EPILOGUE RYAN
Nine Months Later…
This morning starts like any other has for the last six months. Jackie makes the kids breakfast, and then I drive them to school. We’re both trying to do as much as we can for Alicia, so she can rest before the baby is born.
All the way to school, Evie chatters excitedly about how her new uncle will be with us soon.
I’m amazed at how quickly and easily Alicia’s siblings adjusted to the idea of a new family member.
That is, after we had an awkward talk with them about where babies come from.
They’ve adjusted to their new lives surprisingly well too, and all the kids are doing well in school.
After I drop the kids off, I pop to the resort to see how everything is there.
Antony is in the kitchen already, preparing for lunch service with his new sous chef Dale. While Dale isn’t as amazing as Alicia, he’s a good cook, and with him and Antony in charge, the kitchen has been running smoothly.
“What are you doing here?” Ant asks with a raised brow as I pop my head in the kitchen.
“Just checking on things,” I say, approaching my brother.
“Shouldn’t you be at home with Alicia?”
“She’s sleeping right now, so I figured I’d come in and see if everything is okay while I can.”
Antony just shakes his head and laughs. “Everything is fine here. Go be with Alicia.”
“I will,” I say, heading out of the kitchen. But, despite my words, before going home, I take a walk around the resort just to make sure everything is running smoothly.
At the new restaurant, Alicia’s sous chef Emmett has everything in hand, so I leave him to it. He’s a good guy, the perfect pick to hold the fort while Alicia is on maternity leave.
I head up to my office, where Jackie is taking care of any admin tasks that need looking after, so I have more time to be home with Alicia. To my delight, Jackie is an excellent assistant, with great organizational skills, and since giving her a job at the resort, my life has been a lot easier.
“Was Alicia awake when you left?” I ask.
“Yeah, she’s just gotten up and had breakfast,” Jackie replies with a smile.
“Did she mention anything about the baby?”
Jackie shakes her head. “Nope, I think she’s still cooking. Why don’t you head home? I got things here.”
I know Jackie has. She’s fantastic at what she does.
I was worried at first when Alicia and I decided to live together that it might be tough on Jackie, who is only twenty-two.
I was expecting a female version of Tucker or something, but instead, I’ve come to see Alicia’s sister is just as hardworking and family originated as Alicia herself.
I feel a sense of brotherly affection for Jackie and have warned Tucker -- on pain of death -- that he’s not to try it on with her. Tucker sulked for five minutes, until the next pretty girl caught his eye.
Realizing I'm not needed at the resort, I take Jackie’s advice and head home. When I pull up outside the condo, I take a moment to check Alicia’s hospital bag in the trunk, and the surprise I’ve hidden within.
After we moved in together, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the two of us getting married, going so far sneaking one of rings out of Alicia’s jewelry box to get an estimate of her ring size, and then having a ring commissioned.
Happy the ring is tucked away in the hospital bag; I close the trunk and go inside.
There, I find Alicia curled on the couch, watching daytime TV, an empty cereal bowl on the coffee table in front of her. I sit down on the other end of the couch, and instinctively start massaging her feet.
“Any signs of the little guy yet?” I ask.
“No, nothing,” Alicia answers with a sigh. While she’s enjoyed being pregnant, I know it’s taking its toll on her now, and like me, she just can’t wait to meet our son.
I’m having a son!
Sometimes I still can’t get my head around it.
I've been in shock since the twenty-week scan when we found out the baby’s gender.
Since finding out we’re expecting a boy, Alicia and I have agreed to name him after our fathers, and so we eagerly anticipate the arrival of little Benjamin James Braddock.
The day is unusually calm, and we spend most of it just watching rubbish on TV, enjoying a moment of quiet while we still can.
It isn’t until that afternoon, when all the kids are home and working on their homework, that Alicia starts pacing.
“Ryan, I’m bored. Can’t we just check in on things quickly?”
“Alicia, the baby is due any day now, I’m sure the restaurant will be okay without you for another day.”
“I can’t just leave Emmett to handle things on his own. I’m supposed to be the head chef.”
“And you chose Emmett to be your sous chef for a reason. Have some faith in him. I checked in earlier and it was all fine.”
Alicia huffs. “That was long ago. Anything could have happened since then.”
I understand Alicia’s worries, the restaurant has only been open for a few months -- after we hurried through the building process, so we could open before the baby arrived -- and she’s overseen every aspect of its management until only recently when I insisted, she slow down before the baby is born.
I also know there’s no winning with Alicia. She always gets her way, and I always give her everything she wants. It’s been the same for the last nine months, and I wouldn’t change a minute of it.
Life is hectic and crazy, but I’m the happiest I’ve been since my parents passed.
The resort continues to go from strength to strength, and the opening of the new restaurant has given it a huge boost. Alicia and I have been living together in a massive condo we brought together -- along with her siblings -- for the past six months, and we’re slowly forming a routine.
The kids are doing well at their new schools, and Jackie is excelling as my new assistant.
“Fine. We’ll go in for a short check. But you’re not lifting a finger to help, okay?”
“Okay,” Alicia agrees, and grabs her purse.
At the restaurant, everything is running smoothly. Emmett is a capable chef and has really upped his game since being promoted to Alicia’s sous chef.
“See, everything is fine,” I say, as Alicia watches her crew work.
We visit the dining room to see it full of happy customers, and the head server tells us bookings are up.
“Okay, okay, you were right.” Alicia agrees, but then I catch her wince.
“What’s wrong?”
Alicia bites her bottom lip in that way she does when she’s been withholding something from me. “I erm … might be having contraction.”
“You’re having contractions?! What the hell are we doing here? You need to be at the hospital.”
“Ryan, trust me, it’s fine. They’re not close enough together to need to go to the hospital yet, and I needed to check on the restaurant before we have the baby.”
I try not to roll my eyes. “Our son is due to be born any time now, and you’re checking on the damn restaurant? Are you crazy?”
Alicia grins. “Yes, but that’s part of the reason you love me.”
I can’t argue with her there.
“Okay, but now you know everything is okay, can we please get you to the hospital?”
“They won’t admit me yet, my contractions aren’t close enough together,” Alicia insists.
“Please, just humor me, yeah?”
“All right,” Alicia agrees, and we make our way to the parking lot. I thank God I’ve had the maternity bag packed and in the trunk for the last month.
Alicia settles in her seat, and I start up the engine, glancing at her to ask, “Have you had another contraction?”
“Not yet,” Alicia replies, and she looks completely calm, not like we will soon be welcoming our son.
Just as we arrive at the hospital, Alicia winces with another contraction.
“How far apart is that now?” I ask, opening the car door for Alicia, and then making my way to the trunk to get her hospital bag.
“About five minutes I think,” Alicia says.
“Five minutes?!” My voice comes out as a high-pitched squeak, and I hurry Alicia into the hospital.
After checking in at reception, Alicia is admitted to a private room, where she’s examined, and the doctor confirms she’s in active labor. From there, we’re transferred to a birthing room.
I’ve spared no expense ensuring Alicia is in the best hospital, with the best doctors, and we have an obstetrician working in tandem with a midwife to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Once in the birthing room, things begin progressing quickly, and before I know it, Alicia is crouched on all fours, letting out a guttural cry, as she pushes our baby out.
The head appears, and the midwife gently helps the baby out, only to pause when she realizes his skin is grey and the umbilical cord is wrapped around his neck.
I start to panic, imagining the worst, but the midwife works quickly, and soon colour is flushing little Benjamin’s cheeks, and he lets out a hearty cry.
I gaze down at Alicia, tears shimmering in both our eyes, and squeeze her hand. The midwife lays Benjamin on Alicia’s bare chest, and then turns to me.
“Do you want to cut the umbilical cord?”
“Sure,” I say, my voice coming out shaky and hoarse.
The midwife clamps the umbilical cord and hands me a pair of scissors. I quickly snip where she directs me to and hand the scissors back.
I turn back to Alicia and Benjamin, who both seem oblivious to what just happened. Ben is nursing, and Alicia’s eyes are closed, though a look of utter bliss covers her face. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.
I lean down to kiss Alicia and then Ben, and as I pull away my son opens his eyes and gazes at me. They’re the same stormy blue grey as my own, and in that instant, I feel overwhelming, unconditional love like I’ve never felt before.
After Ben is finished nursing, he’s cleaned and dressed, and placed in one of those plastic, fish tank-like bassinets while the midwife helps Alicia shower. I sit in a chair watching in awe as my son sleeps soundly.
Alicia comes to sit down on the bed, looking slightly more human, and gently strokes Ben’s hand.
“He’s perfect, isn’t he?” I say, gazing up at her.
The look of love in Alicia’s eyes tells me all I need to know. She’s as smitten as I am.
“You’re both perfect,” I continue, my high emotions making me ramble. “I wasn’t going to do this yet … I was going to wait, but I can’t wait a moment longer.”
I reach down for the hospital bag and start searching for it, but the ring box I hid isn’t there, and I panic it fell out and got lost.
“Looking for something?” Alicia asks, and I glance up to see her holding it. “The midwife found it by accident when she was helping me shower.”
Alicia opens the box and reveals a princess cut diamond set in a white gold band.
“You weren’t meant to find out like this,” I say with a small, nervous laugh. “I have a speech planned and everything.”
“I’m sorry for ruining the surprise,” Alicia says with a wry grin, tears shimmering in her eyes.
“You know nothing has changed since you first told me you were pregnant,” I begin, all my carefully rehearsed words slipping from my mind.
“I think a lot has changed, actually. So much it’s hard to believe it’s real sometimes. But it is real, and I’m happier than I can ever remember being.”
“Me too,” I reply, my throat feeling thick. “Alicia, I love you and the life we’re building together more than anything in this world. I want to grow old with you--”
“Hey, no growing old just yet. I still have a restaurant to manage, and we need to be here to watch Ben grow.”
“And we will,” I promise, knowing we both worry about the future, and leaving our son like our parents left us.
But we’ve vowed to do everything within our power to ensure that never happens.
“What I mean is, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want every day to be like these past nine months, even if that means dealing with temper tantrums, broken hearts and double-crossing suppliers.”
Alicia chuckles. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you too, Ryan.”
“So, you’ll marry me then?”
“Of course, I’ll marry you. All you had to do is ask.”
We both laugh, and then I crush my lips to hers, knowing this is just the beginning of our amazing future together.