Epilogue
FOUR MONTHS LATER…
“Is something the matter?” Edward came in behind his wife, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her on the neck.
“Oh… I did not…” She moaned from his soft kisses. “I did not hear you come in.”
“You were a little distracted,” he chuckled as he pulled his lips away. “Although, in your defense, I am often distracted by the same.” He indicated the mirror she stood before. “You look beautiful, Celestine.”
She scoffed. “I better. I have spent all afternoon getting ready.”
“And yet it took me only twenty minutes.”
In the reflection, Celestine looked flatly at her husband. “Perhaps next time you can wear the gown and I the suit? See how you like it.”
“But it looks so good on you…”
She laughed softly, and still with his arms around her, Celestine went back to check her reflection.
She wore a gown of silver and black, tight around the body and legs, with no straps so her shoulders were bare.
And while Edward thought that she had never looked so good, the expression on Celestine’s face suggested differently.
She pulled at the waist of her gown as if trying to stretch it.
“What are you doing?” he chuckled as he stepped back and released her.
“It is a little… tight,” she said. “Perhaps something looser fitting?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is there time? Our guests will be here at any moment.”
Again, she looked at her reflection, her eyes falling on her stomach.
It was not like her to be so worried about something like that, especially seeing as their guests were not those who they needed to be concerned with.
But her brow furrowed, and he found her eyes, noting how they focused on her stomach as if something was wrong.
It is more than the gown… something has been on her mind all week.
“Celestine…” Carefully, he took her by the hand. “Is something the matter?”
“What? No.” She pulled her hand back.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes…” She looked away, which told Edward that he was correct.
“I am just… nervous, is all. It is the first time that we have hosted my entire family. It is sure to be chaotic. And my mother…” She laughed, but it was forced.
“She has not stopped bragging about having two dukes in the family. One would think that she married the both of you.”
Yes, something was clearly the matter. As said, Edward had noticed it all week. How distant his wife had been behaving, how vague and detached she always was when they were together. There was a problem, one she was dealing with internally, and Edward was desperate to find out.
About to press the point further, Edward’s words were cut short as Millicent burst into the room.
“They’re here!” she cried as she came to a stop. “Oh…” Her eyes swept over Celestine. “Celestine, you look stunning.”
“Thank you, Millicent. As do you.”
Millicent waved her down, but her cheeks colored just a little. Every day, she grew, and every day she seemed to transform more into a lady. Truly, it made Edward’s heart soar.
“Did you hear what I said?” Millicent gathered herself. “They are here. A carriage has arrived, just now. I think it is your mother.”
“Wonderful…” Edward groaned. Celestine cocked an eyebrow at him, and he grinned. “Just joking. I love your mother…” He then found Millicent and winked.
“Come then.” Celestine took his hand. “Let us get through this.”
Edward eyed the hand, considered once again raising the topic of Celestine’s inner turmoil. But a commotion from downstairs forced his attention back into the room, and he decided that such things would have to wait until tomorrow.
As Millicent had rightly claimed, Celestine’s mother was the first to arrive, as were her two sisters.
Millicent swept down the stairs first, and she went straight for them.
She was the same age as Isolde, and only a few years younger than Marigold.
Consequently, the three girls got along famously and even before Celestine and Edward reached the lower landing, Millicent was leading them away, their heads together as they giggled.
“Your Grace!” Celestine’s mother beamed as she made for them. “And Celestine. Oh, that gown!”
“Evening, Mother,” Celestine said politely.
“I told you, there is no need to call me, Your Grace,” Edward said as he took her hand and kissed the back of it. “Edward, is fine.”
“Of course,” Celestine’s mother chuckled. “I ought to be used to it by now. What, with two dukes as sons-in-law. Who would have guessed?”
Celestine caught Edward’s eye and rolled her own at the comment.
Before they had a chance to lead Celestine’s mother away, it was announced that Ariadne and her husband Cedric had arrived also. So, the three of them remained; there to greet Celestine’s eldest sister and her husband.
It was all friendly, if not loud and chaotic. Ariadne and Cedric had Emily and baby Emmet with them, and while Edward had arranged for them to be watched over, Ariadne took some convincing to let go of Emmet.
“He will be fine,” Celestine assured her.
“I really should…” She watched as Emmet was carried away.
“It will be the longest she has been without him,” Cedric said dryly, as he often did. “I think it’s good for her. No sense mothering the child.”
“He is hardly five months old,” Ariadne snapped. “I will mother him all I want.”
Cedric groaned. “Here we go…”
It was chaotic. It was loud and calamitous.
But it was also a scene that brought Edward a little too much joy.
For so long, he had lived alone, never thinking that he would be a part of such a large family.
Never wanting to be, either. And yet, to see himself in the middle of one now, all of whom loved the other and would do anything for the others, brought him untold happiness.
“Supper will be ready shortly!” Edward had to raise his voice over the chatter. “If you will just…” He indicated toward the dining room. “Celestine, can you fetch Millicent and your sisters?”
Celestine said nothing. Once again, her stare was distant, the sense that she was not in the room at all.
“Celestine?” He took her hand and she started in surprise.
“Oh… did you say something?”
Concern flooded Edward, and he wanted so badly to ask her what was wrong. But now was not the time. “Your sisters, and Millicent. Might you fetch them? Supper will be ready shortly.”
“Yes, of course.” She shook her head and wandered from the foyer. Edward watched her go, worry stabbing his insides.
It was five minutes later when they were all gathered around the dining room table. Edward at its head, Celestine to his right, and Millicent to his left. From there sat Celestine’s mother, then Ariadne and Cedric, and finally Isolde and Marigold.
The evening began pleasantly… and yet again, loudly.
Isolde seemed determined to see what she could get away with, pulling faces at Millicent, using the wrong cutlery, trying to sneak extra glasses of wine.
Marigold liked to make jokes, often inappropriate ones, which led to her mother chastising her down the table.
Millicent thought it was hilarious, encouraging them both.
While Ariadne was constantly distracted with thoughts of Emmet, forcing Cedric to keep her hand in his own, continuous words of ease to stop her from panicking.
And then there was Celestine.
She said little. She did not drink. And she hardly touched her food. Her stare was empty, always at her plate, and she hardly seemed to realize where she was.
“Celestine…” Edward was done waiting. He was too worried. Too stricken with nerves. Something was wrong, and he had to know what. “I am starting to worry about you.” He took her hand.
“Hhmm?” She looked up as if she did not even know he was there.
“What is the matter?” he asked firmly, done trying to play it cool. “And do not lie to me, please. Something so clearly is.”
Celestine bit into her lip as she looked down the table. Thankfully, nobody paid them any attention, giving her a chance to think.
“I… you’re right, Edward.” She exhaled deeply. “There is something on my mind. Something that I… I had hoped to speak about later. In fact, I should have told you days ago.”
“Oh…” His stomach knotted. “Is it… is something wrong?”
She considered. “No… well, I do not think so. Although, after tonight. This…” She indicated toward the chaos. “You might think differently.”
“What?” He frowned and leaned back. “What does that mean?”
“I suppose I might as well tell you. In fact…” Celestine looked across the table and cleared her throat. “Everyone, if I might say something?”
It took a few moments to force silence. Edward searched his wife desperately, no idea what she was going to say. It was just so unlike her, keeping secrets. In fact, after how their marriage had started, she was the one always telling Edward that secrets were something they ought to never have.
“What is it, Celestine?” her mother asked. “What is going on?”
“Are you sick?” Ariadne asked.
“It was the fish,” Marigold added. “I knew it smelled off.”
“I am not sick,” Celestine said with a shake of the head. “I just have some news, is all, and seeing as you are all here…” She shrugged. “Now is as good a time as any to give it.”
Edward’s pulse rose. His heart thundered. He looked to Millicent, who was just as confused as he.
“I was not sure until last week,” Celestine began. “Now, there can be no doubt. And while it might not come as such a shock to some of you, it did to me.” She laughed softly. “So, here it goes.” She took Edward’s hand. “Edward and I are pregnant.”
The news was met with a deafening silence.
Twelve pairs of eyes stared blankly at Celestine as if she had told a joke. Six mouths dropped open. Marigold laughed as if it was a joke, but she silenced it quickly.
“Celestine…” Edward found his voice. “Are you… is this…” His stomach unknotted. His heart beat quickly, but not painfully. And deep within, something else was found… excitement? Trepidation? A sense that he ought to jump to his feet and weep with joy? “Is this true?”
“You think I would lie? Are you upset?” She grimaced. “I know we did not speak of this but… well, it has happened. Well? Say something?”
Edward did not know what to say.
It was strange that he and Celestine had never discussed children.
Mostly, that was because there had never really been a time to.
Since she had returned to him four months earlier, things had been going to well, so perfectly, that to risk changing it might risk ruining the little slice of paradise that they had found.
A child… a father… me?
Edward looked at Celestine, his expression blank. He considered what she had said, what it meant, and what it would do for them. He thought of these past four months, and then he searched into the future. Beside him, he felt Millicent’s stare. Down the table, he felt the rest of them.
No, they had not discussed children. And no, Edward had not considered if he was ready for such a thing.
What he did know, however, of what there could be no doubt, was that this marriage was for life.
His love for Celestine was without question, everything he had was because of her, and if he was to bring a child into the world, she was who he would want it to be with.
What was more, Edward was finally in a place where he was ready to open his heart to another… to love more deeply… to care for someone beyond himself and Celestine. To be a father, is what he was ready for.
“Yes,” he said.
She blinked. “Yes?”
He laughed and then threw himself at her. His hands wrapped her around the shoulders and he brought her to him. Not to kiss, but to hold, to show that he was there for her, as he would be there for their child.
“Hear, hear!” Cedric roared and lifted his glass.
“Oh, a baby!” Millicent cried out. “Fun!”
“Another one,” Celestine’s mother started to weep. “The more the merrier.”
There was laughter from the table. There was applause.
There were tears. Most of all, that which was felt by all, was the unmistakable sensation of love.
Not just between Edward and Celestine, but for everyone.
This was Edward’s family now, they would be there for him as he would be there for them, and because of that, he was no longer alone.
Better still, because of that, he was happy. Such a simple thing, but something to celebrate, nonetheless.
The End?