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"I knew it!" Alicia exclaimed loudly, proud of her cousin. She turned to Leah, her eyes wide with curiosity. "I have to know everything!"
Edward waved them goodbye as he left the room, leaving the two girls alone.
* * *
To his surprise, just as he left Leah and Alicia in the parlor, the butler announced that Andrew had just arrived. Taking him up to his study, he wrapped his arm tenderly around his best friend's shoulder.
"You really have a habit of arriving in the perfect moment, old boy," Edward told him.
"I know," Andrew grinned. "Did I manage to hit it again this time?"
"You most certainly did," Edward nodded, closing the study door behind him and walking over to the cellarette. "We have another reason to celebrate." He proceeded to pour them both a drink, then brought it to Andrew, who was still standing in confusion. "Leah just told me that she might be with child."
Andrew's eyes widened in shock. Then he smiled.
"Why, that is fantastic news!" Andrew said.
"It is, isn't it?" Edward grinned a little nervously, raking his fingers through his hair.
"What is it?" Andrew quickly noticed his friend's apprehension.
"The baby," Edward mumbled. "What if I am not a good father to it?"
At first, Andrew didn't seem to have heard him right. Then, he burst into a chuckle. "You? Why, you shall be the best of fathers!"
"Do you really think so?" Edward appreciated the words more than he could ever describe.
"I am absolutely certain of it," Andrew urged. "When everyone turned their back on you, thinking you had something to do with your parents' death, I didn't. Do you know why?"
"Why?" Edward asked, almost breathless.
"Because you are a good man, Edward Price. A good, kind, loyal, decent man," Andrew continued. "I could not imagine you having anything to do with that fire, and of course, I was right. Just like I was convinced of your innocence back then, right now I am convinced of your capability to love that baby more than any other man ever would be able to."
Edward had never been so touched before. He never expressed his gratitude for his friend's loyalty. He only hoped that Andrew knew all that.
"These words mean more to me than you could ever possibly imagine," Edward said, his voice faltering.
"Never doubt who you are, Edward. Never," Andrew said. "I know I never did." He lifted his glass. "To your health and the health of that little babe, whether or not it is coming now or a bit later."
Edward smiled. Leah did say that she wasn't certain. But she didn't need to be. Hewas.He knew that there was a little babe growing inside of her the moment she mentioned it. He had a feeling, and his feelings were never wrong.
He lifted his glass and clinked it against Andrew's. Then, he downed his drink, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth in a satisfied manner. He could not stop smiling. He didn't want to stop smiling, ever again. There was so much to look forward to, so much to be happy about.
"I can hardly believe that this is my life now," Edward admitted. "When my parents died, I thought my life ended with them. I prayed so many times that another fire would take me as well. That night, it almost did. But Leah was here as well. I could not let any harm come to her. And little by little, we ended up here... together."
"Life has a funny way of surprising us when we least expect it," Andrew smiled mysteriously.
It truly did. Edward could not wait for that evening, to wrap his arms around his wife and tell her how much he adored her, that it was her who saved his life.
EPILOGUE
Leah was exhausted that evening. The events of the previous several days were still fresh in her mind, and although she was preoccupied with other things as well, she found herself unable to escape pondering on the what if's. The possibility of losing Edward was something she could not even consider, yet she knew that it could have happened. That horrible man wanted to murder them both, and he almost got away with everything.
She and Edward were truly fortunate. From this perspective, now that everything had been brought to a satisfactory end, she could not help but believe that they had some help from an unexpected place. She felt as if a higher force was by their side the entire time, guiding them through this perilous maze. She could not explain it any other way.
That night, she was lying in bed with her husband. It had become a place where she would retire to after every day, whether it was long or short, pleasant or tiring. It was the only place where she felt the safest, the most cherished and where she knew she could let her guard down completely and be herself.
She was exhausted, that much was true, but not so exhausted not to have felt her husband's manhood probe her from behind mischievously, as his hands traveled up and down her breasts. She loved the fact that they could not keep their hands to themselves. It was a physical proof of their love, and she welcomed it every time.
