Epilogue:

"No way!" Victoria shouted, running circles around her brand new Christmas gift. We were all outside, on the driveway of our new house—a new start for new memories, we had explained to the girls.

Irina was sitting on a chair she'd dragged from inside, looking on with practiced boredom, since

showing too much emotion wasn't cool enough for her and her pre-teen ways. Though, thankfully, went it was just the two off us, she easily let her guard slip.

"A new car? Seriously?" Victoria looked back at me for the fifth time.

"Yes." I laughed, at her infectious happiness.

"Only if you keep your grades up," Edward added as I heard the door shut behind me.

Two seconds later, whining to my right caught my attention, and I simultaneously smiled and huffed as chubby hands opened and closed reaching out to me.

"Come on, dude."

"Man, he's fussy today." Edward frowned.

Aro was our newest addition. Our 'happy surprise' we called him because according to my mother it was blasphemy to call any child an accident. At two-years-old he looked more like Edward than any of our other kids, and was the son Edward always wanted but never admitted to. He loved having the "Daddy's Girls" but I assumed most guys wanted that son who carries on their legacy and all that.

Too bad Aro was a complete momma's boy.

"Don't you want to play catch with me?" Edward tried bribing him with one of his new footballs.

"No!" Aro answered with force, clenching onto my neck. "Mommy."

I chuckled at Edward's exaggerated disappointment. It's not like Aro never wanted him. He was still the fun Dad. So Aro mostly clung to me for things like food and when he needed his ass wiped.

"Wanna go see sissy's new car?" He tried another bribe. Aro still wanted nothing to do with. "Okay fine. I get it." Edward chuckled, hopping on his Christmas gift. "I bet my wheels are faster than yours," he teased Victoria.

She rolled her eyes, fighting a smile. "Oh, because a riding lawnmower is so much cooler than my new car. Whatever you say, Dad."

Edward coughed in his hand, smirking my way. His other—now broken—mower was more than likely where Aro had been conceived as I'd conveniently made sure our new place had an obnoxiously large yard he was forced to mow weekly. And you know … so the kids would have space to play.

Anyway.

We were back together but not remarried, even though he's proposed and I've said yes.

Our real reconciliation didn't happen the four Christmases ago when he caved into spending it with me and the girls, but things changed soon after. The progression had been so smooth it was still unclear who initiated it more. Though I say it was me... Thanks to the letter and my raging hormones.

Still, we weren't taking any chances now—older and wiser and all that jazz—so once a week, we cuddled up on a couch pouring our hearts out to each other and the psychiatrist we paid to deal with us. And every other week we saw her on our own, making sure the mistakes of ode' weren't repeated.

Hoisting Aro higher on my hip as he buried his head on my shoulder, I smiled as Irina finally put her phone down to go sit in her sister's car. I chanced a glance at Edward who winked at me before diving into the back seat, making a lame dad joke about calling shotgun.

Things weren't perfect, but they were great, and though the girls stopped writing Santa, I knew they'd both gotten their wish.

I know I had.

That's all she wrote folks! Thank you so so much for rocking with me for yet ANOTHER fic; almost five years to the day that I posted my first :-o It's insane how fast time flies.

Thank you for the recs and features, reviews and shares!

Until Next Time

~Lo :-)

(Facebook: Lory Wendy)