My Love Until the Last Goodbye by Alut

[A few months earlier ]

It was nighttime. Alden was out of town, and Serenity couldn't sleep. Her belly was still round with pregnancy when she noticed Peter sitting alone in the garden. She decided to join him-as long as he was okay with her company.

He had recently woken up, and to him, nearly everyone around him felt like strangers.

"Peter..." Serenity said softly as she approached him.

"Hi....." Peter replied with a smile, though his face was streaked with tears.

"Is something wrong?" Serenity asked, concerned.

"Uh, no! Nothing," he said quickly, wiping at his tears.

"Doesn't look like nothing... Do you want to talk?"

"Not really... To be honest, I don't even know who you are," Peter said, eyeing her with confusion.

"Well... I'm Serenity Bartz, daughter of your best friend, Marcus Bartz-and now, wife of Alden Palmer. Your son..." Serenity explained as clearly as she could.

"You know, this-this is what makes me feel weird. It's been a few weeks since I woke up, and everyone acts like I'm fine-but I'm not.

"I feel out of place. They tell me stories about a life I have no memory of living."

"Take it easy. I think you just need time to adjust," Serenity said, trying to soothe him.

"I'm trying, but... imagine what it's like for me. I walk into a room and sleep beside a woman who, everyone tells me, is my wife-and the craziest part? She's pregnant-with twins!"

down at his hands,

after waking up, you probably feel like you're still 25. But more than 20 years have passed. In that time, you helped your

love. And maybe you don't feel it now, but I'm sure there was a reason she caught your

be honest, the person I am now-I would never be with someone like her," Peter

Serenity asked,

else should be beside me. It feels wrong. I feel like I'm waiting for someone else," he admitted— for the first time—what he'd been feeling deep

Are you waiting for Alden's mom?" Serenity asked, testing the

Back in my younger days, I was crazy about that woman. She drove me wild and..." Peter caught himself mid-sentence, realizing

or

your mom?"

you knew her as

a bell..." Peter said,

is her." Serenity pulled out her phone and showed him a picture. Valerie watched him closely, trying to read the expression

"Well?" she asked.

her," Peter answered, frustration in his

for me to explain... I don't know who you're waiting for, Peter Palmer. But maybe just maybe the woman you're waiting for is Celeste Mason. And maybe you don't remember it, but your body does. Maybe that feeling of

"Why?"

left, don't know. But I do know that back then, Peter didn't care about

Serenity... All of this has me so confused. I

tell me what

thing is to follow your heart. Be mindful.

How do you know all

don't know. I'm just saying what my heart tells me. I saw you upset, and I

I think you should take a breath and