Chapter 67: To the Future

When Emily was a child, she never dreamt about her life being a fairytale or living a perfect life with a happily ever after. She learned early on that just wasn't in the cards for her. A lot of uproar and instability, she was prepared for. Happiness, she was not.

So, letting the Hotchner family into her heart and, more so, into such an integral part of her life, wasn't easy. It took some work on both their parts, but they got there, and they were happy.

They had been for a while. The wedding just gave their happiness a more official welcoming party.

The family had all gathered around the table, seated, and waiting for them. Everyone was dressed in their Sunday best and looking dashing. Little Michael had captured everyone's attention dancing around in his little vest and slacks. For a moment, as Hotch and Emily entered the room, the two just silently watched, huge grins on their faces.

When Michael finally tired out, the couple took the moment to approach the table.

"Mom," Nate said, bringing attention to their arrival. "Can we tell them now?"

"Leave that to us, okay Nate?" Hotch said.

"Yeah."

"Well, we'd like to start by thanking you all for coming today," Emily began. "We know we all had plans for the actual holiday, but we still wanted to get together. I'm just happy we could all make it today."

"We also know we told everyone to come with an appetite. You're all hungry, I'm sure, and we'll get to the feast soon enough, but we hope you can hold out for a little longer."

"What's going on?" Pen asked.

"We have to admit that we've invited you here with an ulterior motive."

The group, most of them, looked on with curious, squinted gazes.

"Some of you may have talked with Father Egan. He has graciously agreed to join us for the festivities."

"Oh. My. Cyber Gods. Is what I think is happening, happening?"

"We're getting married," Emily said.

Hotch added, "Here and now."

"What?!" It seemed a collective remark.

"We know we didn't give you any warning, but we really didn't want to make it a thing. Simple, intimate, and sensible. That's us."

"There's nothing simple about you," Derek stated.

They ignored the remark.

"If there are no objections, we'd like to do this now, with you all by our sides."

JJ stood up and said, "We've better do some last minute touch ups then. That's what a matron of honor is for."

"Hey," Pen abruptly remarked. "You can't just claim the title. Emily, tell her she can't just claim it."

"Now, now children. Behave," Emily teased, allowing the women to sweep her away.

They did some touch ups on her make up while the rest of the group chatted. Emily asked the two women if they would mind being bride-maids rather than either claiming maid-of-honor.

"I know you both may be expecting to be my maid of honor, and you both mean so much to me. I just don't think I can choose between you. So, and please don't take this personally, I've asked Jack to be my man of honor, and Hotch asked Nate to be his best man."

"Oh," Pen said, eyes watering. "That just be the most adorable, sweetest thing I've ever heard."

She fanned at her eyes, attempting to keep the tears at bay.

"Hey. No crying. This is my special day and there will be no tears."

"They're happy tears," Elizabeth added. "We're all very happy for you."

"Thanks Mom. And thanks for all your help with this."

"It's my pleasure. Really. I… I always dreamed we would plan your wedding together. Might not be exactly as I imagined, certainly not as extravagant, but I'm glad I could give you exactly what you wanted."

"You have no idea how much it means." She sniffled. "But enough with this. My two best little guys and my groom are waiting for me."

JJ held out a hand to Emily and told her, "Then let's get you hitched."

Jack was waiting for her when she exited the bathroom. "Dad just sent me to see how things are going. Are you ready?"

"Absolutely. Ready to be the man of honor?"

"Piece of cake."

Elizabeth walked Emily down the makeshift aisle that was lined with the select group of family and friends they wanted to include. The one thing Emily noticed was that everyone looked as happy as she felt.

"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked as they approached Hotch.

"More than. I'm perfect."

Elizabeth gave a watery smile and continued to saunter on with her daughter until she was handed off to Hotch.

The ceremony was simple. Vows were kept traditional. They didn't need to write their own vows to know how the other felt. Those were constantly shared in private.

Rings were exchanged, I dos were shared, and then they were official. Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner were named. The restaurant rang with cheers.

There was no real wow-factor. Things were low key and private, yet they couldn't have asked for a better day.

Emily Hotchner became her official name by Christmas, but she stayed Professor Prentiss at work. Things from the moment they were wed to months later were just as busy as they had been. Things didn't slow down for them to constantly celebrate. Their honeymoon was a weekend away at the cabin they had their first official date.

Then Christmas hit and the spring started to make its appearance.

Now, Emily was exhausted. The college semester was at its busy point. Advising students was both rewarding and draining. Some were so enthusiastic and energized; others were unprepared and frustrating at times. Working with Bailey on her thesis project and taking on more responsibilities had been great, but, some days, she was just drop dead tired by the time she got home. Today was one of those days.

She wanted nothing more than to get home, slip into her new jacuzzi tub, and relax to some jazz before everyone else got home. Sometimes, she enjoyed that everyone had activities. It allowed her some cool down time to recoup.

Only this time, she wasn't as alone as she thought.

When she got into the house, soft music was already playing. No one was supposed to be there, so it caught her off guard. On alert, she tracked the sound to Jack's bedroom. Figuring he must have come home early, she went over to the room, smile on her face, and gently knocked as she pushed open the ajar door.

"Hey Jack. I didn't know you'd be… home…" the thought trailed off as she took in the scene.

Her stepson was on his bed, half dressed, with an equally undressed girl.

"It's not what it looks like," Jack was quick to say, pushing the girl away.

Squeezing her fists and taking a quick, calming breath, Emily asked, "Hon, what's your name?"

"Hannah," she stuttered.

"Hannah, I think it's time for you to go home. Get yourself decent and go, please."

The girl silently nodded, grabbed her shirt and shoes, and ran off, leaving Emily and Jack there alone.

"Emily…"

"Get dressed, Jack," she interrupted. "We need to have a chat."

"Emily," he tried again.

"Now," she firmly stated, leaving no room for debate. "Five minutes. Meet me at the table in five."

That was all she said before frustratedly walking out of the room to calm down. She wasn't ready to be handling these kinds of parental moments, but there she was confronted with it. She had to be the one to deal with it. This was definitely not the afternoon she had planned.

She calmed a bit as she waited for Jack. She was trying to collect her thoughts, thinking back at her own childhood. She wanted to be mad at Jack, but didn't think she had the right, and all she could think of in that moment was a conversation she never had with her parents.

When Jack showed up, fully clothed, he made the effort to look apologetic, but it was lost on Emily who had her head in her hands, elbows resting on the table.

"I'm sorry," he said, voice low and clearly apologetic.

"Sit down, Jack," she responded, finally looking up.

"Please don't tell my dad," he plead.

She offered a small smile that spoke volumes. She felt for the kid. Truly, she did.

"You can't ask me to lie to your father. That's not what we do. But I won't be the one to tell him. You will."

"What?"

"Listen, Jack, we're going to have a talk, and what happens after that is up to you."

He nodded and asked, "Are you mad?"

"I'm not mad," she said. "I'm disappointed."

That was worse, he felt.

"I'm not going to tell you that what you did was wrong. Sex is a natural part of life."

"We weren't… I… That's not what happened."

"We don't need to get into the details about what you were and were not doing. But you want to make adult choices and do adult things, so we're going to talk like adults," Emily told him.

"Al–alright."

"Sex is natural. It's something adults do, and, mostly, enjoy. It's something I enjoy."

Snarling, Jack said, "That's disgusting."

"Relax, Jack. I'm not saying anything you shouldn't be able to hear. If you're old enough to have sex, you're old enough to talk about it."

"Maybe I'm not…"

"Seems a little late for that now. We're not going to talk about any gory details, alright? I don't want to know anything like that, and I'm sure you don't want that either."

He shook his head in disgust, confirming her beliefs.

"But I'm going to have a conversation with you that I wish someone had with me when I was your age. Can you handle that?"

"Yes," Jack agreed.

"It's ok to have sex. I'd prefer you didn't until you were old and gray, but that's not likely to happen. So, what I will tell you is that it needs to be safe."

"I know."

"No… I don't think you do. There will be times when you think it won't matter, one time won't matter. I'm telling you it does. You're old enough to make your own choices. Have sex or don't, that's your choice, but there are somethings you need to consider."

Jack squirmed in his seat, uncomfortable with it all, but he hung on to every word, nonetheless.

"Be safe, yes. Always use protection. That's important. Unless you're ready for kids, that's a must. Trust me, you're not ready. You have a lot of life left to live before you're ready. Other than that, though, make sure you're both ok with it. Sex is a mutual experience. Never pressure a girl, and don't let anyone pressure you. That can happen, and it's ok to say no if you don't want to do it. If you're both not into it, then don't do it. It's no fun that way. And if you're drunk or she's drunk, too drunk to consent, don't do it."

She let her words sink in and watched him digest them.

"Has that ever happened to you?" Jack asked, his voice meek and quiet.

"Has what happened?"

"Were you ever… Did someone ever…"

"Was I raped? No, I was never forced to do something I said no to, but there were times that I did things I didn't really want to because I felt I had to."

"How is that different?"

"Growing up is hard sometimes, Jack. I'm sure you know that by now. I'd like to say it's easier for guys, but I don't know that. The truth is that it's hard on everyone. Being a teenager is awkward and confusing. There's a lot of peer pressure, a lot of need to fit in… All of that sometimes leads to bad choices. It happens, but I want you to be smarter than I ever was. I don't want you or Nate to experience even half of the bad your father and I have. This is why we're talking. I think the difference between feeling pressured and being raped is that I didn't say no. I willingly went along with things."

"But you didn't want it?"

She sighed and responded, "I thought I did. I thought that doing things even when I didn't really want to would get me the friendship and love that I craved."

"But it didn't?"

"It never does. All it got me was a lot of trouble and heartache. While you can't always avoid the bad in life, I can help prevent some of those things for you."

"I'm sorry," he told her. "That you went through that."

"It's ok, Jack. Thank you, but it's ok. I worked hard on myself to get where I am today, and I am happy with where that is, with my three amazing men. Things happen, even when we aren't expecting them to, so that's why we're having this talk."

"Be safe, always get consent, and make sure I want it, too…"

"That's the gist of it. Mostly, Jack, I want you to make smart decisions. Don't worry about what other kids your age are doing or what other people want you to do. Just do what's right for you."

"How do I know what's right?"

"You'll feel it. You'll know."

"Alright."

"Whatever you feel, I'm telling you it's ok to feel. Because it is. If you want to have sex, I can't stop you, but I ask that you respect the rules of this house. You know you're not allowed to have girls over, or anyone over and alone in your room without our knowledge."

"I know."

"And it's disrespectful to have done that."

"I know that too. I'm sorry."

"Don't let it happen again. We trust you, Jack, but if you continue to give us reasons not to, things around here will be different."

"I won't do it again. I just… She wasn't going to stay…"

"So, you were just planning on sleeping with her and kicking her out?"

"What? No! I told you it wasn't like that. We were… She's… She's my girlfriend and she asked if she could come over on our way home… I didn't mean for things to go like that. I was just going to let her hang out and call to make sure it was ok, but we… got caught up."

"Getting caught up is problematic."

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

"We've been over that, Jack. I know you are, but I need to make sure you understand why it was wrong."

"Because I broke the rules."

"You did, but not just that one. You weren't supposed to be home. We don't want to police you, but it's important we have an idea of where you are at any given time. You were supposed to be at practice."

"Coach had to go to a funeral…"

"You should have called or texted one of us as soon as you knew. We give you a lot of freedom because we feel we can trust you to let us know things. Were we wrong to do that?"

"No," Jack was quick to say. "I'm sorry. I really am. Hannah and I were talking… I got distracted and then I figured it would be ok as long as I let you know when I got home."

"But you didn't…"

"I didn't…"

"That's what I mean, Jack. I'm not here to police you, but these rules are in place for a reason. Think of it as mutually beneficial. Just as I didn't want to walk in on you and Hannah like I did today, you wouldn't want to walk in on your father and I…"

"Don't even say it, please," he begged.

"The rules are there to prevent these situations. I'm trying not to be upset about what I saw because I know you're growing up and I know these things… happen, but that doesn't mean I'm ok with it."

"I know."

"So, here's the deal. I won't make you tell your father, but you're not allowed to have any girl over at the house unless your father and I are home, and, even then, the door stays open the whole time. And for the next two weeks, no one comes over and you don't go out."

"But –"

"No but… You're not being punished. You need to earn back my trust. That's how adulting works. Welcome to the real world."

He just sighed and nodded. He understood that he didn't paint himself in the best light by not doing what he knew he was supposed to and blatantly abusing his freedoms.

"Promise me that you'll be safe… if you're not having sex now, promise that you will when the time comes, and if you are, just be smart. Use that big brain of yours to make good choices."

"I promise."

"Know that, even if it's uncomfortable, you can talk to me about anything."

"I know I can," he confirmed. "You're a pretty cool mom, Emily."

"Thank you, Jack. I think you're a pretty cool son."

He bit his tongue for a second before saying, "I haven't… We haven't done anything yet, but I promise we'll be safe, and nothing will happen if we both don't want it to."

"Okay…" Emily said, trying to keep her nervous mom energy under wraps.

"That's it?"

"That's it. Like I said, I can't stop you from doing what you're going to do, so I rather teach you that it's ok to do it but be smart. There's a box of condoms in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I want you to take some."

"You so ruined this. I don't want yours and dad's condoms."

"We haven't used them, Jack."

"Ugh, so gross."

Emily laughed.

"I will never count how many are in there. I'll replace them every so often. They expire, you should know that. You can take whatever you need. Just… Use them when the time comes. That's all I ask."

"Alright. Got it."

"This Hannah girl, you like her?"

"Yeah… I do."

"Then, in a couple of weeks, once the sting of humiliation wears off, invite her over for dinner. Your dad and I would like to meet her."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Jack. We want to be a part of your life and know the people you care about."

"I'll ask her."

"Good… So, want to forget this little… incident ever happened and go do a driving lesson? Your test is coming up soon."

"Yes. Please. You don't mind?"

"I don't mind. I'm going to get changed and then we can go. Grab the keys."

"Thanks," he told her. "For… everything."

"No problem."

She winked and walked away. Her bath plans were tossed out now, and she was ok with that. Their talk opened the lines of communication even further than they had been in the past. While they were driving, they talked about his future and his plans. College was a given, but he was unsure where he wanted to go. Hannah, Emily learned, was thinking about art school. That wasn't for Jack, but if she was going to New York or California, he could follow.

Emily was quick to tell him that he couldn't make life choices based on other's choices. "College is a choice only you can make. Where you want to go is based only on what's right for you. No one else should be a factor."

"Money and acceptance are kind of a factor," he said.

"Yes, but before application season hits this fall, we'll have an honest talk about where you might want to go and what might be a stretch, but it can't hurt to try for the stars. We have money put away for both you and Nate for college. Depending on where you go, it might cover four years, but, again, we'll work out the details when the time comes."

"You know, you're very nonchalant about things. Dad would have killed me today."

"Your dad can be a stick in the mud, sometimes. He's certainly a man of rules and regulation, but I remember what it was like being your age and the mess I was in all the time. Trust me, you're one hundred times more put together than I was at your age."

"I doubt that."

"Just ask my mother when we see her for dinner this week. I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you all about what a pain in the ass I was."

"She did say you were a rebel."

"That's one word for it."

"That's not what you'd call it?"

"No. My childhood wasn't like yours. I grew up mostly alone. We moved constantly. My dad died when I was young, and my mom was rarely around. Even when my mom was around, she wasn't paying attention to me. That's not to say she didn't love me. I know my parents did, but they were invested in their careers and, sometimes, that meant I got pushed aside. So, I acted out. It wasn't to get her attention or to rebel. It was just what I thought I needed to do. It was what the crowd of people who noticed me wherever we were was doing, so I felt I had to, too."

"That sucks."

"But it's the past. Now my mother and I have a good relationship and I can help my kids feel more secure than I ever did."

"You do, you know… make us feel safe and happy."

Emily's hand reached over to his as they stopped at a red light, and she squeezed it.

"Thanks for saying that. Now, next light, take a left."

"Where are we going?"

"You're picking up Nate from his dad's."

"Sweet. I'm getting pretty good at this."

"You haven't killed us yet. I guess that can be counted as good."

"Don't lie. You're going to love having me chauffer Nate around."

"You better bet I'm going to capitalize on that every chance I get."

She did, for sure. He got his license just before his 17th birthday. Emily and Hotch gave him Hotch's old car as a gift and to show him that he had their trust, they were proud of him, and that he had the freedom he needed to grow up.

It was well received by both kids.

"This means I'm going to get a car when I can drive, too, right?"

"Only if you continue to be the little gentleman you are."

"No promises," he teased.

Nate was an interesting teenager, definitely hitting the awkward years. His voice broke and everything started changing. Hotch and James had to have talks with him that Emily had no idea how to even approach. He was 15 now, definitely not the most outgoing kid in the world, but he held his own.

It was amazing to see his growth. The sheltered kid he was when Emily first came back into his life, now was in a band. Outside of his family, he made his own group of friends that loved music as much as he did. That was a far cry from the little boy who didn't even know what a friend was.

Emily was proud of him.

That wasn't to say that him as a teenager was a breeze. Emily and James didn't always share the same ideas about what should and should not be done. Nate, smart as he was, used that to his advantage, knowing who to ask what to get what he wanted.

Things got rough when James had some medical problems around the same time that they were touring colleges for Jack. The threat of losing his dad and his brother, albeit in different ways, hit him hard and fast. It was the first time they caught him drinking.

It sent Emily into a tailspin.

"He's 15, Hotch."

"He's acting out. Jack's leaving. James had a minor heart attack. He's just upset."

"But drinking?"

"It's horrible and we're going to address this, but you can't say that you've never overindulged as a teen."

"I did, and that's the problem here. I was that teenager, the one that did everything they weren't supposed to. Drink, sure, all the time, especially in countries where drinking age was lower. Smoke, definitely and not just cigarettes. Drugs? If someone offered, I wasn't opposed to trying. I know the trouble that leads to. I don't want Nate to be me."

"He could do a lot worse than be like you, even at your worst. Emily, honey, he's upset, and we always knew he wasn't the best at dealing with things that scare him like this. The big life and death, major adjustments in his life. But he has us, and he has the tools he needs to handle this. We just have to be here and give him the chance to work through this."

"It doesn't feel like that."

"He will. Jack is going to Georgetown, so he won't be too far away. James is on the mend. His husband is taking good care of him and the doctors are just suggesting a lifestyle change."

"Collin is good at getting James to do what he needs."

"Exactly. Everything will be ok."

She wanted to believe that, but she also didn't want to take any chances, so she sent Nate to a teen substance abuse meeting once a week as his punishment, or, rather, a learning experience. She needed him to understand that alcohol and drugs couldn't be his crutch.

It helped. Slowly, even when Jack went away to college and James still struggled with his health, Nate got back on the straight and narrow. By the following year, Nate was ecstatic to start driving and look at his own future. He knew he loved music, and that would always stay in his life, but he didn't want to be a Rockstar or anything.

Emily was a little saddened by his cynical nature and his lack of faith that he could make it big like that because he was talented and utterly amazing, but she was also proud of his logical and practical side. There were things, ambitions, he wanted to pursue more.

They were going to have an empty nest and two college students soon enough. It was sad and also invigorating.

Like Jack, Nate received a hand-me-down car for his 17th birthday. He earned it. He proved himself responsible and trustworthy enough to handle the responsibility of car ownership, especially after he cleaned up his act. That same week, they allowed him to drive them to Georgetown to visit Jack and help him pack up his dorm for the summer.

"Want a tour before you leave?" Jack asked his brother.

"Yeah. Show me what they have to offer."

They really just used it to get some brother time in before they got back on the road.

"How've you been, Nate?"

"Good. Really good, actually."

"How's Mindy?"

"Gone. We broke up last month, but it's ok."

"I'm sorry."

"Nah. It's fine, really. We weren't working."

"Alright. So, what else is new?"

"Mom and Hotch have been extra lovey-dovey lately. It's kind of sickening, but also nice to see them so happy."

"That's great, but I meant with you. We haven't talked much lately. I'm sorry about that. The end of the semester just got really busy."

"It's fine, Jack. I get it. I know I can call if I need to."

"Good, and you can. Now, tell me. What's going on with you?"

"I didn't tell our parents yet, but I got accepted into an internship program in the fall."

"That's amazing, Nate. Where?"

"When my dad had his heart attack, really over the last few years, I met a lot of doctors, and one of them runs a free clinic. Obviously, I'm not a doctor, but they have an internship for high school kids thinking about a career in medicine. I'll basically be a poorly paid receptionist and paper pusher, but it'll be fun to see what goes on there."

"That's so great, man. I'm happy for you. I didn't know you were thinking about being a doctor."

"I think about a lot of things. I don't know what I want to do yet, but I've spent a lot of time around doctors with my dad, so I've learned to like the environment. Maybe I'll go into it. Maybe I won't, but at least I'll have a better idea after this."

"You'll be awesome at it, whatever you decide. You got to tell mom and dad. They'll throw you a freaking party, they'll be so proud."

"I'll tell them later. Right now, I'm hanging out with my brother. I guess he's supposed to sell me on Georgetown so that I don't go away too far, but, I don't know. I don't think I'm feeling it."

"It's actually really great here. Seeing Emily around when I need her is nice, too."

"My mom is kind of great."

"Our mom is," Jack agreed. "Come on. I'll show you the music hall. You'll love that."

"Show me," Nate said, letting Jack lead the way.

The brothers had a nice time. Nate really did love the music hall and the school in general. He liked that his mom taught there and that his brother went there. He just wasn't sure what he wanted. Though, thankfully, he had some time to figure it out.

Jack would be coming home the following week for part of the summer. The family's plan was to go on the second round of college tours. Just like with Jack, they even let Nate drive some of the way during their long-distance drives.

By the time that trip was done, Nate had some ideas about where he wanted to go, but he kept them to himself. He knew that, just like they did with Jack, he would be sat down by his parents and they would discuss the financial situation and feasibility about where they could pay for him to go. They said they would never stop their kids from going wherever they wanted to go, but that this was how much they could afford and, if their school of choice was more expensive than that, they would need to get student loans.

That happened once college applications went in. By that point, Nate had the internship under his belt and was asked to continue there for the rest of the school year. He accepted.

It seemed that, from there, time just seemed to cruise by them all. Next thing they knew, college acceptances were being delivered and graduation was on the horizon.

"So," Nate said, sitting all his parents, step and birth parents, down. "I've decided where I'm going to school."

"Where?"

"I've decided on UPenn. I thought about it a lot, and I think that's my best choice. Plus, I qualified for a partial scholarship."

"Oh Nate," Emily cried, squeezing her son in her arms. "I'm so proud of you. You have no idea just how proud we all are."

"I do. I do know. Thanks Mom."

It was hard to watch their boys grow up and leave them. It was hard to say goodbye when they dropped their second off at college. It was hard to go home to an empty house and stare at all their sons' leftover belongings knowing it would be a while before they saw either of them again.

They got through it, though: the empty nest syndrome, the vast amount of changes in their family, the ups and downs over the past decade. They got through it all, and they were stronger for it. Their futures were unknown, but they were all ready to enjoy the journey.

25 years later…

"She's beautiful, isn't she?"

"Perfect," he agreed. "She has your eyes."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. She'll be a looker. A heartbreaker just like her Nana."

"I think so. She's such a precious little thing."

"I don't know how we got so lucky."

"Two well-adjusted sons, better than either of us could have ever hoped. One a doctor and one an engineer, both happily married and giving us a bunch of grandchildren. Yeah, we are luckier than we ever should have been."

They stared at the newborn in Emily's arm, Nate's third child and the first girl born into the family. They truly felt like the luckiest people in the world.

"Little Emily," Hotch said to the baby, "You will forever be loved, cherished, and protected. There are so many people here who you can count on to be there for you, whatever you need."

Emily ran her hand over the soft, dark hair on her namesake's head.

"I love her so much already," Emily said. "My Emmy. I just hope we're both here long enough to see you grow up into the wonderful woman I know you'll be."

"Don't listen to her. We're going to live until we're 100."

"I do hope so," Emily said.

"Hey now," Hotch said, wiping a tear from her eye. "I thought the baby was supposed to be the one to cry. What's going on?"

"I'm just happy. There is so much to be happy about. Look around us. Two wonderful sons, two great daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren. It's just so much better than I could have imagined."

"For me too."

"I love the life we've lived, and no matter if I died today or twenty years from now, I know I'll die happy with many more generations of our family to go on."

"But let's not think about anyone dying just yet."

"I can give you that."

"Nana," a small voice came bounding their way. "Nana!"

"Hey MJ. What's going on big guy?" she asked Nate's oldest.

"Mommy, Daddy, Uncle Jack, Aunt Chrissie, Matt, Jake, Toby and me and Emmy want to give you and Nono our gifts."

"Sorry guys," Nate said, approaching his parents. "He's just excited that you were back from Tuscany to see the baby."

"My namesake? Of course, we are."

"Yeah, well, she was born on your anniversary and she looks just like you. Thought the name was fitting."

"I'm sure she'll wear it better than I ever did. She's a great baby already."

"She's something special. I only wish dad was around to see her."

"Me too, Nate. He… Both of them would have been so proud of everything."

"I know. But this isn't a sad occasion. Come on. Let me take my daughter back and you both can get your presents. Make the children happy."

Emily smiled and looked from her son, to her grandchildren, and then to her husband.

"What do you say Grandpa? Want to make some grandchildren happy? I hear there's even cake."

"I'm always in for some cake," he joked, helping her up from the seat.

Arm in arm, the two followed their jovial little grandson to the rest of the family to celebrate over 30 years together and the addition of another little life to their clan.

THE END…

…

Well, this is where it ends. Just wanted to take a second to thank everyone who read and came on this journey with me. Hope you enjoyed the ride.