Ten Years Later…
Mrs Phillips was excited. She had something important to tell Kane when she got home. The news they'd been hoping for. She'd just got back from the doctors in her lunch break and he had confirmed she was twelve weeks pregnant. She knew the feeling she had ten years ago. It felt great. Of course her parents would be happy, despite who the father was; Jade hadn't been able to keep a steady boyfriend, and Dani was happy enough in her journalism career. As she got onto the new Yabbie Creek tramlink, Kirsty stroked her diamond-studded wedding ring. After she finished uni, and Kane his TAFE course, they took a gap year and travelled around the world. After visiting Thailand, India, Paris, and London, they headed for Las Vegas, and after a few too many glasses of bubbly, decided to get married in a kitsch 24-hour wedding chapel. (That took care of the wedding/family difficulties). The pictures still made her laugh, Kane in his Hawaiian shirt with an Elvis wig and Kirsty in a white mini-dress with angel wings. She wouldn't have had it any other way. When they arrived home, they still had a party, though she caught her sisters looking slightly uncomfortable.
"You look happy, " said an elderly man opposite her. "Like the cat who's got the cream."
"Well, I suppose I have, " said Kirsty. "I'm pregnant."
"Congratulations. I suppose you're off to tell the lucky father?"
"Yeah, as soon as he gets home from work." The tram stopped at Yabbie Creek Station. "This is my stop. Nice talking to you." The school was only a short walk away. Kirsty was a teacher of P.E and English at Yabbie Creek High, and was soon to be promoted to Head of English. It was a nice school, full of new faces, which was good. To stay on teaching at Summer Bay High would seem like forever going backwards.
***
Kane was home early from work; he wanted to cook Kirsty a special meal. She deserved it. She had been a bit stressed lately, with an increased workload and still learning to drive, yet had still managed to get a delicious dinner on the table every night. She was the best wife ever. They had been married for eight years now, with many more in the future. Sure, it hadn't been easy; Rhys wasn't exactly brimming with fatherly love but they had still managed to survive. Jade was beginning to warm to him, and he had managed a completely civil conversation with Dani about tarmac. It wasn't much but it was a start.
Kane threw some peppers into the wok, sending them into an instant sizzle. He thought of himself as an adequate chef nowadays, after picking up some tips of a friend at work. He part-owned and worked in a small boating workshop, and it was really beginning to take off. Perhaps he hadn't seen Kirsty as often as he'd liked, maybe she was feeling neglected. This evening would give them a chance to talk more than anything, and maybe he'd get a kiss if he were lucky.
***
Kirsty put her key in the lock, and began to creep into the house. They didn't live with Rosemary any more, and had been saving up for years before they could afford to buy a house. It was in central Yabbie Creek, near to the nightlife and a short distance from the marina, where Kane worked. They were still in the process of decorating, which meant that Kirsty had to creep over several tins of paint. She approached Kane, humming to himself in the kitchen, and covered his eyes with her hands.
"Guess who?"
"Hmmmm. Could it be Kirsty Phillips?"
"Damn, " Kirsty removed her hands. "You're so good at this game. What you making?"
"Stir-fry. It was meant to be a surprise."
"Never mind, anyway, I have a surprise for you. A big surprise."
Kane turned off the stove, and turned to look at Kirsty. "I'm listening."
"Well, you may have noticed I've been a bit tired and moody lately. There's a good reason for that. I'm pregnant."
"Really? Wow!" Kane's reaction couldn't be more different compared with the last time Kirsty was pregnant. "When's it due?"
"Near Christmas! Isn't that great?"
"Fantastic." They hugged.
"I'm so excited Kane. Our own family, a little baby Phillips."
"The start of many more, I hope." Kane had always wanted a big family; loads of kids running around the house. The kind of childhood he never had.
"My parents will be delighted, their first grandchild. We'll have to go round and tell them."
"Great, " Kane said flatly.
"Don't worry about them, " said Kirsty. "They knew it was going to happen again soon enough. Anyway, as long as we love each other, no one can touch us."
"It's worked well so far, hasn't it?"
The wok fiercely began to spit oil. "I think dinners burning Kane!"
They swiftly broke apart. Kane attended to the dinner. "Man, I was distracted, it's ruined!" He wasn't joking. The peppers were black and the chicken didn't look too appetising.
"Never mind. Guess it's take-out tonight. Anyway, I'd rather be doing other things than watch you cook."
Kane smiled. "I'll order the pizza."
As Kane ran towards the phone, Kirsty thought again how lucky she was; how fate had worked out for her. It was amazing what fate could do, make or break a relationship, completely change a life. Fate had played to their advantage, and Kirsty couldn't imagine a life better than this one. Their existence would be together, forever.
THE END
Authors note: Well I hope you enjoyed that trip to the future, a la Alf Stewart! I'd like to thank my dedicated reviewers for reviewing my first ever fanfic, and I hope you carry on reviewing with its twin 'Tails…' It will be surprising, and I hope you warm to Brooke and anything she might do. Expect it to take another 7 months like this one has!