Epilogue

epilogue

?. . .?

Pepper

Stepping beside my husband, I attempt to slide in front of him to take charge of his messy predicament, but Nick shoos me away, determined to get this right.

“He’s got it, Pepper,” Holly, my sister-in-law, defends from the rocking chair in the corner of our bedroom. “Just give him time.”

Fine.

I know I should be patient, but Nick has a workshop to run, not baby duties. He’s supposed to return to work today after taking four weeks off to stay home and help me with Aster, our daughter, who’s the spitting image of me, according to my husband—black hair, greenish eyes, rosy cheeks, pouty lips, and the pointy ears that remind me of Holly. Speaking of my sister-in-law, she returned to the Pole a month before I was due, and much to Nick’s dismay, we took an instant liking to each other, making it two against one most days. It’s nice having another person in the house.

“Let me give her a bath,” I offer, putting my hands out to take our girl so he can leave.

Our daughter kicks her chubby legs like she’s happy for bath time.

“No. I’ve got this.” Chewing on his bottom lip, utterly focused, Nick adds another dirty wipe to the mountain on the changing table. Aster had a massive diaper explosion on Daddy’s lap when he had hot chocolate at the kitchen table this morning. He thinks our one-month-old is acting out because he’s due back to work. I can assure you that’s not the case. She’s a baby. We’ll visit him there today when he has lunch, but until then, he has to leave our girl in my capable hands.

Needing to do something, I pick up the pile of wipes to dump in the trash and hand Nick a clean diaper. He turns our girl over to ensure her back is clear before strapping on the diaper and carefully dressing her tiny body in the cutest red-and-green baby gown that cinches at her feet. He finishes the ensemble with a red hat and scoops our girl into his big arms.

Cooing at our sweet babe, Nick carries her over to the couch where my nursing pillow sits, and he nods for me to take my spot. “She’ll be hungry soon.”

“And you need to go to work,” I scold lightheartedly as I take my seat and tuck the pillow around my belly. Taking off my shirt, I throw it over the arm of the sofa and put my arms out for Aster.

Ignoring me once more, Nick sets her on the pillow and places her at my nipple, where he helps her latch.

I know. You’re probably wondering, like we were, how I’m nursing when I’m a male elf. That’s simple. I have milk. It came in after Aster’s birth. But somehow, I’m never engorged, and looking at my chest, you’d assume I have a decent set of pecs, not food to feed our girl. Yet, here we are, another magical wonder gifted down from the tree, just like my body bouncing back to its pre-baby form within twenty-four hours of giving birth. Doc explained that the same thing happened to Nick’s mom.

And Aster’s birth…

We don’t need to discuss how that went.

It was graphic.

My body did something I didn’t think a body like mine could do, and I went from labor to delivery within two hours.

No meds.

No excruciating pain.

It was just another magical miracle we had no idea how it would turn out.

Now we’re parents to a lovely little one, and we couldn’t be happier.

Pacing in front of the fireplace as Aster eats, Nick’s unease flows through our bond. I know he doesn’t want to go, but the workshop needs him. Christmas will come soon enough, and elves depend on him. I promised our little family I would be the stay-at-home parent, at least for the time being, until Aster’s somewhat mobile and I feel comfortable strapping her to the chest to take to work as a head elf. Until then, I’ve asked my dad to come out of retirement and step in for me, which he’s graciously accepted.

“Nick.” I snap my fingers to get his attention. “The quicker you get to work, the quicker you get home.”

“I know.” He crosses both arms over his Henley-clad chest and scowls down at the floor.

“Then you need to leave us.”

“I can’t,” he growls.

“Yes. You can. We have Holly,” I reason, tossing a look over the couch to my sister-in-law, who’s quietly watching this battle. Everyone here knows I’ll win because, as stubborn as he can sometimes be, my husband knows I’m right.

Shaking his head as if he can’t fathom leaving us, Nick drops before me and cups my face. Tears well in his eyes as I lean into his warm touch. “I don’t want to go. We don’t spend time away from each other.”

“But we have to. We’re parents now. She can’t spend all day at the workshop.” I gesture to our half-sleeping, half-drinking baby as milk trickles out of the corner of her mouth and rolls down her cheek. I swipe it away with my thumb.

Nick pinches the bridge of his nose, his expression twisting as if he’s in physical pain. “I need you.”

“And I need you… but so do the elves.”

Blowing an emotional breath, Nick gets to his feet, bends down to kiss me soundly, and then pecks our daughter's hat-covered head before he forces himself to walk away.

At the door, he looks back at us and wipes tears from his cheeks with the back of his hand. “I love you,” he croaks, then clears his throat. “Tonight, Holly and Aster will have an auntie date while we have daddy time.” To cement his statement, a rush of pleasure courses through our bond as my incredibly sexy husband winks—a promise of what’s to come.

“Oh. Ohhhh. Yes.” I blush. “Okay. But we have to be careful.” We weren’t the last time and ended up pregnant right away.

“No. Pepper. We don’t. ”

Oh.

“But…”

“I want more babies, Pepper. We start tonight.” With that, my husband departs, leaving me… speechless.

More babies.

Wow!

From her chair, Holly snorts as Aster unlatches, and excitement swirls in my belly.

Tonight.

We try again tonight.

With my husband.

Santa.

“It looks like you won’t be an only child for long, sweet one,” I whisper as I lift our girl against my shoulder and pat her back.

“From the sounds of it, it looks like I need to stay longer. You’re gonna be pregnant for the next twenty years.” Holly chuckles and comes over to sit beside me on the couch.

I flash her a smile. “You can stay as long as you want.”

“I think I will.” She nods. “Now, how long do you think Nick will last before he returns?”

I shrug, already feeling his unease. “Three hours. Maybe.”

“I give him one.” She laughs, and I join along.

Just think, a little over a year ago, I lived a different life. Now look where I am. I’m married to Santa. I’m a father, a brother-in-law, a son, and a friend, and I’ve never been happier.

I’m blessed.

Now, bring on more babies.

The end.