Epilogue
One month later.
“I thought you said Robert sent you in here to fetch my cheese tray, not eat it all.” Victoria sent Hank a teasing smile as another slice of cheddar disappeared into his mouth.
He finished chewing in record time and grinned at her over the generous island in Robert’s large kitchen. “You know, now that you’re a wealthy heiress, you could afford to bring two cheese trays.”
She chuckled. “Yes, I’m sure that was Thomas’s intention in entrusting me with his fortune.”
“What do you think he wanted you to do with it?” Hank’s expression turned more serious, but his hand drifted toward another slice.
“I haven’t figured that out yet. Nor do I know if I’m going to live there or what I’m going to do with his money, to answer your next question.
I’ll give much of it to Christian charities and mission work, but I haven’t determined the best way to go about that yet.
I want to make sure I’m a good stewardess of the gift Thomas left me. ”
Hank nodded. “You totally will be.” Another slice entered his mouth.
“And you are stalling. You’d think you never eat.”
“I’m a poor starving college student.” He mumbled the unconvincing defense around the stolen cheese in his mouth.
“Who has the semester off and lives in a mansion with our father.” She moved toward him on the near side of the island, shooing him away with her hands. “Go. Take the tray into the living room while there’s still some cheese left for the others.”
“So possessive about your cheese.” He laughed as he trotted out of the kitchen, leaving her laughing, too, as she turned to wash her hands in the sink.
“Dad’s here.”
Victoria glanced over her shoulder to see Spring wheel into the kitchen, her eyebrows lifted with either surprise or trepidation. Victoria dried her hands on a towel and faced her sister while she processed the news. “I didn’t think he would come.”
“Neither did I.” Spring halted her chair next to the island in the spacious layout that allowed for her wheelchair.
“Did Robert tell him Sydney and Mariah would be here?”
Spring shrugged.
“And Cillian?”
“Nope.” Robert breezed into his kitchen, wearing a dress shirt and slacks that he’d donned in case their father decided to attend the celebration. He grinned at Victoria as he set the salad bowl and two used glasses on the counter beside her. “You said you wanted him to come.”
She narrowed her eyes at him, but her lips tugged at one corner. “Not under false pretenses, Robert.”
“He knows I’m hosting a party to celebrate your recovery. Nothing false about that.” He grabbed a hunk of spinach from the bowl and stuffed it into his mouth.
“I wouldn’t have thought that would be enough to make him leave work or the house to go anywhere on a Friday night.” Spring’s matter-of-fact statement drew Victoria’s gaze. “No offense, of course.”
“None taken. But, yes,” Victoria transferred her gaze to Robert, “I did hope he would come. I need to speak with him.”
“Want backup?” Spring quirked an eyebrow.
Victoria smiled at the sweet gesture. “Thanks, but Cillian has already agreed to provide that.”
“Ahh, I see.” Spring shot a conspiratorial look at Robert as they both grinned.
Heat rushed to Victoria’s cheeks, though it was hardly a secret at this point that she and Cillian were…
involved. In the weeks that followed her surgery, he’d barely left her side at the hospital and then at her home.
Kathleen had stayed overnight those first evenings of her at-home recovery, but Cillian had helped care for her needs so often during the daytime that even Max had come to love him, too.
The implication of her thoughts sped her heart rate. Yes, she loved him. She had for a long time. But she hadn’t told him yet. She’d expected him to ask her, to talk about their relationship and their future. But he hadn’t broached the subject at all.
She might think his feelings for her had changed, that he no longer loved her. But his attentiveness and the way he wordlessly expressed his love for her through his actions every day made it clear that he still loved her, perhaps more than ever.
“Cillian’s in the living room.” Robert’s remark pulled Victoria from her thoughts. “I assume that’s who you’re thinking about, given the dreamy look on your face.” He gave her another classic Robert grin.
“Victoria never looks dreamy, Robby. She’s far too mature and practical for that.” Spring giggled.
“Ah, you’re right.” He tapped his bearded chin with a fingertip as he pretended to study Victoria. “Contemplative then?”
“You two.” Victoria pursed her lips, more to hold back a laugh at their antics than to curb their teasing. “I believe it’s time for me to leave the children and find the adults.” She crossed the kitchen and went to the doorway.
“Never run from your feelings, Vicki.” Robert’s attempt to sound like a serious psychiatrist collapsed into laughter with Spring.
Victoria chuckled as she continued into the hallway, walking the short distance to where the wall fell away and opened to the large living room.
She scanned the people there, her gaze magnetically drawn to Cillian first, as usual. My, he looked handsome in his charcoal blazer layered over a black turtleneck that perfectly complimented his dark coloring and broad-shouldered physique.
His gaze found hers across the space, his mouth tugging up at the corner. Since he was speaking with Torin, Victoria only smiled, then continued to look for her dad.
There he was. Dad stood with Treese near the modern fireplace, discussing something Victoria couldn’t hear.
Treese laughed, picking a bit of nonexistent lint off his black blazer. Their father never allowed anything to blemish his deportment. But Treese was the only one who could behave so familiarly with him, and she always took advantage of it.
Victoria regretted the thought—or rather, the resentful edge to it—as soon as it passed through her mind.
It was an unbelievable blessing that her siblings had returned to getting along with each other and to their former relationship status with their father.
That meant Robert was still effortlessly staying on Dad’s good side, Hank was trying to bear the weight of his expectations, Spring was planning to patch things up, and Treese was still his princess.
Their father, for his part, had seemed to decide to let pass the things his children had said against him, at least for now.
He seemed remarkably unchanged and unaffected by it, which was perhaps the most surprising development of all.
Hopefully, he wasn’t merely suppressing his true feelings—anger, resentment, or hurt—only to have them explode at a later date or inform his treatment of the children who had confronted him.
The appearance of peace felt tenuous, fragile, and artificial.
But such had been the so-called peace that Victoria had created during most of her siblings’ lives.
If, or when, the veneer fell away, she was prepared to respond differently than she had in the past. She would speak the truth in love, even to her father, instead of guiding her siblings to please him at any cost. When he was wrong, she would speak out and try to prevent any further harm to her family, some of which she had unintentionally facilitated.
But at least for the present, the birthday dinner disaster hadn’t had as much of a damaging effect as Victoria had feared. Except with Treese. She’d barely spoken to Victoria since, losing her smile and sense of humor whenever Victoria entered a room.
And she noticeably kept her distance from Sydney and her new baby during the party this evening.
Victoria swung her gaze to the armchair tucked into a corner of the room where Sydney held her daughter in her arms. It was so kind of Robert to invite her to the celebration, especially given her unwitting involvement in their family’s division and her brother’s violence.
Sydney looked up, and Victoria headed her way.
Victoria paused by the empty chair angled to face Sydney’s. “Mind if I join you two?”
Sydney shook her head with a bright smile. “Sure.” She looked down at her sweet daughter. “Mariah’s sleeping.” The wonder in the young mother’s tone warmed Victoria’s heart. What a gift to have been a part of keeping this mother and daughter together.
Victoria leaned closer to see the baby’s perfect, tiny features. “She’s so beautiful.”
“Isn’t she?” Disbelief and love lit Sydney’s face as she studied her baby. “Warren says she looks more like me than Lawrence.”
Victoria paused before answering, not wanting to misstep and cause any hurt.
Sydney’s gaze jumped to Victoria’s face as her mouth rounded. “Oh, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have mentioned them.”
Victoria gave her a gentle smile. “No, of course you can mention them, Sydney. Warren is your family, and I know you still miss Lawrence.”
“Not really.” The girl lifted one shoulder. “I mean, he’ll always be Mariah’s dad, so there’s that. But I’m getting it now. Robert’s helping me with all that stuff. I know Lawrence never loved me.” She nodded slowly. “I’m okay with that.”
“That’s wonderful, Sydney. You know I’m here, as well, whenever you need to talk. And God is even more available than I am. Bring your worries and cares to Him, and He’ll help you.”
“I’m doing that more now. Kathleen talks about that in Bible study. I think it’s really helping. I’m starting to feel…different about things.”
“I’m so glad to hear that.” What a hopeful sign that Sydney was still in Kathleen’s Bible study, which the girl had joined shortly after moving into the room that had opened up at Life Pregnancy Care Center.
Bible study participation was mandatory for the residents, but it sounded like the Lord was creating in Sydney a desire for Him and His Word.
Perhaps soon, He would also give Sydney new life in Him.