Love in the Time of Zombies
don't own anything but the plot.
Epilogue
Five Years Later......
Alice Whitlock—Torino BC
"Dammit Isabella Marie Whitlock, I said get down from that fence right this instant," my husband growls at the three year old violet eyed girl trying to give him a heart attack. With an impish grin, she brushes her blonde curls out of her eyes before leaping into the air, knowing that her father will catch her. He doesn't let her down either. With the practiced grace of a parent with such an uninhibited child, his tanned arms easily pluck our daughter out of the air.
"That was fun daddy, I wanna do it again!" little Bella squeals, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
"We'll play more tomorrow sweetpea," Jasper promises our daughter as she snuggles into his flannel covered chest, "But your mama's already told you that it's time to wash up for dinner, baby Bells, and you know what happens when you don't mind your mama."
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" I scoff just as I see Tanya and Leah's two ponies pulling their wagon up the lane. "You're late!"
"Shut up short stuff before I toss you in the river," Leah mock growls as the carriage rolls to a stop and a dark haired boy pokes his head up from the back.
"Seth!" my baby girl squeals upon seeing the boy and begins trying to wriggle out of her father's arms, "Lemme down! I wanna see Seth daddy!"
He releases her with a quiet laugh and her stubby are a blur as she catapults herself at Tanya and Leah's son. Seth, who at the ripe age of five, has recently discovered that girls have cooties, shrieks as Bella draws near and returns to cowering in the back of the wagon alongside his dog, a beagle named Sport.
"Come on kiddo, time to get ready for dinner," Tanya reaches up and pulls the boy out before he can escape her grip, "Bella isn't going to bite sweetie, she grew out of that almost two years ago."
"Allen and Zafrina are starting to have the same problem with Michael," I declare with a low chuckle, "But I think the worst offender is going to be little E, Charlie said he almost bit Mischa's finger off the other day when she didn't was a little slow to get him fed."
"That boy has a temper just like his big sister," Leah admits as we head into the two story cabin that has been home since making our way to Torino, "Bella would have been so proud of Michael."
"So many babies," Jasper mumbles to Seth, "What are we going to do now?"
"Run away screaming like uncle Emmett," the child answers with unquestionable sincerity before trudging over to the sink and climbing up the step stool to clean his face and hands.
"What did you say about uncle Emmett?" a warm, booming voice demands from the door, making the kids jump, then sprint across the space to their favorite uncle.
"Idiot," Rosalie steps around the hulking man, not bothering to save him from the mini assault. In her arms is their newest adoptee, a girl they've named Vera.
Behind them is Senna, who is already breath-taking at eleven years old. "Auntie Ali!" she chirps and crushes me to her five foot six frame like there's no tomorrow, "I missed you so much! I hate that we live on the other side of the settlement now!"
"Aw, it's alright sweetheart," I reassure her, "Next year, when you start taking my seamstress class, we'll see each other every day at school. Maybe we could convince the teacher that she needs an assistant."
"Really?" her gray eyes flash silver in her excitement, "I get to help you with the class?"
Rose and I exchange matching smirks and I nod to the bouncing girl, "As long as you keep up with your other schoolwork and help your mom and dad at home, yes, you get to help me."
The squeals of happiness drowns out every other sound in the room and I'm engulfed in yet another powerful embrace. If it were only this easy to make everyone happy. I guess I can't really complain though. Life has steadily gotten better since that horrible Christmas Eve almost six years ago. I know that there isn't a day that goes by that those we've lost are not thought about, but I can't help but be grateful for their sacrifice, otherwise those who survived might not be where we are today.
"Where have you wandered off to sprite?" the husky tenor of my soul mate brings me back to the here and now.
"Just thinking about how lucky we are Jazz," I lift my head up and he presses his lips to mine before gently running his hands over my distended belly.
"Is he bothering you?" his sapphire eyes flare with love and concern.
"I shake my head and give him a bright smile, "No, he's just stretching angel. I think he's about as ready to come out as I am."
"You sure it'll be tomorrow?" his love and worry for our child makes my heart swell, proving that there will never be a day that I don't love him more than the previous one.
"Oh yeah, I'm sure," I pat his cheek and kiss the tip of his nose, "But for now, mama and baby are hungry, so get to work cowboy before I start gnawing on Seth again!" My words make the munchkin in question giggle and rub my paunch like he'd seen his uncle do just a minute before.
Hours later, everyone in the house is safe in their slumber, I slip from under my husband's arm and waddle outside onto the balcony and gaze up at the stars. "Happy birthday Bella," I murmur while stroking my unborn child back to sleep, "Miss you, my sister. I hope Edward is taking good care of you. Tell everyone I said hi and I love you all."
"Alice?" Jasper's groggy tone almost makes me laugh out loud as he stumbles out to me, "Come back to bed honey, you need all the rest you can get."
"Okay Jazz," I acquiesce, and after one last look towards the clear night sky, I return to my place at my husband's side, where I know I'm still the safest.
The original epilogue was going to be similar to this, but you know how Alice can be. I hope everyone enjoyed and thank you once again for taking this journey with me. I know this ending has been a disappointment, but I couldn't just abandon you all.