My Love Until the Last Goodbye (Mary and Maximus)

"Dad!"

"I'm just saying!"

"Dad, he's a good man. And I love him. That's all you need to understand. Please."

"Serene... It's just hard for me to accept that you're married, that you're pregnant, that you just introduced me to the man who's taking you away from me...'

"Daddy... I will always be your daughter. I will always love you. You are my father."

"And I love you too," Marcus whispered, tightening his embrace. "You're my little girl. The same one who used to scribble all over my expensive office walls with oil markers. The same one who used to leave her tiny, soup-covered handprints on my white shirts.

I wouldn't change a single moment I've spent with you and your mother. I wouldn't trade a second of our lives together."

"Dad... You will always be my dad. Never forget that."

Marcus wiped his eyes quickly before clearing his throat. "Alright then... Have you thought of a name?" "Mmm... Honestly, no. I was so worried about telling you that I didn't even have time to think about names.

"How about Marcus?" Marcus suggested with a smirk.

"Dad! If I do that, you know Alden will want to name him Peter-either as a first or middle name!" "No! Absolutely not!"

"I'm just saying... it's a possibility."

"And if it's a girl? Have you thought of a name for her?"

Serenity had thought about that. In fact, she knew the baby was a girl. And honestly, she was relieved-it saved them from a potential war over boy names.

But she didn't want to reveal that just yet. She and Alden had agreed to keep it a surprise for a little longer.

Now that she thought about it, though... they hadn't actually discussed any names for a girl.

"Mmm... I haven't really thought about it, but I like Samantha."

"Samantha Bartz Palmer," Marcus said, testing out the name.

"Dad, my husband's last name goes first," Serenity reminded him.

"Actually, you can choose the order now. And it sounds better with Bartz first."

"God, Dad! You always have a solution for everything!"

"I know! That's why I'm your father. And at least you're more relaxed now. I don't like seeing you so worried, don't think I've ever seen you this stressed—not even when you were this close to getting expelled for selling candy in

elementary school."

"Shhh!" Serenity hissed. "That's our secret!"

"Well, you seemed a lot calmer back then."

"I was eight or nine years old! If they expelled me, I thought it would be like a vacation!"

"Mmm... Come here," Marcus said, pulling her into another hug. "You'll always be my little girl."

"Thanks, Dad

know you're making

an inhuman effort not to lose it right now. I know you're probably fighting the urge to run a full background check on Alden-just like you did with every boy who even looked at me when I was a teenager

"I was not about to let one of those filthy little punks lay a hand on my daughter." "Well... This is different. I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm not a teenager either."

"No, you're not. And yeah, I know you're going to say you're a woman now, but you never know... Who knows what weird fetishes that man has? I need to be sure that you're safe."

"Dad! I am safe. You don't have to worry about that."

Marcus sighed dramatically. "Oh, my girl... It's been so long since we talked like this. I really missed our long chats."

"Dad, that's never going to change. You'll see my baby will be playing with my siblings soon enough. They won't be that far apart in age."

"Serenity, I still can't wrap my head around the fact that you're going to be a mom... What's going to happen with photography? With university? I don't want you to put that aside."

"Dad, I promise I'll go back to school and finish my degree. And as for photography, I'll keep running my business. Actually, I got some incredible shots during our time away from you guys.

"Promise me I get to see them before anyone else."noveldrama

"Of course! Just like always. I've been thinking about setting up an exhibit. I could sell some of the photos, and that money could help buy a few things for the baby."

"Serenity, you don't need to worry

about money. You know you're

taken care of. And besides, your è

husband already said he can provide for a family." Marcus practically growled out the word husband.

"I know, Dad, but I like having my own money. So the exhibit is happening, no matter what." "Fine, my girl." Marcus sighed, shaking his head with a smirk. "You know I'll always support you, right?" He wrapped his arms around her once more, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.