Till Death us do part...(Liam Payne) Book 3 of Evie/Liam

Epilogue

Eva stood at the window, watching the road. They should be coming any second. She heard the bus pull away. Coming up the hill, she finally saw a head. Jamie. And he had something in his hands. No doubt it was slimy and green. She laughed. He was all boy. He looked so much like his father, but he had her green eyes. She'd never forget the day they found out he was on the way. Liam paced outside the bathroom door for the full three minutes, waiting to hear yes or no. Eva read the directions twice. Positive, you were pregnant. There were no false positives. You can get a false negative, but never a false positive. That little pink plus sign appeared and she ran out of the bathroom, threw herself into Liam's arms and told him they needed to buy a house. Then she put herself on bed rest until week 15. Once she got past that point, she felt sure everything would be okay. Jamie had been born, healthy and beautiful in the middle of a snowy night, Liam by her side the entire time, even when she yelled that she hated his guts for putting her in all this pain. He had told her not to be a fish egg and to push.

Two more children appeared that the top of the hill. Girls, not twins, but only 11 months apart, so they seemed to be. Genevieve was talking animatedly to her little sister, Anastasia. No doubt, it was about something that happened at school today that she thought was amazing. Her little drama queen, with her face and eyes. Ana did not looked impressed at all. She was the most serious of all her children and the spitting image of her own sister, Lex, with her beautiful face and dark eyes.

She was worried, though. One more little face didn't come up that hill. Surely they wouldn't leave their baby brother behind. Genny stopped and wave someone forward. She could hear her call, "Hurry up!", annoyed that he was taking so long. There he was! Her baby. He looked so much like Liam that she found she was spoiling him just a bit. Davy had his smile, his pout, an most importantly, his eyes, which had never been able to say no to.

The mudroom door crashed open. "MUM! Come look!"

Eva ran back to the mudroom calling, "James Geoffrey Payne! Whatever it is, leave it OUTSIDE!"

"Awe, mum, you never let me have anything." he said. She arrived at the mudroom in time to see him head back out.

The girls were next. "Hey mum! You will NEVER believe what happened today." Genny said, pulling off her coat and throwing it on the bench.

"Hang it up, Genny." Eva reminded her. She sighed a very dramatic, you are killing me, sigh and hung it up.

"It's not that great, mum." Ana told her. "Her class pet got out and the teacher screamed and stood on her desk."

"ANA! I wanted to tell her!"

Eva just shook her head and told the girls "There are biscuits on the table. Pour the milk, Genny. Ana, grab the apple slices out of the fridge."

"Did you say biscuits?" Jamie reappeared at the door. "What kind?"

"Oatmeal."

"YES! Thanks mum." he yelled throwing his coat on the floor and running into the kitchen.

She picked up his coat and hung it on it's labeled hook. Davy came trudging in last, looking so sad. Eva got down on her knees and said "What's the matter, baby?"

He sniffed. "School is hard. I would really rather just stay home with you like before. I miss you." Eva gave him a hug. "And the big kids don't wait for me." The sniffs turned into tears.

"Davidson Stuart Payne. You need to go to school. I miss you, too, but you need to grow up and be smart, right? Fireman need to be able to read." He nodded and wiped his eyes. "Come on, hang up your coat before the others eat all the biscuits."

"Is daddy still coming home early to help me learn to ride my bike? He promised." Davy asked. Just then, they heard the sound of the garage door going up. "He remembered!" Davy grinned and ran off to claim his share of the snack.

Eva stood up and walked back into the kitchen, watching her children eat and laugh. The door opened. She could smell him, before she even saw him. Smoke, soap and scotch. He hung up his coat, then came and hugged her from behind, kissing her neck. "Hey, Evie. I remembered." She moved her head to look back at him and get a proper kiss.

"Gross, mum!" Jamie said. "Hey, dad."

"You are going to help me, right daddy? Right?" Davy asked.

"Right, buddy. Finish your snack and let me change clothes. Uncle Lou made me work hard today." Liam told him.

"Daddy, you sing and press buttons. Your job is not hard. Don't be silly." Ana told him. He just gave her a smirk.

"Hey, dad! Does Uncle Lou have the twins this weekend? Can they come over?" Jamie always wanted his best friends to come over. Louis was more than happy to bring them over on his weekend, so Eva could take care of them. No matter how many times Dylan told him that HE needed to provide the childcare, he still brought them to Eva. Wife 3 didn't like children.

"Yes, and they are coming to the end of summer barbecue on Sunday."

Eva sighed. "Well, Dylan won't come now."

"Sure she will!" Liam said. "The two of you can laugh at Minnie together, you love that. Always telling sticky kids to go touch her so you can hear her squeal. You two are evil."

Eva just grimaced. "I heard from Marian. She got called to India for an assignment, but Harry is bringing the girls."

"Mum! Is Aunt Lex going to bring the baby? He's so tiny!" Genny asked.

"Yes, Genny, and she's bringing Uncle Niall."

"Pfft. I just want to see the baby!" Genny squealed.

"Jesus" Liam said. "She turns into you more and more everyday! I had to fish eggs her twice yesterday. She's a stubborn little thing. Stamped her little foot at me!" Liam grinned down at Eva."What about Emma and her kids?"

"She said that they would be glad to walk across the street. Jerry's on call, but he will come if he doesn't get called in."

"Great. I'm going to change." Liam said, giving a her kiss and a smack on her butt, then headed for the stairs.

"Okay, kids. Jamie, trash. In the cans this time, please. And pickup the legos in the playroom. Genny, vacuum, all downstairs. Ana, dishwasher, empty and fill. Davy, I left out the dust mittens. And feed Steve. That poor old dog. He laying in the sun in the backyard. "She got a chorus of "Okay, mum" and she headed upstairs.

"Liam?" she called.

"Here." He was in his closet. She walked in just as he slipped out of his work slacks. He threw them into the hamper and said, "What's up, Evie?"

"I need you to meet me at the school tomorrow at 1. Can you do that?"

"What did Jamie do now?" He laughed.

"I believed the term she used was 'lazy and uninterested.'" Eva told him, taking a step closer to him. He was in only his boxers.

"Ha! Great. Like father, like son." Liam chuckled. He grabbed Eva and pulled her closer. "Are the kids busy?"

"Yes." Eva told him, put her arms around him neck. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him. She rubbed her arms across his strong shoulders, running her hands over the four names and one tiny heart on the back of his right shoulder. "Take me to bed and make love to me, Li."

"Nothing would make me happier." he grinned, kissing her.

Eva was glad that even through everything, some things never change.