Erin walked over to pat his little head. “No, I’m not.”
“Well, where are you staying?” Tommy asked, rearing his head.
“With my daddy, just like you’re staying with your parents, Tommy,” Erin replied.
Tommy blinked but said, “Okay.”
“I have all the time to play with you later,” Erin said, tousling his hair. “Okay?”
“Okay,” Tommy replied, nodding-he did not know, and was uncertain if Erin would come good on her promise to play with him.
Erin wanted to leave, but seeing that James was still chatting with Zachary and Diarmuid, she refrained from disturbing them.
Picking up Tommy and giving him a whirl, she found him a little heavy. “Oh, you’re heavy-are you getting fatter?”
Tommy looked at his belly. “No.”
Erin stood in front of him and measured. “Then you’re taller.”
Tommy was a little tall compared to children of his age, all thanks to Sheryl and Mrs. Watson, who raised him so well- especially when it came to feeding him.
Pointing at Diarmuid in the distance, Tommy said, “I will be taller than him.”
Erin turned toward where Tommy pointed and smiled. “You are your daddy’s son. You just might be taller than him.”
It was exactly what Tommy hoped for, and he could not help smiling.
Erin then went up to James. “You can wait until dinner to chat. They need a break after their long flight.
“Alright then. See you guys later,” she said and clapped Zachary on the shoulder. “Congratulations on getting a daughter.”
“You too,” Zachary replied. “On getting hitched and becoming cousins with Diarmuid.”
James was left speechless, while Diarmuid shot Zachary a look before turning and heading into the house.
Zachary shrugged. “I’m not wrong.”
James snorted. “No, but you’re indulging your relationship.”
It was as if Zachary was saying that he was marrying Erin to get connected to Diarmuid, when their relationship was so pure, and they only cared about how they felt toward each other! Diarmuid was not even involved.
Zachary certainly was not thinking when he said that, and it was a little inappropriate when he thought of it.
He would not admit it, though.
Jean suddenly woke up and started crying, which gave Zachary an excuse. “My daughter is crying. I’ll talk to you later.”
With that, he fled.
James would have rolled his eyes at Zachary right then, as Erin held his arm and asked, “Why are you staring at him like that?”
“He’s a father now, but he just doesn’t look the part.”
Erin actually thought that Zachary was passable. “He knows how to care for his baby-that’s very good for a man already.
IV
“You really set your standards too low,” James said.
Erin asked cutely then, But he’s like a slave to his baby girl now. Can you do what he did when we have a child?”
“I’ll do better when the time comes,” James declared assuredly.
“I really should have recorded that.” Erin leaned against his arm, but James’ expression changed a little as he remembered her miscarriage.
Patting her hand, he said, “Let’s have as many children as we can.”
“They are expensive and taxing,” Erin pointed out.
“We can afford it-l just have to make more money even if it kills me,” James said.
“That won’t do. I want you to grow old with me, not kill yourself for money.”
With that they returned to their car, having a jovial time.
Once they were home, Mick asked, “Did everyone arrive safely?”
“Yeah,” Erin replied as she sat on the couch. “They’re resting for now.”
Mick beckoned for a servant to bring in two velvet boxes just then. “Check these out.”
“What are they?” Erin asked.
“You’ll know when you see them.”
Erin opened the boxes in curiosity and found two sets of diamond jewelry, and the craftsmanship was quite dated.
“I’ve been saving them. They are yours now-you can wear them during your wedding,” Mick said.
Erin’s eyes were welling with tears, feeling that she was just so lucky right then.
Giving Mick a hug, she said, “These are too precious. I can’t take them…”
“You’re my daughter. Who else would I give them too?” Mick chuckled. “Or do I take them with me to my grave?”
Erin cupped her hand over his mouth. “Don’t jinx yourself.”
James thought that it was very valuable too, and he said, “I will prepare her jewelry myself.”
Mick disagreed, feeling that he was being too polite. “It’s the same if either of us bought it, and I’m not faulting you either.
Before James could speak further, Mick added, “Erin’s my daughter. Everything that is mine is hers, and it’s not like I can take these to my grave anyway. Don’t turn me down now —if you feel like you owe me, just treasure Erin. I won’t play around if you ever bully her.”
James did not get uncomfortable because of Mick’s words. Instead, he said somberly, “Don’t worry.”
Mick patted him on the shoulder. “You have to take care of yourself too.”
He certainly did not want James’ injuries to get permanent, or Erin would have to live with a disabled person for the rest of her life.
His fatherly affection left Erin’s tears welling in her eyes, and she leaned against his arm. “Dad, you should come with us to
Franconia!”
She really could not bear leaving Mick to live alone-he was going to be very lonely with Yvaine Lynd gone.
And the older one got, the more afraid one would be of loneliness.
However, Mick was used to life here and would not be accustomed to life anywhere else.
He used to live in this house with Yvaine as well and shared plenty of good memories with her here.
“You two are getting married, and you should only share each other’s company,” Mick said. “It’d be wrong if I hovered around. I’d like to stay here too.”
Erin knew that Mick wanted to live here, feeding on the memories he had with Yvaine.
She knew what Mick did was immoral, but he really loved Yvaine.
She really envied such a relationship… to only love one person for life.
It was selfish, but the love was real because it did not involve personal gain, only single-minded affection.
Even if what he did was not right, it was not entirely wrong- Yvaine survived this long because of him, and she would have been dead if he had not rescued her in the first place.
No one had a say about the past either, and only those involved knew the right and wrong of it.
“Okay, that’s enough,” Martin said, sensing his daughter distraught. “You are getting married. You have to be happy.”
Erin smiled at Mick. “I am really happy that I’m marrying James.”
She had never hidden her love and was always open about it.
Meanwhile, James was less forthright around others in contrast to her.
When it was time for dinner, they all headed out to Abigail’s lodgings to give them a ride.
They left early since they needed to prepare, what with children coming along.
It was just the right time as they packed up.
The place Mick booked easily fit over twenty of them, and the large round tables allowed plenty of space between seats.
Baby was sitting on a high chair, while Tommy was tall enough to sit on a chair.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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