Epilogue

BPOV

Eight years later…

"Mommmmmmyyyyyyyy!"

I rise out of bed, knowing my daughter won't stop crying until she sees me come through her bedroom door.

"I'm here, baby," I shush her lovingly, reaching her bed and sitting on the edge, playing with her hair to calm her down.

"Mommy, I had a bad dream," Aubrey whimpers.

"Bad dreams aren't real, baby. They can't hurt you."

"I know, but it was so scary."

"Want to tell Mommy about it?" I ask.

"It was about Daddy. He was gone. He wasn't coming home from Calforna."

I sigh, knowing how she feels. I miss him, too.

"Daddy's gonna be all right, Aubrey. He'll be home soon. I promise. He will be home. He loves you too much to stay away."

Edward had gone on a business trip to California. His glass blowing business had skyrocketed over the last eight years, and now he was planning on opening other galleries around the country, limiting what would be sold in the galleries with the exception of the original store based here in St. Pete Beach. And because there'd be limited quantities, it would mean higher demand and higher prices to buy the pieces. So far there are only two stores—the one in our hometown-slash-current place of residence, and the one in New York—but Edward is in meetings discussing the opening of one in San Francisco.

I miss him. He's been gone a week now and he's supposed to return home tomorrow, so I miss him even more because I know it won't be long until we're in each other's arms.

"Promise?"

"Promise." I lean down and kiss her forehead. "Go back to sleep, baby. Good dreams will come to you now."

Aubrey nods and I watch her drift off before retreating from her room. I head across the hall from her room to her twin brother's room. Finding out we were having Aubrey and Logan was a surprise I didn't expect until Edward and I went in for an ultrasound. Apparently, twins run on my mom's side family. So I was knocked up with not one baby, but two.

Of course, this information frazzled Edward. I was having a multiple birth, so caring for two babies the first time was fucking scary, but having had a miscarriage years before, this was already a high-risk pregnancy for me. Edward was the epitome of the caring husband, but he became overbearing at times, especially once I got to my second trimester. When I started showing a lot, he was concerned about me working, traveling for work mostly. He was concerned about my eating habits and having sex with me. My God, at times I had to smack him to calm him down before he hyperventilated.

I understood he was scared for me because of what happened in the past, but I was taking care of myself. I watched what I ate and what I did, following the doctor's orders carefully. I opted to not travel when I hit the end of my second trimester because by that point I looked like a whale, and I got even bigger by the time I popped the buggers out. But I really had to smack him when he suggested we didn't have sex. I remember that conversation clearly.

"Ow!" he cries out after I smack his forehead. "What'd you do that for?"

"Because you're talking fucking crazy, Edward!" I yell. "I'm five months pregnant! I'm fucking horny! Denying me some fucking sex is a death wish for you!"

"But, baby, I'm worried that something's going to happen to you, to the babies."

"Nothing's going to happen. The doctor said sex during pregnancy is completely fine, at least for now because once I'm like seven months, I'm not gonna want to have sex, and if you don't want sex now, you're gonna want it later and I'm gonna have to turn you down because I will be huge and I'm going to feel uncomfortable no matter what position I'm in, and you, Edward, are going to have blue balls for the rest of the pregnancy, on top of the six-week embargo you'll be forced to endure after the babies are delivered. Not that sex is going to be wanted during those six weeks. You'll be praying for sleep."

"I guess you're right, Bella. I'm just … so scared. After the first one five years ago and then you losing it before it really had a chance to live … it just terrifies me that your body is going to reject not one, but two babies."

"The doctor said I'm completely healthy and so are the babies. It's going to be highly unlikely that the worst will happen. For me, I may get put on bed rest, but I think … no, I believe things are going to run smoothly from here on out."

"All right." Edward then smirks. "So … you want to roll around in bed for a bit?" He then wiggles his eyebrows.

I scoff. "You wish. I'm still horny, but I'm still miffed. No sex for you until I say so." I huff and walk out of the bedroom, leaving a sad Edward on the bed. I forgive him a couple hours later because he gives me one of the best fuckings we've shared together, including three orgasms. Being pregnant enhances them to the extreme and I have them more times in a round than I normally do.

Three and a half months after that argument, I popped out Logan and then Aubrey. They were five pounds-six ounces and five pounds-three ounces respectively and born right after their due date, which was surprising since I was carrying twins. Edward was ecstatic when they were born and a hot mess for weeks after. We rarely slept because while the twins were good and their needs for comfort, diaper changes, and food were normal, it was their sleep patterns that were like night and day, completely opposite of one another. And because they were different in that respect, it meant that when one was down, one was up. And when they both were asleep at the same time, soon it'd be one of them that'd have to wake up for a diaper change or feeding. But when one was satisfied and comforted, it wouldn't be long until the other one needed the exact same thing, and then eventually they were up for good and wouldn't go back to sleep, which meant Edward or I didn't get back to sleep.

It sucked not getting sleep and at times not getting some, but damn did I love being a mother. And Edward loved being a daddy. He and Logan are the best of buds, and he is wrapped around Aubrey's little finger. Aubrey and I have our mommy-daughter days with Alice and Emily and Rose and her daughters, as well as Logan and I having our relaxing days of movies and card games. Logan's a Momma's boy and Aubrey is a Daddy's girl, definitely, but we love them and they love us equally.

I won't say that Logan and Aubrey get along perfectly. They're seven, and they both like and dislike different things. Plus Logan likes to tease his sister, which causes screaming on her part. Aubrey likes to mess around with his stuff because besides being a girly girl and playing with her baby dolls, she enjoys playing with his toy cars and Legos just to annoy him, and it does, so I have to endure their arguments. But they love each other. They do a lot of things together and have that twin sense where they know what the other is thinking or feeling. It's quite fascinating.

As I enter Logan's room, I watch him silently sleep, no bad dreams plaguing him. He's always been a calm boy, and I know he likes to be the man of the house with his father away. If for any reason anything happened to Edward, which I pray never does, Logan will be ready to take Edward's place to care for Aubrey and me. He loves us and he's willing to do anything for us, even at seven years old.

Since I know he's sound asleep, I head back to Edward's and my bedroom. It's much bigger than the one we had in our first home. When we found out we were having twins, we knew our first home wasn't going to be big enough, so we went out to look for a new house. It is bigger in size, but the backyard is about the same size as the first one. It has an in-ground pool and plenty of space for Jake to run around in. He isn't young anymore, so he can't run around as much as he used to, but he still likes to play. If anything happens to him, we know we're going to remember him forever as we live in this home and we will surely get another husky. The kids love Jake, and I almost wish we would get another one now, but one dog is enough on top of having two kids.

The house also has five bedrooms. The kids each have their own, Edward and I have the master room with its own bathroom, and the other two are set as an office and a guestroom at the moment, but we hope to change that spare room into a nursery. Edward and I are trying for another baby, hopefully only having one, though having another set of twins would be a blessing. Bu three would be the perfect number.

I'm hoping that when Edward gets home from this trip and my parents take the kids for the weekend that we'll make an effort to have a marathon of sex because I missed him, and that's a week's worth of sex I've missed with him, and hopefully I'll become pregnant. We tossed out the condoms and I stopped taking my birth control, and now we're just waiting for my body to respond and for Edward to knock me up. The kids are older, so it's not like we're raising only babies at the same time, but I think we're ready to become parents to a newborn again. I hope the kids react wonderfully to the news when it happens.

I fall asleep and wait for the morning to come because then I know it won't be long before Edward returns.

~OoO~

Warm kisses wake me up. Lips run down from my ear to my cheek to my jaw and then my neck. My neck is suckled on for a little bit before I hear, "Wake up, baby."

My eyes open and I roll over. Edward is lying beside me, still in his clothes.

"Edward?"

"Yeah, baby. I'm home."

"You're home!" I squeal as I sit up and straddle him, kissing him all over his face but paying a lot of attention to his lips. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too, Bella. And the kids. Fuck, this week has been torturous. Not being able to fall asleep then wake up next to you, not being able to kiss or touch you, and not being able to make love to you. Shit, and the kids? I missed them so much! I couldn't wait to come home to just play with them and do nothing but just be with them."

"We missed you so much. Aubrey wasn't sleeping well because of it. She was scared you weren't coming home." I feel tears sting my eyes. God, it hurt to know she felt like that, and it hurts to see Edward's face when he hears me say his princess thought he wasn't coming home to her.

Edward sits up and wraps his arms around me. "I'd always come home. I'd always find a way. That's why I caught the red eye last night and flew back home instead of waiting for my scheduled flight this morning. I couldn't wait another moment. I just had to come home."

"I'm glad you did because you were missed."

"I love you, Bella. So damn much. I'm so glad you're mine, even after so long."

"Always, Edward. I'll always be yours and I'll always love you."

We kiss passionately, but then the sound of our bedroom door creaking open pulls us apart. Both Edward and I turn to see our babies in the doorway. And when they catch sight of their father, their faces light up and they smile. They shout, "Daddy!" as they come running into the room. I move off Edward so they can plow him down onto the bed, giving him hugs and kisses. It's good we didn't get any further than some kissing and that clothes were not shed. Always make sure to lock the door, I tell myself, but to be honest, I'm glad we didn't this time. The kids and Edward need this, need each other.

We eventually head downstairs and make breakfast together. I then leave the kids with Edward while I do some work in the office. My cosmetic line is still going strong and we have more products being sold, as well as more stores opening around the U.S., Canada, and Europe. The online store is really successful, too. I only fly up to New York once every season when we're due to debut a collection, and I don't leave my family behind. The kids don't miss school because I plan my trips up north when they're off, so vacations or weekends. They love New York, but only enough to visit it, never to actually live there. St. Pete Beach is their home, and at the moment they have no desire to leave.

After a few hours of sending emails and making phone calls and Skype chats, I return to my family to see them watching the latest Disney movie that came out on Blu-Ray. Edward is so into it with the kids. The kids still have their PJs on and Edward has changed into flannel sleep pants. Blankets cover them and snacks galore surround them as they watch their movie marathon.

Edward looks up and beckons me over. I sit next to Logan and he instinctively leans into me while Aubrey cuddles up with Edward. Together we spend the day inside watching movies and playing games. Our family is back together now and hopefully it will be a long time before work tears up apart again.

~OoO~

Edward and I put the kids to bed, me with Logan and he with Aubrey before we switch. When they're both down, Edward and I meet in the hallway. It's barely ten seconds later that we barrel into each other's arms, lips melded together and tongues tangling, as well as hands groping places. We shuffle into our bedroom further down the hall, closing and locking the door. Edward lifts me up and shoves me against the wall, our kisses never ceasing and our bodies instinctively moving closer and closer together, even though we really can't get any closer than this.

Edward grunts as he moves his lips to suck on the sensitive flesh of my neck. "Fuck, I've missed this, baby."

"Me, too." He nips me and I moan. "Ungh! Don't stop. Don't fucking stop!"

Edward thrusts his hips into mine, making me whimper with pleasure, our breaths quickening as we get closer to a release. I let go and before he does, and before he makes a mess in his pants, Edward swiftly moves us from the wall to our bed, tossing me down. We rip at each other's clothes, desperate to remove them from our bodies, all the while still kissing and grinding and groping.

"Bella … I fucking need you, baby. It's been too long."

"I feel the same, Edward. Fuck me. Please fuck me!"

Edward places his cock at my entrance and then plunges into me in a single, hard thrust. I try to hold back a scream of pleasure, not wanting to wake the kids, only letting out a gurgled version of one. My husband thrusts in and out of me at a fast speed, our hips meeting in perfect time. His balls slap at my ass as his thrusts become more forceful, trying to urge his own orgasm to come.

"Bella, baby … are you close? I'm gonna fucking come and I need you to first." Edward groans as he kisses my throat and plays with my nipples. Shit, it feels so good when he does that as he fucks me.

"Yeah, Edward. Almost there! Oh, please!" He pushes into me five more times before I come undone around him. "Oh fuck! Fuck!" I moan in a high pitched voice.

"Shit! You feel so good when you come around me!" His cock hardens more inside me as he thrusts one more time before pulsing his release into me. He then collapses in a heap on top of me.

"I love you, Bella," Edward whispers in my ear, pressing a loving kiss below it.

"Mm … I love you, too, Edward. Always and forever."

We kiss some more and my husband of now sixteen years mentions, "I still love kissing you."

"Isn't that why you wanted to marry me in the first place? So you can kiss me anytime you want?" I giggle.

"Of course. And I don't regret ever admitting that to you." He laughs back, kissing me again. We make love again and again throughout the night, and I'm sure that in nine months time, another baby is going to arrive, completing our family.