Candid

Epilogue Part 2

"One!" Evie screamed with her arms in the air. She spun in a circle, her brunette hair whipping around. Rory giggled and clapped her hands together. "Rory, can you say 'one'?" Evie questioned, making sure to ask in the exact same way that Grayson and I did with Rory.

Rory blinked. "One," she stumbled out, her little voice unsure of the words.

"Good job, my baby," I praised, kissing her rosy cheek and brushing a few strands of her hair out of her face.

Where Evie had the same hair as Grayson but my eyes and Rowan had my hair and Grayson's eyes, Rory was a complete wildcard with green eyes and dirty blonde hair, just like Tessa.

The doorbell rang, the chime echoing through the house, and Grayson yelled out an 'I got it!' while I moved over to the kitchen island to make sure everything had been set up. Evie sprinted out of the room.

The over the top cake sat on its stand in the middle of the island and I rolled my eyes at the cake my husband was in charge of.

Rory's fingers made a grab for the cake and I quickly whirled us around before she could touch it. I booped her on the nose. "Nice try."

"Dada," she said, waving an arm around.

I sighed. "Yeah, okay, okay, let's go see Daddy." I moved towards the hallway that led to the foyer when three blurs sprinted past me. I gasped and jumped back step, holding onto Rory tightly. "Rowan, Daniel, Wyatt, slow down!"

"Sorry, Aunty Maddie!" Daniel called out with a wave. Wyatt ignored me completely.

"Sorry, Mom!" Rowan yelled out as they rushed up the steps to his bedroom.

I walked into the living which sat just off the foyer where Sophie stood next to Cole and Grayson. Sophie gasped when she saw me. "There's the birthday girl!" Nevermind. She shuffled up to us excitedly and took Rory out of my arms, kissing her cheeks repeatedly.

One thing about Rory, she loved affection from everyone, as long as the attention was on her she was happy. However, she also quickly got sick of the constant hugs and kisses and when she was finished with affection, she would place her hand over your mouth and frown.

"Hey Mads," Sophie said, keeping Rory on her hip as she leaned in to kiss my cheek. "You look great, I love your dress."

Sophie aged like fine wine. She barely looked a day over thirty and was always perfectly put together. Her black hair sat just above her shoulders nowadays and her skin sat wrinkle-free except for a few laugh lines.

The bell rang again and this time Charlotte and Jackson walked in with Noah and Ella behind them. Noah scrolled through his phone while Ella peered over his shoulder with a sly smile, watching him type.

"Who's Megan?" Ella asked loudly, earning a sharp glare from her brother.

Noah slipped his phone in his pocket and stormed through the house. "Stop spying on me, idiot. God, you're so annoying."

"Noah," Charlotte snapped, staring him down.

Jackson held out his hand. "Phone, now." Noah gritted his teeth and made a dramatic play of digging into his pocket and slapping the phone into his father's waiting hand. Jackson smiled and slipped the phone into his pocket.

Noah walked through the room, stopping only to greet Sophie and me with a kiss on the cheek each. "Someone's in trouble," I sang, smirking at him.

He scowled, holding a fist out to Rory, who immediately hit his fist with her own and then wandered into the kitchen area.

Ella ran up to Evie and hugged her tightly, trying to pick her up but failing miserably. The adults watched, trying not to laugh.

Charlotte offered an apologetic smile to Grayson. "Teenagers," she offered up as her only excuse for Noah's behavior. He kissed her cheek and shook Jackson's hand. Cole and Jackson stayed with Grayson in the foyer while Charlotte came over. "Hi, sorry for the show, he's been so irritable lately."