Page 14 of Her Mountain Man's Christmas Lie
Once my mother was out of the picture I started making real friends in town. I also volunteer at the Kennedy Shelter for Vets and made a real friend in the woman who funded it, Maura Alexander.
I do most of my work from home which makes it so much easier since our first child was born almost nine months to the date after we married. Pádraig is the sweetest child. Even now he’s helping the mother in front of us entertain her fussy baby.Honestly, he’s like a guiding star for kids. Which is a good thing because Martha, our second child, is due any day.
Pádraig is a lot like his father, Mr. Mom. They both feel things deeply, care and watch out for everyone. And love with their whole hearts and souls.
Umm, there’s that cramp again. Pretty sure we’ll be heading to the hospital from here. I shoot Maura a text. She laughingly texts back.I told you so.
EPILOGUE TWO
Epilogue Two:
Ten Years Later
Séamus
I pull the minivan up to the hospital entrance. The nurse is already wheeling Cady out of the hospital. “Séamus, you didn’t bring the kids?”
“No love. They’re with Maura and Jax for two nights. They’re already having a blast with the Alexander brood. We need a couple days of just us. I did promise we’d face time when we get home. Hand me the baby. I’ll get Chris settled in the car seat then come back to help you. I assume you want to be in the back as well.”
“Of course.”
The ride home is quiet. Almost too quiet since I’m used to the other kids and their shenanigans. Martha at five is fast becoming the task master, making sure everything is getting done and scheduled.
Pádraig is still the overseer, assuring all are safe and happy. I keep looking in the rearview mirror, each time my wife is smiling back at me, the love in her eyes still as clear and strong as the first time we met. Our infant son is fast asleep.
I pull into the garage. The house has had a few makeovers over the years. It’s two story now and we’ve added more bedrooms and bathrooms, expanded the kitchen and added a larger family room. We sectioned off the old living room with fireplace and bedroom into what is now our master suite. Where we first made love. Real love, where we bound our hearts for all time.
Oh, we’ve had our tiffs and a couple knock down drag outs. But we have never gone to bed angry. Having waited so long to find it, we know what real love and commitment is and we celebrate our union every day.
Every day I thank our guardian angels from above. They’ve been with us all the way.
Guinness meets us at the door ready for his job of keeping an eye on the children. I carry the bags into our master suite.
“Séamus, you always think of everything.” Holding our son and rocking him in her arms, Cady smiles at me.
I have apple juice chilling in the bucket, and two champagne glasses by the bed. Red roses in a vase on the dresser and the little tea cakes and the granola bars she likes in a basket. The basinet is set up next to the changing table on her side of the bed. The rocker is in the corner away from any drafts.
“Ah love, because you and our children are my everything.”
