Ben touched my elbow cautiously.
“I’m sorry I kept the truth from you.”
“You kept your promise to Rosie,” I said. “And you protected her when the rest of us didn’t even know she needed protecting.”
A nurse appeared at the entrance to Rosie’s room.
“She’s awake,” she said gently. “And she’s asking for both of you.”
Ben reached for my hand.
This time, I held on.
He was no longer only the boy who had grown up beside me or the best friend I had once dreamed of marrying.
He was my brother.
Together, we walked into Rosie’s room.
She looked exhausted, but her smile was radiant. Two tiny babies rested nearby, bundled beneath soft blankets.
“There you are,” Rosie murmured.
Ben moved to her bedside and kissed her forehead.
I stood beside them, overwhelmed by love, relief, and shame for every moment I had doubted what they shared.
