Illicit Affair (Published With Etluxocpub)

Epilogue

Four years later

Zander

It's the weekend and we are here in our farmhouse. I can hear two small footsteps coming near me, then I heard them screaming,

"Daddy, you are here!" they both shouted with glee.

"Hey there babies. I arrive late last night so I didn't wake you up anymore." I was peppered with hugs and kisses while my aunt look at us. My aunt opted to stay with me to help out in taking care of the kids with Noelle since her daughter now is working in the metro.

My twins – a boy and a girl. Born from different mothers via surrogacy – one for each of us. I had a baby girl – Ziel and Noelle have a boy – Nolland. The resemblance between the two of us is uncanny, it's like each of them is half of us. Ziel has my feature with Noelle's eyes but she is as sweet and fluffy as her other dad while Nolland resembles Noelle with my skin color but he is tall and talks and think like me. They arrive just before our second anniversary and we celebrated it in Mexico.

Tomorrow we will celebrate their third birthday and Noelle wants it here on the farm. Since the arrival of the two Noelle has resigned from work and focused his attention on our two kids. He has been hands-on to the two of them. We live mostly here on the farm as we find it more conducive for the two kids to grow up here. I love how Noelle has softened up more, handling the two rambunctious kids is sure no easy feat but he makes it seems so relaxed that I want to have more kids around the house.

The last four years with kids are another level achieved in our relationship. We experienced what the usual parent experience plus more. We had a midnight trip to the emergency room for the bloated stomach, incessant crying due to teething, scraped forehead, knees, elbow and the most scary one was when Nolland accidentally eat mango dip in shrimp paste. He has allergy reaction to shrimp, we thought we are going to loose him. I never saw Noelle so distraught and since then he became so overprotective to the kids. He made it a point to monitor our food intake, eliminating all foods that can cause reaction in the kids. He does the grocery, checking each food label. He has notes on the pantry that he meticulously organized. Even our clothes are checked the same as the laundry detergents. He even baby proof the entire house so no one would scrape any part of their body accidentally. I saw how he researched home remedies for simple aches and pains of the kids. He has put a list of numbers to call when something happens. I never thought that he can a responsible person. Being a family man brings out the best in him. Having the kids with him was a blessing for us, that keep us bonded.

The once perfectly arrange living room is now littered with books, papers, and stuffed toys. The usual pop music we listen to is now changed to kids' channels playing educational videos. Our living room becomes the kid's dug-out with the kid's things all over. The walls now are decorated with the kiddy theme. I can even hear myself humming baby shark even when I am in the office. Well, the office also is littered with kids' stuff – from their milk bottles, towels, toys, and pram and the biggest is their crib on the floor since Noelle is afraid they might fall off from bed.

I walk past the living room going to our bedroom. I can't help but smile at how Noelle turned our master bedroom into a baby room. Gone is the big bed, in its place on the carpeted floor is a big cushion enough to fit 6 people. Our bedroom has undergone renovation extending the bedroom size to fit the kids. The kids have their room but Noelle wants to see them right beside him. Our intimate time is limited but I am still happy as it is. He promised that once the kids start school they will be trained to sleep in their room.

Today is the photo shoot for our yearly family portrait. We do this yearly just to keep a family tradition. Noelle also keeps a collection of our photos digitally and even on prints. He had a small room built to work on cataloging photos and writing a daily notes about what we are doing. The last four years have almost filled up the shelves living room with photo albums, CDs, and boxes of USBs containing our photos and videos, the book that was once there is now back in the office.