More interesting part of Whisper of the Tides.
1816 Words
Bonus Scene: After the Storm 🌊
It had been five years since Liam had knelt on the beach and asked Ella to marry him. Five years of sunrises over Crescent Bay, shared cups of coffee, pages filled with words, and the quiet comfort of a love that had only deepened.
Tonight, the storm had passed.
Ella stood barefoot on the sand, the hem of her linen dress damp from the wet shoreline. The wind had calmed, leaving behind a salty stillness, and above her, the sky stretched wide and clear, stars blinking back to life.
Behind her, Liam came up quietly, wrapping his arms around her waist. His chin rested on her shoulder, his voice warm in her ear. “You okay?”
She leaned back into him with a soft sigh. “I was worried the café wouldn’t hold through this one.”
He pressed a kiss to her temple. “It did. We did.”
Ella smiled, turning slightly to meet his eyes. There were faint lines at the corners now, marks of laughter, of worry, of life fully lived. She traced his cheek with her fingers. “Do you ever wonder… what would’ve happened if you’d left and never come back?”
Liam shook his head gently. “I don’t. Because I did come back. And that’s the only version of the story I want.”
A small bark interrupted them, and Finn — their scruffy terrier, now a little slower but just as spirited — came bounding toward them, tail wagging furiously. Ella laughed and bent down to scoop him up, pressing her face into his wiry fur.
They stood like that, the three of them, as the waves lapped quietly against the shore.
After a moment, Liam whispered, “I wrote something today.”
Ella raised an eyebrow. “Another chapter?”
He smiled. “No. A letter. To you.”
Her heart skipped. “A letter?”
He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her. By the moonlight, she opened it and began to read:
Ella, my love,
There is no story I could write more beautiful than the life we are building together. Thank you for being my lighthouse, my anchor, and my horizon all at once. Here’s to every wave we ride and every quiet moment in between. Always yours, Liam.
Tears filled her eyes. She looked up, and Liam brushed them away gently.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He kissed her softly. “Always.”
And under the stars, with the sea whispering its eternal promise, Ella knew: some loves don’t just survive the storms — they become stronger because of them.
🌅 Bonus Scene: A New Chapter 🌅
The café was quiet in the early morning, just before the first light touched the horizon. Ella stood behind the counter, her hands wrapped around a warm mug of tea, watching the dark sky slowly melt into soft lavender.
Liam appeared in the doorway, rubbing sleep from his eyes, his hair adorably messy. He smiled when he saw her. “Couldn’t sleep?”
Ella shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. “Too excited.”
Liam crossed the room and kissed the top of her head. “Me too.”
Today wasn’t just any day. Today, they would meet their daughter.
After years of talks, hopes, setbacks, and quiet longing, they were finally adopting a little girl — a bright-eyed, curly-haired six-year-old named Lily. Ella had memorized every detail the adoption papers gave her, but nothing compared to the idea of holding her, hearing her laugh, calling her ours.
“I keep wondering…” Ella murmured, her voice trembling slightly, “what if she doesn’t like us?”
Liam took her hands gently. “Ella. She’s going to love you.”
She looked up at him, eyes shining with both nerves and hope. “And you?”
He laughed softly. “She’ll tolerate me.”
Ella chuckled, leaning into his embrace. “You’re going to be such a good dad, Liam.”
They stood there a while, holding each other, as the first rays of sunlight painted the sky.
---
🌼 Later That Afternoon 🌼
At the adoption center, Lily clutched her small backpack, eyes wide as she stared up at them. Ella crouched down to meet her gaze.
“Hi, Lily,” she said softly, smiling. “I’m Ella. And this is Liam.”
Lily glanced shyly at Liam, then back at Ella. “Are you… my mommy?” she whispered.
Tears welled in Ella’s eyes. She nodded, her voice thick. “If you want me to be, yes.”
Without another word, Lily flung her arms around Ella’s neck, squeezing tightly. Liam crouched beside them, his hand gently resting on Lily’s back. For a moment, the three of them stayed there, wrapped in a circle of new beginnings and quiet joy.
Liam kissed Ella’s cheek, whispering, “Welcome home, little one.”
And in that instant, Ella knew their story — once shaped by tides and distance — had opened into something even bigger. This was the next chapter. A family. A forever.
Yay! Let’s keep going 💕 — here’s another bonus scene showing Ella, Liam, and little Lily settling into life as a family, with warmth, humor, and love.
---Yay! Let’s keep going 💕 — here’s another bonus scene showing Ella, Liam, and little Lily settling into life as a family, with warmth, humor, and love.
---
🎄 Bonus Scene: First Family Christmas 🎄
Snow was rare in Crescent Bay, but this Christmas Eve, tiny white flakes floated down, dusting the rooftops and blanketing the cliffs in a soft shimmer.
Inside their cozy cottage, Ella hung the last ornament on the small tree by the window — a delicate glass seashell, shimmering like the ocean. Lily, wearing a red sweater two sizes too big, danced around the room, her giggles filling the house.
Liam emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows. “All right, little sea sprite,” he grinned, “are you ready for your first official family Christmas Eve?”
Lily clapped her hands. “Yes, Daddy! Can we open one present now?”
Ella laughed softly. “Just one.”
They gathered around the fireplace, its gentle glow flickering against the walls. Liam handed Lily a small box wrapped in silver paper. She tore it open with wide eyes, revealing a hand-painted locket shaped like a tiny wave.
“It’s for you,” Ella whispered. “So you always remember — you’re part of our tide now, forever.”
Lily threw her arms around both of them, squeezing tightly. “Best family ever,” she murmured.
Liam blinked away tears, pressing a kiss to the top of Lily’s head. Ella smiled through her own, feeling a warmth deeper than any fire could give.
Outside, the snow kept falling. Inside, wrapped in love, they laughed, sipped cocoa, and watched the twinkling lights on their little tree — the first of many holidays to come, each one a testament to how far they had come as a family.
---
🌊 Flash Forward: Years Later 🌊
The sun set in streaks of gold and pink over Crescent Bay as Ella watched Lily — now a teenager — walking along the shore with Liam, their dog Finn trailing behind them, his muzzle silvered with age.
Ella smiled softly to herself, the breeze tugging gently at her hair. They had built this life slowly, carefully, across storms and sunny days alike. She had once been a woman afraid to reach beyond the horizon — now she stood on the shore, watching her family thrive, knowing she was exactly where she was meant to be.
Liam caught her eye from down the beach, lifting a hand in a wave. Lily turned and grinned, running back toward Ella, her laughter echoing across the water.
“Mom!” she called. “Come on! We’re racing to the rocks!”
Ella laughed, kicking off her sandals and jogging forward, her heart full, her feet light.
This — this was what it meant to come home
🎄 Bonus Scene: First Family Christmas 🎄
Snow was rare in Crescent Bay, but this Christmas Eve, tiny white flakes floated down, dusting the rooftops and blanketing the cliffs in a soft shimmer.
Inside their cozy cottage, Ella hung the last ornament on the small tree by the window — a delicate glass seashell, shimmering like the ocean. Lily, wearing a red sweater two sizes too big, danced around the room, her giggles filling the house.
Liam emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows. “All right, little sea sprite,” he grinned, “are you ready for your first official family Christmas Eve?”
Lily clapped her hands. “Yes, Daddy! Can we open one present now?”
Ella laughed softly. “Just one.”
They gathered around the fireplace, its gentle glow flickering against the walls. Liam handed Lily a small box wrapped in silver paper. She tore it open with wide eyes, revealing a hand-painted locket shaped like a tiny wave.
“It’s for you,” Ella whispered. “So you always remember — you’re part of our tide now, forever.”
Lily threw her arms around both of them, squeezing tightly. “Best family ever,” she murmured.
Liam blinked away tears, pressing a kiss to the top of Lily’s head. Ella smiled through her own, feeling a warmth deeper than any fire could give.
Outside, the snow kept falling. Inside, wrapped in love, they laughed, sipped cocoa, and watched the twinkling lights on their little tree — the first of many holidays to come, each one a testament to how far they had come as a family.
---
🌊 Flash Forward: Years Later 🌊
The sun set in streaks of gold and pink over Crescent Bay as Ella watched Lily — now a teenager — walking along the shore with Liam, their dog Finn trailing behind them, his muzzle silvered with age.
Ella smiled softly to herself, the breeze tugging gently at her hair. They had built this life slowly, carefully, across storms and sunny days alike. She had once been a woman afraid to reach beyond the horizon — now she stood on the shore, watching her family thrive, knowing she was exactly where she was meant to be.
Liam caught her eye from down the beach, lifting a hand in a wave. Lily turned and grinned, running back toward Ella, her laughter echoing across the water.
“Mom!” she called. “Come on! We’re racing to the rocks!”
Ella laughed, kicking off her sandals and jogging forward, her heart full, her feet light.
This — this was what it meant to come home.
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- Writer
