Epilogue

Home of Mister and Missus Cole Stewart

… and Missus Jillian Carson (of course)

Two Years Later

Jillian tiptoed quietly into the room. If Eliza knew she was here, she’d likely pitch a fit. Still, Jillian couldn’t resist.

“What do you think?” Cole asked in a whisper from directly behind her.

“He’s perfect,” she whispered back, silently cursing the emotion in her voice every time she looked at her great grandson.

“Do I have to shoo the two of you out of this room with the business end of my broom?” Eliza asked from the doorway. “If you wake him up, you’ll be the ones changing his diaper and rocking him back to sleep.”

“I’m fine with that,” Jillian insisted.

“Well, I’m not,” Eliza scolded. “So, out, both of you.”

Reluctantly, Jillian clasped Cole on the arm and pulled him behind her and into the hallway. “You’re being stingy,” she told Eliza. “Making us wait until he’s awake.”

“Amanda and Grant will be here for dinner in a few minutes. You can spend your time giving her advice, same as you did me when I was carrying baby Andrew.”

Jillian purposely poked Cole in the ribs with her elbow. “I notice your deputy didn’t take nearly as long as you did to put a baby in his wife’s belly.”

“What can I say? I must have been doing something wrong,” he deadpanned.

“Believe me, you did nothing wrong,” Eliza assured him, her words followed by a kiss to his cheek.

“Keep that up,” he warned, “And we’ll need two bassinets.”

“Now you’re talking!” Jillian shouted.

“Gram,” Eliza warned. “Don’t encourage him. And… mind your own beeswax.”

“Oh, please, Buttercup. You’ve been telling me to mind my beeswax for years. What makes you think I’m going to start now?”

Eliza rolled her eyes in mock frustration. “A girl can dream, can’t she?”

“Near as I can tell,” Jillian countered. “All your best dreams have come true.”

The End