Epilogue
9 years later
I had a cup of hot tea resting on the table to my left and I eagerly eyed the plate of fruit salad I had sitting on the other side of the table. There were screams coming from massive swing set my husband had insisted we purchase the year before. But I was too busy thinking and remembering. I absentmindedly twirled my wedding ring around my finger and lost myself in the memories of the wedding that almost didn't happen four years prior.
Ty and I had so many arguments about that day. Originally we were going to get married after Paige was born but we ended up waiting until she was almost four because we couldn't agree. He would alternate in between wanting some big elaborate affair and heading to Vegas. I wanted to head off to Hawaii and have some little affair at sunset with a huge reception back in Seattle. Eventually, we had the big elaborate wedding in Hawaii. It started with just our parents and Paige, but as word spread more people booked hotel rooms. The idea of a large destination wedding after dealing with Gemma's sounded hellish, but it ended up being amazing.
I smiled to myself as I remembered when I walked down the aisle. Both sides were lined with close family and friends. I made eye contact first with Devon, Lilly, and their sleeping twins Evan and Rose. She had a difficult pregnancy, and they were her little miracles. Next were Gemma, Gabe, and their two year old Gavin. He was a hellion and tried to trip me. My dad laughed hysterically at that as he struggled to keep me upright. Gemma was embarrassed but I laughed and pinched Gavin's chubby cheeks. Alicia was smiling broadly in the next row taking as many pictures as she could while Jackson held Violet to his chest. My brother and Chelsea had gotten married the winter after Paige was born, and Chelsea was practically glowing. She smiled, and wiped her eyes before mouthing, "Pregnancy hormones." When my eyes finally caught Emily's I started to cry. My best friend was holding my little girl who was pointing to Connor. I noticed that Connor was situated on his father's hip and being shy. Up until that point Paige and Connor had some little boyfriend girlfriend game going and now he was acting coy and shy.
But the memory that I remembered most was seeing Ty's face. He was smiling more than I had seen him when Paige was born. Everything after that was in some funky focus where he was all I could see. I sobbed relentlessly through our vows and he wiped every tear with his thumb. The video was a strange mix of hilarity with major heartfelt moments. And the pictures lined our whole house.
Paige had grown up so beautifully. Though her delivery had been traumatic for me, I wouldn't have changed anything. She had decided last week that she wanted to cut her long blonde hair into a bob and I was still getting used to it. Especially since it made her eyes look ten times bigger. From the time she was a year old she reminded me so much of my mom. She was always the sweetest girl in her classes, extremely graceful and talented in ballet, and always caring for someone or something.
The day she started kindergarten I cried more than she did. Ty and I had taken the day off from work to see her off and the moment she started walking away I turned into my husband's shoulder and started to cry and complain of how our little baby was all grown up. He shushed me with a kiss and then rubbed my stomach. "Well, we have a new one joining us soon to keep you busy," he told me before he kissed my forehead.
We had conceived our son when we went on our honeymoon to Europe months after the wedding. Ty had insisted on taking me everyplace I always dreamed of seeing, and we spent nearly three weeks traveling non-stop. So when we came back and a month later I was throwing everything I had eaten I knew the super swimmers had done it again.
Elijah Tyler was born two months after Paige started school. And Ty was right, he did keep me busy. I had quit my job when Paige was two and was enjoying being a housewife.
I stirred from my memories when Eli tripped while chasing our Cocker Spaniel, Hattie. He ran up to me crying.
"Mommy," he sobbed, crawling into my lap. I smoothed my four year old's hair and cradled him to my chest.
I hadn't even noticed that Paige had gone inside to get a band aid for her little brother until she came and kissed his skinned knee.
"Eli, stop crying," Paige soothed her brother. He wiped his nose on my shoulder and gave his big sister a kiss.
"I love you, Sissy," Eli told Paige as he jumped to give his sister a hug before he ran back to the swing set.
Paige immediately chased after him, leaving me back to my own thoughts. I heard the faint click of a door behind me, and I turned and saw my husband. Even after almost ten years he still made my heart beat faster.
"Hey honey," Ty said before he sat down next to me.
"Hey," I replied softly. I leaned over and gave him a kiss.
"How were my kids today?"
I laughed, thinking of the finger painting mess that was displayed on the fridge. "Great."
"Did they behave for my mom?"
I nodded, before I gave him another kiss. "I can't wait for tonight," I whispered in his ear before I bit his earlobe.
"After they're asleep babe," Ty whispered back.
I knew it was only a matter of time before the kids realized who was home. So I took advantage of the undivided attention.
"So, did anything exciting happen at work?" I asked taking a sip of my cooled tea.
"I got a few new cases and your brother won his first major case," Ty said.
"Rob did? We're going to have to invite them all over for dinner to celebrate," I squealed.
"Next week good? Logan will be back by then."
I nodded fervently; I looked forward to seeing my crazy brother-in-law. Logan had started working for Boeing and traveled a lot.
"Perfect," I breathed. I was contemplating weaseling my way under his arm, when our son shouted.
"Daddy!" he squealed, running across the yard.
"Hey champ," he smiled, picking Eli up, and giving him a kiss on the forehead.
"Hey Daddy," Paige said softly.
"Princess, I missed you," Ty told our daughter, before he demanded a kiss on the cheek.
My heart was full enough to burst. I had two great kids, and a husband most women would kill to have. He still hadn't learned to cook but he was good at helping me clean. Even after he had spent 12 hours working on depositions, cases, and seeing clients he still insisted on doing laundry for me just so I could watch television.
The kids went back to playing after a few minutes of telling Ty all about their days, and he came and sat on the bench with me. He tucked me into his chest, and kissed my hair.
"I love you," he told me, squeezing me tighter.
"I love you too," I laughed.
"We have some pretty awesome kids, you know that?"
I agreed before realizing I needed to share my news. I had been to the doctor earlier, and was pregnant again. This time I hadn't realized it since I wasn't vomiting violently every morning.
"What would you say to one more?" I asked, pulling back to see his face.
His eyes lit up at the idea but I could tell he was apprehensive. "God knows I want as many as we can have without being considered freaks but are you sure you're ready to go through that again?"
I laughed a little and took his hand. He squeezed gently before I placed it on my stomach.
"We don't exactly have a choice. You really are the sperminator," I told him before we both started laughing.
"I'm never going to live that nickname down am I?" he asked, chuckling.
"Nope," I said, before I kissed him and turned to watch our kids.