Extended Epilogue

One year later

Amber sat in her parlor, working on another piece of embroidery. The parlor itself was almost unrecognizable from when she first moved in.

Not that there was anything wrong with it before, but once she got the freedom to make choices and decorate as she saw fit, Amber may have gone a bit overboard, working her way through the house until no room had been untouched by her in some way.

Amber was well aware just how lucky she was to have such an indulgent husband.

The parlor itself was an open, warm room, as many of the ones Amber decorated were. Instead of decking the place out with expensive trinkets and displays of wealth as Simon had, she used things she or people close to her had made. Amber began making larger, more extravagant embroidery pieces, whole landscapes or garden scenes to hang on the wall.

She hardly ever did small pieces like handkerchiefs or bags anymore unless they were a present for someone. There was no need now that she was allowed to wear what she pleased and commission gowns in any color with any decoration.

The piece she was working on now was a bit of an exception. It wasn’t her usual work as it was far smaller than anything she’d made in a long time, the motif far more basic. Still, she put the same care into it as she did any piece she made.

Secretly, she put far more into it than she did most pieces, but that was all right. This tiny hat was for someone rather special. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought of finally getting to give it to them.

Christopher sat in an armchair nearby, reading the paper as she worked. Moments like these were some of her favorites.

There were no guests, nothing that needed to be done or handled, just the peace of her and her husband spending time together in content silence. Occasionally one or the other would stop to tell their companion something. Amber might share a frustration about the piece she was working on, or Christopher might mention something he read, but for a few moments, silence reigned supreme.

After a while, she was interrupted from her work when Felicity bounced in with a piece of fabric clutched in her hands and a giant grin on her face.

“I did it!” she declared with a volume that made Christopher wince behind his paper.

“Did what?” Amber asked, setting her needle work aside before she risked getting distracted and making a mistake.

“I finished it!” she declared, thrusting the fabric under Amber’s face. “Look it over. Tell me how I did.”

“Are you sure you want that?” Christopher asked. “I’m afraid we all already know the answer.”

“She hasn’t even seen it yet! Who knows I could surprise you both!” she insisted.

“Did you?”

“I might have! There’s no way to know until she looks at it. Go on. Look at it, and show him that he’s wrong!”

Amber chuckled, picking it up. She turned the bib over in her hands, studying Felicity’s work. Truthfully, it was still rather dreadful. There were loose threads, uneven stitches, excessive buildup of stitches in some places, and stitches so thin you could see the fabric straight through it in others.

Still, as she looked it over, she had to nod.

“This is much better.”

“Ha!” Felicity turned to Christopher with a smug grin. “See? I told you I did great.”

He rolled his eyes. “Let her keep talking. She hasn’t said much of anything yet, so I wouldn’t get too confident.”

The pair glared at each other. Amber bit back a smile. “Shall I keep going?”

“Please.”

She smiled, running a finger along one of the better flower petals. “I can see you really tried to take your time with this. I can see what you were going for. Did you outline this one like I showed you?”

“I did. Can you tell?”

“I can. It makes it much easier to see what you were doing. Did it make things any easier for you?”

“A bit. I think I was able to get the opacity of my stitches a bit better,” she agreed.

“You did. Especially on this flower here,” Amber showed her one of the violets. “It is much better.”

“Then why do I sense a but coming?” Christopher asked from behind his paper.

Amber glared at him. “Be nice. She clearly worked hard on this.”

“I am being nice. After all, how can she improve if we don’t tell her where she needs work?”

“We?” Amber rolled her eyes. “I fail to see how you are contributing to this one.”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m offering moral support.”

“Moral support,” she scoffed. “If you don’t have anything to teach her, perhaps you’d had better keep your thoughts to yourself for the moment?”

“Very well, carry on like I’m not even here.” He turned back to his paper, but it was obvious he was still listening.

“He said there was a but,” Felicity frowned. “Is there a but? What is the but?”

“This time, there is no but,” Amber laughed.

“Truly?”

“Truly.”

Felicity turned back to Christopher with a grin. “Looks like you were wrong on this one, big brother.”

“I can’t hear you. I’m too busy reading.”

She ignored him, speaking to Amber. “So it came out well?”

“It did,” she nodded. “You did a good job. You should be proud of all your hard work.”

She lit up. “I’m so glad you think so!”

“Now I’m the one who senses a but coming.”

“But it isn’t for you, so there is another opinion I’m a bit more worried about.”

She smiled. “Why don’t you ask me whatever it is you’d like to ask me?”

“I’m only a bit worried.”

“About what?”

“It’s just, do you think the baby will like it?” she asked, her hand coming to rest on Amber’s growing stomach.

“I don’t think you need to worry about that.”

“How can I not? I just want to make sure I’m making something they won’t laugh at some day.”

Amber bit back a laugh. “Trust me and try not to worry. When the baby is born, I’m sure they will like anything you make them.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“I know I am.”

Christopher put down the paper, regarding her with a confused expression. “You do understand a baby isn’t going to have the foggiest idea what the hat looks like, let alone have an opinion on it?”

“Of course, the baby will have an opinion on it. Just because they can’t speak doesn’t mean they don’t have their own thoughts.”

“I think it’s sweet that you’re so worried about what the baby will like,” Amber offered.

Felicity grinned. “Of course, I care. I need to if I am going to be the best aunt ever!”

“High standard you’re setting for yourself there,” Amber said. “Just don’t put too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Sometimes it’s enough just to be there.”

“But it’s already obvious I’m going to be there. Any old fool can be there. I need to show that I can do more than that.”

“I think all of us know any old fool cannot handle being there. Just do your best, and that is more than enough.”

“Well, I still plan on doing more than just my best.”

Amber sighed. It was obvious there was no convincing her to see reason, so she might as well indulge her. “Then please, detail your plan.”

“It is truly rather simple. As I said, I’m going to be the greatest aunt anyone could ever wish for.”

“I’m sure you will,” Amber agreed, picking her needlework back up and returning to work.

“You had better be,” Christopher chimed in. “You are going to be the child’s only aunt after all. I hope you don’t disappoint!”

“Christopher, you shouldn’t say such things. Besides, I’m sure she won’t,” Amber laughed.

“But if you weren’t sure, would you still tell me I am not allowed to say such things?”

“What an absurd hypothetical. Felicity, why don’t you tell us of your plan.”

“Plan?”

Amber bit back a laugh. “What do you intend to do to claim your place as the world’s greatest aunt?”

“The obvious stuff to start with.”

“Such as?” Christopher chimed in.

“You know, take them places, buy them things, make them things, maybe give them sweets when you say they aren’t supposed to have any more.”

“Sounds like you have the start of a perfect plan.” Amber smiled.

“No, it doesn’t,” Christopher argued. “It sounds like she is just planning on breaking any rules we give the child for the sake of spoiling them.”

“And what is so wrong with that?” Amber laughed. “Every child deserves someone who will spoil them now and again.”

“And between us and your mother, I’m sure the child will have that in spades. I don’t think we need to encourage this behavior in any way shape or form. We don’t want to risk it getting out of hand.”

“I don’t think we need to worry about that. Do try and relax. All that stress can’t be good for you.”

He rolled his eyes, and the trio bickered all through the afternoon.

The End