Epilogue:
Will and I were married in a small ceremony in Wrickenridge in the August of 2015, just a few months after he proposed. It was an intimate affair, with only our close family and friends present for the big day at the local church. We'd gone for a soft blue colour scheme, which fitted with the balmy sunny weather.
I'd opted for a fitted dress with a tight bodice and straps that covered my shoulders. From my waist, the material flowed outwards until it reached the floor. On my feet were a pair of very expensive high heeled Louboutin's, which had come courtesy of Alice. I'd been wearing them round the house to make sure I didn't fall on the big day, something which Will found very amusing, especially when Monty stole my shoe and I was hobbling around after him, trying to get it back.
Rach, Alice, 'Van and Phee were my bridesmaids, whilst Will had had all of his brothers and Jack as his groomsmen. Jack and 'Van's son, Daniel was the pageboy, and 'Van wheeled him down the aisle in a little customised cart I'd made for him, which the congregation loved. The cart was filled with confetti, which he was supposed to scatter down the aisle, like his mother was doing, but he'd instead decided to eat it. Rach gave me a tight squeeze and a kiss on the cheek, before she walked to the front. My dad took her place, linking my arm through his, and resting his hand on mine.
"Don't let me fall, Dad." I whispered, as I clung to his arm and teetered in my heels, my other hand clutching my bouquet. I didn't know how or why I'd managed to let Alice convince me to wear them- they were a death trap, no matter how much practice I had.
"I'd never let you fall." He assured me, as we watched Alice, my last bridesmaid, disappear down the aisle with a great big grin on her face. Soren was sat with Mum somewhere at the front of the congregation. Mum had cried for the majority of the day; at breakfast, when I put my dress on, and when she gave me one last hug before she took her seat.
"You seem too young to be getting married. It only seems like yesterday that you were small enough to fit in my arms." He reminisced, and I smiled softly.
"I'll always be your little girl, daddy."
"You will." He agreed. The music changed, and I took a deep breath. It was time. We took our cue and headed slowly down the aisle. I kept my eyes fixed on my feet, my arm locked in my dad's. I could feel the stems of the flowers in my bouquet were beginning to disintegrate, I was gripping them so tightly. One foot, then the other. I glanced up, and saw Will; he'd turned to face us as we walked, a bright grin on his face. My feet moved faster after that, but it still felt like forever before Dad placed my hand in Will's; a gesture as old as time. I squeezed it tight and we smiled dopily at one another.
I love you.
I love you more. I countered, pressing myself closer to his side as we waited for the vicar to begin the ceremony.
It was the start of our forever.
Our kiss may have gone on slightly longer than was appropriate for a family ceremony, and Will may have kissed me before the vicar told him to, but we broke away, grinning from ear to ear, my cheeks a particularly unflattering shade of red. The reception was held in the grounds of the hotel- we'd hired a massive gazebo for the lawns, and some caterers. It was a low- key, but classy affair. Well, classy, until my mother, after one too many shots, started slut-dropping in the middle of the dance floor. Everyone, bar her three children, thought it the highlight of the evening.
After dancing the night away we headed off to the airport the next day for our honeymoon. Since I'd done a lot of the wedding planning, Will had planned it, and he'd kept it a secret. I only knew where we were going when we landed, and Alice had packed my case, so I wasn't even sure what sort of climate we were heading for.
We honeymooned in the Bahamas for two weeks after the ceremony in the most beautiful villa, located right on the beachfront. The sand was white and the sea was clear blue- it was idyllic. We went scuba diving, rock climbing, and swam with dolphins, although Will's favourite activity took place inside the villa, and even on the beach once when we were feeling adventurous. It was one of the best two weeks I'd ever had, and I didn't want to leave when our time there came to an end.
When we returned, it was Will's birthday, and he was thrilled to be given another mason jar full of coupons. He'd spent all of last year's coupons by April, so I wondered if this year he was going to use them a little more sparingly. His enthusiasm at the jar indicated that it may not be the case, however. I was pretty sure they would be all gone by Christmas, the way he was going!
The retreat was going well too- business was booming, since the hotel's completion. 'Alenix' was now a five star rated hotel, fitted with all the mod- cons in existence. Tourists flocked for day trips at the spa, and to take part in all the activities we offered. We had to set weeks where only savants were allowed (claiming to the public that we were totally booked that week), but for the rest of the time, it was open to the general public. I loved it; especially enjoying the perks of being able to use all of our facilities for free.
In mid-October, while Will was away in Dublin on a business trip, I came down with a bad case of tonsillitis, and was on antibiotics for the week. Karla came to look after me, since I felt so unwell that I could barely leave the bed, meaning Phee had to run the hotel by herself for the week, something she handled with her usual effortlessness. She filled me with home- made soup, chocolate and other goodies. Thankfully, I was back on my feet with nothing but a sore throat within a few days, and able to get back to work.
In the weeks before Christmas, I was ill again, vomiting every morning, and running to the nearest loo every time I smelt the merest hint of garlic. Will made me go to visit the doctors after I'd thrown up for the third morning in a row, since I could no longer pass it off as a mild stomach bug.
I went that morning- Will dropped me off on his way to Denver, since I was meeting a contractor in Wrickenridge later that morning, and he was convinced I wouldn't actually go unless he dropped me there himself. Once booked in, I explained my symptoms to the doctor, expecting for her to pass my symptoms off as a virus; such were common at this time of year.
"Mrs Benedict, when was your last period?" She gripped her clipboard tightly in her hands, and peered over her glasses at me.
"I don't know." I admitted, thinking back. I was always pretty regular, but with the retreat and everything else going on I'd lost track.
"We'll do a test." She said kindly, noticing my shell-shocked expression. "We'll have your results tomorrow." I couldn't wait that long. I went to the local drug store and bought two of every pregnancy test I could see, cancelling my appointment with the contractor. When I got to work, I locked myself in the staff loo and waited with bated breath.
The official results confirmed what my own results had already shown. I was pregnant. I went to see the doctor the next day, and she did a proper exam, estimating that I was a month and a half along.
"But how?" I asked her. I'd always been meticulous with contraception- my mum was a GP for God's sake! I had taken all of my pills on time. Why had they failed me? With the retreat in its first year, I didn't want to be taking time out to have a baby- I'd wanted to wait another year at least, while we got properly into the swing of things. Plus, I had no idea what Will would say.
"What contraception do you use?"
"The pill."
"Have you had to take a course of antibiotics lately?"
"I had to have some when I had tonsillitis in October."
"Ah." She smiled. "Mrs Benedict, antibiotics affect the effectiveness of the pill." I left the surgery with a sonogram, in a state of shock. I didn't know quite how to tell Will. Every time I tried to bring it up, I just couldn't find the words. Instead, I passed it off to Will as being suspected food poisoning. I wasn't entirely sure he believed it, but when he pressed the matter, I distracted him with red coupons- the exact reason we'd gotten into this mess!
On Christmas eve, we were curled up on the sofa watching Christmas films, before heading to the Benedict family home tomorrow for Christmas day. It was our first Christmas together, so we were making our own traditions. So far, we'd decided that the tree was to go up on the first weekend in December, and that we should both have Christmas Eve off to spend with each other as a family.
"Lex?" Will asked mid-way through the film.
"Hmmm"
"I was just thinking the other day." He twiddled with a piece of my hair- he loved wrapping the curls tightly around his finger and watching them ping back into place when he pulled them. "How would you feel about trying for a baby? I mean I know we're busy, but we're always going to be busy and-" I stood up from the sofa, and grabbed a gift from under the tree. "Lex, we don't have to, I was just thinking-"
"Open it." I instructed. Confused, he did as I asked. Inside was the sonogram- I'd framed it, and had planned to tell him tomorrow morning. Since I couldn't find the words, I figured this was the next best thing.
"Are you serious?" He asked, looking up at me with a grin of disbelief.
"A month and a half along. My antibiotics meant that my pill failed."
He kissed me soundly, before lifting up my shirt to run his fingers along my stomach reverently.
"Hey, little one, I'm your Daddy." I smiled, my eyes watering. "We need to get Xav to check you over." I rolled my eyes, of course he was going to be one of those expectant fathers.
We announced we were expecting once I moved into my second trimester, and everyone was delighted for us, with my mum insisting that we came over to visit them in the UK as soon as the baby was born so that they could meet their new grandchild. I was not looking forward to that plane journey, but I couldn't refuse her. I just hoped our baby looked better than the one she'd emailed to me using the same software she'd created Jack and 'Van's baby with.
Will came to all my doctor's appointments from then on, and made sure Xav checked me regularly. I remembered vividly his disbelief when we found out that we were actually having twins. I think Xav had known we were having twins ever since he'd seen me when we announced we were pregnant, but he'd kept it a secret- making us feel like we were the two who had actually found out first, and I was grateful for that. With that announcement, nursery preparation began in earnest. Will converted two of the spare rooms, which were decorated neutrally since we didn't know the sex of either of the babies.
Will had banned me from skiing when he found out we were expecting, something I wasn't very happy about to say the least. In February, I only had a little bump, and I'd snuck off to ski one morning when he was at the gym. I had only planned on doing a couple of runs, but I'd got carried away, and ended up spending a couple of hours in the slopes. There was nothing quite like the way skiing made me feel; gliding across the snow, the adrenaline of conquering a mogul field, and the spectacular views. Will did not share my views on skiing while pregnant. He caught me at the bottom of the slope and was furious, calling me irresponsible and reckless. He took my skis and boots away and locked them at his work in Denver for the rest of the season. I smashed his coupon jar in response.
We made up that evening, when I stubbornly realised that he was only concerned for both my health and our children's, even thought I had only been on the least strenuous runs, but I hated being treated like an ornament. I replaced his coupons and he promised he'd buy me some new skis for the next season. He got rewarded with extra red tokens for that (more for my benefit than his- my pregnancy hormones were driving me wild, and Will could barely keep up).
I skipped the convention that year, since I was put on bed rest by the doctor. Will hadn't gone either, since he refused to leave me when I was in such a state. He worked from home during those months, bringing me food, and trying to keep me entertained, which wasn't easy when I was usually such an active person. Staying in bed all day doing nothing did not suit me, but it did mean I got a lot of administrative hotel work done. Since the business was growing, Phee and I had had to hire more staff, which took the pressure off both of us, and made running the place a lot more enjoyable.
My two months of bed rest was very frustrating, but so worth it when, in early June, Isla and George entered the world healthy, after a long, drawn out labour in which all three of us nearly died. I'd never seen Will looked so scared, the Collector was nothing compared to that, according to him.
George had my curly hair, and Isla had my nose, but aside from that they were both carbon copies of Will. They were adorable, and instantly had us both wrapped completely around their fingers. We spent many nights just watching them in total awe- we had created these perfect, tiny humans and they were all ours! Since I couldn't bear to leave them both, Karla, or Will if he was working from home, looked after them in the mornings once my maternity leave was over, but I'd have them after lunch.
Elinor gave birth to a baby boy called Angus a few days after me, and I was convinced that he was Isla's soulfinder. Will wasn't so enthusiastic about that idea, and frowned every time I mentioned it. Apparently, Isla wasn't allowed to date until she was at least 30, but I was sure I could change his mind.
Two years later we welcomed Lily into our family, and another two years after that Leo was born. Thankfully, both of those pregnancies were much better than the twins'- I didn't think Will's nerves would have survived another rough pregnancy; he went totally white when I told him I was pregnant for the second time.
We were a family of seven (when you included Monty, who the kids all adored), and our house was full of love and laughter.
I wrapped my arms around Will as we watched our children chase Monty, who had lived to a ripe old age for a Labrador, around the garden. Life was good, and life with your soulfinder was even better.
IT'S DONE! Thank you to everyone who's ever read, reviewed, favourited or followed this story- your support was invaluable. I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed sharing Will and Alexis' journey with you.