Lacey's Christmas Journey

Epilogue

Lacey John
I put the last ornament on the tree with a smile. Christmas was once again my favourite holiday, because of Bradley White. Sure, Cameron had sealed the deal, but without Brad breaking my heart, it wouldn't have been enjoyable for me.
"How's the baby?"
I smiled as Cam snaked his arms over my belly. "I'm sure he's fine, love."
"Oh, not this lovey-dovey shit again," the now seventeen-year-old McCallan grinned.
"McCallan Grace," I snapped. "You may be in your final year of high school but that's no way for a minor to speak." Even though the legal troubles with Caroline had been sorted out, the small family had drifted apart and Matt agreed to Boston and Callie's decision to stay with me.
"I'm sure you were worse than me when you were a teen." She smirked.
I chuckled. "I know I was. That's how I know when you're hiding something. That's how I know that when you go over to Brianna's like you say you do, I know you're really getting piss drunk somewhere."
She blushed red. "How do you know that?"
"Because I did the same thing. And you are piss poor at hiding your hangovers." I replied simply.
"Now do you see why you get all the worst chores? Like cleaning up the dog's shit, for example?" Cameron teased her. We did punish McCallan when it was needed, but mostly we let her make her mistakes, if that particular mistake was done more than twice, then a real punishment would be put forward.
She stuck her tongue out at us. "I don't even see why, it's Boston's dog!"
"And you're the delinquent teenager, it's a fair deal." I grinned. "Besides, Boston takes care of the feeding and dog walking, also the piss cleaning."
"As if that's any better than poop scooping," Boston said as he came in. Having just started his first year of high school, he was still innocent.
"Brad'll be in soon, someone check the house for any poop or puddles of pee!" Cam started rushing around the kitchen. He took out TV dinners from the freezer and sighed. "It's not as good as home-cooked but it'll have to do." He preheated the oven and got the greens out from the fridge.
"Cam, it'll be fine. Brad doesn't like these big welcome-home dinners anyway," I told my husband of two years softly.
"I know that, but he'll be hungry when he gets here, and I need dinner to be at least almost ready, whether it's a small meal or not."
I smiled. If this had been three years ago, it'd have just been added to this list of things that made him a great man. "I ordered pizza, too, by the way. Don't stress over the food."
"Why do you let Uncle Brad and his family stay here after what he did to you?" McCallan asked as I sat with her on the couch.
"Because, Callie, he's family, and it's easier to forgive and forget than it is to hold grudges over petty things."
She was about to reply when a knock sounded on the door. I stood up and went to open it, thankful that I was only three and a half months into the pregnancy. Brad stood there in all his glory, holding his three year old son's hand with his wife behind him.
I smiled and hugged him. "Come in, Cam's just working on dinner." I moved back to kiss Jonathan's forehead and hug Bailey. "I'm glad you three came back for the holidays. We missed you last year."
Bailey smiled brightly. "We missed you guys too!" She put her hand on my stomach. "I can't believe you're pregnant, Lace! I'm so excited to meet your baby!"
I grinned and hugged her again. "I'm excited too! Cam's even more excited, I think. McCallan and Boston are looking forward to having a baby around the house, too."
Brad cleared his throat. "Remind me again why Matt didn't take them back?"
"The family fell apart after Caroline served a year for trafficking. Matt didn't want to pick up all the pieces only for it to be shattered again, so the kids were asked who they wanted to live with. Boston and Callie wanted to stay and as I'm sure you know, Lisa got Eve."
Cameron came out with a smile. "Bradley! Bailey! Welcome home!" I could still see he was uncomfortable with his brother, but he agreed to forgive and forget.
Brad awkwardly hugged his older brother. He had no guilt about hurting me, and that was okay. But it was a different story with his older brother. "It's nice to be back, man. Thanks for opening your home for us."
"Well, seeing as you're my brother, Bailey's my sister-in-law, and Jonathan's my nephew, it'd be unkind for me not to," Cameron grinned, though it looked forced. "There's salad on the counter. A TV dinner for the two of you in the oven, and a pizza on the way."
I gave him an apologetic smile. "We kind of got caught up in decorating the house, forgot that today you would be driving in. I had a feeling Cam would forget, so I ordered a pizza so you wouldn't starve."
"Who that, Mommy?" asked little Jonathan in a cute voice.
"That's Callie, sweetie. That boy over there is Boston. They're your cousins," Bailey smiled as she picked her son up.
McCallan stiffly hugged Brad. "Welcome home," she said half-heartedly. Normally, she'd have run into his arms, but ever since he left me in a heart break, she'd been distant with him. She hated Bailey and refused to accept Jonathan as her cousin. Nothing anyone said could change her feelings about them.
Brad gave her a sad, small smile. "Hey Boston. Any hug for me?"
Boston shook his head at his uncle and turned on his heels. He made his way to the dog's room. And yes, we gave the dog his own room because he's family and this is a seven bedroom house.
"I'm sorry about Boston, man," Cam turned to his brother with his own apologetic smile. "I think he's still upset that you didn't say goodbye to him when you left for Edmonton."
Brad sighed. "It's okay. I didn't even expect a warm home-coming with the trouble I caused, with how much I disappointed Mom."
Bailey took his hand. "Why don't we eat dinner and then take all the kids to the tiny rink by the public library?"
I smiled. "Yeah, that's a great plan. What do you say, Cam?"
He kissed my cheek and nodded with a smile on his face.

***********

I got out of our large SUV and let the two older kids run wild while Brad's little one stumbled after them.
Bailey lagged close behind her son as he followed the older ones onto the ice. She held her hands underneath his armpits and slid around with him, going slow and being careful.
Brad was watching the two of them with an unexplainable expression his face. His smile reached his eyes and he had a twinkle to it as well. He was happier than I'd ever seen him in all his life.
Cameron wrapped his arms around my waste and spun me around. I leaned in to his chest and he kissed my forehead. "I love you so much, Mrs. White."
I smiled up at him, glad that my Christmas journey had turned out perfectly. "I love you, too, Mr. White."
He got down on one knee and kissed my stomach. "And I love you, my precious baby."
I smiled and let tears prickle at my eyes. How could I have been so lucky? All my tears and heart break had led to this–an amazing husband who loved me and his unborn child. I had two amazing older kids who chose me. I had an amazing family. Christmas wasn't so bad after all.