Epilogue
Cassidy
one year later
“Ican’t believe this,” I mumble, looking down at the test with two lines, while bouncing my three-and-a-half-month-old daughter on my hip. “I don’t know if this will qualify as Irish twins or not, Sasha,” I tell my little girl. “But your daddy was obviously mistaken when he said I couldn’t get pregnant while breastfeeding.”
Giggles consume me because while the town talk was that we got married so quickly due to me being pregnant, I actually got pregnant on our honeymoon. We may have both been virgins, but we had absolutely no issues figuring out how it all worked. I snicker like a twelve-year-old boy for a second, then quickly sober.
“Your daddy is going to be puffed up like a peacock,” I state as I pick up the test and slide it into a baggie. I then set her in her carrier and strap her in before I wash my hands, then pick up the baggie and slip it into my pocket.
Jared has court today and the only reason I’m not in the office is because Sasha had a wellness check-up after her ear infection. His business is booming and I’m so glad I was able to graduate so I can help him with all of it now that he’s hired a receptionist. Thankfully, she’s nothing like Estella was and while I miss Wednesdays and Mrs. Walsh, she stops by the office every week and tells me how she did, then we go and get lunch. The best part is sometimes, Sascha comes to work with me, sometimes I work from home, and sometimes the grandmas babysit.
“Alright, sweet girl, let’s go see Daddy. He should be getting back to the office soon.”
Picking her carrier up, I head into the kitchen, grab the diaper bag which I already have packed, then scoop up my purse. Once we’re in the garage, I get her buckled into the base of her carseat and hear her start cooing. She loves to ride, which is a good thing, because on the weekends, we do a lot of short trips just spending time with each other. She already has her first fishing pole just waiting until she’s old enough to hold it.
After I back out, I close the garage door, then head toward town. I have a special onesie to pick up before I see my husband.
Jared
Sighing, I leave the courthouse. Some cases are just not winnable, regardless of the defense I put up. Unfortunately for my client, he has a long list of prior offenses, and there was video of this latest infraction, so he’s off to spend a few years courtesy of the county prison system. Since I practice family law, my cases run the gamut from divorces and custody arrangements, to estate planning, to DUIs and other crimes. Personally, while I’ll defend someone who got a DUI, I go in knowing that the likelihood they’ll get off is slim and none and I’m perfectly okay with that happening. I don’t like them, but the fees we charge to defend them are exorbitant, and I am, after all, raising a family now.
Sitting in the truck, I pull out my phone and power it up, grinning when I see a text from Cassidy.
Cassidy: Can you meet us for lunch at the diner?
Me: Absolutely. Just leaving court now. See y’all in a few?
Cassidy: We’ll go ahead and get a booth. Love you.
Me: Love you more.
Starting the truck, I put it in gear, my mind reflecting on the past year. By the time we reached the cabin for our honeymoon, we were both dead on our feet. Cassidy took a shower to get the birdseed out of her hair, then I took one and helped her, but before anything more could happen, we both fell asleep.
However, that next morning was another story. In fact, if it wasn’t for the fact we had to eat to keep up our strength, I don’t think we would’ve gotten out of bed that whole two weeks. Every day since, I’ve fallen even more in love with her, but never more so than the day she had our daughter.
“So fucking brave,” I murmur as I pull into the parking lot at the diner and park.
Her blood pressure spiked, putting both her and the baby in danger, yet instead of panicking, she pointed to the scrub top the nurse was wearing and smiled, telling me it was going to be okay. Why? Because the nurse’s shirt was covered in red cardinals. Within minutes, she had pushed out Sascha, and I realized that what my mom had been telling me was true; unconditional love exploded in my heart when I laid eyes on my little girl who looks so much like her mother it’s like watching Cassidy all over again only in miniature form.
I hop out of the truck and head into the diner, spotting my wife and daughter immediately. She’s beaming at me, and I suspect she has something to tell me.
“How are two of my favorite girls?” I ask, leaning down to take her lips in a quick kiss before I lightly swipe my hand across Sascha’s cheek since she’s sleeping.
“We’re doing well. Her ears are clear, but Dr. Potts is going to keep an eye on things just in case it becomes a problem.”
“He’s a good doctor, gonna hate when he retires,” I reply, sitting across from her. I see she’s already ordered my sweet tea, so I take a drink.
“How was court?”
“A shitshow, but we suspected it was going to be,” I tell her. “He had to know he was on his third strike and Judge Drake doesn’t play when that happens.”
“Oh well, at least the check cleared.”
I burst out laughing as the waitress comes over. “I know I’m not that funny, y’all,” she says. “Your usual?”
“That sounds good to me. Jared?” Cassidy asks, sliding a gift bag in my direction.
“Yes, thanks, Nellie. Sweetheart, what’s this?”
“Open it.”
After pulling out the tissue paper, I see what looks like a onesie and glance at Cassidy, who is smiling like the Cheshire cat. “Cass?”
“Keep going,” she advises, before sipping on her Coke.
I can feel something inside the onesie, so I carefully open it up and start chuckling when I see the positive pregnancy test. But what has me bursting into laughter is the onesie which says, “Don’t Drop Me, My Daddy’s a Lawyer”.
“We’re having another baby?” I ask, even though the evidence is sitting right in front of me. “But I thought that wasn’t possible since you’re still breastfeeding.”
“Funny you should mention that,” she teases. “Seems that’s one of those old wives tales and as long as you’re not using any kind of protection, it can happen.”
I can’t stop the smile that has my face feeling like it’s going to split in two. “Looks like my paralegal is going to be working remotely, huh?”
“Yeah, boss, seeing as I spend the first two hours of my day with morning sickness which is challenging with this one,” she replies, smiling back at me. “Mom had no clue what she was in for when she agreed to move into her place, did she?”
“She loves it, and you know it.”
“Yeah, she does, but not as much as I love you, Jared Knox. You’ve made all my dreams come true, even the ones I didn’t know I had.”
I have to swallow past the lump in my throat. “Well, your anniversary gift definitely trumps mine, sweetheart,” I say, pulling a small box out of the inside of my suit coat and sliding it toward her. “You’ve done the same, Cass. Thank you for being willing to do life with me.”
“You’re not getting rid of me that easily, husband. We’re doing eternity together, remember?”
“Better get more billable hours going, if we’re going to keep having babies,” I tease. “Now open your gift.”
“Can we maybe take a break between these two? Just a tiny one,” she asks, opening the package. When she sees the necklace that has an infinity symbol, with our birthstones as well as Sasha’s. “Jared, it’s beautiful.”
“We can definitely discuss it,” I promise as Nellie brings over our food. “And the jeweler said we’ll be able to add birthstones if we have more kids, which means we’ll be adding one as soon as this one arrives.”
* * *
“You really want all our kids close together?” she asks later that night.
We’re both sated, Sascha is down for the night, and as is our habit, we’re going over our day. Since the conversation we needed to have earlier wasn’t appropriate in the middle of the diner with all those listening ears, we elected to wait until later, which is now.
“I have good memories growing up with Cade and Lach,” I reply. “I know we might have a little boy this time, but the thing is, they’ll be close in age and have a built-in best friend.”
“Okay, as long as you understand this baby weight may never come off,” she grumbles. “I was within five pounds, too!”
“I love every luscious ounce on your body, Cassidy Knox. Whether you get back to ‘pre-baby weight’ or not. Every mark, every pound, only shows me what you’ve done to build our family. You’re beautiful just the way you are, whether you’re pregnant or not, but I really like what pregnancy does to your boobs.”
She snickers before cuddling close. “I’m being silly, I know. By the time Sascha is ready to be weaned, this one will probably be here. If we’re not careful, these boobs you love so much will be hanging around my knees.”
“Sweetheart, we have enough money that if you ever want one of those, what do they call them? Oh yeah, a mommy makeover, we can handle it, okay? Just know I didn’t marry you for how you looked, I married you because I love you, all of you, plain and simple.”
“I love you too,” she mumbles sleepily, causing me to grin.
As she drifts off to sleep, I send up my silent thanks that instead of staying away, she came home because now we’re on the best journey of our lives.
Together.
The End