Big thanks to Fyrebyrd, Gabby1017, TheMetroDad, and 2brown-eyes for pre-reading, and to my beta, SunflowerFran. Please remember, all mistakes are mine.
A quick thank you to my guest reviewer that pointed out to me a recurring misspelling. I went back and corrected the handful of times I missed it. Unfortunately, spellcheck marks the correct spelling of álainn as wrong as well, so it was an oversight. Thank you for pointing it out!
**Big time jump to begin this extra-long chapter.** This one is almost double the usual size, but there wasn't really a good place to cut it, so enjoy!
Edward
"That should do it." Paul finishes wrapping the fresh ink on my chest. "You've done this before, so you know the drill. Leave the wrap on for at least a few hours, and then apply the ointment."
"Thanks, man." I stand, pulling on my shirt and fastening the buttons. "What do I owe you?"
"For you?" he asks with a sly grin. "Guess I can cut you a deal."
"You'd fuckin' think so, ya smart ass," I say with a laugh. "Seriously, how much?"
"Nah." He waves me off. "This one's on the house." He looks back up at me. "Might'a charged you too much for that piece on your back anyway. This was small compared to that one."
"If you say so." I slip my arms into my jacket, and reach out to shake his hand. "Thanks, man. I'm sure I'll see ya soon." I make my way outside, squinting at the surprisingly bright, January sunshine.
For once, the weather matches my mood. This tattoo has been on my to-do list for a while, so finally getting around to it has made me feel somehow lighter, and I can't wait to show Bella.
Just thinking of her brings a smile to my face as I pull my jacket tighter and walk to my car. The last several years have been fuckin' amazing. Once we finally admitted our feelings for each other, everything just kind of fell into place. She and Kaitlin, my little princess, are the center of my universe, and I couldn't be happier.
Even her career hasn't added any real stress to our lives. She's done a phenomenal job of kissing ass at the BPD, too. It stresses me the hell out sometimes, but she promises me she never purposefully puts herself in harm's way, even when I know she's getting closer to her goal of investigating the murder of her parents, thus closer to the Voltolini family and their associates.
She'd fed her superiors just enough 'inside information' to move up the ranks and into the Organized Crime Division, exactly like she'd planned. It's been beneficial to us, to my family, too. We've had advance warning of when there's a planned raid or a heads-up on when they plan to bring us in for questioning.
I slip behind the wheel and fire up the engine, smiling to myself, thinking of the first time she was witness to me being brought in for one of the bogus interrogations. Passing her in the halls of the station, handcuffed and being manhandled, she didn't bat a fuckin' eye. She kept her cool, didn't even miss a beat in her conversation with another officer. Looking at her expression, no one would have guessed I'd just had my face buried between her thighs that morning before she reported for duty. Of course, there wasn't enough evidence to hold me, or even charge me for that matter, so I was released in a matter of a few hours. It's only happened a few times since, and I'm always prepared.
The only downside to our relationship is that the three of us can't really be seen in public as a family, or the two of us as a couple. Her cover, if that's what you want to call it, allows her to go out with Rose, since she's a known acquaintance of the family, meaning we've had a few nights spent out on the town. But we spend a lot of time at home or taking time away when we can to places far away from prying eyes.
My drive to the pub, one of our preferred meeting places these days, is quick, and as I pull in, I spot Emmett's car already in the lot. This seems to be the one place Da doesn't have any ears. So when meeting in my penthouse isn't convenient, we feel comfortable discussing things here we don't yet want him privy to.
"Yo, Ed!" Emmett yells as I walk through the door.
Peter, my new manager, nods in greeting, and I nod in return as I pass the bar and head for our usual booth in the back. I slide into my seat across from my brother.
"So, did ya get it?" He's almost fuckin' bouncin' in his seat he's so excited. You'd think he was the one to get the tatt.
"Yeah, I got it. Why the fuck are you so excited?"
He shrugs. "I don't know. I just know how crazy B is gonna go over it. Chicks love that shit."
Peter brings over a couple of glasses for us, setting them on the table before turning to walk away. "Thanks, man," I call after him. I turn back to my brother. "So, what was so damn important that I'm here and not spending the rest of my afternoon in bed with my girl on her day off while Kaitlin's at school?"
"Lucky bastard," he mumbles under his breath. It's no secret that having a toddler and a newborn at home has been...exhausting to Emmett, his alone time with his wife severely impacted. "No, I think this might change your mind."
He pulls a file from the bag beside him and slides it across the table toward me.
"What's this?"
"This," he says, his finger firmly planted on top of the file. "This is some confusing shit." He lowers his voice. "Jimmy found some information you're gonna be pretty interested in."
"What is it, Em?" I ask, a little irritated he isn't just spitting it the fuck out.
"Da's been moving money."
"And? He moves money all the time." My eyes scan the documents, not really seeing anything jump out at me.
He reaches across the table and closes the file.
"What the fuck?" I widen my arms, pissed that he's trying to show me something he obviously finds suspicious but then doesn't want me to look at it.
"Take it home, look it over carefully. There's more there than just numbers."
"Fine. But when I'm ready to dig into it, I expect you to be there."
"No problem. I'll swing by your place tomorrow and go through it with you." He slides from the booth and grabs his jacket, slipping his arms into the sleeves. "Besides, I gotta hit the road anyway. Rosie is waiting on me to get home so she can take a shower. Bree doesn't like to be put down during the day, so I gotta go rescue her," he says with a wink.
Seeing my baby brother get all mushy over his kids makes me smile. It also makes me a little jealous. I miss the days when Kaitlin was tiny, and we would spend hours cuddled on the sofa. Those early days in Cork were rough, but I wouldn't trade them for any-damn-thing.
"Enjoy it, man. They grow up way too feckin' fast."
"You think you two'll ever have any more?" His suddenly serious question surprises me a little.
"I want to, but I'm not sure Bella's ready."
"Damn, you better get on it. K's turning nine in a few months! She's gonna be in college before she gets a baby brother or sister if you don't do something about it soon." He laughs.
"Shut the fuck up," I say with a laugh and a sigh. "Nah, we're talking about it. Bella needs to be ready though. And she says she needs to stay on the force a little while longer."
"Well, you guys are amazing parents. It'd be a shame to not have any more kids."
"Thanks, man. See ya tomorrow."
"Yeah, see ya."
As I watch him walk toward the exit, my phone vibrates in my pocket. Seeing it's Da, I brace myself for whatever it is he wants from me today. The errands he's been giving me lately include my older brother more and more, which only makes the chasm between us grow larger.
"Yeah," I say in greeting.
"Is that how you answer your phone these days?" he asks with a sigh. "Nevermind. I've got something I need you to do."
"Yeah, what is it?"
"I need you to swing by Jasper's office. He's got some documents I can't have sent to me by courier, and I can't get them myself. I'm tied up with something at the moment."
My eyes close and I take a deep breath trying not to let my temper get the better of me. The day Ma banished Jasper from her home, Da took it to mean he was free to conduct business with my older brother as he wished, as long as it wasn't at the house. And he does so now... frequently. Da's connection to Senator Brandon through Jasper was too important to him, so once again, he started using his son.
"Da, you know I don't like-"
"Edward," he says in a warning tone.
I'm silent, knowing anything I say to argue with him is only going to end with him telling me he's in charge and it's not my job yet to make decisions.
"Every goddamn time I ask you to... It's been almost ten years. Don't you think it's time we let it go and put the past behind us?"
"That's kind of hard to do when I'm reminded of what he did every day when I look at my daughter," I scoff.
"She's not your-"
"Don't!" I yell, getting Peter's attention from the bar. I lower my voice. "She is, and if we're being honest, she has been from the day she was born."
"I still don't understand how you can-"
"Da," I say, a warning in my voice.
"Fine, I'll let it go." He sighs. "I still don't know why you couldn't work it out with the Fisher girl. Her father is one of the most influential judges in-"
"Enough, Da! Enough. I'm with Bella, and have been for years. You don't have any right to dictate to me how I live my personal life. We all know how well that worked out for Jasper."
"Well, Emmett seems happy with Rosalie, and her father's been a great help to us as a member of the city council."
"You've gotta be feckin' kidding me," I mumble under my breath. "Look, Em and Rose met on their own, and you didn't have a fuckin' thing to do with it, Da. You just stick to business, and we'll take care of our personal lives."
"Well, I only tolerate your relationship with Isabella because of her usefulness to the family." His nonchalance and what feels like a dismissal of the woman I love makes my blood boil.
I'm silent as I try to tamp down my anger and frustration with the man who's growing more and more disconnected with his family. It does me no good to argue with him over Bella; it falls on deaf ears anyway. And he's never been so...vocal about his opinion of her and me being together. I rub my temple, trying to help ward off a forming headache. "Look, I'll go to his office, and I'll get your documents, but don't expect me to hang around and chit-chat. If you insist on doing business with him, I guess I'm going to have to fall in line," I say somewhat sarcastically.
"Don't take that tone with me, son. You seem to be forgetting who's in charge here."
"Knock knock," I say as my knuckles rap against his open door.
"Eddie! How nice to see you," Jasper says, sounding about as genuine as a three dollar bill.
"If only I could say the same," I say as I step into his small office. Looking around, I see what his life has become. He's playing puppet for Da with the good Senator and several other prominent politicians. I turn to look at him. "Cut the shit. What do you have for Da?"
"In a hurry? Didn't think you had too much going on these days." He looks up from his desk. "Da tells me the next visit from Liam isn't due for a while. Bored?" he asks with a sneer.
"How the fuck-"
"Da's been keepin' me in the loop," he says with a shrug. "Thought it was best I was in the know since I'm handling family business on this side of the law."
"Yeah, well, I'm not in the habit of discussing business anywhere except in my own office."
"Must be exciting, though," he says, getting up from his desk to file some paperwork.
"What must be exciting?" I ask, growing impatient with his lack of urgency.
"Oh, getting to be Da's errand boy, playing the thug." He turns back to look at me. "While I get to rub elbows with powerful men and women all day."
"Well, I was never quite the kiss-ass you were, Jasper, so I'm sure this is more suited to you anyway."
"Oh, Edward, we both know I'm in a better position here. While you're under Da's thumb, destined to take over the old, family business, I'm here, working my way up. Who knows," he says with a shrug. "Maybe someday I'll be running for office myself."
"You're one delusional motherfucker, aren't you? You really think you could get elected to any office with all the skeletons rattling around in your closet?"
"Hey, in this business, money talks. Besides, if that day ever comes, I'm sure I'll have some backers."
"Just give me whatever-the-fuck it is I was sent here to get."
He rifles through his desk drawer, pulling out a sealed, legal-sized envelope and hands it to me. "This goes straight to Da, understood?"
"Got it." I turn to walk out, but his taunting voice calls after me.
"Be sure to tell Bella I said hello."
After making the trip to Da's office to deliver the package that just couldn't wait, I head home. I'm soon pulling into the garage of our building, anxious to see my girls. Glancing at my watch, I know Kaitlin should be home from school by now, and Bella had the day off, so I'll get to spend the evening with both of them. Weeknight evenings together are rare with our schedules, so I take what I can get.
Entering my apartment, I drop my jacket on the armchair near the entry and roll up my sleeves, preparing to at least look through the file Emmett gave me. Walking toward my office, I don't even bother taking any kind of inventory of the cold, sterile rooms. There's no life here, no heart. They're downstairs. I haven't slept in my own apartment for years, only keeping it as a place to conduct business with Emmett when necessary and store sensitive documents, making sure it stays out of our home.
Sitting at my desk, I dive in. What's in the files is troubling. It's information Jimmy gathered on some of the accounts Da has had for years, but no one knew they even existed until now. Jimmy's skills as our go-to guy have expanded over the years, and they now include hacking and just about any technical task we could ask of him. He had nothing but time to hone his skills after his wife left him. Da is completely unaware of the things I ask Jimmy to do and I know it's for the best.
The decisions he's made about Jasper the last few years have made me wary of my own father. It's just lucky that Jimmy sees things the same way. His time spent with Bella in Cork gave him a bit of a soft spot where my girls are concerned, and he can't believe Da has given Jasper so many free passes.
The information in front of me has been broken down and spelled out, yet still doesn't make much sense. It looks like transfers have been going out to an account in Italy, fuckin' Italy, under a name I don't recognize.
Jane Mancini
Shuffling through the papers on my desk, other files in the drawers, anywhere I have them stashed, I scan through the pages, looking for the name. But, it's nowhere to be found. I spend what feels like hours searching, only to come up with nothing. Instead of getting frustrated, I decide to shelve it for the night. I lock my office and head to the stairs leading to Bella's place, to the home we've made ours.
Their voices float down the hallway when I pass through the doorway of the stairwell.
"But, Mommy, this is hard," Kaitlin whines.
"Only because you're making it hard. You need to do each step, not try to rush to the answer." As I step closer to the kitchen, I catch sight of Bella ruffling her daughter's hair; Kaitlin rolling her eyes when her mother turns back to preparing what I think is dinner. I know they don't see me yet because my princess is still trying to argue her point.
"It's just sooo many numbers to times."
"It's so many numbers to multiply," Bella corrects her.
"I don't know why I have to learn this. I'd rather read," she mumbles under her breath, thinking no one hears her.
"You have to learn it so you can move on to the fourth grade, Princess." My voice startles them both, but they quickly recover.
"Daddy!" she yells as she scrambles off the barstool and rushes toward me. I almost don't catch her when she takes a running leap into my arms.
I grunt and wince when her head makes contact with the bandaged area on my chest. Bella notices and catches my eye as she wipes her hands on a kitchen towel.
"Kaitlin, why don't you go ahead and put away your homework for now and clean up the mess you made in your room." Bella's eyes are on me as she speaks, and our girl moves at lightning speed at being told she's off the hook with her homework for the moment.
Once she scurries down the hall, we're quiet as Bella studies me, probably looking me over for injuries. It wouldn't be the first time I'd come home wounded, but this time it's not what she's thinking.
"I'm fine." My attempt to placate her is met with silence. "Really, I'm fine," I say as I step closer.
"Promise?" she asks, looking up at me when I pull her into my arms.
"Promise." I tilt my head to capture her lips with mine. The kiss is quick and chaste, but a promise of things to come. "And I'll show you later."
She's unsure at first, but then nods. "Okay. I trust you." Those words never fail to reach inside me and tug on my insides, especially when they're said with the honesty I always find in Bella's eyes.
I kiss the top of her head before she pulls away, going back to her task at the counter. "What can I do to help?" I step up behind her and peek over her shoulder, caging her in with my arms, my hands on the counter on either side of her.
"I'm good. But thanks." She nudges me back and opens the oven, sliding in the glass dish and then turns back to me, my hands automatically going to her waist. "It's just a casserole. It'll be ready in about an hour. So I say we go spend some time with our girl." She pulls away and reaches for my hand, leading me toward Kaitlin's room.
"She having trouble in school?" I ask as we walk down the hall.
"No. She's just not mathematically inclined," she says with a snort over her shoulder. "She'd rather keep her nose buried in a book all day."
"Just like her mom."
"Just like her mom," Bella repeats with a smile and a nod.
The evening is spent like so many others, dinner together, arguing about homework, getting ready for bed, and story time. I did manage to steal away a few moments in the evening to remove the bandage from my tattoo so Bella can get a better look at it when we're alone. When we finally make our way to our room, she spins on her heel and crosses her arms, expectantly.
"Okay, let me see it," she demands.
"You don't pull any punches, do you?" I tease, drawing her to me.
"No I don't," she says, finally relaxing a little in my arms. Her eyes flit up to mine then back to the area of my chest Kaitlin rammed into earlier.
"Go ahead," I say with an encouraging nod.
She slowly unbuttons my shirt, exposing more of my skin as she goes. Once the buttons have all been undone, she gently pushes the fabric over my shoulders, allowing it to fall far enough to free myself from the sleeves.
Her fingers gently trace the swirls and letters of green, black, and blue, the Celtic knot and Gaelic phrase now free of the plastic bandage.
"Edward, it's beautiful," she says in a soft whisper. "What does it mean?" She pulls her eyes away from it, looking up at me.
"It says Beidh grá agamduitse amháin. Roughly translated, it means 'I will love you and no other.' It's for you and Kaitlin. The symbol represents what's most important to me... my family."
The words are barely out of my mouth before hers is on mine. The rest of our clothes are quickly shed, and we're a sweaty tangle of limbs in no time. If I had known it would get that kind of reception, I'd have gotten the tattoo years ago.
"So you don't know who this is?" I ask Emmett from behind my desk, pointing out the name he's already seen.
"Nah, man. I've gone through all the information we have, and I haven't seen it anywhere else. Jimmy's working on it, though. He thinks he'll find something in Italy."
I scrub my hands over my face, frustrated we don't have more than this. "How hard is it to find one feckin' person? Especially when there's a paper trail." I rise from my seat and walk to the bar cart in my office, pouring myself a drink.
"Well," Emmett starts out hesitantly, and I turn to him.
"Well, what?"
"Look, I didn't want to say anything, didn't want to get your hopes up, but Jimmy said the more he thought about it, the more familiar it sounded."
"Why the fuck wouldn't you mention it before now?" I yell.
"Because of that," he says, pointing at me. "You're gonna go get all..." he says, waving his hands in my direction. "You know how you get. He didn't want to say anything on a hunch, so he's gonna follow it and see if he can find anything."
I blow out a breath, trying to calm the fuck down. "Why does this feel like there's more to it, Em?"
"Because I think there is, too. Did you happen to notice the dates on the account?"
"No, what about them?" I ask as I sit back down and rifle through the papers, looking at the dates. My eyes scan them as I hear Emmett rambling on beside me before they fall on the date of the first transaction.
"Jasper," I mumble under my breath the same time Emmett gives voice to my thoughts.
"...Jasper's birthdate. Yeah, that seems fishy to me. Why the hell would Da be moving money to a new account the day Jasper was born, and then every fucking month since then? That's almost thirty-five years of money transfers, Ed. You catch the totals there? It's millions."
I lean back in my chair, feeling completely clueless. This information is tied to Jasper, but how? I have no idea. With my elbows on the desktop, my fingers run roughly through my hair.
Looking up at my brother, his eyes tell me we both know this is bigger than a few decades of money transfers. The fact that it's to an Italian account only adds to my suspicions.
"You make sure Jimmy is focusing on this and only this until we get some answers."
"I will." Emmett nods and straightens in his seat, making me laugh.
"What's the matter, dumbass? Am I making you squirm?"
"Oh, shut the fuck up!" he says with a laugh of his own, the tension he had only a minute ago, gone. "You've got that whole boss vibe thing today, and it's freaking me the fuck out."
"Yeah, well, I'm not the boss yet," I remind him as my ringing cell gets my attention. I pull it from my pocket but don't recognize the number.
"Cullen," I bark in greeting.
"Oh, Edward. It's your Da. They think he's had a heart attack!" Ma says frantically into my ear.
I get to my feet and head toward the door, motioning for Emmett to follow me. "What hospital, Ma?"
"They're taking him to Mass General. I'm following behind the ambulance now."
"You're not driving, are you?" The reception fades in and out as we ride down the elevator.
"No, Sam is driving me. I need you here. I'm worried he won't..." Her choked sobs echo over the line as we peel out of the garage toward the hospital.
"Emmett and I will be there as soon as we can, Ma. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay. Just hurry."
"The angioplasty was successful in combination with the medication, so we expect Mr. Cullen to make a full recovery," the doctor tells us as Ma, Emmett and I sit in the family waiting area outside the cath lab. "There were partial blockages in three separate arteries, and we placed a stent in each of them. With a better diet, exercise, and reduction of stress, we don't see why he wouldn't be able to prevent any future occurrences."
"When can we see him," Ma asks.
"Well, you can go on back now, but he may be groggy for a while. We don't use general anesthesia, but he did receive some sedation so he might be out of it for a few hours."
"Thank you, Doctor." I get to my feet and reach my hand out to shake his. After making arrangements to see Da in his office for a follow-up, he leaves the three of us.
It takes both Em and I to hold Ma upright as we walk to Da's room. The sight of him makes Ma even weaker in the knees, so we lead her to the bedside chair. She refuses to leave his side, so Em and I take our turns sitting with her while Da sleeps off the medication they gave him. Calls are made, and our men are put on alert to make sure no one takes advantage of Da's current weakness. The mood around us is one of trepidation, and I feel like the winds of change are beginning to stir.
And he begins to stir only hours later. Ma's tearful greeting for Da feels too personal to watch, so Em and I step out to the hallway.
"Think things are gonna change?" my brother asks me.
"I don't see how they can't." My eyes scan the hallways, always looking for a threat. I'm sure by now, Jasper has heard what's happened, and I'm in no mood to deal with him at the moment.
"You ready?"
"Huh?" I turn back to him, a puzzled look on my face I'm sure.
"You heard the doc." He shrugs. "Seems logical that he step down, takes a break."
"Shit," I whisper under my breath before looking back up at my brother. "Then does it matter if I'm ready or not?"
Just then, Ma's head pops out from Da's room, her tearful eyes finding mine. "He wants to see you."
I nod and make my way to my father's bedside. He looks frail, tired. Not at all the powerful man I've always perceived him to be.
"How you feelin', Da?"
"Like shit that's been run over by a feckin' truck." His voice is raspy. "Sit," he orders.
I take my place in the chair at his bedside and wait for the words I know are coming.
"Your mother told me in no uncertain terms that things are going to change."
"Yeah, the doctor said you needed to make a few life changes."
He nods, his eyes closed. "That's what she said." He takes a deep breath and blows it out. "I always thought I'd go down in a blaze of glory, have an honorable death." His eyes open and find mine. "I never thought I'd be an almost sixty-year-old man with heart trouble."
"You just need to take care of yourself, Da."
"I do. Which is why I'm handing over the reins, son." His hand reaches for mine, and I take it. "It's time."
My heart is thudding in my chest, the weight of his words sinking in. "You think I'm ready?"
"Doesn't matter. You've learned all I can teach you, and the rest will come in time." His eyes narrow, piercing me with his gaze. "I do have a few stipulations."
I nod. "I expected that."
"One," he says, holding up a finger. "You need to get married. I know we don't play by the same rules the Italians do, but you being married and settled will show our business partners that there's a stable man at the helm, not a hot-headed, thirty-year-old player who won't settle down."
I chuckle at his attempt to call me a player. "Da, I haven't been a player for a while, if ever." I try to reassure him. "But, don't worry. I've had a ring for a while, I just need to ask her."
"I know I've been less than...enthusiastic about your relationship, but she's proven herself to be loyal to the family."
"She has," I say with a nod. Another thought creeps in; one I've kept to myself for a long time. Now might be the only opportunity I have to catch the great Carlisle Cullen in a vulnerable position and maybe get some answers. "She's always been loyal, Da, which is why I've always wondered why you've been so... indifferent, almost against us being together."
The beeping of the heart monitor and the hiss of the oxygen flowing through his nasal cannula are the only sounds in the room as he thinks over my question. It feels like several minutes pass before he speaks.
"Honestly, I was hoping it would prove to be too much for her to raise the girl on her own," he admits. "I was supportive of her choices early on, I guess to placate her, but I never planned on her being strong enough to actually do it." He exhales a heavy breath. "And the older she got, the more involved you were. I didn't want you getting wrapped up in raising a child that wasn't yours, Edward. I thought if Jasper and Alice saw her, they'd-"
"Are you telling me you're the reason they showed up that day at Kaitlin's party? You invited them?" I ask through gritted teeth. The blood in my veins feels like fiery lava, the anger welling inside me to the point I want to hurt the weak, sick man lying in his bed.
"Oh, don't tell me you never suspected it. I had to at least try. He deserved a chance to decide if he wanted to raise his own-"
"No, Da, he doesn't, and he never did." My patience is dwindling at this point.
He waves me off, dismissing my comment. "No, I know that now," he says with a sigh. "And I can see that you've stepped into the role of father to her, whether I like it or not, so I accepted a long time ago that things are the way they are." His eyes cut back to mine. "You're not going to like my second demand."
I steel myself, knowing this has to do with my older brother.
"Jasper will continue in his current position. He's become valuable again, closer to Senator Brandon, and his connections in the State House and Washington have proven to be quite beneficial to the family and our business partners."
I huff out a breath, out of patience and irritated with my father. "If I'm in charge, I should decide wh-"
"No. He's off limits, Edward. There are other reasons, things I can't discuss with you. Your brother needs to stay where he is. Do you understand?"
"And if I don't agree?" I ask in challenge.
"Then I'll have to reconsider who I'm leaving in charge."
Knowing I can make more headway with the information Jimmy came across if I'm running the show, I concede. And honestly, Da won't live forever, so my agreement to leave Jasper in his current position is only temporary. "Then I guess I'll have to follow your wishes."
Early the next morning, before the sun rises, I finally make it home and curl into bed behind Bella. I know she'll be waking soon to start her day, so instead of drifting off myself, I revel in the chance to just watch her sleep. So much about our lives is about to change, and these peaceful, quiet moments could soon be few and far between.
A/N: **Please note** Next week's chapter will more than likely post on Wednesday. We'll be traveling early next week, so it may not be possible to post on Tuesday. I will do my best, but the chapter may be late.
Mr. Sunshine and I are about to head for the Great Smoky Mountains for our twentieth wedding anniversary, sans children, so I won't be able to reply to reviews this week. Please know I read each and every one of them, even if I can't reply, and they help my fingers type faster! If you have any specific questions in your review, I'll do my very best to answer you via PM.
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