I laughed out loud, picturing the mostly proud but slightly shocked look on Sugar Pie’s face when she accomplished something she found amazing. “Well, you’re right. And guess what? It’s another sister.”
“Another sister?” Her face broke out in a grin, showcasing her missing tooth, and the endearing dimple she’d inherited from her mother. “That’s a lot of girls, Daddy.”
I grinned. “Yup.” Happiness flowed through my heart. It didn’t seem that life could hold any more joy than it did right now, and yet somehow, every day it grew just a little bit more. All because of a girl who once bravely walked into my office and proposed marriage. All because I’d finally had the courage to surrender to my sweet, little witch, and in return, she’d given me a houseful of spirited girls who climbed trees, pretended to be caterpillars, sassed me back on occasion, put me in my place very regularly, reminded me often I was definitely not the ruler in my own home, and generally drove me to distraction.
I set Isabelle down, and we entered the small cottage where, once upon a time, a very beautiful witch had lived, and found four-year-old Celia outfitted as a princess, sipping tea at the miniature table in the front room. Several years ago, we’d had the cottage cleaned, updated, and turned into a playhouse for our girls.
“We’re going to have another sister!” Belle shouted.
Celia’s plastic cup stopped halfway to her mouth and her eyes grew wide. “Another sister,” she said, jumping to her feet. She wobbled toward me on plastic heels and threw herself into my arms as I bent to catch her. “Thank you, Daddy. I wished for a little sister.”
I smiled into her beautiful, heart-shaped face, her green eyes bright with happiness and the slight bit of mischief they always held. “It’s my job you know, to make all your wishes come true.”
Her expression turned thoughtful as she twirled a lock of her dark hair. “Can I have a pony then?”
I used my index finger to bop her on her nose. “And,” I qualified, “not to spoil you rotten.”
“Hmm,” she grumped, but I could see the wheels turning behind her eyes. She was already plotting a way to get that pony.
I laughed and the three of us went up to the main house, where Charlotte was in the kitchen. I took a deep inhale, the air fragrant with a sweet, lemony scent.
“Grammy Charlotte,” Celia called. “We’re having a baby sister!”
Charlotte laughed and caught Celia in her arms as Isabelle hugged Charlotte’s waist. “I know, my loves; I heard the wonderful news. Should we celebrate with a lemon bar, fresh from the oven?”
“Or maybe two?” Celia tilted her head and smiled prettily.
I suppressed a smile. “Watch that one.”
Charlotte grinned as I kissed her on her cheek. “Have you seen Kira?” I asked.
“I think she went out back,” she said, setting Celia down. “You go find her. I’ve got these two.” She smiled happily, and I left knowing how overjoyed and thankful she felt with a houseful of little girls to spoil and coddle and love. And bake treats for.
I winked at her and went in search of my wife, having an idea where she might be. As I walked down the hill, I looked out over the grapevines beyond, my chest swelling with pride. Eight years ago, we’d brought this vineyard back from the brink of ruin with the money Jessica had given me, lots of hard work, and plenty of loyal friends. Since then, we’d grown more successful every year, even winning several awards for the wines produced. Hawthorn Vineyard was thriving, and I was especially proud of the fact that we now employed almost two hundred people, many of whom were previously imprisoned, just looking for a second chance, hoping that someone would believe in them. And I was a fan of second chances. I’d received even more than that and it was my turn to pay it forward.
Harley, now my director of operations, had inspired that idea. And a few other businesses in Napa had even followed suit when word got out about how loyal and hardworking our employees were.
Kira’s gram’s money had eventually been unlocked, long before the trial was over that put Cooper Stratton behind bars for a whole laundry list of crimes. Frank Dallaire had never been proven guilty of participating in anything illegal, but as he knew better than anyone, in politics, perception is everything. No one wanted to be linked to the suspicion that surrounded his name. He disappeared from the political landscape and, as far as we knew, was no longer involved in government at all. Nor was he involved in our life.
Thankfully though, we weren’t lacking for family, including Shane and Vanessa. They now had two boys who visited often and always left looking slightly stunned after our girls ran roughshod over them, playing tricks, forcing them to play dress-up and participate in slightly naughty escapades.
“I thought I’d find you here,” I said, turning the last corner of the well-tended maze. I smiled as I joined Kira on the bench in front of the splashing fountain, where she sat with her hand on her tiny baby bump. The emeralds from her wedding ring flashed in the sun, reminding me of the day I’d slipped it on her finger as we’d renewed our vows in a small sunlit ceremony under the apricot tree in our vineyard. I’d wanted to give her a real wedding day, one filled with love, joy, and family—and that’s what I’d done.
My wife smiled, shooting me the dimple and causing my heart to flip. “It’s my favorite place, the heart of your lair. I always know you’ll find me here, dragon.”
I chuckled softly and gathered her to me, lifting her onto my lap. She wrapped her arms around my neck and put her forehead against mine. “Another girl,” she sighed happily.
I nuzzled her neck. “Hmm,” I murmured. “Another woman to keep me under her thumb. It’s almost like you planned it this way.”
Kira laughed. “No, not planned it, just dreamed it. Dreamed of this life you’ve given me.” She took my face in her hands and kissed my lips. “Thank you,” she whispered against my mouth.
Gratitude and love overwhelmed me, and I brought my wife even closer, hugging her to my body and inhaling her sweet scent. And in that moment, I knew I would never again believe life didn’t hold miracles. With her love, my beautiful, little witch had transformed a place once filled with loneliness and pain into a home filled with joy and dreams. Marriage wasn’t always easy. She was tempestuous, and it was my instinct to withdraw or breathe fire when I was hurt. But we’d kept our vow to never leave the room before working out our differences and it’d led to a trust and closeness that I’d never even imagined I’d find. I owed everything to the woman in my arms.
As we held each other, the age-old phrase whispered through the trees, the roses, and the grapevines beyond: in vino veritas. In wine there is truth.
But the greater knowledge that now lived in the peaceful silence of my heart was: in love there is truth.
And the truth that love had taught me was you can only be strong once you are brave enough to break, and that pain makes more room for love within. I was grateful for it all because that was the beautiful balance of life.
* * *
Discover more from Mia Sheridan
Want more Mia Sheridan? Read on for a sneak peek of Becoming Calder, coming from Bloom Books