Dusty Shelves

The End

Epilogue

"Alice? Stephanie? Dinner!" I shouted from the kitchen. Alice walked in with our beautiful daughter Jennifer holding her hand. I smiled at Alice and then to her pregnant belly that was sticking out. she stopped walking and clutched her stomach while wincing.

"God they just won't stop kicking" she said and grimaced. Jennifer took on a worried expression and rushed to my side.

"Daddy, what's wrong with mummy?" she asked as she hugged my legs with her thumb in her mouth. I pulled it out of her mouth only to have her put it back in. I chuckled and walked over to Alice with Stephanie still on my leg.

"Your new brother and sister want to let mummy know they're still in there" I said and placed my hand on Alice's stomach to feel the magical kick that still amazed me.

"One guess says they're like their father"

"Hey! Are you saying I'm aggressive?" I asked with mock anger.

"No, you just like to kick out" she said with a chuckle. I picked up Stephanie and let her hold onto me while she felt her mother's stomach in amazement.

"What are their names?" she asked and looked at me. she had my blue eyes and Alice's black hair. It was so long and so like Alice's it amazed me.

"I don't know my little koala" I said and she giggled when I started tickling her sides. She had taken on her little nickname recently. She never let me put her down. She was only 3.

"We probably should think about it soon. I've only got a month left and you never know what's in store. They might decide to come early" she said and rubbed her swollen stomach affectionately.

"Who knows" I said and smiled at her.

We are living in a small cottage type house just outside of Sydney and have paid the whole thing off. Well, Greg and Karen bought the house for us as a wedding present. Todd went back to Lucy that New Years Eve and Marcus went MIA and joined the army. Last we heard he is over in Afghanistan and doing well. Mitchell got a soccer scholarship and was signed by Sydney FC. He proposed to Jasmine a year ago but she declined and moved to the states. He was heartbroken but he found a girl a few months ago and they've been going strong since then. Niki and Lauren are single and on the prowl, but they both moved up to Brisbane for work 6 months ago. I haven't heard too much about Tony and Sarah but word has it she left him and pursued a career in reporting. Jess moved to Japan with her dad and his new wife and she is expecting a little sister soon. Jake broke up with Hannah but it was mutual and they are still great friends. He's going to school at Blakehurst in year 10 and passing with flying colours in all subjects.

The worst news out of all of our friends was Lucy who had a miscarriage and lost her baby. She was suffering depression and Todd was worried about her. Alice and I finally convinced them to move nearer to us and she now lives with Todd down the street from us. They are married happily as of two years and she announced that she's pregnant again a few weeks ago. Stephanie calls them Aunty Lucy and Uncle Todd and can't wait for them to have their little boy.

I still love Alice more than my own life but I love Stephanie just as much. I nearly broke down in tears in the delivery room when she was born and Alice said she wanted to name her after my mother. I was worried that Karen would be jealous but we compromised. Stephanie Karen Jarvis.

"Oliver!" Alice screamed at me as we were in the delivery room. Our twins had decided to come earlier than we expected and were 2 weeks early.

"I'm right here Ali. You're doing so well. Come on, you can do this" I said and kissed her hand that was clutching onto mine for dear life.