Epilogue
CASSIE
“Ssshhh, Dada, Mama sweeping.”
Holding back my smile is impossible as our one-and-a-half-year-old son, Benji, wiggles off the couch next to me when Tommy arrives home.
“Is that so?”
Tommy’s hand on my pregnant belly makes me groan. It’s been a hard day for me. At almost nine months along now, I’m basically part of the couch at this point. Carrying our little girl has been one hardship after another, and I’m relieved to be finally near the end.
“I’m awake.”
“Dada!” Benji scolds. He’s the sweetest little boy and loves helping his dad take care of me.
“Where’s Mom?” Tommy asks.
Paisley has been helping me around the house and with Benji as much as she possibly can. She’s been a godsend, and I’m so appreciative of it.
“She and Gage went to grab dinner. Benji and I were just chilling, watching Land Before Time, when they left, and I closed my eyes for a bit.” They’re indulging my craving for deep-dish pizza loaded with pineapple, bacon, ham, and cheese, with extra dipping sauce on the side.
“They’re also taking Benji for the night.
” Paisley is convinced I’m going into labor tonight because of how I’ve been feeling.
“Excellent, that means I can pamper you until you’re sick of me,” Tommy laughs. As if that could ever happen. I love that man more than anything in the world.
“I’d be happy if you just sat and watched the latest few episodes of Tracker with me.
All I’ve watched for weeks has been animated, and there’s so much singing.
” Not that I mind terribly, but watching something stimulating would be nice, and Tracker reminds me of my husband because he can find anyone.
Kissing my cheek, I feel his smile. “Anything you want, lover.” He slides an envelope into my lap. It never fails to make me smile that he still writes to me, and I return the favor, too.
Paisley and Gage finally arrive with the pizza, but we miss having Daisy around to eat with us. However, she’s in fashion school in New York City and thriving. She comes home often and has weekly calls with her favorite person, Benji. We’re all happy for her.
By the time they leave, Benji, with his favorite stuffies and blanket, I’m exhausted but enjoying our first episode of Tracker when it happens.
A swift but explosive contraction plows through my abdomen and up my spine as I stand up to use the bathroom.
Not even getting a chance to speak, Tommy leaps to his feet, and my water breaks before either of us takes a step.
“Well, this is happening faster,” I try to joke on the heels of another contraction. Bending over to help absorb the pain doesn’t work, so I try some breathing techniques and begin humming as Tommy gathers what we need and makes a call to my doctor, then his parents.
I’m lost in pain, so I don’t even realize we’re at the hospital until being met with a gurney in the emergency bay, and I wind up giving birth right there, just as my doctor arrives.
It’s all quite unbelievable until I hold our little girl in my arms, and we’re taken up to maternity to be checked out before being assigned a room.
“We did it,” I say to Tommy in awe as he stands next to us, marvelling at our new bundle. “She’s so beautiful.”
“Just like her mom.” Smiling as I meet his eyes, Tommy kisses me, then her. “Do you have a name?” Tommy chose Benji’s name in honor of my own father.
“What about Penelope?” I’ve always loved the name, and I like the idea of her having the same initials as her Nana Paisley.
“It suits her.”
Tommy takes her from my arms and slides onto the bed next to me. We spend a few hours, just the three of us, before being discharged in the morning, where we’re greeted by Paisley, Gage, Benji, and Clide on the front lawn with streamers, balloons, and presents.
Moving to Jacksonville was supposed to be a fresh start, a chance for me to move on from heartbreak, but it turns out we were just finding our happily ever after in our own way.
As we reach the front door, I take out a letter I’d written Tommy specifically for this moment, handing it to him before he can swipe Penelope from my arms, and watch as he tears up before smiling and entering the house with Benji in his arms.
Our perfect little family is here, and I couldn’t be happier.
The End!
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