A/N: Here it is… the final chapter. I hope that you all enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I know that this is not as long as my other chapter but I hope that you find it equally as moving.

Please forgive any mistakes, for they are all my own.

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

SPOV

All too soon, the days had turned into weeks, the weeks to months and the months to years. Eric and I had never been perfect as a couple, but seriously who was. What we had wasn't your picture perfect happily ever after, but it was love and it was what made me happy. I could remember every detail as if it were yesterday.

After we returned home, I called Ms. Cook to give her the news. She wasn't surprised to hear it and didn't really answer any of my questions. She stayed true to her character in that aspect. When I asked her why she gave Eric her ring, she just laughed and said that she found a kindred spirit, of sorts, in me. I couldn't say that I agreed with her. She was far wiser and braver than I could ever hope to be.

She did, however, give me some advice that I strived to live by everyday. Ms. Cook said. "First of all, never go to sleep angry. Secondly, live every day as if it is your last. Finally, and most importantly, love everyday as if it is your last."

Eric and I were married in Malibu at the beach house. Pam, Ms. Cook and Mr. & Mrs. Yates were the only ones to attend the ceremony. The local Justice of the Peace made it official. I only had a tiny bump that protruded from my sundress. It was a simple and perfect wedding and I wouldn't have exchanged it for the most elaborate ceremony in the world.

We settled in Eric's home in Shreveport. I sold my Gran's old farmhouse to Amelia, after she graduated from college, but we kept the house in Malibu. We visited for two months out of the year every summer.

Ms. Cook passed away nearly seven years after our wedding, but I still looked at the old bungalow as if it were hers. We never had neighbors that lasted too long, they were all temporary.

I missed Ms. Cook almost as much as I missed my Gran. She had quickly filled that position in my life and we became fast friends. But she was right when she said that things were never meant to be forever. You could only appreciate them while you had them and then remember them happily when they were gone. She was always full of strangely inspirational and intuitive sayings. Whether she came up with them on her own, or read them somewhere, I never knew.

Amelia eventually took over the flower shop as well. After the birth of our second child, I wanted to stay at home, and Eric's income allowed for that. And now, with the coming birth of our third, I was even happier about that decision.

Our first born, Jason Alexander, was going on twelve. His little sister, Charlaine Adele, had just celebrated her sixth birthday. Our final bundle of joy, which was expected to be a boy, and thusly named Eric Junior, or EJ, for short, was currently crowning and causing his mother a great deal of pain.

I knew, though, that as soon as I heard the first cries, and saw his perfect little face, every bit of pain I felt now would be totally worth it. And with Eric by my side, I could handle anything that was thrown my way.

******

Three hours later, I was lying in the hospital bed, curled up next to EJ, while Eric, Jason, and Char cuddled on the impossibly uncomfortable sofa-bed and snored rhythmically. I often wondered what I could have done in my life to deserve such a perfect family.

I never could think of anything worthy of the perfection that was my life. Don't get me wrong, I still had days where I wanted to rip the hair from my skull, but I was a happy wife and mother of, now, three beautiful children.

Sure things were never really perfect, but I considered myself lucky to even come remotely close. I had the love of a wonderful man, who not only took care of me, but spoiled me rotten any chance he could get, much to my annoyance.

I was able to kiss my beautiful babies to sleep every night and able to curl up next to the love of my life every evening. I still wanted him just as much, if not more, as I did when we first met.

All my life I had ran from love. I had avoided attachment, because I could not bear the loss, if it were to happen. And life had taught me many things, one of which was losing the people you loved was just a matter of when.

Although I knew this, I couldn't bring myself to regret it. I knew that I would die, and Eric would die, and my children would die, but I loved them still and cherished every moment and every memory with them.

There are many things in my life that I wished I could have done differently. But that isn't to say that I would change a single thing I had done. My choices and my mistakes had brought me to the place I was today. They had made me the person that I was and given me many gifts, which I received selfishly.

I remembered the hard times in my life and took everything I could learn from them. And in the moments I treasured, which had become many over the years, I reminisced in them often, as if to dream them while I slept or to take them to heaven with me when I passed.

Someone once said that you come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly. I, personally, thought I was lucky to find the person that was able to find that in me and me in him.

Eric awoke during my musings and had come to stand over me in the bed. The twinkle in his eye as he looked between EJ and me was nothing short of beautiful and ethereal. He was a proud father and you could practically feel the joy and love emitting from his skin, as if he were an angel from above, meant to spread it to others with his presence.

My eyes connected with his as I spoke just above a whisper but with conviction and unwavering certainty. "I love you, Eric."

His lips met my forehead followed by my cheek and finally my lips before he uttered the words I would never grow tired of hearing. "As I love you, Sookie."

******

Wondrous Moment

By: Alexander Pushkin

The wondrous moment of our meeting…

I well remember you appear

Before me like a vision fleeting,

A beauty's angel pure and clear.

In hopeless ennui surrounding

The worldly bustle, to my ear

For long our tender voice kept sounding,

For long in dreams came features dear.

Time passed. Unruly storms confounded

Old dreams, and I from year to year

Forgot how tender you had sounded,

Your heavenly feature once so dear.

My backwoods days dragged slow and quiet

Dull fence around, dark vault above

Devoid of God and uninspired

Devoid of tears, of fire, of love.

Sleep from my soul began retreating,

And here you once again appear

Before me like a vision fleeting,

A beauty's angel pure and clear.

In ecstasy the heart is beating,

Old joys for it anew revive;

Inspired and God-filled, it is greeting

The fire, and tear, and love alive.

A/N: I really hoped that you enjoyed this story. I enjoyed writing it and I hope that you keep an eye out for more stories to come from me. If you haven't already, be sure to add me to your author alerts for more to come. *Hugs*

BTW… The finalist for the Poppin' Cherries Contest have been posted, be sure to check out the link below and read and review and vote for your favorites. There were so many great stories that were entered; I know the judges had a heck-uva-time narrowing it down.

Also be sure to keep an eye out for the finalist to the Cowboy-Up one-shot Contest to be announced. I hope that we will all have the results soon.

After you review, run along and vote here…

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