Wilde by Abby Brooks
Epilogue
Marie
The presents sit neatly wrapped under the tree at home. Breakfast is still on the stove, half-finished. We had to leave in such a hurry, I just took everything off the heat and promised I’d take care of it after. The eggs are probably congealing into quite the mess in the pan, with biscuits half-cooked and hardening into rocks beside them. Normally I’d be a wreck at the thought of so much food going to waste—not to mention leaving the kitchen in a state like it is—and I’d be pacing like a crazy woman.
Today?
I’m still pacing, but for an entirely different reason. We’re welcoming another Wilde to the world. A Wilde who must take after her father because she decided to arrive right in the middle of Christmas morning.
“Come on, Mom. Have a seat.” Gabriel—I don’t know why he insists on being called Gabe—pats a chair beside him. “These things could take hours, you know.”
“Oh, I know. But I’ll do better if I move. You know that.”
My clan has filled the waiting room and it warms my heart to see them all here in support of Leonard. There was a time, not long ago, that I’d have been the only one here for him. But now?
I put a hand to my heart and smile, just like I’ve been doing for the last several months.
Now my family is whole. Leonard is part of us again, and his darling fiancé is everything he needed, sweet enough to soothe him but strong enough to put him back on track when he flies off the handle. I’ve been blessed with some wonderful daughter’s-in-law over the years and Amy just about takes the cake. She brought the missing piece of our family back together.
“Go figure, Leo would ruin Christmas.” Henry grins. Why he’d choose to go by Hank when Henry is a perfectly lovely name baffles me. All of my boys insist on nicknames. and I’ve spent most of my adult life believing they did it to vex me.
“Now shush.” I wave a hand through the air. “Nothing’s ruined and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the day than to welcome another child into the family.”
“I’m just not sure why we all have to be here.” Henry sighs. “These things take hours.”
“Because it’s Christmas and I want you here.” I smile at my son. “I—”
His attention shifts over my shoulder, and I spin to find Leonard standing in the doorway. His grin is bigger than it’s been in years. The demons that always haunted his face are gone and for the first time in so long, my youngest son looks joyful. Tears spring to my eyes to see him like this. It’s more than I ever could have hoped for, and I press a hand to my heart because it feels like it might burst.
“You guys didn’t have to wait.” Leonard slides his hands into his back pockets. “This could have taken all day.”
Henry rolls his eyes. “That’s what I said.”
“Actually, we did have to wait. Ma—”
I rush forward and grip Leonard’s arms before Gabriel can ruin the moment. “We wanted to be here.”
“Amy was a pro.” He looks so proud, my grin triples in size. “Baby came so fast, even the doc couldn’t believe it.”
“She’s here?” Butterflies flit through my stomach. “Already?”
Leonard nods. “I thought you’d like to come welcome little Hailey Joan Wilde to the world.”
Hailey Joan.
I’d put up a fight about the middle name at first. Who names their daughters Joan in this day and age? My argument prompted a series of objections from my sons so violent I didn’t know what to do. Apparently, I’d chosen names so outdated and ridiculous for them that I had no right to complain about Joan—especially once Leonard explained it’s meaning.
Joan is the female form of John. My son named his daughter to honor his father—and apparently to continue a Wilde tradition I didn’t know I’d started. Outdated names.
“Why don’t we let Mom and Mr. Sinclair go first,” Chet says. “So we don’t overwhelm Amy and the baby. There are a lot of us to cram in all at once.”
When we get to the room, Amy’s cradling a bundle wrapped in pink, smiling so big I can feel it halfway down the fall. Leonard stands next to her, leaning down to beam at his daughter. If I’m honest, I’d always assumed my youngest son would self-destruct. That if a baby came into his life, it would be a mistake. That he’d handle it the way he’s always handled everything…by getting mad and running away.
But to see him now, bending down to scoop his daughter into his arms, so gentle, so loving…
My throat thickens as I reach for little Hailey. “Hello there, little one. Welcome to the family.”
Leonard leans in close. “She’s so beautiful, Ma.” The smile in his voice brightens mine.
“She really is, son.”
I study the little bundle with the face of an angel, losing myself in her sweet cheeks and tiny lips. Tears spring to life and I blink them away. “Isn’t this just the best Christmas present ever?” I bounce the baby in my arms.
She’s perfect, isn’t she John?I raise my face to the ceiling. I only wish you were here to see this.
In that instant, my breath catches in my throat because I feel him. My John.
His presence surrounds me, as if he’s leaning over my shoulder to stare into the face of his granddaughter. Peace and happiness swell through me as I bounce the newest Wilde.
A soft knock on the door precipitates the rest of my clan filing into the room. Amongst the coos and conversation, I let out a long breath, content to have all of us together after so many years of the family being tugged apart.
All is right now. The words aren’t mine. They fill my head and heart and I swipe at my eyes.
I know, John. I know.
And it’s true. All is right with our little world and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the Wildes will finish our lives, living happily-ever-after.
Together.
* * *
I hope you loved Leo and Amy as much as Will and I do!
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Once you’ve enjoyed that little peek into their future, come back here and turn the page for a glimpse at Finding Bliss, The Moore Family book 1.