Epilogue
Ten Months Later-Lilly
Jamison and I were married in a small, simple ceremony in February at Orlinda Valley Methodist Church. Rowan and Bryson were the groomsmen, and Kristy and Rose were the bridesmaids. James was the ring bearer, and our girls were the flower girls. It was for family and close friends only, which meant almost all of Orlinda Valley was there.
After a small reception in the basement, we took a quick honeymoon out west at Adler’s family’s ranch in Texas. Hundreds of acres, a beautiful house, and nothing to do but ride horses and enjoy each other, and that’s exactly what we did.
It was early June when we came to Jamison’s property to check on the progress of the house we were having built. We were living in Jamison’s house in town for now, but we’d just sold it and were hoping to move into our home by the end of August.
Jamison and I walked hand in hand, and the girls skipped along ahead of us. Becca ran and barked, zigzagging through the pasture, back to the girls, and circled around us. She loved the open space and her freedom to run.
The property was beautiful. The front acre was wide open and flat. A perfect spot for a large house, which was where we were having our home built. The back was old pastureland, which Jamison was having cleared. We were going to have goats and chickens also. Yes, I fell in love with Kora’s animals, and so did Madeline. Since they were no longer around, it was quiet without the crow of a rooster and the bleats of goats when we visited Tonya’s.
We continued our walk down a mowed path. Jamison wanted to show us the area he and the guys had been clearing.
“This is beautiful, Jamison,” I said. The trail we were on opened up to slight rolling hills. You could tell where the river was, as there was a line of trees in the distance.
“What’s your favorite tree, Lilly?” Darcie asked as we walked to the back portion of the property.
“I know what she likes. Mommy, what are those trees with the pretty white flowers that we would always see in the park?”
I became thoughtful, and Jamison wrapped his arm around my waist. “You mean the dogwoods, Maddy?” I turned to Jamison. “We loved the dogwoods that bloomed in Central Park. Some have pink flowers and others white. You would love them, Darcie.”
“Can we plant one of those, Daddy?” Darcie asked.
“I just finished clearing a section. I took everything down but a few trees. Take a look,” Jamison said and gestured with his head.
“That’s mommy’s tree,” Darcie said, and she and Madeline took off in a sprint toward the weeping willow that stood in the middle of a few large oaks.
“Mommy, look,” Maddie said. On the other side of the oaks were two flowering dogwoods. The flowers were at the end of the season, but the trees were lush and healthy.
“Jamison.” I looked at him with wide eyes.
He shrugged. “When we were clearing, we noticed these. I knew you’d mentioned dogwoods, so we kept them. Kai knows a person who owns a tree removal company. He’s going to come out here and take down the oaks so the willow and dogwoods will thrive. I thought this would be a perfect place to build a pavilion so we can enjoy the river, the trees, and our family.”
The weeping willow was tall, with flowing boughs hanging to the ground. The girls sat under them with laughter in their voices.
The dogwoods had thick trunks with deep green leaves and a few flowers that were still hanging on in the heat of the early summer. It was quiet back here. You could hear the soft rush of the river and birds as they sang in the trees.
“It’s a perfect place for us to come and enjoy the water and be a family,” I said as I wrapped my arms around Jamison. I kissed him gently, and he brushed my hair behind my neck.
“I’m glad you think so. I have big plans.” His face lit up with joy.
I had no doubt. Everything he did for us was more than it needed to be. He was a perfect boyfriend, an amazing fiancé, and now he was absolutely the best husband imaginable, and spoiled each of us rotten with love.
“Daddy, I think we need to plant mommy’s lilies under the dogwood tree. That way, my real mommy and my new mommy will always be together, and we will be one big family.”
“Darcie,” I said as I bent down to look her in the face. “I want you to know that we will always celebrate your mommy, sweet girl. Without Carly, we wouldn’t have you, and you are my most favorite redhead ever.”
I sat in the grass, and the girls sat down with me. Becca joined us and relaxed in the sun.
“And without you,” Darcie said to me, “I wouldn’t have a sister, and my daddy wouldn’t be happy.”
Jamison joined us, and both girls climbed into his lap. “And without any of you girls, I wouldn’t be complete. You three are my life.” Jamison gave both girls a kiss on their heads.
Everything was perfect. I had the man of my dreams—literally—a beautiful biological daughter and an amazing bonus daughter.
It was almost impossible to believe that this time last year, I had no clue what life was going to throw my way when I came home. But here we are. Madeline had finished her first year of school, she had amazing friends, and we had a life I was so thankful for.
Best of all, Jamison and I had each other and a secret we hadn’t told anyone yet.
Jamison lifted both girls off his lap, and they sat facing us. “We know you both love being each other’s sisters, but do you think you two would like to be big sisters?”
I looked at Jamison, my eyes wide. We weren’t sure when to tell the girls our news. “Are you sure?” I asked him.
He nodded.
“We talk about being big sisters all the time,” Madeline said.
“Yeah, but I already am,” Darcie replied.
Madeline’s brows lowered. “You aren’t that much older than me.”
“But I still am.”
This was the only time they squabbled. Our news might be what put an end to it, for a little while anyway. I took a big breath. “We’re going to have a baby,” I said.
The girls’ mouths dropped.
“Well?” I was nervous, but like Jamison assured me, I didn’t have to be.
“Will she be a princess like us?” Darcie asked.
Jamison chuckled, “Well, maybe. Unless it’s a boy, then he could be a prince.”
“We’re having a brother?” Madeline asked with disgust in her voice.
Again, I was nervous. “We don’t know yet, but we need you to be prepared either way.”
The girls looked at each other and leaned toward each other and whispered. They did this a lot. Talked among themselves, so we couldn’t hear it.
“Okay, a boy wouldn’t be that bad,” Darcie said.
“Yeah,” Madeline agreed. “Skylar’s having a brother, so they can play together.”
“He won’t be alone like James. That would be good,” Darcie agreed.
“Well, you’re both being very mature,” Jamison said.
“What’s mach . . . that word you said, Jamison?”
“It means you made a decision that someone older than you would make,” Jamison explained.
“Oh, okay, and one boy won’t be too bad,” Darcie said, with her face scrunched up.
“Well,” I looked at Jamison for support. I was still getting used to our news and we weren’t sure how the girls would take it. “We aren’t having one baby. There will be two.”
“At one time?” Darcie asked, grimacing even worse than before.
I nodded. “We’re having twins.”
“Two brothers?” Madeline asked.
“Or two sisters,” I said hoping to reassure them both a little.
“Just think of all the princesses if we had two more sisters,” Darcie said, the grimace suddenly gone and replaced with wide eyes and a huge smile. The girls jumped up and ran off, chatting excitedly amongst themselves. Words like princess and castle are all we heard.
I watched them and laughed as I moved to lean on Jamison. “Hey.” I nudged him. He was staring off into oblivion. “What’s wrong?”
He turned slowly toward me. “I never thought until this moment that it could be two girls.” He shook his head. “God help us if we have two more girls.”
As I kissed his lips, my smile was wide. “If we do, you will be perfect. You’re an amazing girl dad. If we have boys, well, it’s a good thing I’ll be a nurse. We’ll save money on medical bills if they’re as crazy as their father was.”
He grabbed me, and I squealed with laughter as he laid me down on the grass. “Remember, you loved me even when I was crazy and accident prone.”
Young Jamison was always breaking a bone or getting stitches. I held his face and stared into his blue eyes. “I loved the idea of you. Now I love the real you. Every single thing about you.”
“You are amazing, Mrs. McKendry.” He kissed me lightly. “I love you more than all the grass on our property and the stars in the sky. He brushed hair out of my face and placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "You drive me wild Lilly-Pad.”
My heart fluttered as it often did when he looked at me like that. I kissed his lips and became lost, as usual, in all things Jamison.
Our kiss was interrupted by the screaming of two little princesses as they jumped on Jamison’s back.
He laughed and wrestled with them in the grass.
I placed my hand on the small pooch that was our babies.
It didn’t matter if they were boys or girls, because I had no doubt they would bring our family closer together.
I might have dreamed of Jamison when I was younger, but reality is better than dreams any day, and in five months, there will be two little beings running around who were a perfect mixture of my family, no matter if they are two boys or two more amazing little girls.
Thank you for reading No Love Like Yours . I hope you enjoyed Lilly and Jamison's story.