Prologue

The sun was high in the sky Shining its rays upon the nature of earth. The birds chirping a lovely tune in which the heavens gave them, but there was nothing lovely about this cold heartless day. No. Not for Skylar. Tears ran down her face leaving trails of sorrow as she grasped the hand of Markos her lover, her best friend, her husband, and the father of her unborn children that were alive this very second unknown to the seriousness of this moment. But she knew and the pain claimed her very being causing a terrible ache to appear in her chest. The notion of choking came to mind for all she wanted to do was stop this hurt she could hardly bare.

The hospital room was so depressing. Nothing but white. White walls. White ceilings. White bedsheets.How could a color so beautiful and pure be so depressing and tainted. It was a sick reality.  It was not a place of joy at this present time. You would think Skylar would be use to it. She has been here more than once on multiple occasions in fact. But none were ever so personal and heartbreaking to her then this moment now. None affected her life as much as this very moment.

"Please my love. Please stop crying. I don't want to remember you like this." Markos tried to show his wife comfort by wiping her eyes and giving her his signature smile, one that he knew she loved dearly.

That statement only made the river of tears come down even harder. How could she possibly stop? He was dying, leaving her alone to endure this world by herself, and there was nothing that money or even her prayers could do to prevent this. For the Lord only knew how many prayers she had sent up to Him to heal her husband. Countless nights were spent asking  for a miracle. And many of those nights were wasted on wishes.

"Markos please don't leave me. Don't leave us. We need you. Fight please. You can't just give up this way" She begged him. Her eyes pleaded with him but deep down in her heart she knew that even he could not fight this battle and win. It was God's will. No matter how much she questioned him it would always be God's will.

Markos frowned as he felt his own heart tighten. He wanted to cry so hard. But he had to be the strong one in the room. He had to be strong for her even when at that very moment he was weak. Weaker than he had ever been. He had to be strong for the love of his life. And for them.

"Skylar. If I had the power to stay here you know I would do exactly that." He said and sighed.

She bowed her head not wanting her husband to see the tears fall and her eyes the color of an amber flame. She knew it to be true. There was still a little of her that hoped. They had suche wonderful memories together. And she longed for them to create more in the future. But she knew that would to come true.

"But….our children Markos." She cried." They won't ever be able to hear your voice. To see your face. To call...you daddy." It was just so hard for her to eve fathom the thought over their children would never know their father the way that they should.

Markos sighed once more and pulled her onto the hospital bed. Deep down he knew this was his fault. He placed his index finger under her chin and lifted her head so that their eyes connected. He leaned up and kissed her on the lips so softly and she kissed him back. This was a conversation of the soul that they both needed to have. One made with no words but with emotions. A distant language all saying what many could but truly meaning it. It was a Good-bye. A breaking of their bond in which they held so dearly.

He pulled away and waited for her to open her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I brought you into this. I knew this day would come. I promised I would never hurt you. That I would protect you. And  I still wound up hurting you by putting you in this. But I loved- love you so much. I couldn't bare to let you marry another man. Baby," he kissed her eyed one by one, her tears, her cheeks, her neck, and finally her lips."you are the best thing that has ever happened to me.  I am happy and that is because you were in my life. You made these three years the best I've ever had.  And to know that inside of you grows my own children….what more could I want baby? My name will continue on and I am a happy man. You made that happen. I love you skylar. I love you so much." He said. He knew it was selfish of him. But he would not say that he would regret what he did. For he loved her and his choice was to haver her in anyway. She was his since they were in elementary and she continued to be his even now.

Skylar kissed him harder despite her tears. Markos you see was dying if a rare lung disease. He has had it since a child. They predicted he would die earlier than that but he didn't. But it all caught up with him and he hated that he couldn't spend more time with Skylar.  But he had to go. But the worry of everything  was taking a toll on her.

"I want you to promise me one thing sky." He said using his nickname for her.

"Yes." She replied in a small voice through her tears and sniffles. She would do anything for  him. She took a long glance at the man she loved. He didn't look sick. But it was on the inside.

"Live for our children when I'm gone. Fight for them. Never leave them. I know you will miss me. As I will miss you. But skylar you are young. I want you to find love again. My children need a good man in their lives. And you need a good man too. There is another out there who needs you as well." He said. This was the least he could do. To let her go fully. It would be even more wrong for him to expect her not to fall in love with another after he had gone. He knew he would always be in her heart and she would never forget him and that is all that he can ask.

On the contrary she shook her head appalled at what he was asking her. She could never love another. He was her soulmate. Not many could find theirs but she believed she did. And the ones who did were the lucky ones.  But she could not love another as much as she loved him.

"You can love again. And you will Sky. I will not be selfish in death as well. Do not allow me to hinder your life.  Find someone and love again. Promise me." He pushed understanding her hesitation yet he would not accept that she would spend the rest of her life alone. That was not the life he wanted for her of his children.

He needed her to do this. She was a strong woman and her love could be taken advantage of. She needed to be protected. She was still so innocent and he wished she would stay that way.

After a minute of thinking skylar finally nodded. How could she deny her husband on his deathbed. It was his last dying wish. And she loved him too much. She had to say yes. If not for her then for him. Her rock. Her strength. Her heart.

"I promise Mar. But please let me have these last moments with you. Let me hug you." She pleaded. She closed her eyes tight to stop the tears from falling any further.

Those words were like music to his ears. He  wanted nothing more than to hold his wife close for the last few moments he had left. To feel the beat of her heart become one with his. To feel the warmth of her skin. Things he will never be able to feel again when he was gone from her life.

"Yes. Come here my love." He said. "Let me hold you."

She crawled closer to him and laid next to him.  He opened his arms and wrapped them around her waist. He rubbed her hip and then rubbed circles on her baby bump. She was in her final trimester and he wished he could be there for the birth of his children.

Skylar let a sigh past her lips. He always knew what to do. She never met a man so nice and  so in tune with her feelings. He was caring and passionate. He was one of a kind and there was not another like him. But she didn't want to think about it now.

Markos closed his eyes and prayed. Prayed to God that his family would be taken care of. That his wife would be well and never abandon his children. That she would stay strong and be the woman she is now and always would be. He prayed for their life and Skylar's guidance.

He wished he could  stay and watch over them.  Maybe God would let him watch them. He  knew  Skylar would miss him but she was stronger than what she use to be. He made sure of that.

And for the last minutes of his life he held her. And kissed her. Rubbed her stomach. Whispered in her ear how much he loved her. And then…..he inhaled for the last time. After that he was gone.

Skylar froze waiting for his exhale but she knew it wouldn't come. But she still wished and prayed. Even as she heard the heart monitor go flat she prayed. The beeping that gave Skylar the piece of mind that her husband was alive was replaced with one tone. The tone everyone dreaded.

She couldn't stop the tears that fell down her cheeks. She knew her husband was finally gone. Finally she was alone. And the pain didn't hurt any less. She thought she would be ready. But who could really be ready for death? No one that's who.

She kissed the forehead of her dead husband and stepped back as nurses and doctors rushed in and tried to resuscitate him.  But she knew he wouldn't come back. He was in a better place. No more pain. No more hurt. No sickness. He was probably smiling with his family that went before him standing at the gate.

She couldn't even argue when they, the doctors said, she had to leave. She just turned and exited the room. It was like she was a zombie. She sat down  in the waiting room and cried.

"Mrs. Sanders." A male voice called.

She glanced up from her tears and the look on his face was enough to confirm. But she already knew. She been knew. But why would he be sad. He didn't know Markos like she did. He didn't know him at all. No. It was a look if pity. And it was meant for Skylar. That was the last thing she needed.

"We…..I am sorry. We tried everything...but he wouldn't come back." He said.

To hear the words despite the fact that she understood them made her hurt even more. And it just made her realise even more that she was really alone. That this wasn't a nightmare but reality. This was real. She was with her dead husband's babies .What was she going to do? She was only a caterer. And she was having twins. She couldn't work and take care of them by herself. She believed the first year was a critical bonding point for children and parent.

She could feel all of the worries in her mind bare down in her. She felt short of breath at first. Then it was hard to stand and even harder to breathe.

"Mrs. Sanders? Are you okay? Mrs. Sanders?! I need you to calm down. Mrs. Sanders?! Nurse hurry! We need a nurse over here." The doctor yelled.

The voices were only sounds that slowly turned to a ringing in her ears and the lights began to blur in her vision. In fact everything around her was blurry until it turned to only shadows. Then everything went black.

Skylar moaned as the brightness of the light penetrated her eyes. She opened them slowly but everything was still blurry. And the light hurt. So she closed them tight again. She could hear the beeping of a heart monitor in her ear. The distinct smell of clearness. And then she could faintly hear a sound. Not not a sound. A voice. Someone was calling her name.it was slowly becoming louder.She opened her eyes and was forced to squint since the light was so bright.

"How do you feel Mr- Miss Sanders?" The doctor from earlier asked.

"Okay I guess. For a woman who just lost her husband. How do you think I'm suppose to feel?" She asks slightly agitated by the question. But she knew he was only trying to help and she had no right to snap at him.

A look of sympathy crossed the doctor's face. She was so young and lost her husband a damn good man too soon. He felt for her and understood her sour mood. She had a right to be upset.  That he knew.

"Do you remember what happened? How you got here?" He asked.

Skylar thought for a moment but she truly had no idea how she ended up in the hospital bed. All she could remember was that she was in her husband's arms and he told her he loved her and then he passed away. So she shook her head in response to the question.

"It seems that the death of your husband  was too much for you. You

Fear swept over her quickly and her heart monitor showed the increasing rate of her heart. She had to interrupt him."Please tell me my babies are okay." She begged.

"The babies are fine." He replied lifting the fog of worry from her mind. "You're stressed out. You are at a critical point in your pregnancy and you need to relax and rest. If you don't there could be future complications."  He warned.

She understood what he was saying but that didn't stop her next comment.

"How can I relax? My husband just died. I have to plan for his funeral. I have to raise his kids alone. And I have to deal with his family who hate me." She asked angrily and then broke out into tears.

Suddenly the world looked all of a sudden too big for a black widowed mother-to-be. So much was happening she wished she could have prepared even more.

Both her and the doctor's concentration was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat. She looked and saw Markus, Markus' twin along with another man slightly older.

"You don't have to worry about a thing Skylar. Not a thing. Markos set up and took care of everything. He said he wanted all of your time and energy to  go towards his children." His twin said.

Confusion took root into Skylar's mind. How could everything be taken care of. Despite the insurance she still had quite a bit of money to come up with. And Markos was only a construction worker. They didn't make that much money. But Skylar never wanted for a thing. Markos took good care of her.

"I don't understand." Skylar admitted.

Markus looked at his sister in law. There was a time where he couldn't see why his twin was so in love with her. Why he gave up his blood for her. But as he got to know her he knew why. She was such a caring and loving person, it was really hard to not like her.

"Markos never told you. But he wasn't just a construction worker Skylar. He owned the company. He was the type that liked to get his hands dirty with his workers. That's why you never knew. He paid for everything. This is his lawyer, Mr. Carmick. Markos left everything to you and asked me to help you. You don't have to worry about anything." Markus said.

Nothing. Nothing could compare to the feeling of the burden that weighed so heavily on Skylar's shoulders being lifted. She and the babies would be taken care of. That was all she cared about.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"I think it would be wise for you to rest now. I would Like to keep you overnight to keep an eye on you." The doctor said.

Skylar slowly shook her head. She couldn't stay here. Not with….no. She wouldn't.

"Just rest and when you wake up I will take you home." Markus suggested.

Reluctantly she nodded and closed her eyes. Tired she quickly drifted off. All of the crying and worrying and the events if today took most of her energy. But now it was time to move on. On second at a time. And that is exactly what she will do.