Epilogue
Author's Note: This takes place about fourteen or fifteen years after Chapter 9.
Disclaimer: All rights to the Mother-Daughter Book Club series belong to Heather Vogel Frederick.
Megan
The last fourteen years have been a learning curve for me and all of my friends. All of our houses are filled with toys, moody teenagers, and dirty dishes. The cars that were suitable for young married couples have been traded in for family-friendly cars which have booster seats in the back. The fridge and pantry are stocked with snacks and juice boxes. Sticky fingerprints cover the windows and banisters and houses are furnished with artwork made by our kids. And in Cassidy's case she learned how to plan a wedding and be a wife. Our lives are chaotic and filled with messes but also memories that none of us would trade for any amount of money on earth.
"Tessa!" I yell up the stairs. "We're leaving in forty-five minutes so get ready!" I wait on the first step for a reply but all I get is silence. I try again, "Tessa! Did you hear me?"
There's a beat of silence before her irritated voice calls back, "Yeah I heard you the first time. You didn't need to say it again."
"I actually did because I-" I begin but stop myself with some effort. Telling her that I need a response will just make her more annoyed and that's the last thing I need right now. I count to ten in my head and remind myself that at fourteen I was also always at odds with my mother.
I tuck my hair behind my ears and head to my bedroom which is located on the first floor of the roomy house Simon and I bought when we found out I was expecting our second child, Nate. The top of the dresser is overflowing with scarves, make up and perfume, a fact that Simon often complains good-naturedly about. I find an outfit appropriate for a casual lunch with friends and family and take a quick shower. As I get dressed I find myself drawn to the mirror. Peering at my reflection closely I inspect my face for wrinkles and make sure my hair is as black as ever. Simon tells me that I don't need to worry about that kind of stuff and that I look about thirty. But I know that it's bound to show up soon since I just turned forty-one.
I shake off thoughts about my appearance and decide to round up the rest of my family to get them ready. Passing through the kitchen I lean out the window and yell over the roar of the lawn mower, "SIMON! We're leaving in half an hour! Get ready!" He gives me a thumbs up in response but I know he'll make us late anyway.
I pass through the living room and see my eight year old son curled up on the sofa. "Hey honey. Can you maybe get ready?" I ask looking at his pajamas.
"Can I just finish this episode?" he pleads, widening his chocolate brown eyes.
"No," I tell him firmly. "Get ready. I'll help you if you need it."
"I'm okay," he says and jumps off the sofa, running towards his room.
I sigh and switch off the TV before finding my two year old daughter, Lauren who is busy chewing the ends of her brown hair. "Don't chew on that," I scold her gently, prying her hair out of her chubby fists.
She stares up at my, her blue eyes filling with tears, "Mama…"
I quickly begin bouncing her up and down in my arms, hoping to head off a potential tantrum. Since both Simon and I are pretty even-tempered I have no idea where Lauren got her extreme personality. She can be happy one second and screaming the next. "I didn't mean to upset you, it's just a bit yucky," I tell her.
Her bad mood seems to be gone when she gives me a sunny smile and I relax slightly. I really don't want to haul a screaming child around Concord. Continuing to play and coo over her, I bring her upstairs to the nursery where I change her diaper and put her in some clean clothes. In Lauren's bedroom I can hear and feel the bass that's coming from some music Tessa's playing. I frown; if it's this loud from here surely it's making Tessa go deaf. I plop Lauren into her play pen and give her a few blocks before heading down the hall to my oldest daughter's bedroom, steeling myself as I go, fights with Tessa can be full of screaming, tears, and accusations.
I knock on the wooden door and feel the floor beneath me shake slightly as the bass drops in the music. The music is obviously too loud for Tessa to hear me so I swing open the door. I haven't been in this room in over a year, not since Tess first became a teenager and decided that she wanted more privacy. I assumed it would be a dump with laundry all over the place, the blinds shut, and the bed unmade. Instead I find the room is as neat as a pin; the bed is made neatly, the room is full of sunshine and the only thing out of place is a pile of books her bedside table. Tessa herself is sitting at the tidy desk, her back to the door, reading a book with her laptop open, playing incredibly loud music. I cross to the desk silently and reach over her shoulder to pause the music. Tessa jumps and a surprised look crosses her face which she quickly turns into a scowl when she sees it's me.
"What do you want?" she asks, glaring at me. "Why are you in my room?"
"Your music was too loud and I wanted to make sure that you were getting ready," I say, meeting her gaze evenly.
"I am," she snaps, gesturing to herself. I note she's dressed in an outfit I designed and feel a sense of triumph. At least she likes my clothes.
"Good," I say. "Please come downstairs. We're almost ready to leave."
She flips her chestnut colored hair but doesn't say anything so I leave, shutting the door securely.
I'm about to retrieve Lauren when I hear a crash and a suspiciously innocent voice say, "Mommy?"
My mom-radar is immediately alert. Nate doesn't call me Mommy unless he thinks he's going to get in trouble. "What is it Nate?" I ask, cautiously approaching his bedroom. I stop at the door; he's shattered his lamp and knocked over a bookshelf. I sigh and call for Simon to help me clean up.
Forty-five minutes later I'm stepping into Pies and Prejudice with a rumpled Simon, grumpy Tessa, cheerful Nate, and sunny Lauren. "Sorry we're so late. We had some...problems," I say breathlessly to the room at large.
"Oh no problem," Becca reassures me, hurrying towards us while wiping her hands on her apron. "It's great you could come!"
Zach comes up beside her and wraps an arm around her shoulders, smiling at us, "We've had our share of troubles today."
Simon chuckles, "Well the store looks great." It's true, in honor of our party Becca has cleaned the whole place from top to bottom. There are three big tables as well as a buffet and a play corner for the younger kids which consists of a rug with a bunch of books, toys, and games.
I hear a clattering on the stairs and a moment later a streak of blonde hair flashes past me and makes a beeline for Tessa. It's Melissa, Becca and Zach's oldest child who is Tessa's best friend. The two of them hug before heading to a table to start gossiping and playing on their phones. Melissa is basically a clone of Becca at that age, only nicer.
"Why don't let Nate play with Ben?" Becca suggests, pointing to the rug in the corner where her six year old son is intently building a Lego structure.
"Sure thing," Simon agrees and sends Nate over.
As Nate plops down next to Ben, he bell over the door rings and April Chadwick comes in and without a glance at the rest of us scurries over to join Tessa and Melissa who are huddled at a table in the corner. Seconds later Emma arrives. "April!" she scolds, "say hello to everybody."
April glances up a gives a muttered, "hey" before returning to her conversation. Her brown hair falls over her shoulders and she sweeps it away with impatiently.
Emma stares at her daughter for a second longer before huffing in annoyance and turning to us. "I'm sorry about April. I don't know how to handle her."
Becca chuckles, "Relax, she's a teenager."
Stewart, who has entered the tea shop in his wheelchair bobs his head in agreement, "Teenage girls are nothing but trouble."
Becca, Emma, and I protest but we stop when Zach says, "Remember what you were all like?"
"Pancake fight at the battle reenactment," Emma offers.
"Switched Secret Santa presents," Becca adds.
I laugh ruefully, "Fashion Faux Pas."
"I loved Fashionista Jane!" Cassidy says.
"Cassidy!" we all chorus.
"Hey guys," she grins at us." Becca, I hope you made some awesome food, I'm starving!"
Tristan comes hurrying in behind, giving a piggy back ride to Margaret even though last weekend I'd heard her declare that seven years old she was too old to be picked up or carried. "She's even worse than when she was pregnant with Eva or Margaret. I swear, whenever I go shopping, immediately after the pantry is empty," he complained.
"I'm eating for two!" Cassidy protests, resting a hand on her swollen stomach. "Although at the size I am I might be having twins! And anyway, I'm not the only one with a huge appetite." She points at the buffet Becca has set up. Eva is standing there, sandwich in hand.
Eva just shrugs when she sees us, popping the rest of the sandwich into her mouth, "I was hungry."
"She's just like me," Cassidy says proudly.
We all laugh and the door swings open once again, revealing the Hawthornes. Jess and Darcy usher their three kids through door. Eleven year old Samantha ducks her head bashfully; nine year old Ashley holds her father's hand, and Chris, the youngest at six runs around in circles before settling down next to Ben and Nate.
Jess and Darcy say their hellos and before long we're all looking for our tables which involves a lot of bumping elbows and stepping on feet. After all, there are twenty-one of us in the teashop. Finally we settle down at our tables; all the adults and toddlers are at one big table, Tessa, Melissa, April, Eva, Samantha, and Ashley are at another, while Nate, Ben, Margaret, and Chris are happily seated on the floor.
The tantalizing smell of the food Becca has prepared becomes unbearable as the children serve themselves first as the adults talk. Finally the kids settle down with their plates and there's a scraping of chairs as me and the rest of my friends and their husbands get up to fill our plates. The buffet consists of salad, different types of sandwiches, as well as roast chicken, pasta, and other appetizers. I immediately grab a Panini and help myself to pasta and pour a glass of Sprite. There's a lot of chatter as people sample different foods and serve themselves. There are surprisingly few accidents considering there are eleven children running around. Ten minutes later everyone is situated at their seats with full glasses and plates. Even the little ones have stopped causing trouble in favor of eating the delicious food.
The teashop is filled with the sound of family and friends talking and relaxing together. Early afternoon sunlight filters through the windows, giving the whole place a warm, contented feeling. Outside brown, yellow, and orange leaves swirl on the gentle breeze as the occasional car goes by. I sigh, even with the troubles my family will have, I'm perfectly happy right now. I wish someone could capture it in words.
As if she's reading my mind, Emma stands up and taps her knife against her glass, effectively silencing everybody. "I wish to propose a toast. Thirty years ago a group of mothers got together after yoga class and created a Mother-Daughter-Book-Club without consulting their daughters. And those daughters thought it was a truly terrible idea. And maybe at the beginning it was. There were fights. Food fights among others." She flashes a grin at Becca who grimaces. "But there were also a lot of happy times. Becca joined, we had trips to New York, the White Mountains, Wyoming, England, and we had many laughs, as well as tears. Even though we lost touch after college, our friendship was strong enough to bring us back together.
"Mom!" April complains. "Stop being so sappy! It's embarrassing!"
Emma smiles, "My darling daughter wishes me to stop so I'll just say one more thing. Now we're all married, including Cassidy and Tristan and we all have kids. And we can thank the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club for that! To the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club!"
"To the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club," we all echo, raising our glasses.
The Mother-Daughter-Book-Club really has given me everything; amazing friends, an awesome British husband and by default three lovely (if at times grumpy) children. Long live the Mother-Daughter-Book-Club!
I hope you all like the last chapter of Reunited. It's been one month writing this and it's been a great experience! Thank you to all my reviewers and readers! You all are amazing and I couldn't have finished the story without your support. (A special shout-out to Dess4ever who has reviewed every chapter!) I'll be posting a new story soon and I hope you stop by my profile and check it out. Ciao!
-Ana