Cold Feet (COMPLETED)

Epilogue

Happy Saturday my dear readers! We've come to the end of this beautiful journey, and once again, I thank everyone for staying with me till the end. It's a wonderful treat for me to read all your generously shared insights, and I hope you have learned something from this story, just as much as I have learned from all of you. 

Cold Feet will always have a special place in my heart because it was conceived right smack in the middle of so many personal issues and challenges I was going through, and it served as my go-to for comfort. On days when I felt I couldn't write a single word, I had you, my readers as inspiration to keep the story going.

I will be taking a short respite to prepare for the next fic, which I hope excites you as much as it does me. It's quite a challenge to do romcom, because to be honest, it's easier to make people cry than laugh. Let's cross our fingers that this journey will just be as fun and happy as my other fics have been.

Au revoir for now my loves. I will be watching Alden's concert later, feel free to holler so I can finally meet you :)

The morning was bright and breezy, a perfect day for an inauguration and a christening. The twins were still asleep, looking angelic in their identical white onesies. At three months old, they were already looking like miniature versions of her husband, taking almost none of her features other than her cleft chin and chubby cheeks. She smiled, feeling grateful for being given the chance to be a mother. It was a feeling like no other, to be responsible for the life of a human being, from the womb till the baby slowly becomes its own person, building an identity uniquely his or hers.

So many wonderful things happened since the time she gave birth. Her mom visited her in the hospital, not only to see the babies but to give her good news. She was moving her foster care operations to Manila, in a property she inherited from her parents, located in Mandaluyong. She would be transporting the smaller children to be with her, all twelve of them.

The older kids would be split into two groups, those who opted to stay in Cebu would continue studying there, and help her cousin Jenna run the cutflower farm. The four other kids who are of college age would be studying in Manila, of which two have been approved for scholarships while the other two were absorbed by a foundation as study grants.

"Dei....I hope you'll give me a chance to be a mother to you, and a grandmother to your babies. I made all these adjustments to spend more time with you and the babies, if.....that is if you'll allow me."

She was ecstatic, unable to speak. She hugged her mom then, and gave a silent prayer of thanks. Her life was turning around, everything was falling into place for her. An idea also formed in her head, to include a flower shop within the ancestral home she restored. She and her mom had since worked with the interior designers to tweak a portion of the property into a flower shop right beside the café.

And now they were opening the place to the public, by celebrating the twins' christening in the garden of this wonderful house she grew up in. Through it all, Richard was an active supporter, providing work on the branding of the place, promoting it on social media, and encouraging Dei during times she was tired of wearing too many hats.

Through it all, she surpassed these challenges. They were now waiting inside the church for the christening to start. In a short while, the priest arrived and christened the twins, now known as Richard Sebastien and Richard Siegfried Faulkerson.

They cried a little during the pouring of water on their heads, but were easily appeased when Richard held both of them in his arms. It was a running joke between them, how the twins wanted to be held in his arms at the same time. It was like they wanted to be together with him, their heads resting on the crooks of his strong arms while he rocked them to sleep, singing in his soothing voice.

They drove through the wrought-iron gates of Bene Café, named as such in reference to their memorable trip to Italy when Richard proposed to Dei for the first time. The café looked picture perfect against the foliage and the beautiful flowers around it. A tent was set up in the middle of the garden, with food from the café spread out in a buffet setting.

"Dei, congratulations," Calvin said with a smile, Shayne and their baby in tow. "The place looks great, we will surely love holding some of our shoots here."

"Thanks, Cal. Your little princess looks sleepy," Dei said as she kissed both Shayne and Isabella, their daughter.

Richard's parents were there as well. Both were lounging comfortably in one of the tables, enjoying their coffee.

Janelle and Harvey came together, raising both Richard's and Dei's eyebrows, as they teased both mercilessly. Janelle blushed prettily and stole glances at Harvey, who just smiled at them without giving any details.

So many gifts were given to the twins, and both Richard and Dei were overwhelmed with the outpouring of love for them. Even clients sent their gifts and well wishes, some from Vietnam, who were clients Dei maintained until the present through Andrew and Linh.

The guests toasted to the twins' good health with goblets of red wine. Scented candles with candleholders were given away as tokens for the guests. 

Since the café was on soft opening, some of the guests stayed behind to try the café's treats, most of them purchasing take-out orders of the pastries.

Richard looked contentedly at his wife, happy that she was now secure and whole. Dei loved him back every inch as fiercely as he did her, and he knew that their union would be steadfastly as happy as it was now.

"Thank you, Richard." She squeezed his hand, watching her mom and his chatting as they held the twins.

"The pleasure is mine," He responded, knowing that her gratitude went beyond this christening. She looked at him with eyes shining, reflecting her love for him in a smile reserved only for him.

There were more challenges along the way, but Dei's feet were no longer cold. She would face each challenge stoically with him, knowing that he was there to back her up, just as she would do the same for him.

No more cold feet, just warm hearts.