( Hey everyone, so we have reached the end. I appreciate you all sticking with it, even though updates have been far from frequent. As previously mentioned, I will add new books, but not until I have at least 20 chapters pre-written, so there are frequent updates)
*** Three years later ***
Kellan

I step out of my therapist’s office after my second session feeling emotional. I decided it was time to seek professional help because I have much more to fight for now. I didn’t want my past and demons to ruin it. It took some time for me to find the courage, but here I am. I come once every week, and even though I have only been a couple of times, I can notice a difference. It is good to talk about it.
I head through the building and towards the waiting room because it is the way I need to go to the exit. The second I arrive, I smile because I spot Elsie, my gorgeous wife, waiting for me, cradling her baby bump.
“Sweetheart, what are you doing here? I told you not to come.” I say softly.
Elsie glances up and smiles brightly at me. She gets to her feet and strolls over to me.
“I know, but me and peanut wanted to be here for you when you came out,” she says.
We call the little one peanut because we don’t know yet if we are having a boy or a girl. Elsie isn’t far enough along yet to find out. It was a surprise to us when we found out she was pregnant—a happy surprise, of course. We were going to wait until after I was in therapy and got the help I needed before trying for a baby because I still have some rough days, but the world had other ideas, and we couldn’t be more thrilled.

We have enjoyed our married life for a couple of years. Working, making a home and travelling. Babies were always part of the plan, but it happened sooner than planned. We wouldn’t change it, though.
“Thank you, my love.” I smile, kissing her softly and rubbing her stomach.
“How are you? Are you okay?”
“I am okay, sweetheart, promise. Just a little emotional.”

“I am sure, but you are doing the right thing.” She says.
“Yes. I wouldn’t be here without you, Elsie.”
She is the one who encouraged me to see someone finally, and I am glad she did because I needed it more than I realised. I refuse to let my past get in the way of my family and the life we are making.
“I am always here, Kellan.”
“Yes, you are. How are you and bubba today? The morning sickness still bad?”
Elsie has had a rough couple of months. She has been having terrible morning sickness, backache, tiredness and mood swings, but she has pulled through it, and some things are easing.
“No, it has been okay today. Peanut and I are fine. We missed you, though.” She pouts.
I had worked all day before I came here, so I hadn’t seen her since I left.
“I missed you both, too. But I am here for the rest of the day and tomorrow.”
I have cut down the hours I work dramatically so I can be around for Elsie and the baby, but my company is in good hands when I am not around. I don’t need to work crazy hours. I have more than enough money, and I don’t want to miss a single thing during the pregnancy. I want to be there for everything.
“Yay!” she celebrates, “Food, please? Mama and peanut are hungry.” She giggles.
I chuckle, nod and slip my arm around her should. I kiss the top of her head, “I love you, Elsie.”
She smiles up at me, “I love you too. We both do.”
I rest my hand on her stomach and rub it, “And I love you too, little one.”
“Do you have another session next week?” she asks as we leave the building.
“I do, but let’s not talk about that. All I want to do for the rest of the day I spend it with my amazing wife and our baby.”
“Can we maybe do a little baby shopping? Nothing major, just a few things for the nursery and some onesies, something like that?” she asks hopefully.
“Yes, of course, beautiful.”
Everything thus far is fine with our baby. They are growing and healthy. We will find out the sex in two weeks at her next scan, and we are eager to find out. I would love a little girl, but I will be happy with either as long as they are okay.
I didn’t think I would ever be married, never mind being a daddy, but I have never been happier than I am right now as a husband and soon-to-be father.
I am excited to meet our baby and become a daddy, but there is also a part of me that is scared in case I am terrible at it. I hope I am not, but those thoughts are in the back of my mind. Elsie will be an amazing mother. I can’t wait to watch them together; I just hope I am as good.
Elsie has changed my life and given me things I honestly never thought I would get or even deserve. I feel worthy for the first time, probably in my entire life. I am needed, and no matter what happened to me in the past, none of it matters. All that matters now is my family and what has to come.