Life Happens

Epilogue - Life Happens

Epilogue – Life Happens

If you had of told me 10 years ago, at the sweet age of 16 that I would be married, and have 4 kids and one on the way at 26, I'd be laughing. But here I am. Leah Mathews, married to Elliot Matthews, my one and only love. Over the past nine years, much has occurred, but its now, Christmas morning, I sit here on our living room floor, watching my children as they sit in excitement waiting patiently to open their presents.

Elliot sits on the couch behind me, rubbing soothing circles into my neck, with his soft bare hands. Matilda, now 10 sits across from me, with her little brother George, our youngest, only 12 months, in her lap. She looks over to Elliot and I and smiles. She loves Elliot and I's story, and makes me tell her every night before bed, it's her fairy tale.

Penelope sits, on the floor closet to me, her hand holding mine. Penelope is the second oldest and tends to be on the shyer side. She is 6 years old and is the second child Elliot and I had. We were delighted to be having another girl, but I could tell Elliot was waiting on a boy, and he got his wish when George came along a few years later.

I look behind me to see Amanda our second youngest cuddled up into her daddy, her thumb in her mouth, her eyes closed. She was a daddy's girl. I finally rub a hand over my belly, thinking about the baby we were due to have in a month's time. This time, Elliot and decided to keep the babies sex a secret. Elliot's wanting another boy, yet I feel it's another girl, either way I couldn't be more pleased, but hopefully this was it, five kids was definitely enough.

I knock on the front door, brings back my attention. The door opens in a swift motion and in strolls Sophie and her spunk of a boyfriend.

"Hey guys!" Sophie beams at the kids

"Hey Aunty Soph!!" they squeal, running up to her, hugging her by the legs. Jake, Sophie's boyfriend loves the attention from the children, and always is willing to help out.

"Merry Christmas Leah and Elliot!" Sophie says, bouncing over, bringing me into a tight hug. "Merry Christmas, to you too, good catch," I say referring to Jake. Sophie giggles, and rolls her eyes. I can't believe she is 16 years old now, it feels like yesterday we were stuck sleeping on the park bench.

Jaden strolls in not too long after, Ben following in tow. Those two match each other perfectly, it was only last year that Ben finally had the guts to ask Jaden to marry him, and they were married earlier this year. Jaden is expecting their first child in the Spring, which isn't far off. She recons if she has a girl and I have a boy, we can set them up in the future, so the friendship continues for generations to come.

When we were expecting Penelope, we decided that Elliot's apartment was just too small, so we bought a nice family home close by. Elliot doesn't work at the high school anymore, in fact he is a full time stay at home dad, and I guess you could say I am the "breadwinner". I followed my dream, and am now a pediatrician at the local children's hospital. Money isn't an issue for us, which makes life easier. Elliot didn't resign from his job because of us, he resigned because he simply wanted to spend more time with our children, and being a teacher wasn't allowing that.

Everyone at school eventually found out about Elliot and I a few years after I left the school, we were spotted at a cafe one day, and a few girls whom I had gone to school with decided this was hot gossip and spread it along town. However, this didn't bother me anymore, as I had grown up, and left gossip at high school where it belonged.

It's odd, sitting here today on the living room floor reminiscing on the last 10 years. Life happens, and it happens in the most extrodinry ways imaginable, yet I would not of changed a thing. I have a loving husband, loving sister, a loving best friend, and 4 beautiful children, honestly what more could I ask for?

THE END