Five Years Later

"Embry," I whined, "I can't see where I am walking and I am going to fall flat on my face." His hands covered my eyes as we got out of our beat up old truck coming back from the grocery store.

"Lacey just walk where I tell you to walk and you won't fall down genius," I tried to turn around in his arms to glare at him, "uh uh uh, no I have a surprise and we are not going to ruin it. Now just a few more steps- okay look on the porch." I felt his hands lift off my face and my eyes searched the porch. There in the corner was a brand new porch swing with a huge red bow on it. I stared it for a minute and felt myself start to tear up. I ran as fast as I could up the stairs and plunked myself down on it. I felt the swing move back and forth for a moment as I closed my eyes to feel the motion. I opened them and looked into our yard. Embry stood there grinning at me. I got up from the swing and ran to stairs as I watched him walk towards me. I felt my feet lift the ground as I threw my arms around him.

"It's perfect. Thank you so much. I always wanted porch swing that worked," I kissed him hard on the mouth.

"Lacey, it's just a porch swing."

"No, it is not just porch swing. We can sit out there at night and watch our neighbors. In the summer we can drink ice tea or read a book or take a nap or anything! Its the best gift I could ever ask for."

"Which you did, everyday for a month-"

"And I love you so so much. Lets go sit on it!" He carried me to our new swing and sat us down side by side. I leaned my head on his shoulder while we watched the Clearwater's cousins get into it on their porch. Their screaming was so loud I thought they were going to get into a fist fight. I felt Embry slide his arm around my shoulder, "See?" I said, "it's perfect". A van pulled into our driveway and I smiled as Emily lifted my two year old out of her car seat.

A lot had happened in the past five years. There had been some more fights, we were on even better terms with the Cullens, Sam and Emily had three kids, oh yeah, and Embry and I had adopted a baby girl. It turns out we couldn't conceive. I cried for weeks and weeks. Embry punched a whole in our wall. But soon, we got over it. We decided to apply to adopt a baby which took longer than I ever thought was possible. A year and a half later, we had our baby in our arms.

We named her Evangeline and tonight was her second birthday. I watched as Emily put her on the ground and she noticed her mother and father were sitting on the porch. Her big brown eyes lit up and she fell as she tried to run over to me. One of her bows fell out of her pigtails, as she looked up at me and began to wail. I laughed as I stood up to get her. I ran down the stairs and scooped her up in my arms and she clung to me like she thought I had abandoned her.

"Mommyy-" she cried as she laid her head on my shoulder. I never got tired of hearing that word.

"Hi, baby, Happy Birthday! Are you excited for your birthday party?" Instantly she perked up and smiled at me.

"Mommy, its my berfday! Cake!" She squealed a the top of her lungs. I nodded and kissed her hard on the cheek. She giggled loudly as Embry came down the stairs and kissed her on the other side.

"Honey, will you go get her dress on? I am just going to talk to Emily for a second." Embry took Evangeline away from me and I watched as airplaned her into the house. I turned away and hugged Emily as hard as I could.

"What was that for?," she laughed.

"I just miss you."

"Well I suppose its a good thing that they entire pack is coming for Evangeline's birthday party tonight? Speaking of which I better run. I left Sam with the kids and cooking and-"

"Say no more- see you soon. Thank you for watching her I wouldn't have gotten a thing done."

"Anytime- you know she really is starting act a lot like the two of you.." she trailed off as she hopped into her van.

An hour later, the food was out, my overly excited two year old was in her dress with her hair done, dancing to some Barney thing on the television. I leaned up against the door frame as I watched her wiggle and spin around. She noticed me standing there and blew me a kiss. I pretended to catch it and put it in my pocket for later. She giggled but a noise on the tv took her attention. I felt Embry's arms go around my waist and his warmth envelope me. I leaned my head back onto his chest.

"I hate Barney with a passion," he said to me. I felt his laugh rumble in his belly.

"I know- Barney and the frickin Wiggles," I lead him into our kitchen. I reached my arms up and we began to slow dance to a song playing on our radio, "I haven't heard this in forever. I'm yours- always."

"Guys it's a kids birthday party! Geez get a room!" none other than Jared walked in with pregnant Kim in tow. They had three kids with one on the way.

"Auntie Lacey, Uncle Embry!" I felt the wind fly by me as their youngest son ran to play with my daughter. Annabelle and Samantha hugged us tightly around the waist and took off to see what the other kids were doing. In a matter of fifteen minutes my house of full with oversized men, kids and all of my best friends. I listened to them talk and laugh while my daughter put on a show with her tiara and magic wand. We ate dinner, everyone reaching over each other to cut up their child's dinner while the boys talked about the old days. We sang Evangeline happy birthday as the candlelight bounced off her eyes. Embry and I helped her blow them out (even thought there were only two). I looked around the room at my family as we sat in our living room. My hand was linked with Embry's while I could feel Sam's around my shoulder. Jake said something mean about Leah and she got up in a huff. They all laughed so hard they must of heard us for miles. Mostly though, I watched my daughter asleep in my husband lap and realized I couldn't love anything more in my whole life. Things weren't always perfect, but I couldn't ask for anything more.