Epilogue

Maggie shook her hands free of the suds that had been claiming them for the past half an hour, rushing for the ringing phone nearby. She maneuvered her way through the kitchen, pushing in chairs with her backside as she went. Finally she reached the phone, nearly breathless.

“Hello?” she answered as sweetly as she could while gasping for breath.

“Mags? Is that you? Did you have to run? I’m sorry.”

“Petia, how are you! I’ll always run to the phone for you!” Maggie giggled, relaxing into the chair beside the telephone table.

“I’m fabulous, miraculous, amazing!”

“Tell me right now, what in the world is going on!”

“I’m pregnant!”

“What?” Maggie squealed into the phone. “But, you didn’t think... the doctors didn’t think...”

“I know! But I’ve been to the doctors, they say I’m at least two months along! I’m still nervous, of course, but I couldn’t wait to tell you and Gracie. Ben is so excited, he’s already started picking out names. He likes the name Leonard, Leonard! Can you believe it!” Petia laughed gleefully on the phone.

“Oh Petia, I’m so happy for you! When can I see you, for a cup of tea, or anything? Maybe Gracie can come too? I would say we could meet here, but things are always a little crazy here.”

“Thursday at 2, for tea, at my house. Gracie can come, she said Pete is going to watch the boys. I do hope her twins turn out to be girls, for her sake! Can you come?”

“I’ll have to check with Grey, but it should be fine, I can always have his mother come over, she loves any time she can get with the kids.”

“Ok, great! I’ll see you then, I have a few other calls to make, but we’ll have all afternoon to talk.” Petia said quickly into the phone, excitement still clinging on her every word.

“Alright, good bye Petia. I love you!”

“Love you too Mags, and thanks for being excited!”

Maggie smiled as she heard the distinctive click on the other end of the phone. She smiled, gently caressing her own small bump, her third was due in five months, and she couldn’t be happier. Maggie returned the phone to it’s place and braced herself to stand. She found Grey in the kitchen, gulping down a glass of lemonade. He still looked exactly the same, with a few added wrinkles around those fiercely blue eyes. His hair was still curly, and he wore it longer than the new style, but she preferred it that way. He had managed to stay lean, and hadn’t put on the extra flub that so many of her friends husbands had.

“Hey, I was just about to bring that out.” Maggie smiled, putting her arms around his waist. “Oh, you’re sweaty.”

“I know! Those kids are keeping me in shape, they play a fierce game of tag!” he laughed, spinning to give her an affectionate kiss on the nose. “And what were you screaming about in there? Is everything alright?”

“Everything is perfect! Petia’s pregnant!” Maggie squealed, keeping her arms tight around him, her chin on his chest, gazing up into his beautiful eyes.

“But with her injury during the war, she shouldn’t be able to have children, that blow to her stomach crushed all of her reproductive organs. I examined her myself.”

“Then it’s a miracle, because she’s two months pregnant!”

“That’s wonderful, now Emily will have another friend her age.” he smiled, focusing his gaze on Maggie’s stomach.

“We don’t know if it’s a girl...” she smiled.

“But we don’t have a name for a boy, and I'm hoping it knows that.”

“Daddy! Daddy!” small voices called from outside.

“I have to go...” he groaned, stealing a kiss from her before their two children came tumbling through the kitchen door, making a fuss about their parents public display of affection. "Mmm you do taste good."

“Go, I’ll be right out with the Lemonade.” she laughed, shaking her head.

Grey reluctantly let go of Maggie and ran back outside. She smiled as she heard his voice taunting the kids. Their giggles soon covered his teasing, which only increased her smile. She put the lemonade and four glasses on a tray and made her way outside. “Charlie! Charlie!” she called, waiting for his attention. When he stopped and turned toward her, his blue eyes glistening with energy, she continued. “Could you please get Mommy her chair? And then come for some Lemonade, I don’t want you to get sick. Sara! You too, come for a drink.”

Charlie was six and Sara was four, they both had Grey’s bright blue eyes and curly hair. Charlie’s was dark brown, just like his fathers, and Sara somehow ended up with blonde hair, which neither Grey nor Maggie could account for. They had named them after the two they had lost, and cared so much about. It seemed as though in using their names their memory would continue, even if their lives would not.

“Good Lemonade Mommy.” Sara smiled, crawling into Maggie’s lap.

“Thanks baby, are you having fun with Daddy?”

Sara nodded, taking an unlady like sip from her glass which made Maggie laugh.

“Daddy’s no good at tag, I’m faster than him!” Charlie giggled, showing his teeth, most of which were missing.

“Oh you’d better watch it young man!” Grey growled, running after him. When he caught him, he lifted him over his shoulder, spinning him in a circle, laughing at the cries erupting from his son’s mouth. Maggie and Sara started to laugh as well, just barely keeping their lemonade in their glasses.

“I think the baby’s laughing too, she’s going to think Charlie’s silly!” Sara smiled, patting her Mothers tummy, it seemed everyone in the house thought it a girl.

“She is definitely laughing, and I think she’s going to think you’re both silly.” Maggie said, pinching Sara’s nose.

It wasn’t long after the game of tag that Grey and Maggie dragged their children through the doors of their cozy country home. Charlie squealed and Sara kicked as they pulled them up the stairs toward the dreaded bath tub. Once they were inside, Grey and Maggie scrubbed them clean, making sure they found their laughter again by building bubble hats on both child’s head. Grey lifted them out, handing them off to Maggie who was covered in a towel, ready to wrap each child and snuggle them dry.

Grey combed Charlie’s curls down, which quickly dried and bounced free, and Maggie carefully made her way through Sara’s tangles, humming to her as she worked her magic with the brush. When everyone was tucked in their pajamas, hair combed, and teeth brushed, they all piled onto Maggie and Grey’s bed, where Grey read the nightly bed time story, which tonight, happened to be Cinderella, their daughters favorite. And as he pronounced the happily ever after, they carried their dazed and exhausted children to their room, each planting a kiss on Charlie and Sara's forehead.

“Ah, I love it when they’re tired.” Maggie sighed, rubbing her neck as she shuffled back to her bedroom.

“Me too.” Grey smiled, planting a few kisses on her neck, which resulted in a giggle that floated up her throat.

Maggie spun to face him, her eyes sparkling, her cheeks pink with anticipation. “I love you Grey Mansfield.”

“And I love you Maggie Mansfield.” He picked her up effortlessly and laid her carefully on the bed. With a look of adoration he fell on her, his lips molding into hers, he could feel her smile under his. Maggie’s mind floated away, giddy with happiness. How had she been so lucky?

Finding Grey had been the single most significant thing in her life. If it hadn’t been for him, she never would have met Grace, Petia, Mitch or Sara. If she hadn’t found Grey, she wouldn’t have her two darling children and a third on the way. She would still be that spoiled child that cared more about fashion than people. And she certainly wouldn’t be wrapped in the arms of the one man in the world that loved her more than life itself. She heard his gentle intake of breath from behind her, and knew that he was asleep. Gently she stroked his arm, running her hands down to his ring finger, turning the gold band tenderly.

“I’m so glad I found you...” she whispered, it was the same phrase she whispered every night she laid in his arms. That phrase reminded her of their past, and made her dream of all the joys they haven't experienced yet, but would, someday. Every night she found herself thankful for all that had happened, thankful for the war, it's end, their safe return home, and the beautiful life they had built together. Knowing that she had found Grey, and that he had found her, always left her with the sweetest of dreams.

So...I decided to post this a little sooner than initially anticipated, purely because I was so excited to give you guys the final instalment. There it is, the ending, I really hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! And, as this story comes to it's conclusion, I'd just like to thank those of you that stuck with the story right from the beginning. Those of you that left reviews, you have no idea how treasured they were! Always bringing a much needed smile, or opening my eyes to a major mistake within a chapter! And to those of you readers who continued with the story silently, thanks for your devotion to Maggie and Grey as well! I do hope you'll leave me one review at the end, telling me how you've enjoyed it all, and what might make it a better story. This has, by far, been my best received story, killing the others I've written in the realm of reviews and hits to the story itself. Thanks!!! I hope you'll read "Deceptive Vow", the first chapter is currently up, just because I know you can plan on reading it, but if it's not there when you're thinking about it...you forget. So go check it out!!! Thanks again, from the bottom of my heart!

Leenaelle