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“But you’ll always have my back?”
“And you’ll have mine, Cal. I get that now.”
“And forever.”
“Yes, forever.”
Epilogue
Five years later
Iris
“Mommy!”
I smiled as Elizabeth ran into my study. Granted, I was tired from morning sickness even five months into my second pregnancy. Her little brother was a big kicker already too. Add that to the deadline I was on for my next poetry collection, and I should be stressed, but every time I saw my little girl my heart melted. I had all the time in the world. With her big blue eyes and fair complexion, she looked like a mini-clone of Cal. Besides, it had taken so much to get her here, including two blood transfusions after I’d given birth and almost a week after that where no one had thought I’d make it.
Elizabeth Bennet O’Brien was a miracle, and not a day went by that I forgot it.
“Well, sweetie,” I said. “What are you doing up here?”
My four-year-old rolled her eyes. She was oddly practiced at that for such a young girl. Maybe it was the one skill I wished she hadn’t. “Duh, it’s time for Symone to come and take me to her house. I wanted you to tell me which jammies you liked better.”
“And didn’t Daddy tell you I was busy?”
Elizabeth giggled, a laugh so pure and happy, such a blessing that it was infectious. “He did, but I need to know. Symone has lots of things to do, and I wanna look like a princess.”
Callum strode into the room, owning it with every bit of swagger he’d ever held. He was king of our world, and I was happy to be his queen. To be honest, Elizabeth wasn’t even wrong about being a princess. She certainly enjoyed more wealth than most, but she also had two parents who couldn’t love her more.
Cal looked down at Elizabeth in her bright pink footie pajamas. They had a big silver crown with extra glitter at the chest level. “I already told you that you look like a princess.”
“But you’re a boy! Boys don’t know anything about princesses.”
“I know that you’re the best princess in the world, honey bunny,” Cal said, pressing Elizabeth’s nose. “Boop!”
She giggled again and rubbed at her nose. “Daddy. I don’t like that.
”
Cal did it again. “But you laughed.”
Elizabeth shrieked and leapt into her father’s open arms. Gladly, he picked her up and spun her around. I had to smile at all of it. Was it only five years ago that I’d thought this could never be? That I’d be trapped in a boring life with a business I wasn’t ready to run and a career I hated? That I hadn’t thought I’d ever find a man to love me or that I loved so much in return. That felt like a hundred years ago, easily.
Like a whole other life.
A far worse one.
“Maybe your daddy will stop spinning you before you have an upset tummy, unless your daddy wants to also wear it too.”
“Does it come with glitter?” he asked, winking at me.
“I could try!” Elizabeth said as he set her down.
We both chimed in automatically. “Elizabeth, don’t eat glitter!”
“Wow, the weird things parents have to say,” I muttered. “I’m pretty sure Grammy and Ganpy only told me that I had to stay away from Elmer’s Glue and paste.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Mommy, you’re so silly.”
