Cool Mom

100: Epilogue

"Sebastian! Hold my hand!" Daniel calls out to three year old Seb who is running a few paces ahead of us.

Sebastian obediently slows down and takes Daniel's hand. Seven year old Hazel is already inside the park, taking Vanessa off her leash so that they can play.

"Can you hold this, mommy?" Hazel holds out the leash to me as we reach her.

"Sure." I say and take it from her. Daniel lets go of Sebastian's hand so that he can run with Hazel and Vanessa.

We sit down on a picnic bench to one side of the park and share the coffee I grabbed before we left home.

Pasadena's November air is chilly as I hunch into my coat and watch Sebastian try to keep up with his older sister. I pull out my phone and snuggle closer to Daniel as I go to the phone's camera roll and scroll down to the pictures that I'm looking for.

I smile at the picture on the screen and hold it up for Daniel to see.

"Hazel loved that bear." I say, looking at the picture of Hazel in front of the Eiffel Tower with her souvenir teddy bear in her arms.

"Until she found a new toy to obsess over." Daniel says, making me laugh.

"We have to take Sebastian to Disneyland." Daniel says as we get to our pictures from Disneyland.

"Hazel has been begging me to go back. Hazel was as old as Seb is now and she loved it." I recall Hazel getting sick right after when we visited a potential location for Aaron Limited's new office.

"Oh gosh look!" I laugh and Daniel joins in.

It's a selfie of Hazel and me from when we visited the amusement park with Daniel's family. Daniel is standing behind us scowling at David who is visible in the corner of the picture. Once we've stopped laughing I keep scrolling.

"Look at these." I croon as we look at pictures from Hazel's first swimming contest at the country club. Now she's in grade two and has won two National titles in three years.

There are pictures of Hazel eating cake scattered all through the camera roll. There's even one of Hazel asleep at the dining table with cake still left on her plate. There are pictures of Hazel at Daniel's office, more pictures of us at various lunches and breakfasts. There are selfies from dinner dates of Daniel and me.

There are pictures from our trips to Paris over the last few years, our trip to Maui and trip to Sri Lanka from last summer. There are pictures from Hazel's school, pictures of Sebastian's play dates, pictures from Halloweens, Christmases, Easters, birthdays, Hazel's first carnival, Sebastian's first carnival, Hazel's swimming competitions, Daniel's conferences and galas. But some of the most special pictures are from Sebastian's birth, especially the one of him and Hazel and our official family portrait that the media uses whenever there's a story about the Aaron family.

I wrap my arms around Daniel's waist and breathe in the crisp winter air, mixed with Daniel's cologne. Soon Hazel and Sebastian run back to us with Vanessa close on their heels. I pull away from Daniel's arms and take Sebastian's hand while Daniel helps Hazel put the leash back on Vanessa and then we leave the park to head back home.

The short walk back home passes in laughter and stories of Vanessa losing her stick in a pile of leaves, which Sebastian later stumbled and fell into. I smile as I watch the others walk ahead of me, Daniel is holding Hazel's hand with one and Sebastian's with the other. Vanessa neatly trots along Hazel, eager to stay close to the others.

When we step back into the warmth of the house everyone takes off their shoes to avoid getting the floors dirty and jackets are draped over chair backs in the foyer as the children announce that they want hot chocolate.

I need to use the bathroom so Daniel takes over hot chocolate duty and I head to the bathroom. When I return ten minutes later, the hot chocolate is being poured into mugs.

"Do you want some?" Daniel asks.

"Just a little." I say and lift Sebastian onto one of the stools around the kitchen island. I hand him his mug and then take mine from Daniel.

Hazel is excited about a 'Snowflake Ball' that Rushmore Academy is hosting for primary school students. She's already discussed dresses with her friends and describes the sort of dress she wants. When we turn back to the boys, they're watching a soccer match on TV screen in the kitchen.

Sebastian obviously can't make much sense out of what's going on but he loves the idea of kicking a ball around and often gets scolded by me when he does that inside the house.

Daniel and I are sure that he'll take after Hazel in the sports area. He's really intrigued by soccer matches.

Soon the children finish their drinks and Hazel announces that she's going to her bedroom. Sebastian goes to the living room where Vanessa is asleep and tries waking her up to play with him but to no avail. Finally he gives up and starts playing alone with his toy cars.

I head to the foyer and start to collect the jackets and scarves scattered about the room when I feel arms wrap around my waist and then I'm gently pushed against a wall.

Daniel presses his lips to mine as I press a hand to his cheek and the other makes its way into his hair.

"I've been waiting to do this ever since we reached the park." Daniel says, kissing my cheek. I shy away and look down at my feet.

"There's just something about winter and your adorable cold, pink cheeks." Daniel says, making me laugh softly and look back up at him.

"You say that every winter." I smile at him.

"It's the little things I love the most about you." He says, making my heart melt.

Without a word, I lean forward and kiss him. When I pull back, I meet his eyes and say, "I love you, Daniel. For everything."

"And I, Emma, am honored to call you my wife and the mother of my children. You're a cool mom." Daniel says, pulling me into another kiss.

THE END!

Read on to the author's note in the next chapter for sequel news. Eeek!! SO EXCITED!!

-T