Epilogue
Epilogue
I wrapped my arms around Jenna as she stood at the kitchen sink and pressed my lips against her bare shoulder.
“Good morning.” She smiled as she turned around in my arms.
“Good morning. I don’t like waking up and you’re not in bed.” I brushed my lips against hers.
“I wanted to get the muffins in the oven before you woke up.”
“Banana nut?”
“Of course.” She grinned.
“Then you’re forgiven. Listen, do you hear that?”
“Hear what? I don’t hear anything.”
“Exactly. Blissful silence. We need to enjoy it before the kids come up. What time will they be here?”
“Soon, I think.”
“Is Scarlett bringing Alan?”
“I think so. I’m not sure, though.”
“I feel like I need to have a talk with that boy.”
“Leave him alone, Lucas. He’s a good kid.”
“But I think they’re getting too serious. She is only twenty-one.”
“They’ve been dating for a year. He’s her first love.”
“I’m just not sure he’s the right guy for her. Something’s off with him, and I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“That’s her decision, not ours. Now go sit down, and I’ll bring you a cup of coffee and a muffin.”
The lake house was our special place, more special than I originally thought it would be.
The kids loved it here and were joining us for part of the summer.
Scarlett was now twenty-one and working for the government in a lab in New York as a Molecular Biologist. Serena and Sam were nineteen, and both were on track to graduate from Harvard in December before starting medical school in January to become neurosurgeons.
As for Sebastian, our youngest child, who was now seventeen, just completed his first year of college at Columbia.
Out of all four children, he was the one who took after me and would be the one to take over Thorne Tech when I retired.
As Jenna and I sat at the table enjoying our coffee and muffin, the door opened, and Scarlett and Sebastian walked in.
“Hey, princess. Hello, son.” I smiled when I saw them.
“Hi, Dad.” Scarlett kissed my cheek. “Hi, Mom.” She walked over and kissed Jenna.
“Hey, Dad.” He fist-bumped me. “Hey, Mom.” He kissed her cheek. “Are those banana nut muffins?”
“They sure are. I made them just for you.” Jenna looked at me and gave me a wink.
“You are the best mom ever! Hey, Dad, can we go fishing?”
“Of course. I already planned on it.”
“Awesome. I’m going to go take a shower first. I got in a little late last night.”
“Yeah, and I had to wake his sorry ass up this morning, or we would have missed our flight,” Scarlett said.
“I would have woken up, you nerd,” he said as he flew up the stairs.
Scarlett rolled her eyes as she grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down with us.
“So, is Alan coming?”
“Um, no.” She brought her cup up to her lips. “We broke up last week.”
“Oh, sweetheart. I’m sorry.” Jenna reached over and patted her arm.
“Please, Mom. I’m totally fine. I was the one that broke up with him.”
“Why, princess?” I asked as I was smiling on the inside.
“He just wasn’t—he wasn’t?—”
“Smart enough for you?” I asked.
“Lucas!” Jenna said.
“It’s okay, Mom. Dad’s right. He wasn’t the one for me. I need someone who can hold intelligent conversations, and unfortunately, Alan isn’t that guy.”
“You did the right thing, princess.” I tried so hard to hold back my happiness, and Jenna knew it as she narrowed her eye at me.
“Anyway, I figured I better tell you this now. I’m moving out. I found this great apartment in SoHo.”
“I didn’t know you were looking,” I said.
“Daddy, I’m twenty-one, and I’m a molecular biologist with an amazing job, making amazing money. It’s time I move out and be on my own.”
“This hurts, Scarlett. It really hurts.”
“I know, Daddy, but you’ll be okay.” She smiled as she got up and kissed my cheek. “I’m going to go change.”
I sat across from Jenna, who wouldn’t even look at me.
“How long have you known?” I asked.
“She told me last week over the phone, and she wanted to be the one to tell you herself.”
I let out a long sigh. “I guess our baby is finally growing up.”
Jenna got up, sat on my lap, and wrapped her arms around me.
“It’s time to let her go, Lucas. Besides, we still have three other kids at home when they’re not away at college. Besides Sebastian, who commutes to Columbia.”
“That’s because he’s a mama’s boy.” I arched my brow at her. “He isn’t ever leaving.”
“I secretly hope he doesn’t.” She kissed my lips.
The door opened as we were locked in a passionate kiss, and the twins walked in.
“Ew. Stop that!” Serena and Sam both said at the same time.
As I stood at the grill, grilling the hamburgers and hot dogs, I stared at my boys as they sat in the boat and fished in the lake.
Turning around, I smiled as I watched my daughters help Jenna set the patio table for dinner.
This was my family, and they were all grown up.
Time had flown by so quickly. One minute I was holding them in my arms, kissing their boo boo’s and drying their tears, and the next minute, I was sending them off to college.
Jenna and I never thought this day would come, but it had, and we were so proud of the family we raised.
I never thought that this would become my life from the moment I saw her, and I thanked God every day for putting her in my path.
I took the burgers and hot dogs off the grill and set them in the center of the table.
“Looks good, Dad.” Scarlett smiled as she kissed my cheek.
“Yeah, Dad. You’re the best.” Serena kissed my other cheek.
Walking down to the lake, I told the boys it was time for dinner. As they brought the boat back and climbed out, I hooked my arms around them.
“I love you, boys.”
“We love you too, Dad,” both Sam and Sebastian said at the same time.
“Are you okay?” Sam asked.
“I’m wonderful, Sam. Absolutely wonderful.” I pulled both of them into me as we walked back to the house.
I hope you enjoyed reading Baby Drama!
The next baby drama adventure happens in Book 2 of the Baby Drama Series, Baby Drama II.
Blurb:
Miles
Long story short. I needed to find a wife.
My mother’s final attempt to hold control over me from beyond the grave was temporarily appointing my uncle, her brother, Chairman and CEO of our family company, Bradshaw Capital.
She stipulated in her will something I didn’t see coming—marry within the year of her passing, remain wed for another, and the company would be mine.
As absurd as that was, I had no choice if I wanted control of the company that was rightfully mine.
While in Vegas, I met a captivating woman, a fellow New Yorker named Stella Harper, who was financially strapped and jobless.
After one night with her, I saw an opportunity in a moment of impulsivity.
Marry her, maintain separate lives, and dissolve our fake marriage once I secured ownership of Bradshaw Capital.
I’d get what I wanted, and she’d walk away a rich woman.
Simple right?
Two months into our sham of a marriage, my uncle fell ill, which led to my taking over the company. The one-year stipulation was no longer in place, and before I could file for the dissolution of our marriage, Stella dropped a bombshell.
She was pregnant.
The prospect of fatherhood was inconceivable to me. The last thing I needed in my life was baby drama. A wife and children were never part of my life’s plan. But Stella left her mark on me, and as I grappled with feelings I never intended to feel, something unexpected began to stir within me.
Stella
Long story short. I needed money fast.
I lost my nanny job in a fancy Upper West Side household after the mom flipped out over her husband helping me with a kid-induced glue disaster.
She accused me of wanting her husband, fired me on the spot, and spread nasty rumors about me to Manhattan’s elite, ensuring I’d never nanny for anyone again.
Meanwhile, I was hustling to finish my child psychology master’s at NYU. Without a job, my financial disaster hit its peak with tuition, rent, credit cards, and looming student loans, which had me drowning in stress.
Purely by accident, I met a ruggedly handsome and charming man named Miles Bradshaw in Vegas.
After one wild night together, he dropped a bomb: He offered me one million dollars to marry him and stay wed for one year so he could gain control of his company. I thought he was crazy. But after hearing him out, it was a win-win for both of us.
Then, a mishap with my birth control pills happened, and I accidentally ended up getting pregnant. He made it clear he wasn’t father material and didn’t need the drama that came with children.
I knew the marriage was temporary, but I fell in love with him and fell hard. He broke my heart and soul, and I had no choice but to leave. I was positive that I could never forgive him until one night, he knocked on my door.