded. “River sent this… for the baby.” 

Joseph looked at her carefully, unsure of what to say, but Allison reached for his hand and smiled softly. “I’m okay,” she said, her voice sure. “I think I really am.” 

From that moment on, they never looked back. 

As the weeks passed, Allison embraced the coming changes with quiet strength. 

Pregnancy wasn’t easy-there were moments of fear, nights when her body ached and her minc spun with uncertainty. 

But Joseph was there. At every appointment. Every craving. Every hormonal tear. 

He decorated the nursery by hand, reading baby books until he fell asleep on the couch, highlighters and notepads scattered around him. 

They held a small pregnancy celebration, not a loud one with cameras and flashy parties-but a gentle gathering. 

Just family. Close friends. A few soft lights. A table of wishes for the baby where guests wrote hopes on slips of paper and placed them in a wooden box beside the crib. 

t was a tribute to growth-not just of a new life, but of healing. 

One late evening, as Allison stood in the nursery alone, one hand resting on her rounded belly she whispered, “You are so wanted. So loved. You’ll never have to question that.” 

The baby kicked gently in response, as if understanding. 

When labor finally came, it was swift and fierce. The pain gripped her body like a tidal wave, and for a moment, fear threatened to overtake her. 

But Joseph was there. Holding her hand. Whispering how strong she was. How proud he was. Hours later, through sweat and sobs and unbearable waves of pain, the cries of a new life filled the hospital room. 

A little girl. 

Tiny. Perfect. Breathing her first breaths under the same stars her parents had once stood beneath. 

Joseph cradled the baby, tears streaming down his face as he looked at Allison. “She looks just like you,” he whispered. 

Allison smiled weakly, her entire body trembling but heart full. “She’s ours.” 

They named her Liora-a name that meant light. 

Because that’s what she was. 

The light that came after darkness. 

The proof that even the most broken stories could find beautiful endings.