Epilogue
Dr. Hazel Greenwood-Cartwright perched over her desk, brow furrowed as she typed rapidly. Her newest book was nearly complete, but she was ever the perfectionist, and once the manuscript had all of its chapters, she would likely spend several weeks editing, expanding, and breaking down concepts that she had written about with prose that was too dense. For the latter effort, she could always trust her husband. He didn’t like to write himself and hadn’t published as a single author in years, which had worked out well for him—since each of their books together had made the bestseller list. Regardless, he was always a good sounding board, and Hazel respected his perspective.
It slowly dawned on her that small eyes were watching her with rapt fascination. Hawk was supposed to be watching at least two of the quads, but apparently, some of them had escaped. She turned toward the two girls in the doorway and smiled.
“Hi, sweeties.” Hazel got up and went over to the girls. Emma and Jade remained by the doorway—since it was a firm rule that they weren’t to go into either of their parents’ studies. As a means of meeting the children halfway, Hazel tried to make sure that they never got ignored while she was working, either writing, researching, or heading up the philanthropic division of Cartwright & Benson.
“Uncle Hawk said we couldn’t come with you and Daddy tonight,” Emma complained. “It’s not fair.”
Jade nodded energetically. It was funny how the two of them seemed to get along better than with their other siblings. Emma (and her absent twin, Diana) had ginger hair like Hazel, but Jade had brown hair like her father, as did their brother, Jack. They were all wickedly smart, and Hazel was grateful that she had so much help with them.
“I don’t know about that. I think it would be unfair to you to make you come.” Hazel shrugged and offered her hands for them to take as they walked down the hallway together. “It’s going to be pretty boring, honestly. Old people talking for a long time. And then I have to get up and talk for a long time. Plus, you’ve already heard what I have to say because I’ve been reading it to Daddy over and over.”
“Oh,” Emma muttered.
“But you guys get to stay here and order pizza. I think that’s pretty fun, right?” Hazel watched their faces light up. Jack was allergic to eggs but, thankfully, none of them had problems with dairy. It was one thing for Hazel to go back on her vegan diet after the quads had been born, but it would’ve been so difficult to feed them if they had as many food allergies as she did.
They reached the living room, where Hawk was rolling around like an idiot on the floor. Apparently, Jack had “killed” him somehow. Hazel raised a brow and let the girls run into the fray. She could leave her book until the morning. It would be more fun to watch them all until it was time to get ready for the ceremony. Truthfully, she would have liked to have them there, but four energetic seven-year-olds trying to sit at a fancy dinner was a recipe for disaster. Eating in a restaurant together when Ian hadn’t bought the dining room out for the night might not be something they were up to for a year or so.
Their house was too large to hear the front door open, but Hazel recognized the sound of Ian’s shoes as he came down the hallway. As did the quads, who all rushed him at once. Hazel came out (slowly) to grab one flailing girl off of him. It was so hard when they outnumbered the adults in the house. However, it had always been that way, and they loved their little monsters.
Ian held a squirming Jack to his side as he leaned in to give Hazel a kiss. “You need to go get ready.”
“So do you,” Hazel pointed out.
Hawk came in. “I can handle it.”
“Not all of them at once,” Hazel said. “Adrienne will be here in a few minutes, and she’ll be able to help you for most of the night.” She crossed her arms. “Why don’t I start getting ready, Ian, and then you can take a turn when I’m ready, or when Adrienne shows up, whichever comes first.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Ian had already kicked off his shoes, and with Jack in his arms, made a running slide down the hallway, to the sounds of squeals and giggles.
“I’m not cleaning up any blood tonight!” Hazel yelled behind her.
Nearly two hours later, the kids were all settled in the video room with their sitter and uncle, and Ian and Hazel were out the door wearing a tux and an evening gown respectively. Hazel shifted her hips, feeling a bit odd to be wearing something so slinky and not at all momish, but that was her life, shifting between roles constantly.
“Don’t be nervous,” Ian said as he opened the car door for her.
“What’s to be nervous about?” Hazel rolled her eyes. “Big speech in front of big-name donors? Receiving an award for human rights work that’s never been given to someone under thirty before?”
Ian slid into the seat beside her and took her hand. “Head up, back straight, mouths smirked. We do this together.”
“Here we go,” Hazel said. She gave him a kiss and rested her head on his shoulder. “Partners.”
THE END
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