Epilogue
Kenna
Four years later
“Mummy, can we get a cat?” Willow asked from the child’s play desk that sat in the corner of the living room. I noted the cat she was drawing as she watched an animation with singing felines.
“Perhaps when you’re older,” I hedged. Haydyn had bad pet allergies, so it was doubtful, but I was in the middle of cooking dinner and I didn’t want to deal with my precocious three-year-old having a meltdown.
“Ask Santa,” she pushed.
“I did. He said maybe when you’re older.”
Willow narrowed her eyes in suspicion and I almost cursed us for giving birth to such an intelligent child.
Thankfully, the perfect distraction was riding his bike up the driveway.
This year, Haydyn had finally allowed Michael to ride his bike back and forth to school.
I’d been nervous about it, but we’d agreed to give him that independence.
The winter months bothered me the most, so we’d agreed he couldn’t ride his bike during the short winter days and I drove him to and from school.
The schools just finished for Christmas break yesterday, though, and I’d given Michael permission to ride into the village to see his friends, as long as he came home before it started to get dark.
He’d only left an hour ago, so I was surprised to see him so soon. “Look, there’s your brother.”
Joy flooded Willow’s little face, and she threw herself away from her desk with all the exuberance of a puppy, her brown curls dancing around her chubby cheeks as she rushed across the room.
My heart ached at the cute sight of her bouncing on the balls of her feet, her hands clasped as she waited for her big brother.
There was no one Willow adored more than Michael.
Worry flickered through me, however, at the sight of Michael jumping off his bike and throwing it into the grass by the side of the house. He marched up the drive, disappearing from sight, but not before I caught a glimpse of the thundercloud that marred his expression.
He burst through the front door.
“Mikey!” Willow rushed him.
“Not now, Wills,” he snapped impatiently and practically ran through the house without looking at me.
His bedroom door slammed.
And his baby sister burst into wailing tears.
Switching off the hob to see to her, I’d barely rounded the island when I heard my stepson’s footsteps.
He hurried back into the living room and swooped Willow into his arms, expression filled with regret.
“I’m sorry, Wills.” She hugged her big brother tightly, needing his reassurance.
“Just in a bad mood. Ignore me, eh. Shh, Wills. I’m sorry.
Let me make it up to you. Do you want to watch Rise of the Guardians? ”
Willow sniffled and lifted her head from his shoulder. She wiped a chubby hand over her runny nose. “Yes, please.”
Michael had sprouted in the past three months and was only a few inches shy of six feet now. Willow looked tiny in his arms as he hugged her close and carried her over to the sofa.
Pride filled me. I didn’t know what had happened to put him in a bad mood, but I knew what it was like to be a teenager.
To have my hormones all over the place and feel like I had little control over my emotions.
The fact that Michael prioritized his baby sister over his mood spoke volumes about the kind of man he was growing into.
Just like his father.
I let Michael reassure his sister, let them watch the movie together, and didn’t push to know the details of his bad day. I’d wait until Willow was asleep.
Haydyn returned home in time for dinner, and Michael, though quiet, still conversed with us. My husband, ever the observant father, noticed, however, and I managed to murmur the story of Michael’s stormy return home to him while we cleaned up the kitchen.
“I’ll talk to him,” Haydyn had assured.
Later, after I’d read Willow’s favorite book to her two and a half times (she drifted off during the third reading), I wandered into the living room to find Haydyn on the sofa.
“I made you a cup of tea.”
I thanked him, grabbing the mug before snuggling in beside him. He’d switched off the main lights and just left the Christmas tree and fairy lights on. It was cozy.
My engagement ring winked against my wedding band in the light as I lifted my mug to my mouth. “Did you talk to him?”
Haydyn nodded, a wry smile on his lips. “Lady problems.”
“Oh.” Of course. Michael had had “girlfriends” before, but he was fourteen now. Girlfriends were starting to mean something a wee bit more serious. “Did he go into detail?”
He nodded. “He met up with his friends today. Callie Ironside was there.”
I think I knew what was coming, and my heart broke a little for Michael. “Did he finally ask her out?”
“Aye. And she told him that she liked him but she was into someone else.”
“Let me guess: Lewis Adair.”
“She wouldn’t say, but that’s Michael’s guess too.”
“He really likes her, doesn’t he?” I sighed, wishing I could give the boy everything he wanted.
After Deena walked out of his life again four Christmases ago, she phoned now and then, but Michael was still angry.
Instead of persevering through his anger, showing him she cared enough to deal with it, Deena gave up. Michael hadn’t heard from her since.
But my son had a naturally open heart and he called me Mum now and I was honored.
Haydyn had involved Michael in his proposal six weeks after we started dating.
It seemed fast to everyone else, but we knew we were meant to be a family.
And I kind of loved the fact that Haydyn proposed before I could tell him I was pregnant with Willow.
I’d barely begun living in my new bungalow when we decided I’d just rent it out and move in with them.
A lot of people probably assumed Haydyn married me because I was pregnant, and I decided not to give a shit what anyone else thought. We loved each other, and that was all that mattered. I was six months pregnant when we got married in a private ceremony with just Michael as our witness.
It was perfection.
“As much as a teenage boy can like a girl, I suppose,” Haydyn replied.
“You don’t think teenagers can fall in love?”
He grinned at me. “I think it’s a different kind of love.
I think … the right girl will come along for Michael when it’s time.
I had to wait thirty-seven years for mine, but I’d have waited thirty-seven more.
And so will Michael. It’s just … everything feels bigger when you’re a teen.
Everything’s so life or death. I wouldn’t go through all that again if you paid me. ”
I was still glowing from his “I had to wait thirty-seven years for mine.” Snuggling deeper into his side, I shrugged. “As lovely as that is, I don’t want him to have to wait for anything. I want him to have what he wants. He’s had a crush on Callie forever.”
“Maybe she’ll come around.” Haydyn shrugged. “There’s a bit of a legend going around, though, about the Adair family.”
I’d heard of it. “That once you fall in love with an Adair, you’re a goner forever?”
“That’s the one.”
“Well, I don’t believe it. I think the Barr men can give the Adairs a run for their money.”
He grinned down at me. “I guess we’ll just need to wait and see.” Then he kissed me. It heated quickly and Haydyn reached for my mug, putting it on the side table so he could pull me more thoroughly into his arms.
We were so busy making out like teenagers that we didn’t hear Michael walk in.
“Oh, gross.” His voice cut across the room. “Aren’t you both too old to be doing that?”
Haydyn and I broke apart, and I shot our son an affronted look. “How dare you? What age do you think I am?”
He grinned, seeming much more like himself after his talk with his father. “Old.”
“Thirty-one is not old.”
Michael poured himself a glass of water. “I hate to tell you this, but it kind of is, Mum.”
“Wait until you’re thirty-one. I think you’ll have a different opinion then.”
“Aye, aye, that’s ages away.” He threw back the water. “Carry on, if it makes you feel young.”
“Santa is taking back all your presents!” I called quietly after him.
I heard his soft chuckle before he disappeared, and I turned to Haydyn. “You’re a good dad.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”
“Because he’s better after you talked to him. I love you so much. You know that, right?”
His voice was gruff. “I love you too. More than I knew was possible.”
“Thanks for letting Michael hire me all those years ago.”
My husband grinned at the reminder. He’d since told me that he planned from the moment he opened the door that morning to absolutely not hire me because he was too attracted to me. “My son always was smarter than me. But don’t tell him that.”
Laughter fell from my lips, and Haydyn ducked his head to swallow the sound with his kiss.
After another delicious wee make-out, I rested my head on his shoulder and we gazed at the Christmas tree lights.
My fingers caressed the necklace he and Michael gave me our first Christmas together, and I thought of my parents.
The sadness I felt didn’t hurt as much now.
I knew wherever they were, they could see I was more than okay.
That Haydyn, Michael, and Willow had given me family again.
That I was just as loved by them as my parents had loved me.
Knowing they knew that gave me peace I hadn’t realized I’d needed.
“Happy Christmas, Haydyn,” I whispered.
He kissed the top of my head and murmured, “Happy Christmas, my love.”