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EPILOGUE
Three years later
Summer
THESQUEALSOFexcitement from the living room echo through the castle as Edward and I approach, our hands entwined.
‘I think they’ve seen the presents,’ I say, and he laughs.
‘You reckon?’
Up ahead, Rufus comes tearing out of the room, a golden-haired toddler stumbling on his tail.
‘Has he been?’ I ask Lucy, whose eyes are like fishbowls, her curls bobbing around her head as she nods, her chubby hand pointing back towards the room.
‘Santa!’
Her eight-year-old brother Liam skids up behind her, dragging along his six-year-old sister Lila. ‘Summer! Edward! He’s been! He’s been!’
Lucy gives a piercing squeal and I wince up at Edward. ‘Do you think that woke your parents?’
‘With my father’s snoring and my mother’s earplugs, I wouldn’t think so. This moment is all ours...until the sun comes up, at least.’
‘Lucky us!’
My grin is so wide, my heart so full at the obvious joy in the children and the knowledge that this is to be our first proper Christmas with Edward’s parents too.
The last few years have seen many a turnabout, especially where his mother is concerned. Her counselling sessions, and our family therapy sessions too, have helped to bring us closer together.
We’re not the perfect family, not by far, but then I’m not sure such a thing exists...
We have our love, and that’s what matters.
Especially today of all days.
‘Well, we’d best go and take a look.’
Edward’s palm is soft on my back as he encourages me forward. His brown eyes glisten in the fairy lights we’ve strung around the entrance hall, in amongst the holly and the ivy that I crafted with Carina, Marie, and our eldest foster child Lara.
‘But where’s—?’
And then I see her—Lara. She’s hovering in the corner of the living room, her arms folded, her eyes wary as she takes in the tree with its array of presents beneath. She’s the big sister, twelve going on twenty, and my heart aches for her.
Her smile is small when she sees us enter, her gaze on her siblings as they race for the tree, their excited chatter filling the air. It’s our first Christmas as foster parents. Our first opportunity to give them the kind of Christmas I never thought possible when I was their age.
Edward squeezes my hand, and I give him a little smile before stepping away from him to go to her. We’ve come a long way since they joined us at Easter, and we’ve spent the build-up to Christmas feasting on all the traditions possible. Crafting, baking, carol singing, ice skating, a trip to see Santa... We didn’t want to overwhelm them, but neither did we want Christmas to pass them by.
‘Merry Christmas, Lara.’
I give her a tentative smile, pause a step away, and she lifts her gaze to mine. It’s the tears I spy that steal my breath, and then her arms are wrapped around my waist, her head is on my chest.
‘Merry Christmas, Summer.’
I hug her to me, kiss her hair, and try not to choke on the overwhelming rush of emotion inside.
I blink back the tears and spy Edward looking on, his smile full of love and happiness. He has Lucy in his arms, an excited Liam at his feet, and Lila is laughing as she rolls about with a barking Rufus on the floor.
It’s noisy, it’s perfect, and it’s ours.
Thanks to Katherine.
Glenrobin—our family home.
