Well, here's part three of this story. Again, only subtle changes were made and the rest of the story remains in it's raw form and unchanged. So as always, read and please review!

Part Three

Soon summer had turned to fall and fall into winter, and things were just wonderful with us. For the first time in my life, things were turning out the way I had always wished them to be. Renton was still working hard as always now supporting us, the kids grew up more and more each day, and our romance was as strong as ever. I was still worried on and off that the kids were scared of me loving their father, but that fear was soon squelched each morning by quick hugs and kisses to my cheek by all four of what we now call our kids. I wasn't even sure how well Axel was going to take it at first. He of course found out the next day after we had told the kids through unknown sources. We're still trying to figure out to this day who let our little secret loose. But oh well, that's another story.
What tickled my heart to this day, and it always leaves me breathless, was our first dance together to what we now figured is our favorite song together. To this very day, we still dance alone to that song in the living room, never tiring, never getting bored with it. We just hold each other close, kiss tenderly, say what we mean in our hearts, ask about how our days went, and just spend each moment in love with each other. I know it may sound silly to most, even to me, but it still makes my heart warm thinking about it all.
As for me, I'm still trying to recover my strength little by little. I've had a couple of small relapses where I've collapsed for a few hours, but that's been it. He was there each time luckily and helped carry to my bed so I could sleep and rest quietly. Elena was crying and on the verge of panic both times, but Renton, in what I though was the most fatherly tone I had ever heard, always held my daughter on his lap, letting her cry her tears into his chest while he tried to reassure her I was alright. She would continue crying until she fell asleep in his arms, at which point he would carry her out of the room, tuck her and the other three into bed, and then come back and watch me until I peacefully fell asleep.

It was now going on the holidays and Renton's job had slowed down quite a bit due to the season, but that didn't mean Hilda didn't keep him busy. Standing in a heated enclosed trailer that doubled as their sales counter, he was out selling Christmas trees to the masses and had been enjoying every minute of it. Artificial, real, pre-decorated, it was all there. They even carried the occasional wreath assortment when they weren't sold out. "Renton!"
"Yeah Hilda!"
"The couple over here needs their tree tied to the top of their car!"
"Okay! Be right there in a second! Here you go folks. Have a wonderful holiday."
"You too sir, and Merry Christmas!" the woman replied as she and her husband got into their vehicle and drove away. "Alright Hilda, what do we got?"
"That seven footer over there. Wrap it up and tie her down."
"Okay. Be right on it!"
"Oh my, isn't he ever the sprite one." the man chuckled. "I wish I had energy like that."
"Well it took him a long time to get like that, trust me."
"Why do you say that?"
"Long story sir. Looks like he's already got you ready to go. Have a wonderful Christmas holiday."
"You too ma'am. And thank you sir for tying that up for me."
"It's not a problem sir." Renton said with a smile. "You just go and enjoy yourself."
"I will. And here's a nice tip for you. Go and take your lady out for a nice dinner."
"Thank you sir. But that's not necessary."
"Sure it is. Night!"
"That sure was nice of him." Hilda then said with a smile as the man drove away. "Take off early and take Anemone out. You deserve it."
"Really?"
"Sure. Now get out of here before I change my mind!"
"Thanks Hilda!" he yelled back as he ran off out of the lot.
"Bye now!"

I was quite startled when Renton rushed in the door and pulled me off the sofa. I had just finished doing the dishes, so me and Axel were relaxing in the living room while he listened to the nightly news on the radio with me reading as usual. "Whoa Renton, what are you so giddy about?" I laughed.
"Go get dressed, we're going out!"
"Out? Where?"
"We'll figure that out later! I'll be out in a few minutes!" and like a bolt of lightning, he was up the stairs and in his room before I could say 'wait'.
"Go get ready Anemone." Axel said lightly. "It's been a while since you two have had a date."
"Really?!"
"Yeah, now go. I'll take care of the kids."
"Thanks Axel!" and before I knew it, I was up in my room myself changing into one of the new dresses I had yet to wear.

By the time I got out and back downstairs, I was a knockout if I do say so myself. I even think I saw Axels jaw drop. There I stood in my black spaghetti strapped dress that was all sequined so it looked like I shone like a million dollars. And with my matching short jacket top and heels, I was ready to take on the town. "Well, how do I look?"
"You look…absolutely amazing…" hearing Renton say that without stuttering or losing his tongue almost made me giggled in embarrassment.
"Oh sweetie, thank you."
"You look beautiful Anemone." Axel said softly. "If any other man saw you like this, you'd be the belle of the ball."
"Thank you Axel. That means a lot coming from you."
"Yeah, well, it takes a lot to get me to say things like that. I guess tonight was one of them."
"I've noticed." I giggled. "Ready to go Renton?"
"Sure am." he replied as he helped me into my dress jacket. "Don't wait up for us grandpa."
"I'll try not to. Have fun kids." and with a warm smile and a quick wave, we were off into the unknown to enjoy a night that we would rarely have alone together.

Soon after we had left, a gentle snow had begun to fall, blanketing us in a soft and silent white powder that began to slowly cover the ground. Around us the sounds of Christmas music sung softly in the air as the decorations on everyone's homes, store fronts, and hanging on the street lights left a peaceful glow around us. "It's so beautiful out here. I wish we could walk all night like this. It's just so romantic."
"Especially when I'm with the most beautiful woman in my life right now."
"And the most handsome man as well. So Renton, where are we going?"
"Since it was a generous tip plus with all the money I had left over, I thought right here would be appropriate." and boy he wasn't kidding. This restaurant was no stranger to me. It had quickly gained a reputation as the second best place in town for a nice dinner. It was also owned by someone near and dear to us. "Well, shall we see if Talho is working?"
"If she is dear, we'll get a seat with no reservations needed."
"They don't do reservations here anyways." he chuckled. Walking inside, I was nervous yet excited to see what, if she was there, thought of us.

"Hey you two lovebirds! About time you showed your faces here!" I breathed a sigh of relief right there. I got past step one. Now to see if she liked how I looked. "Welcome!"
"Thanks." Renton said happily. "Any tables available tonight?"
"Plenty. It's been a little slow tonight."
"That's good, because I'm hungry. How about you dear?"
"Just a little." I giggled as I took off my jacket. That's when she hit the roof.
"Anemone! You are absolutely GORGEOUS!"
"I'm not that good looking." I giggled. "But thanks."
"No, you ARE! I need to get a picture of you two! Wait right there!" and like a shot, she was behind the counter and back before I thought I could even blink. I swear, she must have been going past the speed of sound she moved so fast. "I'm really happy for you two. Is everything working out alright?"
"If you mean dating wise, then I'll show you." and before you could say jackknife, Renton dipped me into a passionate kiss that set my whole body on fire. All I could do was wrap my arms around his neck to hold myself up while Talho snapped a picture of one of our more intimate moments.
"That's going on my wall as soon as it's developed." and when Renton finally let me back up to catch my breath, me and Talho were both a bit flushed.
"That's the first time he's done that to me." I said still panting a bit. "But one thing is for sure. I'll be expecting a lot more of those later on."
"You got it." Renton replied as he winked at me. "So, where's that table at?"
"Follow me."

After an amazing dinner, an almost decadent dessert, and lot's of smiles and kisses, we headed out into the night and snow, which had picked up just a little bit from earlier. By this time though, just about everything was covered, including the sidewalks. "Just be careful walking Anemone. I'm sure it isn't easy to walk in snow with those kinds of shoes."
"No, it's not. If I had thought about it, I would've packed a regular pair of shoes into my purse to make it easier."
"No worries. If you happen to trip, I'll catch you."
"You had better. This is a new dress and I'm not ruining it on it's first time out."
"Point well taken. So, shall we catch a late movie?"
"Sure!"

Famous last words. The movie ended up being one of those action, romance, drama flicks that in all means, didn't really attract my attention. Though the two love scenes that were in it did get me a little hot under the collar. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've seen plenty of movies and scenes like that on television, but those two were something else. "That movie was awesome! I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it Anemone."
"It's alright. You can make it up to me with the next one."
"It's a deal. Well I suppose we had better head home. It is getting late."
"Oh my, it is, isn't it? I never saw until now."
"That's what happens when you have fun. You just happen to lose all track of time."
"I almost forgot what fun was. Our family life is so busy that we never get the time to go out like this."
"That I know. So how about we take our time heading home? This snow is making me feel, well, a little romantic."
"Now that you put it that way, I'll take you up on that offer." and so with another passionate kiss, we slowly made our way home.

By the time we got home and in the door, the lights were out, the door locked, and everyone was in bed. I didn't mind though, and Renton didn't seem to either as we kissed and held each other as we tried to take off our jackets while stumbling up the stairs to our rooms. At the doorway to my room, our kissing got more passionate as he began to kiss down my neck, onto my shoulders, and across the top of my chest leaving a trail of fire as he did. But when he tried to drop the straps of my dress off my shoulders, that's when I took the initiative. I opened my bedroom door, quietly led us in, and closed it as quietly as I could as not to wake anyone. By this time my whole body was on fire and I didn't want to stop. When our lips met again, I never let his go as I unbuttoned his shirt, pushed it off his torso, loosened his pants until he was only in his boxers. I hadn't felt like this since I had first made love to Dominic, and I think it showed as I traced around Renton's body with gentle kisses, backing him up until he had fallen back onto my bed. That's when I did a little strip tease of my own, casually slipping off my dress, kicking off my shoes and nylons and by the time I was done, I was only in a pair of lacy black undergarments that left almost little to the imagination. "Am I…beautiful Renton?" as he looked at me in the darkness, I could see his eyes gaze at my every curve as my skin glowed softly from the reflections of the street lights outside.
"You…are absolutely beautiful Anemone…" nervously, I walked towards him until he was able to tenderly wrap his arms around me, pull me down next to him, and kiss me softly as his fingers from his left hand ran all over my body, making me wiggle and squirm under his passionate attack. When he got to running his fingers in and around the edge of my undergarments, I figured enough was enough and helped him whisk them off. I think that shocked him though as he got kind of a scared look in his eyes. "A-a-a-are you sure about this Anemone? I know you have, but I…"
"It's okay love. I know your nervous, and so am I. But don't worry, it's only me, you, and our time together as lovers. Let's make it special." and I think those words hit close to his heart. For the remainder of the evening no more words were said as we made love to each other several times that night, each time more passionate and loving than the last until at the very end, we felt like we had been more connected to each other than we had ever been in the past.

The next morning was the happiest I think I ever remember waking up to. When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw after my vision had cleared up was the snow that had continued to fall throughout the night, giving me a peaceful feeling inside. I knew Christmas was coming up and I had something special planned for everyone. Not that I was going to say though. I do hate spoiling surprises. Snuggling back under my covers, I quickly noticed an arm wrapped around my midsection and warm soft breathing tingling the back of my neck. I then also noticed Renton was still pressed up against me other from the night before. Feeling the warmth of his skin up against my bare skin sent chills up my spine when I remembered what kind of night we had just had with each other. I think he remembered as well. While trying to make myself comfortable, I felt that Renton still wasn't done with me yet. "Morning love."
"Hi sweetie. Sleep well?"
"Better than ever." he said with a kiss to the back of my neck. "How about you?"
"I slept wonderfully. And from what I'm feeling, you have something in mind for me."
"Good observation my love…"

Later on in the morning, me and Renton were cuddling on the sofa while waiting for the others to wake up so I could get breakfast going for them. But since it was the weekend, I wasn't expecting anyone to get up anytime soon, especially the kids knowing them like I do. But on this morning, I was proven wrong as my lovely daughter decided to jump on me and Renton. "OOF! Hi sweetie!" I laughed. And sure enough, there was my little girl, bright eyed and energetic.
"Hi momma! What are you and Renton doing?"
"Just spending time with each other hon. Why are you up so early?"
"I couldn't sleep no more, so I wanted to see momma!"
"Well I love you too sweetie. You hungry?"
"Yes momma!"
"Alright, let's get you some breakfast, okay?"
"Okay!"
"Alright, let's go! Be right back hon."
"Okay love." Renton chuckled. Walking into the kitchen with Elena bouncing happily around me, something about Renton last night really caught my eyes, though I never asked him about it. Just with the way he held me, caressed my body, the way his kisses felt on my lips and body, it was all like I had pictured it in my mind. So perfect, so, so…
"Momma!"
"Oh, sorry sweetie." I giggled nervously. "Let's go to the table now."
"Okay!"

"Anemone!"
"Hi Hilda!"
"Well, aren't we looking radiant this morning. Something tells me your date last night went a little longer than planned."
"Is it that obvious?"
"Sure is."
"That figures."
"What's wrong Anemone?"
"Well, after what happened last night, I'm just afraid Renton might think bad of me, that's all."
"Why would you think that?"
"Mainly because we aren't married at all, that's why. I'm sure things like what we did last night are frowned down upon by others."
"Listen Anemone, do you love him?"
"Yes, more than anything."
"And does he love you?"
"Oh yes, and he proved that last night." I couldn't believe I had just said that. When I realized I just did, my face was so hot and red you could've cooked an egg on it. But it obviously didn't faze Hilda though.
"Oh, well then, I guess that proves everything. Look, I'm sure you two mean the world to each other, and it's shown every time I've seen both of you together. What happens between you two now and in the future will not only be special to you, but him as well."
"You think so? I'm still afraid we went too far too fast."
"Don't worry Anemone. I'm sure all will be fine."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. The main reason I'm worried though…"
"Is the whole Eureka and Dominic thing, I know. That will always be there. But I know that Dominic would want you to move on and be happy. I'm sure Eureka would think the same about Renton."
"That helps Hilda. Thanks."
"Sure. You know you can talk to me anytime, okay?"
"I'll make sure to do that next time I need someone to talk to."
"You do that. So, what's on your agenda today?"
"Oh, just out for a walk as I tried to figure things out really. Thanks to you showing up though, I think I finally did."
"Hey, before you know it, you two will be married and having kids of your own someday."
"I won't say that'll happen yet Hilda. It's still kind of early in our relationship to think about that."
"You two made love to each other already, so I think anything is possible."
"Hilda!" I giggled. "You're terrible, you know that?"
"Hey, what are friends for, right? So, how was it last night?"
"Hilda, all I can say is, he took my breath away, several times."
"Sounds like an amazing night."
"You have no idea."

I arrived back home a little while later to an empty house void of noise and kids. I thought for sure that Renton and the kids would welcome me home with open arms and a gentle kiss from Renton. It wasn't until I saw the note on the dining room table that the worry disappeared.

Anemone,

Went out Christmas shopping with the kids. Grandpa is at the shop as always if you need anything. I'll try to have us home before dinner. And thanks for an amazing night. I love you more than anything sweetheart.

Love,
Renton

Well, I figured that since I now had some time to myself, it was time to go holiday crazy and decorate the house. And without the kids in the way, I was going to whip through it all in no time. Plus have an amazing dinner ready on the side. "Okay everyone," I then said to myself. "get ready to be impressed!"

"Papa, who are we shopping for?"
"Grandpa and Anemone, Maeter." I said happily. "And when we get time, we'll shop for you kids not only together, but separately as well."
"So we'll get lots of presents?!"
"Like you do every year, BUT only if you behave yourselves."
"Too cool!"
"Yes it is kiddo." I chuckled. "Hey, Elena, are you happy to be getting something for your momma?"
"Yes I am Renton! I'm really excited!"
"Good to hear." I laughed. It was rare that I was able to get out with the kids alone, and this time was the best year to do it in. Usually Elena had a hard time leaving her mother's side, and hated it when I left as well on some days. But when I explained to her what we were going to do, she only agreed if she could ride piggy back on my shoulders. To that I couldn't object. I loved spending time with the kids now. I really didn't know how much I had missed of them until the new love in my life was finally able to break down the wall I had built, letting her into my heart as to heal my soul and the scars of my past. Sure, it seemed crazy that I would fall in love again after losing Eureka, but when I saw the same pain and hurt in Anemone's eyes over Dominic, I finally saw the same pain and hurt I had in my heart over my first love. Finding each other so far has been the best treasure for me. I now have my life, my kids, everything back to where it should be. "Hey, papa?"
"What's up Maurice?"
"What are we going to get Anemone?"
"Not sure yet. Still haven't thought of that. I have a few ideas running through my head, but I guess we'll wait and see what we find. What do you say kids?"
"Yeah!" they all cheered in unison.
"Well then," I laughed. "Let's get some lunch and take it from there."

"Afternoon Holland. Long time, no see."
"Oh, hey Hilda. Long time indeed. What brings you over to our part of town?"
"Just out meandering about, that's all."
"Which means you have a big story to tell Talho."
"You know us too well. Is she home?"
"Nope. Out working as always."
"That girl, I swear. She has to learn to slow down eventually you know. Just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she has to work her tail off."
"You tell her that, not me. I try but she just brushes me off."
"It figures. She's always been a stubborn one to handle on some days."
"She says the same about me Hilda, I should know."
"That I do. We're practically sisters you know."
"Don't have to remind me of that. But I better get back to what I do best and keep working. Can't pay the bills by talking."
"I hear you there. I'll just try to catch her later then. Take care!"
"Bye now!" he waved off. "Hmm…I wonder what's going on this time?"

By the time Renton and the kids had gotten home, they had frozen in their tracks as soon as they entered the doorway. Our tree was up and decorated with care, the stockings hung up over the mantle of the fireplace, all the windows had been decorated with clings and lights, our wreath was hung on the front door, and the Christmas dinnerware set was placed with care on the table looking like it was ready for us to enjoy our first holiday meal. And the smell? Well that was so good it could've knocked you into heaven. The scents of pineapple baked ham, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, and that oh so delicious apple pie that I was notorious for making. It had earned me quite the reputation for having the best apple pies around, but I always laughed off that fact, almost denying it. But so far, I have yet to find someone who could beat my cooking abilities. "Anemone, this place looks amazing!"
"Thanks sweetie. Hi kids! I hope you're hungry!"
"Sure are!" Maurice yelled. "When will it all be ready?"
"In a little while yet. So until that time comes, go take care of your rooms and then you can play quietly until dinner is ready."
"Okay! Come on guys!" and like a flash all four were up in their rooms and quiet as could be.
"Well, I didn't have to tell them that twice. How were they while you were out?"
"Absolutely wonderful. I couldn't have asked for four better kids if I tried."
"Good. I was worried that you wouldn't be able to handle them."
"Who says I can't?"
"And who raises them while you and Axel work? Who spends more time with them?"
"Well…"
"My point exactly. Sorry love, I win this round."
"You're killing me." he laughed as he hung up his coat.
"Hey, I try. Now behave yourself Thurston or no dinner for you as well."
"You dare deny my dinner?" he said with a sly smile. "I think not." Wrapping his arms around my waist while I wrapped my around his neck, I knew I was stuck. There was no way I was letting him out of my life.
"I guess I'll never win against you dear. Every time I try you just give me that wonderful smile and stare of yours and steal my heart without me being able to stop you."
"It just shows how much I love you Anemone. And after what we showed each other last night, there's just no denying it anymore."
"No there isn't. It's a fairy tale I wouldn't give up for the world."
"This isn't any fairy tale Anemone. This is our life together, right here, right now, at this very moment. And this time, I'm not letting you go, no matter what happens."
"You promise?"
"I promise." he then said softly. And for the next several minutes, we danced and held each other close, his promise now locked away deep inside my heart.