Chapter One Hundred And Twenty Eight (THE END)

Chapter 128

"Are you all packed yet?" Ava asked her sister as the staff dragged the rest of her suitcase inside the boot of the car.

It had been two days since the wedding, two days since Jemima was pronounced as a wife and Jay was finally taking her on their honeymoon.

A well-deserved vacation indeed.

"Yes, Ava!" Jemima chuckled at her sister who wanted to make sure she didn't forget anything behind.

"Relax Ave, Jem can handle herself. She doesn't need us anymore," Marcus chipped in as he walked behind Ava, holding a banana in his hand as he munched on it softly.

"She's your twin Marcus, how are you not affected by the fact that she's going?" Ava sobbed softly, stroking Jemima's hair fondly as she stared into her sister's green eyes.

Marcus groaned exasperatedly, "Enough with the dramatics Ava! She'll be back. It's just their honeymoon. Besides she's with Jay! What could go wrong?" Marcus challenges Ava and they end up bickering.

Jemima watched them with excited amusement. These were her siblings. No matter how much they bickered or argued, they were all they had.

"Marcus, you're the only single one out of all of us. Don't you think it's time to settle down?" Jemima asked, drawing his attention from Ava momentarily.

Marcus scratched the back of his head, grinning boyishly as he stared at the ground, "I'm not the only single one. Ava is single..."

"Divorced," Ava corrected sharply, squinting at him. "Besides I have my kids, Jemima has Jay and who do you have?" Ava challenged with a raised eyebrow but Marcus didn't say anything further.

Jemima sensed that he was holding something but she couldn't quite figure out what he was holding back.

Her eyes widened in realization, "Marcus! You scratched the back of your head and you're grinning rather boyishly! Is there a girl in your life right now that we don't know about?" The mischievous grin plastered again Jemima's cheeks caused Marcus's cheeks to flush red.

"Ah, you rascal!" Ava joked, playfully smacking him on the arm.

"Well it's not defined yet and we're still in the works," Marcus finally confessed. Jemima sensed that he didn't want to talk about it any further so she decided not to push it but the glint in her eyes was so obvious, that it didn't take a soothsayer to tell that she was extremely happy for her brother.

"Ugh! You're such a spoilsport! Aren't you going to give us a name at least?" Ava pushed a little bit further, wanting to get a little bit more information from him.

"Althea but that's all you're getting from me!" Marcus stated, hurriedly calling her name and not divulging further information which caused Ava to pout and Jemima to chuckle softly.

Ava opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a plate crashing inside the house. They all rushed inside to go and see what the ruckus was about but only found Dimitri bent over, picking up the shards of glasses that had fallen.

Standing above him was Vanessa who had a tearstreaked face and bloodshot eyes. Jemima sighed because she knew they had gotten into another fight. Dimitri and Vanessa have been trying to work on their issues but it seemed futile and there was little to nothing about what Jemima could do about the situation.

She followed Vanessa upstairs.

Vanessa sobbed into her pillow while Jemima joined her on the bed, not saying anything but instead, just patting Vanessa on her back softly.

"I love him Jem! I love Dimitri so much. I can't stand that he hates me! He just tolerates me but..." Vanessa's words trailed off as she broke out in small sobs again.

"You betrayed his trust. It's going to take a lot to forgive you and let that go. It's not right that you need his forgiveness to clear your conscience, you know," Jemima said wisely, hoping Vanessa understood what she was trying to say without feeling offended.

"I know, I just wish he'd talk to me though," Vanessa whined, sitting up and wiping her face with the back of her arms. Jemima offered her Kleenex from the side table and Vanessa mouthed a thank you as she blew into it.

"He will."

Vanessa hugged her and apologized for dampening the mood when she was just about to leave for her honeymoon.

After twenty minutes of consolation and goodbye to everyone, Jemima and Jay set off for the airport.

It had been a while since Jemima flew and the turbulence made her air sick to the point that when they landed, all she wanted to do was sleep. She couldn't even muster the strength to be excited or ask for where they were.

They drove to the Villa that Jay had rented and tucked her into bed immediately, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before going to freshen up.

The next morning, the sun spilled golden light across the pristine waters of the Amalfi Coast, casting long shadows of palm trees on the terrace where Jay and Jemima sat. The villa they had rented for their honeymoon perched high on a cliff, offering panoramic views of the ocean. It was a paradise, and for the first time in years, Jemima felt she could finally breathe.

Jay leaned back in his chair, a lazy grin playing on his lips as he watched Jemima sip her espresso. Her hair was slightly tousled, and she wore one of his oversized shirts, the hem brushing against her thighs. She looked effortless, and yet, to him, she was the most captivating thing in the world.

"Are you going to stare at me all morning, or do you plan to eat something?" Jemima asked, raising an eyebrow.

Jay shrugged, leaning forward on the table. "Why would I look at food when I have the most beautiful view right in front of me?"

She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. "You're incorrigible."

"And you love it," he shot back, his grin widening.

Jemima laughed, the sound light and carefree. It had been so long since she'd felt this way—unburdened, loved, and free to simply exist. She reached across the table, her fingers brushing against his.

"I do," she admitted softly, her green eyes meeting his.

Jay's expression softened. He turned his hand over, lacing his fingers with hers. "I still can't believe you're mine," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Believe it," Jemima replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Because you're stuck with me now, Mr. Black."

Jay chuckled. "The best decision I ever made."

The honeymoon itinerary was deliberately unplanned, allowing them to savor each moment without constraints. After breakfast, Jay suggested they explore the nearby town, Positano, known for its vibrant streets and quaint shops.

"Think you can keep up with me?" Jemima teased as they walked down the winding cobblestone streets, her hand securely in his.

Jay smirked. "Oh, I'll keep up. But the question is, can you handle what I've got planned for us?"

Intrigued, Jemima tilted her head. "What exactly do you have planned?"

He didn't answer, simply tugging her along until they reached a small dock where a sleek speedboat awaited them.

"You rented a boat?" she asked, her eyes wide.

Jay grinned. "Not just any boat. This baby's going to take us to the Blue Grotto."

Jemima's excitement was palpable as they climbed aboard. The salty breeze whipped through her hair as Jay expertly navigated the boat across the sparkling waters.

"You've been holding out on me," she said, watching him with admiration. "Since when do you know how to drive a boat?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I have my secrets."

"Secrets, huh?" Jemima leaned closer, her voice low and teasing. "You do realize I'm going to spend the rest of this trip uncovering every single one of them?"

Jay's grin turned wicked. "I look forward to it."

The Blue Grotto was more breathtaking than Jemima had imagined. As their boat drifted into the cave, the sunlight filtering through the water cast an ethereal blue glow. She reached out to touch the cool surface, her awe written all over her face.

"It's like something out of a dream," she murmured.

Jay watched her, his heart swelling with emotion. "You're the dream," he said quietly.

Jemima turned to him, her expression softening. "You're going to make me cry, and I didn't bring waterproof mascara."

Jay laughed, pulling her into his arms. "You don't need mascara. You're perfect just the way you are."

That night, they dined under the stars on the villa's terrace. The chef Jay had hired prepared a sumptuous meal, but neither of them was particularly focused on the food.

Jemima leaned back in her chair, her bare feet resting on Jay's lap. He traced lazy circles on her ankle, his touch sending shivers up her spine.

"Do you ever think about what comes next?" she asked, her voice contemplative.

Jay looked at her, his expression serious for the first time that day. "All the time," he admitted. "But not in the way you might think."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't think about the past anymore," he said. "I don't worry about what could go wrong or what we've been through. I just think about you. About us. About the life, we're going to build together."

Jemima's throat tightened with emotion. "You make it sound so easy."

"It is easy," Jay said, leaning forward. "Because no matter what happens, I know we'll face it together."

Unable to find the words, Jemima leaned in, capturing his lips in a kiss. It was slow and tender, a promise of forever.

After dinner, Jay surprised her with a portable speaker and a playlist he'd secretly curated.

"Dance with me," he said, holding out his hand.

Jemima laughed. "There's no music."

"Not yet," he replied, pressing play. The soft strains of a romantic ballad filled the air.

She placed her hand in his, letting him pull her to her feet. They swayed together under the moonlight, the world around them fading away.

"You know," Jemima said, resting her head against his chest, "if you keep being this perfect, I might have to marry you all over again."

Jay chuckled, his chin resting on the top of her head. "I wouldn't mind. But next time, let's elope. Less stress, more time for us."

Jemima smiled. "Deal."

As the night wore on, they found themselves lying on a blanket spread out on the terrace, staring up at the stars.

"Do you think it's possible to be this happy forever?" Jemima asked, her voice tinged with wonder.

Jay turned to her, his gaze unwavering. "With you? Absolutely."

She reached for his hand, their fingers intertwining. "Thank you," she said softly.

"For what?"

"For loving me. For giving me this."

Jay smiled, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You deserve the world, Jem. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure you have it."

As they lay there, the waves crashing against the shore below, Jemima felt a sense of peace she hadn't known in years. This was her forever, and for the first time, she believed in it.

Suddenly, she heard the voice that she thought was dead. A voice all too familiar in her head, singing the rhyme that she thought she had buried;

'Ring around the Rosie,
A pocketful of posies,
A-husha! A-husha!
We all fall down!’

THE END!