Epilogue-Hadley

Five Years Later

" W hich one of you let the girls watch re-runs of my shows?" I place my hands on my hips, my seven-month-pregnant belly protruding with our next child, and scowl at my husbands.

The logical answer would be Barnett since he knows all of my lines by heart, but my instinct is telling me Caspian, even though now that I look closely, Holden looks guilty as the three of them sit on the couch playing the latest college football video game.

We decided to wait until the girls were a little bit older before we introduced them to that side of my life, but now our four-year-old twins are running through the house quoting my catchphrase and every other line from my sitcoms.

As for my bad girl rock era, it's not what I really wanted. I wanted to be a wife and a mother. I thought I would always have to deal with the spotlight, but now that the spotlight has changed, so have my priorities.

Now, instead of sitcom deadlines or tour schedules, I have dance class drop-off and baking fundraisers. Sure, the girls and I travel to all the games with the other hockey families. And when I take them Christmas shopping at the Mall of America, that's all it is: shopping.

My husbands offered to hire a nanny to help with the girls now that we have another baby on the way, but that's not the life I want. But I appreciated their offer so much that if I hadn't already been pregnant, they would have definitely knocked me up with how many times I thanked them.

"It wasn't me." They all say at the same time, each pointing to the other one.

Through the years, they've gotten good at responding at the same time. It's a little annoying, but at least they are all in agreement. It's what makes our unconventional relationship work—we all get along. If we have an issue, we talk it out. We don't hide it. Hiding things almost cost us our future. Except this—I know they're hiding who let our daughters watch my old sitcoms. I'm not really mad. I just like to give my men a hard time sometimes.

The doorbell rings, saving them from any more of my questioning. "That must be Heidi." Holden tosses the game controller on the couch and sprints to the front door. Holden opens the front door, revealing Heidi, her three husbands, and her adorable tiny baby bump. "I can't believe you married those three bozos," Holden grumbles and takes a seat back on the couch.

"Nice to see you too, big brother." Heidi steps into our home with her three husbands following close behind.

It's been almost five years since Heidi opened up to Holden about her relationship. She'd been hiding it from everyone until it nearly destroyed her happiness. Now, watching the four of them together warms my heart.

"Where are my two favorite nieces?" Heidi continues, ignoring a pouting Holden.

Holden found it difficult to let anyone else into his tight-knit circle, especially Heidi's husbands, since he viewed them as a threat to his relationship with her.

"We're right here, Aunt Heidi!" Just like their fathers, they answer at the same time. "Are you going to let us watch Mommy's TV shows again?"

"We told you it wasn't us." Barnett leaps off the couch as Caspian pauses their video game before following Barnett off the couch, both wrapping me in their embrace.

"Sure, blame the pregnant one." Heidi teases, rubbing her baby bump.

"Ugh, stop reminding me—they knocked you up." Holden rolls his eyes as Heidi's husbands laugh at his over-the-top antics.

This is what I'd longed for all those years—a loving family. A family that could laugh and joke and love each other unconditionally.

"Look, Mommy, it's you!" The girls squeal and point at the television.

My gaze snaps to Holden's as his hand no longer holds the game controller but the TV remote, and he smirks. The opening theme song plays, and everyone sings along. With a shrug, I sing along to—as the saying goes—if you can't beat them, you might as well join them.