Perfect Bastard (by Mary D. Sant) novel Chapter 152

Epilogue

Epilogue

Several years later…

ELLIE

The kitchen windows were wide open, letting in the warm summer

breeze, along with the sound of laughter coming from the pool area,

where Jack and Zara were supervising the children, while Anna and I

watched Will cook.

!

Looking at my friend, who was staring at her husband’s bare, tanned

back with a certain fascination, I smiled, finding it amusing that she

still looked at him the same way, even after so many years.

But I couldn’t judge her, because I was sure I did the same with my

husband, who had become even more delicious and irresistible over

the years. Speaking of my husband… Where was he?

Picking up my phone, I was about to send a message asking if he was

on his way when Sophia suddenly burst into the kitchen, running,

followed by her younger brother, Max.

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Laughing, the two of them ran past me, their red hair soaked.

“Careful! You’re going to slip!” Jack shouted, appearing at the

window as the two rounded the counter. “And you’re getting the

whole floor wet.” He sighed, hands on his hips.

“Come back here!” Zara appeared behind her husband. “Sorry, Ellie.

I’ll make them clean it up.”

“Don’t worry,” I reassured her.

“That’s why I say we should stick with just one,” Anna murmured

after they left, making me laugh.

“You know you want another,” Will teased, turning to us after turning

off the stove.

“Keep trying, maybe you’ll convince me someday, Harris,” she teased,

circling the counter to caress his chest.

Smiling, I looked away and returned my attention to my phone,

feeling like a third wheel.

“Thank God…” Zoe said, entering the kitchen. “I’m glad it’s Will

who’s cooking.” She smiled, approaching me, her hands on her seven- month–pregnant belly.

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I would never get used to seeing her pregnant, let alone how the

hormones were affecting her, making her seem scarily gentler.

“Are you okay? Where are they?” I asked.

“They’re coming.” She stopped beside me. “And I’m hungry, so I hope

Will’s finished lunch.”

“Where’s my boy?” Bennett shouted, entering the kitchen a second

later, making me smile.

Ethan followed shortly after, stopping behind his brother, and when

his gaze met mine, he was also smiling–because we both knew

exactly what was coming next.

Passing by me, Bennett stopped just before the window, crouching

down the moment our little Henry appeared, running toward his

uncle’s arms.

Watching the scene, I felt my heart melt from so much cuteness.

Since the first time I held him in my arms, he had become the most

beautiful thing in the world to me.

And now, two years later, sometimes I still couldn’t believe he was

ours–that we made him. But watching him grow and realizing we

were capable of raising him together made me proud–and because of

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that, I had no more doubts that we could do anything together.

“Who’s your favorite uncle?” Bennett asked, standing up with Henry

in his arms.

“Definitely not you,” Will interjected, jealous.

“Back off, Harris, you already have yours,” Bennett retorted, just as

Ethan stopped beside me, only to kiss my shoulder before heading

toward his brother.

“And soon you’ll have yours too…” he said, taking his little look–alike,

against his brother’s will. “Who’s Daddy’s big boy?” he asked, making

our son laugh.

“Daddy!” he smiled, his sweet voice and brown eyes–just like his

father’s–shining with joy.

“That’s right!” Ethan encouraged, tossing him up the next moment,

making him laugh even louder and my heart stop as well.

“Careful,” I warned.

“Looks like your mom’s worried…” he said, approaching me. “Even

knowing I could do the same with her, without dropping her,” he

teased, locking eyes with me.

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“Okay,” Zoe said. “I’ve heard enough.” She passed by me, dragging

Bennett along to the outside area.

“I think we should check on ours too,” Anna suggested, doing the

same with Will, while he grumbled something about William already

being quite grown.

“Are you having fun?” I asked, turning my gaze to Henry in his father’s arms, trying to fix his messy blond hair–also inherited from

his father.

He nodded, smiling at me with slightly rosy cheeks, perhaps from the

laughter and the sun.

“I think Mommy will have to reapply the sunscreen.”

“Daddy.” He shook his head, refusing and clinging to Ethan.

“You’re really a daddy’s boy, aren’t you?” I teased, tickling him.

“Mommy…” he said between laughs.

“Don’t be jealous,” Ethan teased when I stopped. “I’ll always be your

little boy,” he whispered, leaning in to kiss me. “Now… want to go

back outside to play with the others?” he asked, turning his attention

to our son.

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Henry nodded eagerly, so Ethan set him down, allowing him to head

toward the exit.

Following his small, hurried steps, we stopped just after passing

through the door, watching him run across the grass toward the other

children.

“He’s growing up so fast…” I commented, watching his little blond

hair shine under the sun’s rays.

“Yes, it feels like it was just yesterday we were in that hospital,”

Ethan reflected, hugging me from behind.

Smiling at the memory, I relaxed in his arms.

“Even though he’s your spitting image, I hope he’s not as terrible as

you,” I teased.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind having a little version of you, just as terrible

as you…” he whispered. “Maybe we can make one later, after everyone

leaves… a little mommy’s girl… What do you think?”

“Maybe… someday… but for now, I’d love it if you repeated what you

did with your mouth yesterday,” I whispered back.

“Do we have to wait until tonight?” he teased, pressing his hips

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against me.

“Yes… and only after confirming he’s asleep. You know… after that

incident, we need to be more careful.”

“He’s already a big boy… maybe it’s time for his first night at the

grandparents‘ house.”

“He’s only two…” I laughed. “You’re terrible…”

“And you’re beautiful…” he kissed my neck. “And you’ve given me so

much more than I could ever dream of… Thank you.”

“I feel the same,” I smiled, letting my head rest on his shoulder.

“I love you,” he whispered, looking at me with the same passionate

gaze as always before kissing me softly.

“I love you,” I whispered back.

And so, with his arms around me, watching our friends and their

children playing with our son, I didn’t want to be anywhere else in

the world, because I was finally home.

In the arms of the one who was always and always would be my home.

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My perfect bastard.

The End.