Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 29962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29962 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
“I thought he needed a family,” I explain. “So, he’s not alone anymore.”
“It’s perfect,” he whispers then frowns, pushing against the fox’s stomach, the one that represents me. “She has a pouch.”
“Open it.”
He pulls out another tiny fox, frowning. “You already made one for Emma.”
“I did,” I agree, barely able to hold back the grin that’s lighting up my face. I can’t believe we got so lucky again so soon. I expected that it would take another year of trying before we’d be able to give Emma a sibling.
He must guess from my expression. He beams at me. His chest puffs out. There’s no man prouder than a mountain man who has just impregnated his wife. “Again?”
I put his big hand on my stomach, knowing that I’m going to have a day of endless orgasms now that he’s found out. “Again.”
“I can’t believe…this is amazing. We’re getting a second baby so quickly,” he says, his voice filled with wonder.
“Another little miracle,” I agree. Our kids will be very close in age, but I don’t mind. After spending so long alone, Jasper and I both want a big family. We know that’s going to come with a lot of chaos and noise but also a lot of love and happiness.
“Ma told me once that miracles happen every day,” he says. “At the time, I didn’t understand what she was saying, but now I do. Because I keep getting them. Every day I open my eyes, and you’re lying beside me. That’s miracle one.”
There’s a lump in my throat. I feel the same way every time I see Jasper. He’s my miracle, the soulmate I didn’t know I needed until one winter night, we were falling in love. “And Emma is miracle number two.”
“Now, we have miracle three,” he whispers.
I sigh in contentment. Our family is a perfect miracle, one that I’ll treasure and adore for the rest of time.
Epilogue Two
Thea
* * *
“Higher, higher, stop!” Emma, our ten-year-old daughter, says to Jasper, who is holding the bow high on the Valentine’s Day tree.
He attaches it to the branch where she told him and steps back to admire it. “Perfect idea,” he praises her, and she beams. They’re two peas in the same pod, both of them artists who sketch everything around them.
Henry, our nine-year old, looks up from his fantasy story. He’s our bookworm who’s always learning. “Dad, if I promise only to fight for the good of the kingdom, then could I have a sword?”
“Still no, buddy,” Jasper answers and gestures him over to the tree. “Are you going to help with this?”
“What if bad guys invade one day, and I’m the only one left that knows how to wield a sword?” He set his book down and grabs a decoration to add to the tree. Over the years, our collection of ornaments, ribbons, and décor for the tree has grown considerably. Now, Valentine’s Day is almost as important as Christmas for my kids. They get another round of gifts, courtesy of Jasper who spoils his entire brood.
We’re decorating a different tree today. The one Jasper and I originally used grew too large for us to bring inside. The final time he planted it, we carved our initials into the trunk. It’s our special tree now. Sometimes, we take a walk through the forest and have a picnic underneath the branches, just the two of us.
“You don’t have to worry about a kingdom invasion,” I answer Henry, used to his hypothetical situations. He’s always reading then acting out what he’s reading. I’m really glad he’s out of his evil villain phase. “Your dad and I will always be here to protect you.”
“Me! I want a sword if Henry has one, me too!” Edward, our seven-year-old, agrees. He’s the one I have to watch around Jasper. I swear, this little boy could talk his father into anything. He has a way of presenting an idea and making it seem like something you came up with yourself.
My young son opens his mouth to argue with me, and I point to the ribbon. “Hand me that one. We’re going to make a big bow for the tree this year, OK?”
I glance behind the couch to find that Sally, our five-year-old, and Arthur, our three-year-old, are still happily coloring together. Our oldest three are always coming up with new ideas and adventures. But our two youngest prefer to happily watch their shenanigans from a distance. At least, for now. I’m sure that will change soon.
A small snuffling sound catches my attention from the baby monitor. Jasper and I exchange a look as I tell him, “I got her.”
I head down the hallway, passing the other rooms. We have so many additions built onto the cabin. Jasper keeps saying he’s going to add more bedrooms, and I know exactly what that means. He wants more babies. We both do.