Epilogue
Four Years Later – Christmas Eve, Carmel
James Butterfield smiled as he and his wife observed their great-nieces and nephews as they excitedly opened the gifts that he and Madelyn had brought for them. All four children – a pair each of male and female twins – were around two and a half years old, having been born within just a few months of each other. Every adult here this evening was thoroughly enjoying watching the youngsters as they got caught up in the Christmas spirit, and James was no exception.
It still pained him each time he thought of the child that Madelyn had lost all those years ago – his child – and that she’d had to deal with the trauma and sorrow of her miscarriage all alone. And he deeply regretted that she had never had a child of her own, for he knew after seeing her with her nieces and their children what a wonderful mother she would have made. But she had assured him repeatedly that it didn’t matter any longer, that she not only had her sister’s children and grandchildren but James’s son and daughter and their offspring as well. More importantly, she had told him, they had each other after all those years apart.
“I do find it a bit odd, though, that both of the girls are such well behaved little angels, while the boys – well, I believe the word hellion fits them to a tee,” chuckled James. “Especially after all the stories you told me about their mothers – how different Julia and Lauren have always been from each other.”
Madelyn nodded, taking a sip of the very fine champagne that Julia and Nathan had brought. “It’s definitely not a case of history repeating itself with this generation,” she agreed, before adding with a chuckle, “in more ways than one.”
James looked around the great room of his in-laws’ Carmel beach house, a warm, open space that was very different from his former, rather stuffy residence in England. He and Madelyn had spent a considerable amount of time out here in California over the past few years to visit her sister and nieces, and would be spending even more time in the area after she retired next spring.
“One more spring Fashion Week,” she’d promised him. Then they planned to sell her apartment in New York, buy a home here in Carmel, and split their time between California and the flat they owned in London. When they weren’t traveling, of course, something they looked forward to doing a great deal more of come spring.
Their wedding anniversary would occur in less than two months time – on Valentine’s Day. They had been married in Paris nearly four years ago, in a simple but very romantic ceremony witnessed only by Madelyn’s sister, brother-in-law, nieces, and their husbands, as well as James’s son and daughter and their spouses and children. His family had welcomed Madelyn into their lives with warmth and affection, and had been all too happy that he had finally been reunited with his long lost love.
Madelyn shook her head as the two extremely rambunctious boys began to chase one of Robert’s prized Australian Shepherds around the room. But the young dog followed its inbred herding instincts, and instead began to lightly nip at the children’s heels, bringing them back in line. She laughed as this action repeated itself several times.
“I think perhaps their parents ought to buy themselves a herding dog – or two – to keep those little devils in line. Though it’s already too late to save their clothes, I’m afraid.”
One of the boys – Noah – had spilled juice on his neatly pressed tan slacks less than five minutes after the evening’s festivities had begun, while his twin – Justin – had lost his navy pullover sweater somewhere and his white oxford shirt was untucked and wrinkled.
By contrast, their female cousins – Daisy and Summer – were sitting contentedly on the window seat on either side of their father as he patiently helped them take their brand new Barbie dolls out of their packaging. The little girls were each wearing the gorgeous Christmas dresses that Maddy had sent them a few weeks ago – a red and black plaid taffeta for Daisy, and a white satin and green velvet for Summer. Like their mother and their aunt before them, the twins were never dressed exactly alike, their parents insisting that the girls establish their own identities. Except that Daisy and Summer were very much alike in both looks and personalities, just as their far rowdier male cousins were.
“Dinner will be ready in just a few minutes,” announced Natalie. “Nathan, do you mind pouring another round of champagne for everyone, please? Well, except for Julia, of course.”
Julia was four months into her second pregnancy, and it had already been confirmed that this time she would only be having one baby and not another set of twins. The news had actually come as a huge relief to her and Nathan, since their two sons were more than a handful.
Lauren patted her sister’s gently rounded bump, hidden behind a Tiffany Rose maternity dress of mulberry jersey. Julia insisted on being stylish even during her pregnancies, though her usual stilettos had been replaced by lower heeled pumps. “So you’re finally going to have a little one you can dress up in lace and frills. Not to mention being able to decorate the nursery in ten different shades of pink.”
The ultrasound Julia had undergone just a few days ago had revealed that this new baby would be the girl she’d always wanted. She had been shocked with her first pregnancy to learn that she would be having not one but two boys, but that realization had only been the beginning of her surprise. Because instead of being placid and docile like she had been as a child, Noah and Justin had been little devils from the time they could crawl. They constantly got into mischief, could rarely sit still, and were always getting dirty. Julia was usually exhausted after a day with them, and happily let Nathan take over when he got home from work. Working full time was out of the question for her, and she now handled design projects working from her home office as time permitted – which was not nearly as often as she would have liked given the amount of time and energy her sons demanded.
Julia heaved a tired sigh. “And I sure as hell hope this one decides to take after me, and not you. I still say our babies were switched at birth. There’s no other logical explanation why your girls are little angels, and my kids are – let’s just call them a handful.”
Lauren snickered. “Jules, those two are way more than a handful. I’ve seen them wear out eight adults in less than an hour. Look, even Scotty has given up.”
She pointed to the year old Australian Shepherd – their father’s youngest dog – who had just curled up on his bed in one corner and gone to sleep.
“They’ll grow out of it,” she assured Julia. “It’s just the terrible twos is all. And never forget your secret weapon when they get really, really naughty – tell them that they have to spend a week with Auntie Lauren. That usually puts the fear of God in them for awhile.”
Julia shook her head. “I’ve played that ace card one too many times recently, and they’re on to me now. Besides, they love coming to stay with you and Ben and the girls. Hey, I know - ”
“No.” Lauren glared at her sister. “We’ve been though this too many times before. You and I are not swapping kids. By some quirk of fate you wound up with your two little demons, while Ben and I have our little sweethearts. Did you ever think that maybe instead of taking after you and I, that our kids are more like their fathers? After all, Ben’s quiet and calm and easygoing, while Nathan was probably a little imp when he was a kid.”
“Not according to his mother,” replied Julia. “Alexis swears that he was an angel compared to Noah and Justin.”
Lauren gave her sister a sympathetic look. “Sorry to tell you, Jules, but a barrel of monkeys would be more angelic than your boys. And – uh, oh. Better go rescue Mom’s collectable Christmas ornaments. Noah Atwood, you’d better leave that alone if you know what’s good for you! Otherwise, Auntie Lauren is going to be very, very angry.”
Ben smiled as he watched his wife make a beeline for their naughty nephew, and hugged both of his daughters a little bit closer. “And we don’t want to make Mommy angry, do we?” he asked Daisy and Summer laughingly.
The twins shook their curly blonde heads slowly, both of them turning big blue eyes up to their father. He gave each of them a kiss in turn on their foreheads, breathing in the sweet baby scent that still clung to their skin even though they were now a little over two years old.
He and Lauren had been shocked to discover her pregnancy a few months after their first wedding anniversary, especially since they hadn’t planned to start a family for at least another year or two. And it had been the very height of irony that Lauren had become pregnant four months after Julia and Nathan had announced their happy news – since it was also the exact number of months between their wedding dates. But after Ben and Lauren had recovered a bit from the surprise, they had both been thrilled with the news, doubly so when it was discovered fairly early on that Lauren, too, was expecting twins.
Lauren, of course, had sailed through her pregnancy, rarely even suffering from morning sickness, while Julia had been miserable for months with nausea, swollen ankles, and fatigue. She still liked to joke that even in the womb her boys had done their best to wear her out. She had also gained a good fifteen pounds more than Lauren, and it had taken her several additional months to lose all of her baby weight. Lauren, on the other hand, had been able to wear her tightest jeans a mere two months after giving birth, which had earned her a very dark glare from her sister.
But when it had been confirmed that Lauren was having twins and their doctor had advised her to stop flying, Ben had set his foot down in earnest, one of the very, very few times he had ever attempted to do so. And, quite predictably, Lauren had argued until she was blue in the face, but in the end had grudgingly conceded to her husband’s edict.
“You are not going to keep flying all over the world in your condition,” he’d told her firmly. “Not only is the flying itself dangerous for pregnant women – especially when you’re carrying twins – but I’ll tell you right now, Lauren, that there is no possible way you’re going to attempt any crazy adventures when you’re carrying my babies. And since I have zero desire to travel anywhere without you, or leave you at home alone, both of us are going to turn in our resignations to the magazine.”
Lauren had sighed in resignation. “Fine. I can tell when you get in one of your pigheaded moods so might as well save my breath. But tell me, boss, how do you expect we’re going to pay the bills after we quit our jobs?”
Ben had smiled at her indulgently, the way he did when she was in a bad mood. Fortunately, since they’d been married, her bad moods were much fewer and further between, and she’d become far less terrorizing and confrontational. Love, it seemed, had been the key to taming the shrew.
“I’ve got some ideas,” he’d told her.
Ideas that had proven extremely successful, and ones that had allowed them to not just make a comfortable living but to incorporate their shared love of travel and adventure as well. Ben and Lauren now wrote a travel blog, one geared largely to family travel and adventure, as well as having published several guidebooks along the same topics. In addition, Ben had written two very successful novels thus far, and was halfway through penning the third. Lauren’s photos continued to be popular commodities at her mother’s gallery in Carmel, selling almost as quickly as they were hung on the walls. Lauren was also working at the gallery two to three days a week now, gradually starting to take over the business from Natalie, who was devoting more time to painting. And when Madelyn retired next spring, Natalie and Robert planned to accompany her and James on an extended vacation to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.
With Robert’s help and guidance, Ben had added on considerably to the cabin to accommodate their growing family. The cabin now boasted two additional bedrooms, another bathroom, and the loft had been expanded so that both he and Lauren could use it as an office space. A small, separate guest cottage had also been built on the property, as well as a playhouse for the girls.
They still traveled frequently, though now their trips were more budget-friendly and geared towards family activities and adventures. Daisy and Summer – who’d been named respectively for Lauren’s favorite flower and the season of the year she and Ben had first met – were already seasoned little travelers, and had accompanied their parents on trips to nearly a dozen different states. They were both strong little swimmers and loved to hike and explore, and as soon as they were old enough Lauren and Ben planned to teach them to surf and ski, as well as enroll them in martial arts classes.
They made it out to New York a couple of times a year to see Maddy and James, and always made time while in town to have dinner or drinks with Chris and George, as well as the entire Di Nardo family. Karl and Tamsyn remained in close touch as well, and had spent a week staying in their guest cottage this past summer with their two children.
Lauren and Ben had agreed to hold off on having another baby until the twins were ready to start kindergarten, when their traveling would have to be limited to summers and school breaks. Lauren very much wanted to give Ben a son, though he insisted that his girls were all he could ever want or need – all three of them.
At Lauren’s prodding, Ben now kept in regular contact with his father as well as some of his half-siblings. Callan, in fact, was coming down to spend New Year’s Day with them, and since he lived full time now in California they saw him at least every other month. Ben and Lauren had brought the girls back to Ohio a couple of times to visit their grandparents, though Ben’s mother still continued to be distant and largely uncommunicative. But Lauren knew that Ben wasn’t bothered by his mother’s coldness, especially since Natalie had treated him like her own son since the time he’d announced his intention to marry her daughter. Ben had, in fact, finally found the close knit family he had never really known as a boy, and vowed that his own children would always know every single day of their lives how much they were loved.
Lauren walked over to where Julia sat, a decidedly rumpled looking nephew in each hand. She looked at Noah and Justin expectantly, and for the first time that evening both of the boys looked subdued.
“Now, what did you want to tell your mother?” she asked both of them in a voice that no one would ever dare disobey.
One by one the twins climbed up next to their mother on the sofa, snuggling up against her. With their dark hair and adorable features, they both looked exactly like their father, except that they had Julia’s green eyes instead of Nathan’s blue ones.
“We’re sorry we were bad, Mommy,” Noah told her with a disarming smile.
Justin rested his head against Julia’s stomach as he gave her a ferocious little hug. “We love you, Mommy,” he murmured in his most precious little boy voice.
Predictably, Julia’s eyes grew misty as each of her twin terrors gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek and she cuddled both of them to her fiercely. “I love you, too, my babies,” she whispered. “Even when you drive me to the brink of insanity.”
Lauren gave her sister a knowing wink. “Well, they’ve sure learned how to butter Mommy up, haven’t they? And I’m betting that Daddy has been teaching them the fine art of bullshitting ever since they learned how to talk.”
“Not at all,” retorted Nathan as he refilled Lauren’s and then Ben’s champagne flute. “Because it was pretty much second nature to them already. I haven’t had to teach them a thing.”
Julia eyed the bottle of champagne longingly. “I think that’s why they’ve been more difficult than usual to deal with – I’ve had to give up alcohol. Nathan, can’t I have one tiny sip? Please?”
But it was Lauren who shook her head firmly. “Nope. No way, baby sis. If I had to give up booze for my entire pregnancy, then you can, too. And believe me, it was way harder for me than it ever was for you.”
Ben nodded in agreement. “And as hormonal as someone got during that time, believe me, I was constantly tempted to let her have a shot of tequila or a beer to calm her down. Especially since she refused to give up caffeine.”
Lauren’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Hey, I got the bit about how alcohol is bad for fetuses and resisted the temptation. But as much as I adore my girls, nothing gets between me and my morning coffee.”
Natalie gave the call to dinner just a few minutes later, and the entire family – including Malcolm and his partner Talia - gathered around the festively set table where they had already enjoyed so many wonderful meals together over the past few years. Robert and Natalie were thrilled to see not only both of their daughters happily married and with children of their own, but that Maddy and James had been reunited after so many sad and lonely years apart.
Robert’s toast reflected those very same emotions. “A very merry Christmas to everyone here,” he began. “Natalie and I have always felt that family is the most precious gift any of us can ever hope to receive, and she and I have been very blessed to have such wonderful children, grandchildren, siblings, and in-laws. God bless all of you, and may Santa Claus bring everyone exactly what they asked for. Even if two of us at this table have been more than a little naughty this year.”
Noah and Justin exchanged a worried look, until their father chuckled and ruffled their dark hair. “Relax, boys,” Nathan assured them. “Santa just heard you tell Mommy that you were sorry, so he’ll be sure to bring what you asked him for.”
“He will,” added Lauren in a stern voice, “so long as both of you eat all the nice things Grandma worked so hard to make for all of us tonight. And you have to be on your best behavior for the rest of the night. Promise?”
The boys nodded enthusiastically, and began to tuck into the soup that Natalie was serving as a first course. Nathan exchanged a knowing look with Ben and chuckled.
“I think we ought to ship the boys to you for a month or so,” he joked. “Lauren will whip them into shape in no time. In fact, you can start a new business – call it Baby Boot Camp.”
Ben grinned at his wife and brought her hand to his lips. “Well, her methods certainly worked with me. I knew the minute we met that she didn’t mess around, and that if I didn’t go along with whatever she said there would be consequences.”
“Nah, that’s not the reason why,” said Lauren in dismissal. She leaned over and whispered in Ben’s ear wickedly, “You were just afraid you wouldn’t get laid if you disagreed with me. What you didn’t know was that I would have done you no matter what.”
He sighed dramatically. “Now she tells me!”
***
It was several hours later when Ben pulled into the driveway of the cabin, which Lauren had jokingly told him was now way too large to merit that term. It was an official house now, she’d insisted, while he had gently replied that no matter the size, shape, or classification, it would always simply be home.
He and Lauren each carried a sleeping twin inside, and while she tucked them both up into their beds he went back outside to cart in all of the new toys and other gifts the girls had received earlier that night. As usual, the cabin – correction, house – was in a bit of chaos, though Lauren had made more of an effort since the twins’ arrival to keep things neat. And since they were hosting Christmas dinner tomorrow, the place was about as tidy as he’d ever seen it.
He plugged in the tree lights, gazing fondly at the variety of ornaments he and Lauren had collected during their travels over the years. But his favorites would always be the photo ornaments that Lauren had made, including ones that commemorated their wedding, the twins’ baby pictures, and one of the four of them taken during a trip to the Grand Canyon in late October that they had included with this year’s holiday card.
His gaze moved away from the gaily bedecked Christmas tree to the wall where they had made a huge photo collage – pictures from their trips, wedding, outings with the girls, and some just because. One of the very first photos they had hung here had been the black and white profile shot Lauren had taken of him all those years ago, and that Robert had returned to her as part of their wedding gift. Lauren had rather sheepishly confessed that she’d sold a dozen others in the series, and had half-seriously offered to split the royalties with him.
But Ben had just laughed at the thought, and told her instead, “I can think of other ways besides money that you can make it up to me.” And she had proceeded to do just that – for the next several months, in fact.
“Whatcha looking at, Blue Eyes?” she drawled lazily, her arms sliding about him from behind as she rested her cheek against his back.
He smiled as he placed his hands over hers, giving them a squeeze. “At the Loner photo. Some of your best work, sweetheart.”
She snuggled up against his side then, her arms wrapped around his waist. “I always thought so. At least until Daisy and Summer came along, that is. Our girls are absolutely the finest thing either of us have ever produced.”
Ben kissed the top of her head affectionately. “I agree wholeheartedly. And my three girls are easily my most cherished treasures.”
“Even more than the Ducati?” she teased. She had gladly handed him the keys to the powerful motorcycle when he’d moved in here with her four years ago. Technically they shared the bike but Ben used it a great deal more than she did these days.
“Not even close,” he assured her. “I love you, Lauren, and I will love and protect and adore you and our girls for the rest of my life. I never thought I’d have all of this, you know – a wife, kids, the greatest house in the entire world. A family. Your dad was right when he made that toast tonight – family is unquestionably the most precious gift any of us can ever hope to receive. And I’ve been blessed to receive the greatest gifts of all. No man could ever possibly want more than what I already have.”
“Really” she asked mischievously. “Because, you know, I was sort of thinking about building a fire, pouring us each a glass of wine, and giving you part of your Christmas gift a little early.”
Ben arched a very interested brow. “Go on. I’m listening.”
“Hang on a sec.” Lauren ducked into the kitchen and emerged a couple of minutes later with two glasses and a bottle of zinfandel she’d just opened. She poured them each some wine, and raised her glass in a toast. “Merry Christmas, Blue Eyes. They just keep getting better and better, don’t they?”
“And they always will,” he assured her, clinking his glass against hers before taking a sip. “Guess I’d better fulfill my end of the deal and start a fire.”
“Wait.” She placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. “Never mind. No time. Plus, I’ve got a feeling once you see your, ah, gift, it will get plenty hot in here.”
He laughed. “Well, now I’m really intrigued. What did you get me exactly? A heated blanket? A tin of cocoa? A – holy crap.”
Ben stared in slack jawed fascination as Lauren swiftly stripped off her sweater, leggings, and boots until she was standing in front of him wearing the scantiest of red lace bras and thongs. Her figure was as firm and toned as ever, though he privately thought it was even sexier than it had been before her pregnancy. Her curves had a bit more softness to them now, and the thought that they had become that way as a result of having his children only made him desire her more.
She twined her arms around his neck, standing up on tiptoe to nip his earlobe. “Now, I know you told me you couldn’t possibly want more than what you already have but I – ”
“I changed my mind,” he interrupted, swiftly yanking one lacy bra cup down to bare a round, lush breast. “In fact, I think I’d like an even dozen of this particular gift.” He bent his head to draw her nipple into his mouth.
Lauren gasped as he impatiently unhooked the bra, letting it fall carelessly to the floor as he cupped both breasts in his big hands. “I, ah, thought you might like it,” she panted, her hands tunneling beneath his sweater to caress the hot, bare skin of his chest before helping him to finish undressing.
Ben tumbled her onto the woven rug in front of the fireplace, his body looming over hers as he gazed down into her glittering green eyes. “I love it,” he whispered, his hand running down between her breasts to her belly and then lower. “In fact, best Christmas gift ever.”
“Mmm. I agree,” she breathed, as he slid his cock deep inside of her welcoming body. “You can give me a gift like this every day of my life.” She wrapped her legs around his hips as he picked up the tempo and depth of his movements.
“It’s a deal,” he rasped, sliding his hands beneath her buttocks as he lifted her up to meet his thrusts, capturing her lips with his to stifle her moans of pleasure when they became a little too loud. They had woken the girls from a sound sleep more than once with the noise of their amorous activities.
They laid together on the rug for several minutes afterwards, until he felt Lauren shiver in his arms. He stood and picked her up without a word, carrying her to their bed – the bed Lauren rarely bothered to actually make up – and snuggled beneath the covers. She gave a deep yawn, burrowing her head against his shoulder as she so often did, and pressed a kiss to his chest.
“Merry Christmas, baby,” she whispered. “I love you, Ben. I love our girls, love the life we have here together. Having all of you has been the most fantastic adventure of my life.”
“I love you, too, Lauren,” he murmured in return. “Though I’d use another word to describe the life we’ve made together – sensational.”
The End