Well it's time to bring this story to a close. I can't thank you all enough for your lovely reviews.Your encouragement and suggestions are giving me a big head.Seems you want more about this family.At present I'm working on something else, but may return to The Pines at a later date.

Chapter 11 - Epilogue

Nine months have passed and the twins were doing well, crawling all over the place. Cathy and Davy have been mesmerised at the changes in their development. With Adam and Grace as parents, they had developed into a well loved and close family. They also had an extra member of the family now, as they had come to think of Sen Yung. They would always be grateful to Hop Sing. He had found them such a good man. Sen Yung was young and eager to please. A tremendous help he has been. Sen Yung had become crucial to the running of The Pines as Hop Sing was to the Ponderosa. A much loved man.

"Come to me Lou," Davy called as he held out his arms. He watched as Louise crawled her way over to him. Davy caught her and put her on his lap. "Now Lou, let's play with these blocks." Davy started building one block on top of another, until he had a small tower. Little Louise was watching what he was doing. And then Davy knocked them down and laughed. This caused Louise to laugh and gurgle. Davy repeated his actions, until at last little Louise knocked them down too.

In the meantime, Cathy was at play with Sammy. But she liked to use picture books and point things out to Sammy, while naming what she was pointing at. Little Sammy too was gurgling away.

From across the room the parents were watching all that was going on as Grace sewed and Adam tried to read, but both were having difficulty concentrating as they were too absorbed in watching their children.

"Cathy has the makings of a fine teacher, if she would only apply herself." Adam said, with a smile.

"Adam," Grace said quietly, "she's been asking me certain questions and I've had a talk with her, just about how her body will change when she's a little bit older, and why. I promised her another talk when she reaches that point. Any word from Davy about 'things'".

"I hope all that will take it's time, I want her to have more time to be a child. And nope, Davy hasn't asked me anything yet, but I see him thinking and looking. At the moment he's not into girls. He's too young for all that, thank goodness. Unfortunately, a phase which will eventually pass, no doubt." They laughed.

Then seriously Grace said, "I want this family to last, before they all grow up and move on with their own lives."

"There's only one way to ensure this family lasts, and that's to keep building it up with more children appearing on the scene." Adam said, with a twinkle in his eye.

Grace gave him a look. "Oh yeah! Which reminds me I didn't carry out my threat when the twins were born."

"That's a shame, Grace. It's too late now, as you know I'm still in good working order."

"I'll just have to spurn your advances." She teased.

"What happened to honour and OBEY?"

"Well….I'll have to think about that. It's not a situation I particularly enjoy. So I believe you'll just have to abstain. Surely we can be the same without being intimate."

"You mean you'll refuse me?" He looked at Grace, his hackles rising.

"Yep, it seems to be the only way. I'm so sorry Adam." Grace had trouble stopping herself from laughing.

"Sorry, is that all you can say?"

"Let's not discuss this here with the children right there. Anyway, I should be putting the twins to bed. It's getting late for them."

"We'll do it together." Adam declared and stood as he spoke. Grace could tell he was incensed with what she had just told him.

"There's no need. You've been trying to finish that book for a long time. Stay and finish it. I can manage. The children can help me." Grace put her sewing down and crossed the room.

"Time for bed Lou and Sam. Can you help me Cathy. Your father would like to finish his book."

"Yes, I'd love to." Grace and Cathy picked up the twins and made their way up the stairs. Adam stared at Grace's disappearing figure, an angry frown on his face.

"Can you read to me, Pa?" Adam was brought back down to earth by Davy's request.

"Sure buddy," he said, placing his book down with a thud.

"Are you all right, Pa?" Davy asked, looking a little worried.

"Yeah, sure. Why don't you get a book we can read?"

"Yep, okay." Davy went to the bookshelf and picked out a book. "This one, please Pa." He then sat on his father's lap and opened the book to where they had last read. Then settled down to listen.

….

Grace and Cathy were busy upstairs. The twins were put to bed and sleeping.

"Thank you Cathy, you're such a wonderful help to me."

"I love doing it. I'm going to get ready for bed myself. Can I read for a while, Ma?"

"Yes, of course." Then giving Cathy a big hug and a kiss she left and went to her own bedroom. She sat on the bed and quietly laughed. I'm so in trouble, she thought. What a way to treat the man she loved.

Meanwhile, downstairs, with time moving on. Adam told Davy it was time for him to go to bed.

"All right." He said with a heavy sigh. "Thanks for reading to me. I know I read good now, but I still like you to read to me."

"You read much better now and improving all the time. I'm very proud of your achievements. Off you go now." Davy jumped down and Adam gave him a light swat to send him on his way.

Adam noticed Grace had not returned and supposed she had gone to bed herself, after having had a tiring day. Do I have to consider sleeping in a separate room, he thought, as he too made his way upstairs. He looked in on Cathy. She was sound asleep and her book had fallen to the floor, so he stepped in and retrieved the book and placed it on her bedside table. He bent down and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well and God bless," he whispered.

Davy was just in the process of climbing into bed. Adam went over and tucked him in. "Goodnight, son and God bless."

"Goodnight, Pa. See you in the morning." With that Adam made his way to his own room and Grace.

He opened their bedroom door and stopped short, astounded by what he saw. Grace was lying across the bed wearing a seriously seductive bedgown. Her smile was one of enticement. The silk lilac coloured gown just about covered her, but left nothing to the imagination.

"You were playing games with me?" he said, as he threateningly approached the bed.

"Oh, Adam, come on, it was just a little bit of fun." She said, as she moved away across the bed.

"For that little bit of fun, I'd say you are in need of a necessary talking to."

"Adam, there's no need to be upset."

"Upset! You led me to believe you didn't want me anymore. I'm supposed to ignore that?"

"I'm here now, waiting for you to join me, so I can make it up to you."

"Just like that, you think you can appease my anger?"

"You're not going to spank me are you?"

"It's what you deserve."

"Please, just come here so I can make it up to you." Grace repeated, holding up her arms in invitation.

Adam relaxed his shoulders and with a smile sat on the side of the bed and removed his boots and socks, then stood up and undid his shirt and placed it on the nearby chair. He turned around and moved back toward the bed. Grace was relieved to see he had calmed down and moved toward him as she raised herself onto her knees. Adam sat again, but slowly this time, turned to Grace and smiled. Then with a sudden movement he grabbed her and pulled her over his knee.

"No, Adam, the children will hear."

"Then you'd better keep quiet." He brought his hand down six times across her bottom. Grace tried her best to remain quiet but could not control it and let out an "Oww", then dropped her head down on the bed cover to stifle the further 'owwws'.

When Adam was done, she slid off his lap and onto the floor in front of him. "Now, are we done with games?" He said.

"Yes, you win. And there was no need to spank me that hard."

"Oh, I think there was. You were a very naughty girl and needed correcting."

"Well, I'm sorry Adam. I didn't mean to upset you this much, but I'm willing, if you're willing, to make it up to you."

Now Adam was playing games. As he sat there, he folded his arms across his chest and just stared at Grace. Grace rose onto her knees, rubbed the sting out of her bottom then put her hands on Adam's knees, giving them a squeeze. She moved her hands up his thighs and on up to his belt, which she started to undo, while at the same time she looked up into Adam's eyes where she saw a raised eyebrown and a knowing smirk on his face, allowing her to continue.

"And when did you go out and buy this exotic garment to lure me to your bed?"

"A while ago, just before the twins were born."

"You had it all this time, waiting for just the right moment to torment me?"

"Right. And don't you get any more ideas about putting me over your knee."

"Well we'll have to wait and see about that. It'll be up to you to learn to behave and how well you make it up to me."

"I'll start right now, if that's what you want." Grace said, as she finished undoing his trouser buttons. She stood up with a beaming smile. "It seems you're ahead of me."

Adam stood right next to Grace and lifted her in his arms and laid her on the bed. "How beautiful you look. God's gift to me. How I do love you."

"And I thank the Lord every day that he brought you into my life." And with her arms held up in invitation, "Come, let me love you now and for ever."

With that Adam laid down beside her and took her in his arms and kissed her with as much passion that was in him and she reciprocated with all that was in her too.

It's possible that another baby could be created this night, to be born out of a great love.

The End