The Broken Daylily

EPILOGUE: Scotland

Thomas was thinking of buying an estate in Scotland. He and Madilyn had gone through a lot. London carried the memory of her parents and his brother, yet Lindenberg did not feel as safe as it used to anymore. Mayhap they needed a third place to stay.

They enjoyed their stay in Scotland. Twas their second visit, for the first had turned out surprisingly. Thomas had promised her a travel worthy of a honeymoon, but including the children. That meant they could not go too far, yet they wanted to leave behind the world they knew for a few weeks.

So they had decided to go to Scotland. Gwendolyn and Hazel had come, and some people of staff. Twas nice for Thomas to walk next to his wife with their children in their arms. But the evenings he enjoyed most. When the children would be asleep, he would have time to enjoy his wife. And enjoy they did.

They had spent many nights and many hours of love making and sweet kisses. He had never felt as happy as he did in those nights he would watch his naked wife smile at him, while they knew the children were in another room in the estate, sleeping healthy and safely.

But suddenly Madilyn had felt ill. She had to throw up, and Thomas rushed her to a doctor. Never had he thought he would return with a smile after seeing how horrible his wife felt. Madilyn had to admit that she had not been bleeding that month, and the doctor had made the best conclusion a man could hear.

His wife was pregnant. Her face instantly cleared up and her smile was wider. Twas amazing to spend the first moments of that knowledge with her, for they might have two children already, they did not share the initial shock together. And they certainly had never shared it with such big smiles.

They had returned to London right away, before Madilyn's belly would be too big for traveling. The news was gladly heard by his siblings and mother, but Thomas could see his wife was the one to enjoy it the most. For nine months, he watched her belly grow and her happiness increase. She would rub her tummy whenever her hands were free, and she would smile whenever he would do the same.

And finally, one morning, Madilyn's belly started hurting. Though she was in pain, she looked so happy. She was to give Thomas another child, and for the first time, she got to share every moment of her pregnancy with him.

It did not take her very long to give birth to Marion, a third healthy daughter for Thomas and Madilyn. While Gwendolyn and Hazel were taking their first step, Thomas would look at them with his youngest daughter in his arms.

After six months, they decided Marion was old enough to start traveling, and they returned to the estate in Scotland they had hired a year ago. And that was were Thomas was now, happily watching Gwendolyn and Hazel play with their toys while Madilyn put Marion to sleep.

After a while, she returned to Thomas with a smile on her face. She sat next to him and look at him.

"How many children would you want?" she asked.

Thomas looked suspiciously at her. "The more the better, I believe. Why are you asking?"

Her smile widened and she took hold of his arm. "Because we are very productive together."

He felt his smile widen as well, while his heart started racing with excitement. "Are you pregnant?"

With a huge smile on her face, she nodded. "How about another girl?"

He took her head in his hands and said: "I will love every child you give me," before he kissed her lips.

O how he was a lucky man.