EPILOGUE
TRUE TO DOCTOR CLARK’S word, Edward’s health had improved exponentially over the next year and a half after his body had recovered from the arsenic poisoning. Of course, he still had his heart condition to contend with, but it was much more bearable than before, especially when the doctor administered a trial medicine that helped manage his heart and lungs.
Vivienne smiled joyfully as she and Edward walked along the bank of the river beneath the warm sunshine of late summer, each holding one of their daughter’s tiny hands as she ambled forward on unsteady feet.
Elsie had gone nearly two weeks past her actual due date, that only she, her mother, and Edward had been privy to, and everyone thought she had been born over a month early. It was a good thing she had been small. Otherwise, people might have suspected the truth about her.
But Vivienne was quite happy with her little family of three that should someone accidentally learn of the truth, she knew it wouldn’t break her. Wouldn’t break them.
She smiled softly as her free hand rested over her still-flat belly as she amended her thoughts. Family of four . Not three. And Edward still had no idea.
“Up we go,” Edward said with an overexaggerated grunt as they swung Elsie in the air between them. The small child squealed with laughter.
But the jarring movement struck Vivienne with nausea unlike any other, and her smile quickly fell into a distressed frown. She dropped Elsie’s hand and rushed to the side of the path, fell to her hands and knees, and retched into the bushes.
She could have sobbed at the misery of vomiting, at the twisting and churning of her stomach until she was left with nothing but an immense soreness in her belly. She certainly hadn’t missed this part of her last pregnancy, and she had almost forgotten of it until this one.
“Vivi!” Edward gasped as he appeared at her side, took her elbow, and helped her to unsteady feet. “Are you all right?” He brushed a strand of hair away from her mouth but then straightened suddenly, his eyes widening. “Are you with child?”
“It was supposed to be a surprise,” she pouted as she held her hand over her stomach, trying not to retch for a second time.
Surprisingly, Edward laughed and spun her around in his arms, which did not help her queasy stomach. “You have to get better at hiding it if you want to keep it a surprise.”
“Put me down, Edward! I’m going to vomit on you!”
He still laughed joyfully as he set her back down on her feet and pulled her into an embrace, holding her in a gentle manner as if to keep from pressing against her queasy belly. “I had no idea. This is still a wonderful surprise.” And then he kissed the top of her head. “I quite remember you retching with Elsie as well. I was clueless then. Not so much now.”
“Right out your window, too,” she giggled but then regretted it when her stomach heaved, and she barely kept the remaining bile down. “It’s any wonder you didn’t catch on immediately.”
When Elsie teetered a little too close to the riverbank, Edward released Vivienne and scooped Elsie into his arms, who shrieked with laughter and grabbed onto his hair. He continued to insist it really wasn’t that long. But it was long enough for the child to grab ahold of it.
A soft smile lifted on her lips as she watched the two of them smile and giggle with one another. Edward was such a good father. He played with Elsie, read to her, droned on about the stars when she was nursing, and he often tucked her into bed each night.
“Did you hear that, Elsie?” Edward said as he held her little hand and placed it over Vivienne’s belly. “You are going to be a big sister. Isn’t that exciting?”
Elsie squealed and flapped her arms, reaching excitedly for her mother. Vivienne snatched her and planted kisses all across her face as she laughed some more.
And then Edward wrapped his arms around the both of them, keeping them safe and loved within his embrace.
Edward had been the best choice she had ever made. She knew she would always feel grateful for her decision to marry him, always cherish his unconditional love for both of them and the child on the way.
He, Elsie, and their unborn child were her everything. And she wouldn’t change anything for the world.