Dancing for Destiny

Epilogue

13 years later........

Isabella Andrews ran to her mother who was seated in a deckchair, basking in the sun.

"Mummy, Alexander has taken my dolly and he won't give it back." The mother looked adoringly at her four year old daughter who was complaining about her twin brother. Turning to her husband seated next to her, "Lewis, darling, "she said, "Will you go and sort Alex out?", and to her daughter, "Daddy is going to get your dolly back poppet."

"Heaving herself out of her chair, Eva walked into the house , calling over her shoulder, "Don't forget your cousin is coming soon" and looking at the clock, "In about two hours in fact!" Her husband caught up with her as she was climbing the stairs. "And where would you be going?" he asked.

"To make their beds, because they are staying and Mrs Goldsworthy is busy doing the cooking."

"Oh no you're not, I can do that."

"But..."

No, no buts" and the forever doting husband grinned at his wife.

* * *

Eva was still struggling with Alexander, trying to put him into his smart clothes when the bell rang. She heard the sound of voices in the hallway and so did her son, he yelled "Lizzie!" and scampered down the stairs.

Lizzie was his two year old cousin and was adored by everyone who laid eyes on her. She was named after the King's daughter and everyone treated her like their princess.

Following more slowly, Eva stood at the top of the stairs and was astounded when she saw her brother standing in the hallway, he was supposed to be away for he was i the air force and they were in the middle of a war! Descending the staircase, her family looked up and when her brother saw her, his face split into a grin, "Hello, Eva." He beamed.

"What are you doing here Jordy?" She asked, not unkindly, rather, quizzically. "I'm on leave!" he said and it was only then that she hurried down the stairs to hug him and his wife Valeria, "How are you? I see the twins have whisked Lizzie away already! Please, go out to the garden, it's such a lovely day!" Valeria went through first, followed by Lewis which left Eva and Jordy in the hall, "I'm so pleased to see you, you know, I never did believe it when they said you'd gone missing. No-one had any idea, could have any idea how sure I was that you were alive.

Not even Lewis or Valeria could understand just how sure I was. I felt so alone but comforted because I could look forward to seeing their faces when it sounded that you were back. When Valeria telegrammed and I told Lewis, his face was one I've never seen in my life! I know that he'd trust me with his life in any case but anyone can be wrong in a case like that. From now on however, he would trust me with what I say about you if I said you'd died on the moon! Um, Jordy, Karen is coming over later, I know you're married and very happy but I just thought I'd give you advance notice."

"Thank you" he said and put his arm around her "so, how's my favourite sister?"

"Oh, shut up! I'm your only sister! But, yeah I'm well thanks. "

"Your accent's slipping you know! How are Lewis and the twins?"

"The twins are delightful, they actually get on really very well. Lewis is, well....Lewis! He's taking his air raid duty very seriously because he's a teacher, he got to stay behind and he's become a conscientious objector because he doesn't agree with it. A few men we know, including the village priest are of that persuasion. We've been married ten years and he still looks at me like he did when we were 14! Have you seen Auntie Hannah or Uncle Henry recently?" Eva steered Jordy towards the garden.

"No, I was planning on seeing them tomorrow, I've only got three days leave. How is it here in the country?"

"Quiet, you would never know of the bombings! I took Isabella and Alexander over the fields to try to spot some planes, we did but they were heading back to Germany after a night's bombing because we went first thing in the morning, it's ridiculous how early they rise! Oh, by the way, I've a book you might like to read, it's a brand new Agatha Christie. A Poirot. It's called "The murder of Roger Ackroyd, it's great and has received shining reviews."

They arrived on the patio just in time to see Lizzie and Isabella screaming with mirth as Alexander made mud pies out of their faces! All the adults witnessed this and not a single one of them moved an inch. "Let's not talk of the war, I find it such a trying subject." So they talked about what they had been doing since the last time they saw each other. As it had always had potential to do, the conversation turned to the last time the whole family were together, Lewis and Eva's wedding.

It had not been a grand affair but plenty of people attended. Eva had looked simply stunning in a pure white strapless dress decorated with tiny red roses with lace covering the bodice and sleeves as well. The church was similarly adorned. It was the church of St Agatha- Patron saint of volcanoes and nurses- in the village of Stonewall where they had both lived all through their childhood. The wedding reception was a great celebration, all Eva and Lewis' friends and relations (not that there were many of them!) were there. Lewis' sister came and spoke to him for the first time ever, since Eva's aunt had encouraged him, they had written to each other fairly regularly. Eva's relatives were limited but the few who existed were invited and they came to a group of around 20, including far removed cousins but all of whom remembered her parents.

Eva had never minded people commenting on how much she and her twin brother looked alike, especially because they hadn't always known they were twins but every single person who caught them together noticed it and both of them were starting to tire of it a little. It had been the happiest day of many people's lives but because of this, there was much upset. The bridegroom, Lewis met his sister for the first time and many tears were shed. All their friends from the dance academy attended and there was quite a bit of crying as they saw each other for the first time, some of them for six years! Of their class, 2 had gone on to be professional dancers, Sebastian and Natalie and although, Sebastian was now courting Karen, they were still dance partners and they greatest of friends!

The four friends passed a few hours in the sun until the bell rang and Valeria shrieked "My skin!". Pale as she was, Valeria's whole face and all down the right side of her body were burnt, Eva went to answer the door, Lewis to find some cream and Jordy to find the children who had disappeared into the undergrowth. When he finally stumbled across them, Alexander in the tree house pulling Lizzie up by the arms, Isabella pushing from below, all three of them were completely green as grass, no sign of their best clothes anywhere. Jordy leaped to the rescue of his daughter who was about to fall and crush her cousin. "Daddy!" Lizzie chastised her father "I was nearly there!", he ignored her and said in a stern tone of voice "Why are you all so green?" Isabella, not catching the tone, chirped in her innocent little cheery voice, "We wath being wood elfths uncle Jordy! They're green aren't they?" Jordy gave in, laughed and said, "Well, your mothers aren't going to be very happy but somebody's come to see you!" Lizzie yelled "Father Christmas!" and Alexander uttered his infectious chuckle (he had inherited this from his uncle) and they were all still laughing as they emerged from the trees and saw Karen and her husband, Jordy stopped dead when he saw who Karen was with, put Lizzie down, let go of Isabella's hand and walked towards the man who turned and exclaimed "Jordy! How are you old chap?" and they patted each other on the back. "Well, um, shocked, I have to admit!" he replied. "Karen, would you like to introduce us to your husband?"

"But you know him Jordy!" and then seeing his facial expression "Yes, I know but we went to the same university and so we got to know each other better and eventually he proposed!" here, her fiancée took over,

"We hope to get married next year when the war's over."

At this moment, the three green 'elfths' came to say hello and they had bought handpicked daisies to give to the visitors. As they handed over their gifts, the girls curtsied, Lizzie ending upon her bottom and Alexander bowed "Oh, George, look, how delightful!" Karen cried.

For those readers who have complained about the ending being a cliffhanger, I'm currently working on a second epilogue that should be up in the next weeks :)