Epilogue
“Do I look okay?” Natalie asked, stepping out of her dressing room as her hands smoothed over the fabric of her red dress.
Javier turned around, their two year old daughter, Mina, in his arms as he surveyed her. “You look beautiful,” he replied and the heated way he said that told her that he wasn’t simply saying the words. “Relax.” He kissed her gently.
Natalie laughed as Mina did exactly the same, unconcerned when their beautiful daughter messed up her hair slightly. Reaching out, Natalie took Mina so he could finish knotting his tie. “What time is your father expected?”
Javier moved to the mirror as his fingers swiftly worked on the knot. “About twenty minutes.” He looked at her through the mirror. “You will not take any disrespect, correct?”
Alejandro burst into their bedroom, his excitement palpable. Even at six years old, he was extraordinarily tall. Ms. Hathaway had excelled at her job as well. Alejandro was working on complicated math problems and had even started investing with Javier’s guidance. It looked as if Alejandro would truly match his father in many ways. It seemed as if Mina would also follow in her father’s footsteps, already showing signs of her intelligence. Alejandro regularly gave his sister toys that he knew would challenge her, stepping in and helping her whenever she stumbled.
The doorbell rang and all four of them jumped. “He’s early,” Javier grumbled.
Natalie sighed. “He’s trying,” she asserted, smoothing a hand over his elegant tie.
Javier didn’t reply, simply took Alejandro’s hand and led his family downstairs. Their housekeeper had already opened the door and was leading Juan Pablo into the living room. When Natalie saw the older man, she gasped. The past three years had been…difficult for the man! His hair had gone completely white and the lines on his face had deepened dramatically. Natalie felt almost guilty for Javier’s stubborn stance, but she thought about all of the horrible letters she’d received that first year of marriage, letters in which he’d demanded that she end her ridiculous demands for him to treat her respectfully or that, if she was going to continue the “farce of a marriage” she should come back to Spain and take her rightful place as a Marquessa. Natalie interpreted that to mean he wanted her to do the lunch and dinner circuit, socialize with all of the “right” people, give up her job, and take on her title as her occupation.
At first, she’d shown the letters to Javier, but he’d become too angry on her behalf, so she’d simply hidden them. Eventually, the tone of the letters had changed, becoming more placating. Six months ago, he’d shown up at her school and apologized. She’d been so amazed by his apology that she’d brought him to her classroom and introduced him to her students as the Duque d’Astrana. That introduction seemed to have done a great deal to soothe the man’s feelings. Well, that and the awe her students showed at being introduced to a genuine aristocrat. They’d spent the rest of the class period asking him questions and Juan Pablo demanded that they speak in Spanish, pushing all of her students to put in more effort so they could ask their questions.
Surprisingly, Juan Pablo had been extraordinarily patient with their bumbling attempts at speaking the language. And in return, she’d invited him back. The next time, she’d gone to lunch with him, respectfully speaking only in Spanish. He asked her about her children, about Javier, letting her know that the man hadn’t seen or spoken with his son since their wedding.
The next time, she’d brought pictures of Mina and Alejandro. She’d fought tears up when his fingers shook as he lifted the pictures. Not a single a harsh or derogatory word was spoken during those meetings.
All of which had led to this moment. Alejandro and Mina were going to meet their grandfather for the first time.
Natalie was tense, worried that Juan Pablo would try to intimidate her children. He was so full of his own self-importance that he might…No, she couldn’t start thinking that way. The elderly man was trying.
As they entered the room, Juan Pablo turned, the epitome of an aristocrat. His shoulders were back, his body stiff, and his features showed no emotion. But as soon as he saw tiny, dark haired, beautiful Mina in Javier’s arms, his jaw went slack. Then his eyes moved lower, seeing Alejandro grinning up at him, the very image of himself at that age.
The man dropped to his knee, coming down to Alejandro’s level and Natalie knew that everything was going to be okay. She sighed with relief and leaned into Javier’s side, feeling his strength and reassurance. Yes, her world was good, she thought, with a burst of happiness that almost overwhelmed her.