Epilogue.
Time flies as we all know and although they kept in regular touch by phone it was eighteen months before Catherine and Graham made another visit to Suffolk. Dimitri who was now in what Harry presumed to be a serious relationship with his daughter was with them.
It was a glorious mid summers day as Harry and Ruth dressed in shorts and t shirts walked hand in hand along the water's edge watching Catherine, Dimitri and Graham walking some way ahead of them. Between his two older children James Henry now eleven months old was squealing with delight as his elder brother and sister with a hand in each of his, lifted him up each time the water lapped around his tiny feet.
Catherine had got her wish and when Harry and Ruth had rung her to say that Ruth was pregnant, she had been reduced to tears. The energy that Harry had put into the planning to accommodate a little person into their lives had made Ruth wonder why he had ever doubted himself as a father. They had converted the guest bedroom into a nursery for James and had sought planning permission to build on top of the utility with the view to adding a new guest bedroom. The once totally impractical Harry Pearce had been a man on a mission as he haggled with the planning officer and then the builders in order to get it completed in time. Ruth loved him all the more for it.
They had kept the news to themselves well beyond the first three months as Ruth had suffered dreadful sickness for far longer than was usual. Throughout the whole nine months Harry had looked after her through tears, mood swings and the times she had done nothing but snap at him. When James had finally made an appearance a week earlier than expected, his birth was trouble free and quick although Ruth begged to differ as she swore that she'd have him seen to if he told her one more time that she could do this.
Graham was now throwing a beach ball and James was making a good fist of beating Catherine and Dimitri to reach it before they did. When he did, he plonked himself down on the sand and held it tight, his little face taking on Harry's 'grid look' as Ruth called it something that he had finally conceded was true. He had a mop of blonde hair just as his father once had but had inherited Ruth's blue eyes. He was a beautiful child and they both adored him.
As soon as James had been born they had determined that they would spend most if not all their time as a family. Who knew what the future held but they were realists and had discussed the fact that there was every chance that Ruth would at some stage be on her own although hopefully not before James was a young man. They wanted him to spend as much time with them together and have happy memories of both his parents, something that Ruth had been denied because her father had died when she was young.
In addition to the work that had been done on the house, they had re developed the garden so that it now had an area that enabled them to relax out of the sun. The large tree at the far end had been pruned the previous autumn and now provided excellent shade for their table and chairs and a set of outdoor furniture where they could relax and read or even have a nap at the same time as James which was usually in the afternoon.
Arriving back at the house, Ruth carried James upstairs to change him out of his wet clothes whilst Harry and Graham laid the table and Catherine and Dimitiri sorted out their tea. By the time Ruth came out to join them, tea was ready and James's high chair was at the head of the table.
Harry watched her as she walked towards him their son in her arms. He had always loved her perhaps too much if that were possible and since the moment that she had first held James in her arms he had marvelled at how natural and right she looked as a mother. Out of the corner of her eye Catherine watched her father looking at Ruth. The magic's still there she thought.
James who was now sitting in his high chair was clearly hungry as he tucked into the sandwiches that were on his plate. Catherine who had had no previous experience with babies was fascinated by everything he did and to have a new baby brother when she was in her late twenties was a dream come true. It had also brought her even closer to her dad and Ruth and now that she was back in the UK full time she intended coming to see them as often as she could. Graham was still working in Manchester so couldn't promise that he would visit as often as his sister, but he had continued to rebuild his relationship with his father made easier because got on so well with Ruth.
James had finished his tea and decided that the best way to get the grown up's attention was to bang his beaker of juice on his tray something he already knew he wasn't supposed to do. Father and son locked eyes much to Dimitri's delight as he watched a miniature Harry in a battle of wills with the older version.
'The poor little bugger looks just like you.' said Graham to his father, although no one other than Ruth would have dared to agree with him.
'Right young man time for your sleep,' said Ruth as both Graham and Dimitri looked between James and then Harry to see which one she was talking to. Harry realising what they were thinking felt minded to tell them that there were bonuses to retiring early and if he went to bed in the afternoon it wasn't likely to involve sleep. Had he been on his own with them he would have done just that but he certainly wasn't going to embarrass Ruth, so he lifted James from his high chair and carried him into the house.
Catherine headed after her dad determined to spend time with him on her own especially if that time could be spent with James as well. They chatted about all sorts about her new job in London and about the fact that she was now with Dimitri and happy something that she knew her father needed to hear. She watched amazed as Harry effortlessly played, bathed and changed James into his sleepwear before he popped him into his cot.
'He'll probably sleep for a couple of hours,' said Harry 'and then he'll be awake and creating mayhem again.'
They had an early dinner after which it was time for Dimitri to drive them back to London. It was the first time that they had sat down as a family since the day after their wedding. During that time, Dimitri had gone from being the cheeky young man that had teased Ruth on the grid to what appeared to be Catherine's partner and most importantly James had been born.
Harry with one arm round Ruth and holding James with the other stood by the gate and watched their car disappear into the distance. With a sigh and a kiss on Ruth's forehead, he turned round and walked his family back into the house.