Page 164 of Full Mountie

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Epilogue 1

Beth

Two years later

It’s been almost exactlya year since I last walked out of Centre Block as an employee. And I’ll be back soon.

But today, I’m sporting a visitor’s badge, and because the security guards think my daughters are cute, they hung two badges on my double stroller, too.

“Ready to go visit Daddy?” I ask, but the rice crackers I gave them for the walk are still occupying their primary attention.

That’ll change when we get to Lachlan’s office.

I check my phone to see if Hugh has arrived, but there’s no text yet. Right around the time the girls were born, he transferred off the PM’s detail and now works on financial crimes out of RCMP HQ. It’s a straight Monday to Friday job, with little overtime. Perfect for a new father, even if he gets to share that load with another dad.

Today we’re going to sit in the House of Commons gallery and watch the PM introduce a bill legalizing polyamorous marriages.

I don’t know if it will pass. I hope it does. I’d love to have a civil recognition of the fact that I’ve married two men. But the truth is, they’re already my husbands in spirit and practice.

When we get to Lachlan’s office, I park the stroller against the wall and unbuckle the girls.

Megan isn’t walking yet, but she’ll cruise for miles if she can hold on to something. I get her out first and stand her next to the stroller, putting her pudgy little hand on the side. “Here you go, my Meg. Hold on to that.”

Ally waves her hands as I unbuckle her next. She’s our little daredevil, and she’s already taking some unsteady steps. Smaller than her sister, and fairer too, she looks like an innocent angel, too young to climb and tear things apart. I know better, and I make sure she’s holding my hand firmly before I wiggle my fingers for Meg. “Let’s go.”

Before we can knock on Daddy’s door, though, footsteps sound on the staircase from above. Fast ones, running, and that gets the girls’ attention.

“Pah!” cries Meg as Hugh comes into view. “Pah! Pah!”

He gives us a blinding smile as he reaches us, and after giving me the world’s fastest kiss on the mouth, he drops to his knees and picks up his daughters. “Papa’s here.”

Lachlan must have heard the commotion, because his door swings open and he spots us. “There you are.”

Since Hugh has the girls, Lachlan hugs me.

“We’ve got half an hour or so before it’s time to head to the gallery,” he says, holding me tight as he reaches out so Ally can grab his finger. “Should we go upstairs and say hi to your godfather, girls?”

Idon’t recognizethe young man sitting at my desk, but he knows me. “Mrs. Ross-Evans! I’m Sanjit. So nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine. Are you my replacement’s replacement?”

“Only for the lunch hour. I’m an intern here. Mr. Strong told me you’d be arriving, and he said you can go right in.”

“Thank you.” I wink at Lachlan.

“He’s a good kid,” he murmurs under the cover of the girls squealing.

“And so polite!”

He chuckles as I tap on Gavin’s door, then push it open.

He’s on the phone, but he waves us in. Hugh sets the girls down on the couch, standing and holding on to the back. They immediately start bouncing. When Meg stops, Ally stops, then they both laugh and start again. Rinse and repeat.

I look at Hugh, then to Lachlan. We’re all smiling. Like, cheeks-aching, eyes-crinkling, holy-shit-our-kids-are-adorable smiles.

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