So... here is the end, and I just want to thank you all for reading and caring for these characters and making writing so much fun! THANKS! - Clavie
All the Maybes and Ifs
Epilogue
Iris thought it was hard to believe it was spring break when surrounded by snow, but then again, Sebastian did enjoy taking her places that defied the stations. Plus, it was almost the end of skiing season in Lake Louise and between this and that; they hadn't been able to go up there before.
There had been endless rounds of holiday parties to attend with Sebastian due to his business contacts – but it wasn't so bad as got to wear pretty dresses and she spent most of her time dancing with Noah (who was also forced to attend with Carter) and gossiping about the crazy stuff they heard/saw in the bathroom at said parties.
Iris had liked getting to know some of Sebastian's friends and acquaintances but she had to admit that she much rather hang out with the moms from Sarah's school, particularly Noah's sister Leah who was only a five years older than Iris and had taken her under her wing.
She reminded Iris a little of Goldie since they both had those big, bold personalities and weren't afraid to do crazy things, plus her daughter Carla and Sarah were best friends and loved to spend time together tormenting Carla's seven-year old brother Ben.
Iris had started school in January and rather than trying to cram extra courses into her semester and making up for the lost time, she had dropped one class, realizing she much rather have more time to be with Sarah and Sebastian.
She liked having something to do while they were at school or work, but lately that drive that had pushed her to put herself through college no matter what, had shifted it's focus. Iris still wanted to get her degree and her masters to become a children's librarian, but she also wanted other things and a fuller life than just school.
Sebastian supported her decision, told her all the choices were hers to make but he was happy Iris wouldn't be stressing about too many classes, and she would be home more. No matter how many times the doctors told him she was fully recovered from her ordeal, he still worried.
Though it was hard to worry about anything that morning when he woke up with Iris in his arms, the two of the crowded into a tiny sliver of the bed while Sarah (and the dogs) sprawled over the rest of king-sized the bed.
The night before, Sarah had insisted she should be allowed to watch some documentary about haunted hotels on TV, saying she was all of six now and that made her a Big Girl. She only lasted about ten minutes into the show before she made them change the channel, but at bed time she hadn't been able to sleep on her own, so Iris let her climb into their bed – footy pjs and all – and talked to her until she fell asleep.
And that's how Sebastian found himself in bed with his wife, two dogs and a little girl. Part of him would have liked to say this didn't happen often – though it did – and the other part of him wouldn't trade any of it for anything else in the whole world.
"How does she manage to roll us off the bed?" Iris mumbled sleepily. "I mean, every single time…"
"I think they teach them that in baby-school." Sebastian mumbled.
"I think she'll be out for at least another half hour." Iris said, rubbing against Sebastian a little.
"Shower?" He asked.
"Shower." She answered with a laugh before racing him to bathroom.
Later that day, Iris was sitting on a bench outside, watching as Sebastian rolled around in the snow with Sarah and the dogs – they had specifically chosen this hotel because it allowed pets, plus it was a little closer to the ski lifts – smiling as she saw Sarah, Pongo and Eugene (outfitted in snow suits and insulated booties) climbed all over Sebastian.
After a while he managed to disentangle and left Sarah to try to build a snowman and went to sit with Iris instead.
Iris smiled at him and snuggled into his side, sharing her cup of cocoa with him. "That didn't look like it was going in your favor." She said.
Sebastian put his arm around her and said, "I was letting Sarah win, of course."
"If you say so…" Iris said in a tone that let him know she didn't believe it, but then she looked away and got lost in her own thoughts.
"What is it?" Sebastian asked after a little while.
"I was just… thinking."
"About what?"
"I never did tell you why I married you." Iris said absently.
"You don't have to tell me." Sebastian said quickly, remembering the big fight they had had last time he had asked about it.
"I feel safe with you, and happy. I always have, even when you made me nervous because I didn't know what your deal was and I worried you were too much like my father… I felt happy around you. And you saw me, that day we met? When everyone else was ignoring me, you saw me."
"I couldn't take my eyes off you." Sebastian whispered in her ear, "I still can't."
Iris giggled but then sobered up, "There is something I've been meaning to tell you."
"What is it, sweetheart?"
"I've been thinking about it a lot, this is not something that just came out of the blue, okay?"
"Okay,"
"I want to have a baby," Iris said in a rush.
"I see." Sebastian said slowly, "Is this because of what happened-"
"No," Iris cut him off, "I mean, in a way it is because it made me think about it, and the more I thought about it the more I realized I wanted to do it. It's just that we never really talked about it before. You do want to have more kids, right?" She asked a little nervous.
"With you? Yes, but I guess I thought you wouldn't want to have children for a while, since you're son young and-"
"I want Sarah to know her siblings well, and I want you to enjoy our children and… all my life I've been rushing from one thing to another, trying to get out of my father's thumb; that's why I was so focused on school, and working two jobs and trying to stay afloat. I wanted to prove that I could but the more I think about, the more I realize I don't want to wait.
"I still want to become a librarian and get my bachelors and everything, but school is not going anywhere, and I can keep going to university even if I have a baby, it might take me a year longer or something but that's not the end of the world, either. Besides, I just want to start trying it might be a while before it happens."
"Have you talked to the doctor about it?"
"I did on my last check up, Dr. Wyatt said I'm good to go but that she advices me to get an ultrasound as soon as I notice I'm pregnant just to be sure things are okay."
"And you're sure this is what you want?" He asked.
"I am." She answered, her voice growing firm. "So, are you in?"
"I'm all in." He said, and then he kissed her.
End of the Epilogue
End of All the Maybes and Ifs