Epilogue
River carried an armload of presents wrapped in bright paper to the Christmas tree, putting them down and standing back to admire his handiwork. His folks and Bohdi’s were both coming today for Christmas Day. So there was a ton of crap for the kids and for him and Bohdi and for their folks too.
It was kind of stunning to realize that no one was going to poke him and prod him about getting married and having babies because, well, he had.
“What do you think, baby?” He stepped back so Bohdi could see everything from where he sat on the couch with the baby in each arm. Their twins, Miranda and Thiago were perfect and still deeply asleep at this time in the morning.
It looks amazing. You know I love a twinkly light on a Christmas tree.
Bohdi beamed at him, and he had to say his lover had absolutely blossomed since the babies had been born.
Bohdi was taking a leave of absence until the first of the year, and he had been able to spend time bonding with the babies and just figuring out where everything fit in what part of the world that they had created for themselves.
River, well, he had never been happier in his entire life.
“These days I love Christmas,” River did, so much. “I can’t believe it’s been a year.”
“Did we send a thank-you note to the lodge?” Bohdi asked.
“Yeah, we sent him a gift basket with fruit and summer sausage and stuff too, and a Christmas card with the kids’ picture on it.”
“At the time, I was so pissed off that we were double-booked. But now I know it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
River nodded, going to drop a kiss on Bohdi’s lips, then one on each of the baby’s heads. “I wanted to give you this before Mom and Dad got here.” He took a small box out of his pocket, because while they had had a small civil ceremony, they’d never actually exchanged rings.
Bohdi’s eyebrows went up, and he traded the Thiago for the box, letting River take their little boy, while he opened it with one hand. He gasped, staring at the titanium ring in the box that was etched with perfect little otters. “Babe, it’s beautiful.”
“Merry Christmas, baby, I love you so much. Meu amor.”
Bohdi put the ring on his hand, admiring it, then waved him in for another kiss. “I love you too. Christmas really is the most amazing holiday of them all.”
All he could do was laugh when Miranda burped loudly, as if agreeing with him.
It was time to get up and make some cinnamon rolls and put on some Christmas music, but he was there for it.
River figured from here on out, Christmas could only get better every year.