Mia was cold. Tired. Her legs ached and her feet were numb. But the overnight hike had been well worth it as she sat in Aiden’s arms atop Mount Fuji and watched the sunrise. She nestled her head against his warm, hard chest as his arms tightened around her and he dropped a kiss to her hair.
Unlike atop of Mount Batur, nothing interrupted this view. The sun rose above the flat horizon, a glowing yellow ball shooting pink into the clear sky over the dark curve of Honshu.
‘I definitely have a newfound love for sunrises,’ she whispered.
‘I have a newfound love of sunrises with you.’ He squeezed her and she laughed, her heart filling with warmth.
Eighteen months had passed since he’d arrived in Charters Towers and taken her on their first date. It seemed like a lifetime ago since they’d last experienced a moment like this, watching the sunrise from the peak of a volcano, but Mia could remember every detail as though it was yesterday. They’d barely known each other, yet already she’d felt a connection to Aiden Knight. She’d known that morning in Bali that he was someone special.
Now, they’d been married a month and were honeymooning in Japan, having just completed what they’d talked about the day they’d met—hiking the iconic Mount Fuji.
It’d been a lot harder than Mount Batur. The bus had delivered them from Tokyo to Fifth Station yesterday afternoon, located fifteen hundred metres above sea level. They’d spent a few hours hiking and then had slept. They’d woken in the early hours to complete their journey in darkness. Neither of them had wanted to travel again without Ella, but their honeymoon had been an exception. So, they’d taken two weeks to sightsee and experience an amazing Japanese adventure together.
It seemed only right that they climbed Mount Fuji on their honeymoon.
But Mia couldn’t wait to get home to Ella. Her little girl, who was almost four and the most gorgeous child Mia had ever known. The love that filled her heart for Ella was unfathomable.
After Aiden had declared his feelings for her and Mia had held Ella for the first time, she’d felt like a mum. She and Aiden had built their relationship around weeknight phone calls and weekend dates, usually with Ella as they continued to get to know each other in their normal world. They’d explored every park in Townsville and Charters Towers, and taken multiple trips to the wildlife sanctuary, where Ella loved feeding the wallabies. After six months, Aiden’s lease had expired, he’d found a job in Charters Towers, and he and Ella had moved in with her. Mia had bought her little girl her first pony and Ella had taken to riding as passionately as Mia had at her age. That Christmas, Aiden had asked her to marry him.
Now, they were husband and wife. Next month, Mia would legally adopt Ella. Sally had allowed it without a fuss and Mia was the happiest woman in the world. She had Aiden and a little girl.
What more could she want?
Mia almost laughed at herself, smiling secretly as she and Aiden took photos and explored the mountaintop. Daylight had truly broken when she took his hand and looked into his beautiful blue eyes. Eyes that she loved deeply. That held so much love for her.
‘While we’re here, I want to tell you something.’
He raised his eyebrows. ‘Yeah?’
Grinning, she nodded, not wanting to draw it out. Keeping her secret for two weeks to wait for this moment atop Mount Fuji had almost killed her.
‘Yep.’ She moved towards him and wrapped her arms around his waist. ‘You and I…we’re going to have a baby.’
Aiden grinned, and it was a moment she’d remember for the rest of her life as he laughed and lifted her off her feet. He literally spun her around on the mountaintop and her heart soared further into the heavens.
She loved volcanos. She may never have studied them, but they’d brought her the greatest joy on earth.
Her family.