Accidental Neighbor by Sharon Woods

Epilogue

Jennifer

Six months later

Driving to Rose’s doctor appointment as a family has been a regular pattern for the last few months.

Rose has been attending weekly sessions. The doctor requested individual meetings with each of us originally.

And then we started attending them as a family recently.

I still can’t quite believe Thomas is my family or that I am a part of his. But it has been the best few months of my life.

He still can't take his eyes off the road or hold my hand when driving, but it all made sense when I found out Victoria died in a car accident.

When he drives, he needs total concentration.

I still live with Olivia at her place; keeping my newfound independence was super important to me. I only stay with Thomas and the girls on the weekends. I still want time for us to grow as a couple, and I think living together too quickly would ruin that.

We need to continue the pace we are going; it's comfortable for all of us.

After fifteen minutes of driving, we arrive at the doctor's.

"Hi, Amber," I say. The receptionist beams.

"Hi, Jennifer. I'll check you in. Take a seat. We are on time today."

"Okay, thanks." Thomas and the girls are already playing with the toys in the waiting room.

We don't play for long when Rose gets called in.

"Hi, everyone. Come in." She ushers us into her office, which is huge—all cream walls with brown-stained trim. And her desk is a large chocolate-colored desk. There are toys at the back of the room, which the girls gravitate to as soon as we arrive.

"Hi, Doctor Davis," I greet as I step in. Thomas follows, greeting her too.

"Good morning, Doctor."

"Good morning. Take a seat here. I'll get the girls set up with their activity. I'll be right back."

We each drag out a chair and plop down into it.

A few minutes later the doctor takes a seat at her computer.

"Any concerns this week?"

"No." We shake our head in unison.

"Any improvements?"

I turn my head to look at Thomas before facing back to the doctor.

"Not that we noticed," Thomas answers.

"That's okay. She has made massive improvements so far. It's normal for some weeks to make no progress."

"I'll book you in for next week, but soon we will reduce them to every other week. I don't feel she needs to be here weekly now."

My mouth curves. That's wonderful news.

"I'll go work with the girls, then I'll bring them over before you go."

We nod and she wanders off. We watch them draw. After a good ten minutes, they all come over. The girls jump over to us with their pictures in their hands held out toward us.

"Well, both Rose and Lily have drawn a picture of the family."

Taking a look at the girls' pictures, I still. It's us but I'm holding a baby. What the?

I know I'm not pregnant.

"Are you two expecting?" the doctor questions.

"No, we definitely aren't," I answer quickly, worried Thomas is thinking that I am.

"Okay, just checking."

For the rest of the session, as she is asking questions, I zone out. I wonder where Lily got the idea. I never talk about children of my own—ever. I’m happy and fulfilled with the girls.

It's time to leave so I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts, and follow them out.

We get back in the car and I am still quiet. I just don't understand why the girls had me holding a baby. I'm still so confused.

"Are you okay, princess?" Thomas asks, rubbing my thigh before buckling himself in and starting the car.

"Yeah, I'm just thrown off by the picture."

I stare out the window as he reverses the car.

"Do you still think about your own baby?"

"No, I haven't thought about it until today, honestly."

I have been so busy with the work promotion and minding the girls, and I really hadn't thought about it.

"Listen, if it would make you happy, then I would have one with you."

I gasp loudly. "What? You're not serious."

He laughs. "Deadly. I'm not saying let's go home right now and make a baby, but maybe in a few years?"

"How do you make a baby, Daddy?" Lily asks. I forget how good she can hear our conversation right now.

I cringe. I'm not answering that question. "You're too young to understand, okay? When you're a bit older, I will talk to you about it, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy," she replies, happy with his answer.

Settling back into the chair, I watch the cars drive by, the new information Thomas just shared with me circling inside my head.

This is huge, but for now, I love being a mom to the girls. I have found my family. I feel whole.

If you would like a little bit more. I have an extended epilogue available. Either on my website or clickthe link below.

https://dl.bookfunnel.com/zvgmkqs3g1