Tristan’s love brought me back to life, brought my children back to life. He will never ever know the depths of my love and appreciation for him.
He had the world at his feet and yet, he fell in love with me. Never once did he falter, never once did he miss a step. Rock sturdy, the love of our lives.
I put my hand over my stomach and smile wistfully out the window. Our baby.
A celebration of the two of us.
“Are you okay, love?” Dad asks.
Am I okay?
“I’m than okay, Dad.” I smile broadly. “I’m great.” The car slowly pulls to a stop out the front of the church and I glance down at myself. “Do I look okay?”
“You look so beautiful. He’s a very lucky man.”
I’m wearing a cream lace fitted wedding gown, complete with full veil. I would have been happy to get married in a registry office but Tristan wanted the whole shebang.
So here I am, pregnant and dressed in a traditional wedding dress.
A cab pulls up across the road and the four doors all swing open at the same time. “What’s…”
Fletcher jumps out and then Harrison.
“What in the world?” I frown.
Tristan appears and drags Patrick out by the hand; he nearly pulls his arm out the socket.
Like maniacs they run across the road dressed in their suits and disappear into the church.
Dad and I look at each other and then back at them. “What in the world?”
“I have no idea.” Dad shrugs.
Suddenly Tristan’s car pulls up and Jameson, Elliot and Christopher dive out, also dressed in black tie, and sprint into the church.
I burst out laughing, only us. I don’t know what’s happened but I’m pretty sure Tristan would be stressed out to the max.
The driver goes to open my door.
I wind down the window. “I just want to wait a few moments if that’s okay?”
“Of course.” He stands back.
We sit in the car for a bit and Dad twists his lips. “What do you reckon made them so late?”
We both burst out laughing. “God only knows.”
Marley and the bridesmaids catch sight of us and come bounding over to the car. “Come on. Come on.”
“Okay.” I beam. “Let’s do this.”
The traditional bridal waltz echoes through the church and I watch on as Marley, then Melanie and Samantha, my cousins, walk down the aisle in front of me.
The church is decorated with beautiful white flowers in the most over-the-top grandeur. Tristan has thought of every little detail and planned this wedding to perfection.
With a lump in my throat Dad and I make our way down the aisle, and then I see him.
Them.
My four boys all lined up in a row.
My entire heart and everything in between.
Black dinner suits, disheveled hair, their smiles so big that they could light up space.
Patrick is bouncing on the end in excitement.
But it’s Tristan that I’m fixed on.
His eyes sparkle with that certain something and the look he gives me is pure mischief, he’s biting his lip and goes up onto his toes in excitement.
I get the giggles as I get closer, and so does he. Everyone in the church does too.
This is unbelievable.
Never in a million years when we had that first meeting could we have ever imagined this.
And yet here we are.
We get to the altar and Dad kisses me on both cheeks and shakes Tristan’s hand.
“Anderson.” Tristan smiles mischievously.
It makes me giggle, I thought he would be all emotional today, but it actually makes more sense that he would be his playful sexy self.
He takes me into his arms and with his hands on my behind he kisses me, a little bit too much actually.
“Ease up,” Christopher calls and the church all laugh again.
He smiles against my lips and whispers, “Let’s fucking do this.”
Three months later.
The removalist truck pulls into the street as we follow in the car, Tristan, Patrick and Harry are in Tristan’s car in front of us. Fletcher and I are loaded to the brim, Woofy and Muff in the back seat, and today’s the day that we move into our new home. The truck pulls into the driveway and we all pull our cars over.
Tristan bounds out of the car and holds his hands up like he’s some crazy game-show host. “And here she is,” he yells in an over-the-top animated voice. “Home sweet home.”
“Oh my god, he’s so embarrassing,” Fletcher mutters under his breath as he looks around at the neighbors’ houses.
I giggle as I climb out of the car. “You got that right.”
I stare up at the house in awe, it’s so beautiful. Huge and grand, with a lived-in family feel. Seven bedrooms, a study. A pool, you name it, this house has it.
Tristan and I came to an agreement, we kept our old house and one day it will be the boys’。 For the next few years we are going to rent it out. It’s the perfect scenario, the house stays with us, but we get to move into a bigger place. I’m not going to lie, having more room is going to be amazing, especially with the baby coming.
The removalists begin to open the back of the truck as they get sorted and Fletcher grabs Woofy’s lead and Harry grabs Muff’s cat carrier cage. Patrick carries the beloved rocket model, they didn’t trust that with the removal van.
Tristan goes through the keys as he walks up onto the veranda. “Mrs. Miles.” He holds his arm out for me. “Come here, please.”
Harry and Patrick roll their eyes at each other and I smile and walk up onto the veranda beside him.
“It is customary for the man of the house to carry the woman of the house over the threshold for the first time.”
“Better let me do it then,” Harry announces.
The boys snicker.
Tristan gives him the side eye. “Move aside,” he says, he goes to pick me up and struggles with a grunt. “Argh.” He steps backward and struggles some more.
“What’s the problem, man of the house?” I roll my lips to hide my smile, a six-month-pregnant woman is no lightweight.
“Don’t worry, Anderson.” He grunts as he swings me up. “I’ve got this. My sheer brute strength makes you light as a feather.”
“Liar.” I giggle as I hang on for dear life, I really thought after we got married, he would never call me Anderson ever again. Glad to report that I was wrong, some things never change.
His step falters once more as he carries me like a bride.
“You’re weak as water.” Harrison rolls his eyes. “Wimp.”
“Apparently,” Tristan winces with a strained voice. “Move out of the way.”
“Don’t you dare drop her,” Fletcher warns. “There’s a baby inside.”
“Out of the way then,” Tristan fires back with a sense of urgency.
We walk through the front door and he slides me down his body, with his arms around me he kisses me softly. “Welcome home, sweetheart.” His lips linger over mine as he puts his hand protectively over my pregnant stomach. “I love you.”
I smile up at my beautiful husband. “I love you more.”
“Oh god, here they go again,” Harrison moans.
“Tris…” I look around at the grand foyer. “I can’t believe this house is really ours.”