Epilogue
TATIANA
FIVE YEARS LATER
I love coming here. The sound of the ocean and the fresh salty air re-energizes my soul. I love how the cool breeze and the warm sun work together to soothe and heal and the sand that curls between my toes is the most luxurious carpet.
Here any troubles are whipped away on the breath of a gentle sea breeze but most of all I enjoy uninterrupted time with my family.
“Mama!”
An excited high-pitched voice disturbs my peaceful moment, dragging a smile from my face as two small arms that are surprisingly strong grip my legs hard.
I reach down and run my fingers through his soft hair, and then pull him up into my arms, burying my face in his scent. The best one there is, my child’s.
“I love you Maksim.” I whisper as he struggles in my arms and pleads, “Come and build a sand castle with me.”
A deep chuckle alerts me to another intruder and, as always, my heart flutters whenever he is near.
I turn with Maksim in my arms and notice Titus strolling toward me, carrying Katya on his shoulders, Andrei not far behind chasing Valentin’s son, Erik.
My happy smile is never far away and as he draws close, he jerks his head toward the house.
“We should head back. We don’t have long.”
I glance toward the sprawling white beach house that is vastly different from our usual mansion. Modern, almost clinical, yet filled with happiness, dreams and freedom. Of all the homes we own, this one is a family favorite and I can see why.
Rose Island.
The only place in the world where it’s just us. The Romanov family.
Today we are all here for a special reason and Titus says gently, “You shouldn’t be carrying Maksim; he is too heavy.”
“Nonsense.” I kiss my child’s soft cheek and he wipes it away with an impatient sigh. I laugh as Titus nods his approval and reluctantly I set my child down on the soft white sand and he races off to join the others.
Titus reaches for my hand.
“Mama is waiting.”
As we walk, he asks with concern, “I’m worried about you.”
I roll my eyes. “There is no reason to be worried.”
“But the wedding; it’s too much work.”
“Nonsense, Titus.” I shake my head. “I’m pregnant, not incapable.”
My fingers brush against my swollen belly. Baby number four. We already know it’s another boy. Poor Katya. Three brothers to terrorize her, not that she cares. She’s already stronger than both of her older brothers.
It amuses me that she’s a daddy’s girl already, preferring his company over mine, but I don’t blame her for that. I prefer my husband’s company over everyone’s, which is why I love being here so much.
There is a strict rule on Rose Island. No business. I suppose that’s why it stands empty for most of the year, because this family is all about business even now.
“How is mama?” I ask, my attention diverted to the reason we’re here.
“Happy.”
One word that means a lot and settles my heart.
When the dust settled on our marriage and the subsequent chaos that brought, Grace moved to the United States, a homecoming if you like. She settled in Cape Cod for all the reasons I love coming here, and one year ago she met Milton Warwick, a gorgeous man who swept her off her feet and treats her like a queen.
I love how deeply in love they are and savoring life as a couple, doing simple things such as taking out their yacht and exploring the world. They have an intimate gathering of friends and Milton has a large family who live nearby.
Grace has blossomed, and the years fell away from her when she no longer struggled to hold a family together, confident that her work has been done.
Today is her wedding day.
She is marrying for love and this time her husband to be loves her back unequivocally.
Her family—my family, are happy for her. She has earned this and deserves every delicious moment of her retirement away from the dark side.
Katya squeals with delight as she points to a figure walking toward us and Titus sets her down and she toddles on the sand, running on her wobbly young legs as she hurries to meet her second most favorite person in the world, Mikhail.
It amuses us both how much they adore one another. Mikhail and Lilli have twins of their own. One boy and one girl and Katya is always with them, so much so she has become a second daughter to Mikhail, who idolizes her like his own.
He swings her into his arms and kisses her relentlessly, her squeals of delight warming my heart.
“I should be worried about that child.” I shake my head with amusement and Titus squeezes my hand.
“Why?”
“Because she appears to love a bad boy. This could spell trouble.”
“You think she will have the luxury of boyfriends?” Titus’s tone is ominous, and as I glance at my pretty child, a flash of sympathy hits me. Yes, Katya and Lara, Mikhail’s beloved daughter, are in for a hard time when they reach teenage years, if not adulthood.
As we walk hand in hand on the sand, with our young family surrounding us, everything is right with my world. I once believed dance was my world. I couldn’t imagine anything making me happier, but I gave up dancing five years ago when I married Titus. Not because he told me to, because I wanted to, because the thought of not being with him for any amount of time was inconceivable.
The nannies are waiting to collect the children and as we head into the main house with Mikhail, Titus says gruffly, “Any word on the Stevenson deal?”
“No, Titus.” I say firmly, Mikhail’s smirk distorting his usual surly features.
“Not today. Not this week either, and definitely not when your mother is about to get married.”
Titus sighs and addresses his brother. “It appears business must wait, Mikhail. What do you make of that?”
“I believe you should listen to your wife, brother.”
Titus nods and, gripping my hand hard, he says to his brother, “I always do.”
As we head off, leaving Mikhail to find Lilli, we head toward our wing of the house and I say anxiously, “I hope Grace will be happy.”
“She already is.” Titus softens his voice as he speaks of his mother. “She fought her entire life for happiness with the wrong man. His heart was never hers and so it was doomed before it even began.”
“But it happened for a reason.” I argue, a fierce edge to my voice. “It created a magnificent family and they should be proud of that.”
“Just as we are proud of ours, Tia.”
He stops and pulls me to face him, the huge bump of love nestling between us and he wraps his arms around me and kisses me softly, causing my heart to flutter and my toes to curl with pleasure as he whispers, “We have one hour. Let’s not waste it.”
He stares deeply into my eyes and says softly, “I love you, Tia Romanov.”
I say nothing and place his hand on my swollen belly and my eyes blaze with love for him as I whisper, “Tell me again when you’re inside me You’re right, let’s not waste a second because this is going to be a very long but happy day where family comes first.”
“Not before my wife.” Titus whispers with a wicked grin and I melt inside at the promise in his dark, brooding eyes. “Nothing ever comes before my wife, and that is my eternal promise to you.”
“Idiot.” I whisper against his hungry lips and as he leads me to the privacy of our bedroom, I wonder if I can be ready in ten minutes because it’s obvious we are definitely going to be some time.
TITUS
I never believed I’d watch my mother marrying another man and be happy about that.
As she walks toward Milton Warwick, his eyes don’t leave her for a second. She grips my arm tightly and takes a deep breath. “I’m really doing this.” Her soft whisper causes the protective streak inside me to flare and I say in a low voice, “You are sure it’s what you want?”
“Of course.” She smiles and the happiness in her eyesis my answer.
“Milton is not your father, Titus, not even close and it is possible to love twice. To be loved once is a gift I never thought I’d receive and it’s only now I realize how your father must have felt all those years.”
Her eyes fill with tears as she whispers, “I was wrong to force him to love me. I denied us both a happier life for my own selfish reasons.”
“You had no choice if I remember correctly.” I remind her and she nods, a bitter edge twisting her words.
“I will never regret my life with Andrei because it gifted me a family I love with all my heart. Things happen for a reason and my children are that reason.”
She laughs softly. “You are doing a good job of creating your own dynasty, Titus. As soon as one child is born, another is created. You should slow down.”
I smile as the excited chatter of the next generation of Romanovs ripples behind us. My children have many cousins to play with because every one of my brothers and sister have their own families now. We swelled in numbers but nobody has come close to the number children I created with Tia. We want a large family. It matters to us both, so I shrug, “I will stop when Tia tells me to.”
Mama smiles. “Then God help us because she is as bad as you are.”
As the soft music blows toward us courtesy of the ocean breeze, we lead the procession down the boardwalk to the floral arch decorated with glorious roses set by the ocean. Either side are small white chairs that hold our family and close friends and I am so proud to walk beside my mother, my brothers and sister nearby, settled in their lives.
We are happy – all of us and as I raise my eyes to the heavens, a lone bird hovers above us reminding me that one important person is missing but never forgotten. The one man who scripted our lives and I never got to thank him.
I smile at the bird and my heart is full as I offer a silent word of thanks to a man I love and admire.
Andrei Romanov.
The greatest man that ever lived.
My father.
The End