Page 55 of The Artist

Epilogue

Five years later

Alexis saton the back porch of their house with a cup of coffee as she watched her three-year-old twin sons wrestle with each other on the lawn.They’d just finished breakfast and she was enjoying a cup of decaf coffee before she told Peter that her labor had started last night.

Peter came out of the house and joined her with his own cup of coffee.“How are you feeling.Do you think the baby will come today on your due date?”

She nodded.“I believe she will be right on time.I’m having small contractions.I’ve been having them most of the night, but you should probably see if your mother can fly up here as soon as possible otherwise, we need to get someone else to watch the boys.”

He took her free hand with his, while holding his coffee in the other.“I called Mom two hours ago.She should be arriving at any time.She would kill us both if she missed the birth of her grandchild.She’s been present for the birth of all her grandchildren, thus far.She would kill us both if she missed our little Heather’s birth.”

“Wasn’t that a little early to be calling Madelyn?”

“Not at all.She’d already been up for hours.She’s still working the ranch and she and dad are early risers.”

Alexis leaned her head onto his chest and snuggled into him.“Do you still like the name Heather?”

“I do.What about you?Are you having second thoughts?”

“No.I still like it.I’ve been thinking of her as Heather for a while now.Ever since we decided on a name.”

He chuckled.“So have I.”

“Oh.”She sharply breathed out and pressed a hand to her belly.“That was a big one.We might should start timing them.”

“All right.”Peter looked at his watch.“We’ll wait for the next one.”

They sat in silence, holding each other and waiting.

“Oh, my.”Alexis rubbed free hand up and down over her stomach.“That one was worse than the other.The doctor said the third child could come faster than the the first two b.”

“That one was four minutes from the last one.We should probably start for the hospital as soon as Mom gets here.I’ll go put your bag in the car.I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be here.”She sat and felt two more contractions both harder than the one before.She had to breathe through them, like she learned in her Lamaze class.

Madelyn Kincaid, Peter’s mother stepped into the backyard from the house and walked over to Alexis.“Hi sweetie.I hear you’re about ready to give me another grandchild.”

Alexis blew out a breath.“I am, and if Peter doesn’t get here pretty soon, he’ll be delivering his daughter here in the backyard.”She grimaced as another pain hit.

Hurrying out of the house, Peter stopped in front of her.“Okay, m’lady.Your chariot awaits.”He held his hands out.

Alexis grabbed them and let herself be pulled to her feet.

Breathing deeply, she started toward the house with slow steps.“Madelyn, we’ll probably call you in a couple of hours, with the news of your newest granddaughter’s birth.”

“You just take care of yourself, sweetie.I’ll take care of Paul and Darian.I promise you’ll still have two sons when you get back home, so don’t you worry about anything but you and my grandbaby.”

Alexis took Peter’s hand and walked into the kitchen and then through the house to the front door.

Peter had parked the SUV out front to be easier for her to get into.

The vehicle had running boards so she could maneuver herself into the seat.

He shut her door and then ran to the driver’s side and climbed in.

In no time, they were off to Aspen Valley Medical Center.

Peter must have broken every speeding law there was to get her to the hospital.He pulled up in front of the Emergency Department, killed the engine, and then jumped out of the SUV.