After All - Part Fifty Eight

Chapter Fifty Eight

The End...

Matilda applied a swipe of lipstick to her lips. She loved the dress she had for Sarah’s wedding. Aubergine, her favourite colour, with lime green, her favourite combination. But it didn’t compliment her pale complexion, not today. Shaking her head, she pinched her cheeks hoping to look a little less pasty.

                “How long are you going to be in there Miss? You’re going to be later than the bride at this rate.”

Dylan.

She sighed; this was going to be the longest day of her life.

                “I’m ready,” she called back through the door. Though she wasn’t.

With a forced smile, she opened the door. Dylan looked devastating. His short dark hair was as usual fighting to be controlled, his chin freshly shaved of stubble and his eyes glittering. There wasn’t a bit of him that she didn’t love.  Her eyes coursed over his elegant suit, the impeccable shirt and tie, he was beauty personified. Then he smiled and he was even more devastating.

                “You look amazing, you take my breath away.”

She blushed, “so do you.”

That made him chuckle, a deep warm sound. “You ok?”

She nodded, “is the car here?”

                “It is.” He offered her his elbow then led her out to their waiting transport.

Sarah was getting married in a riverside house in Chelsea, then there was a heated marquee overlooking the Thames for the celebration. They took their place amongst those gathered to witness the event, covered seats either side of the aisle. Steven stood at the top, looking petrified, but handsome in his morning suit. She gave him a thumbs up sign when his eyes met hers and it made him smile.

Then the music started up and they all turned to see Sarah, petite but stunningly pretty Sarah in a beautiful off white dress, gliding down the aisle on her father’s arm.

The service passed quickly, and they all filed out into the winter sunshine, to talk and be offered canapés as the room was prepared for dinner.

                “Here darling,” a warm arm wrapped around Matilda as a glass of champagne was wafted in front of her nose. She grasped the stem then leaned nervously back into the warmth of Dylan. With him protecting her, looking out for her she could relax. “What’s wrong?” He whispered, his breath against her ear, “you’ve not been yourself since we left home.”

How could she tell him? She’d been running the hotel for six weeks, she had so many things planned, they were on a schedule with work, but also at home. They had her brother and father coming to visit for Christmas, they were going to start house hunting later in the year, they’d tentatively talked about a trip back to Thailand...all that was about to be tossed up in the air. She was the one who’d wanted independence, she’d wanted space and time, if it was left to Dylan they’d be joined at the hip permanently.

When she looked up Dylan was staring at her, concern etched across his face, with a gentle tug, he led her away from the groups chatting casually, towards the trees that hugged one corner of the garden.

                “Matilda Davies, you are scaring me. What is it? What’s wrong?”

She sighed, it wasn’t wrong, not now, not this time and she had to explain that to him, she took a deep breath and lifted her eyes to meet his, “nothing is wrong, not in my eyes anyway. Badly timed...that’s a given...but NEVER wrong.”

He shook his head, “tell me, you’re not making sense.”

Closing her eyes she mustered all her inner strength and took another deep breath, “I think I’m pregnant.”

There, she’d blurted it out, and with her eyes closed she waited for a sign, a hint, but there was nothing, just silence.

                “For God’s sake!” she muttered as she snapped her eyes open, then froze, she’d never seen Dylan wrong footed, never seen him so unsure, so stunned, so consumed with pleasure. His shocked features rolled into a generous smile and he opened his mouth to try and speak but his voice failed him.

                “You think? You should do a test,” he reached for the champagne glass that was still in her hand and tossed the contents over her shoulder, “that’s enough of that...oh my God.”

She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, how she’d anticipated this would go, but it was nothing like this. This was better, it was perfect, he was bossy - but that just told her he cared, he was stunned, but then neither of them had anticipated this happening.

She gave a half laugh then pointed her finger at him, “you get away with being bossy that one time only, ok?”

Shaking his head he gave a half smile, “shit. A baby?”

                “I’m three weeks late...didn’t realise what with being so busy at work...”

Pulling her into his arms he smiled, “that is the best news I’ve heard ALL year.”

                “Really?”

He nodded, “it’s quicker than we’d have thought, but it feels right, doesn’t it?”

                “It does, but...”

He placed a finger over her lips, “no, no buts.” He stroked her cheek gently, “when we were in Thailand I told your father I was going to marry you again.”

Her throat was dry, “you did?”

He nodded, “but it’ll happen when you’re ready, that’s the important thing. If it were up to me...I’d have married you that first night on the beach in Thailand, but you weren’t ready. This may not change things for you, but it does for me. I want our children born properly, to us as a married couple, living in a home that we share together. I know that it’s faster than maybe you’re ready for...” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small leather box, “but I’ve been carrying this around for one hell of a long time. You get to choose when you wear it, but it will be soon. OK?”

She was shaking, her heart was racing she had never felt so scared, she’d honestly not thought about getting married again, not after the disaster of last time. She wasn’t really able to formulate a response, so she stood there silently as he chuckled, then pulled her to his side as they rejoined the party.

After a wonderful meal, speeches, and Sarah and Steven’s first dance, Matilda sat quietly beside Dylan watching the day unfold, he was the perfect gentleman, looking out for her whilst being charming and sociable, and on several occasions he’d had their table laughing. The big question was could she do it? Could she be Mrs Wallace once again, could she give over that last piece of herself to Dylan? As her hand strayed almost unconsciously to her stomach she knew that she’d done that a long time ago. She loved him to distraction, she missed him when he wasn’t beside her, she needed him like oxygen. Even before she’d realised she might be pregnant she knew that. But now, even more so.

As he whisked her onto the dance floor in response to the band striking up a tune, Matilda reached up on tip toes to his ear and whispered, “yes.”

The delay in hearing the words and processing them saw him pull her into his arms, then he stopped dead, “yes? You mean it?”

She nodded, “I do. I love you. I’m scared, but not scared of marrying you, just scared of losing you.”

He sighed, “I’ve lost you once Matilda Davies, I am NEVER losing you again. You have my word.” Kissing her proudly on the lips then reached inside his pocket for the ring.

But Matilda shook her head, “no. This is their day, give me the ring tonight...I want naked...grovelling on your knees...and it had better be good Mr Wallace.”

                “Oh it will be!” He said with a smile, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Just you wait and see.”

With that he swung her around the dance floor with the enthusiasm of a five year old, and Matilda couldn’t wait to grow old with the man she’d spent her whole life loving.

Eight Years Later

                “I don’t care what it costs, it has got to be THE best, and it has GOT to be here before Friday. Don’t you relish doing business with me Mr Partridge?” Matilda ran a hand through her hair, glad that the afore mentioned Mr Partridge couldn’t see her stress and anxiety down the phone.  “We deal in hundreds of thousands of pounds a year contracts with you, if you can’t honour this, then I am sorry but I will be seeking ALL the hotel’s household products from elsewhere.”

The other man started to protest but she wasn’t listening, “this is no idle threat, I’ve got more than you can imagine riding on this weekend, you KNOW that. There is no way that I’m going to let this lie.”

As he made some pleading sounds from along the phone, she turned to perch on her desk wondering where else she’d be able to get ten thousand linen napkins from at such short notice. The Ryder Cup was being held in the hotel, the biggest scoop that she’d ever achieved. A timely planned presentation had won them a shot at holding the cup. They’d spent the best part of the last eight years preparing for the coming weekend. She wasn’t about to be let down at the last moment.

Frustrated she dropped the phone back in its cradle and tried to control her breathing. It was then that she noticed the door inch open slowly.

Not again! She groaned as she crossed the room and pulled open the office door to see the most handsome little cherub stood there looking up with a toothy smile, his bright blue eyes full of mischief, his dark hair as unruly as his father’s.

                “Thomas Wallace. Have you escaped AGAIN?”

How could she be angry when faced with the little escapologist? The addition of a crèche to the hotel had been a huge hit, and meant that she was never too far from her children when she was at work, but her youngest two year old monster had taken it upon himself to test the nursery workers beyond belief.

As she scooped the nodding boy up into her arms, Mary, one of the carers burst around the corner.

                “I’m SO sorry Mattie; I have no idea what you must think of us. We’d all been to the park, as soon as we set foot in reception he ran here, he was never more than a few metres in front of me. I swear.”

The girls were very thorough; all of Tom’s escapes literally saw him spend just a couple of seconds away from them.

                “This boy is going to be the death of me, aren’t you?” He merely laughed and swung his arms around her neck. “I’ll let him have a minute here then I’ll bring him back, is Cassie ok?”

Four year old Cassandra was the opposite of her brother, studious, serious and very content, she would be sat at a table drawing or painting. She could just imagine.

                “Cass is fine, only one of your children has the family’s mischief.”

That made Matilda laugh, “you’re right on that count.”

                “Daddy?” Tom asked as she carried him across to her desk.

                “He’ll be back soon darling, I promise.” Sitting on her chair he took the cup of juice she offered and gave a theatrical sigh which made her laugh. “You are such a Daddy’s boy!”

Dylan was in New York, he was due back later, but they all missed him when he was away, her and the kids. From the moment a test had confirmed that she was pregnant after Sarah’s wedding, Dylan had been the perfect man, he’d lined up dozens of houses for her scrutiny, then tolerated her constant changing decisions as they decorated the house, colours and styles selected at the whim of her raging hormones. They got married at Christmas, when she was blooming, the service was attended by immediate family and friends, much to his mother’s chagrin, but that didn’t bother them, they didn’t need pomp and ceremony.

Then Emma had burst into the world and nothing had been the same since. She rubbed a hand over her stomach, still unable to believe they were going to have their fourth child. Another reason not to get stressed.

At seven Emma was currently in school near their home, and on a Monday had a riding lesson straight after school. Fortunately that meant she could get a lift from a friend back to the hotel afterwards. She wasn’t leaving the hotel until late this week, Dylan had tried to convince her to employ a nanny, someone to look after her brood whilst she was at work, but she couldn’t do that. They were her children; she was the one to look after them. Plus Dylan’s mother had barely cared for him when he was a child; the last thing she wanted was to pass his insecurities on to their children.

                “Come on Buster, let’s get you back to nursery, ok?”

Ninety minutes later and Mr Partridge was promising her he’d deliver on her order, a huge tick in her book, when Emma walked in. She was tall, slim and pretty, Dylan swore she looked like her, but she didn’t agree, she was more like her own mother; Cassie was the image of her, in looks and temperament.

                “Hi Darling, how was your day?”

She nodded, “good, I got nine out of ten in my maths test.”

                “What did you get wrong?” She asked as they hugged.

                “Six times eight...it was the fastest to finish. I think I rushed!”

Matilda smiled, “shall we get the little ones, then I’ll see if Leo has any fruit for you in the kitchen?”

Linking hands with her mother they did just that.

A huge bowl of fruit salad that Leo loved providing for the kids, and a movie played through her laptop kept them all quiet for the next hour, and it gave Matilda the chance to chase up the remaining things on her to do list. The following day they had another equally long list, but Sarah was working so she could relax a little.

She glanced at her phone, no message from Dylan, he was due to land in a couple of hours, but he normally called or messaged her before he boarded the plane. But not tonight.

                “Right guys; let’s get all our things, I for one could do with going home.”

                “I second that.”

A voice called from behind them and the three youngsters all screamed “DAD!” at exactly the same time as they rushed across the room to him.

Matilda smiled at Dylan; he looked tired, but happy. His trips away became more taxing as the kids got older. He hadn’t changed over the years, there was the hint of grey in the hair at his temples, but he was still strong, lithe, handsome...and devoted to her and the kids.

                “Your day get any better?” he asked as he hugged all three kids and accepted a dozen sloppy kisses.

She shrugged as he deposited his bags on the floor, then stage whispered to the children, “maybe there’s a gift in my bag for you?”

Emma took over the search through his bag as the other two giggled and tried to help her. Dylan walked towards her and smiled, “you look good.”

                “I do?”

He nodded, reaching out to wrap an arm sound her, pulling her against him, “you been sick?” His hand ran briefly over her stomach as she shook her head, “nope, no sickness. Haven’t had the time for that.”

He kissed her then, and that passion, that desire was all still there. Until three screeching children got between them, each waving a wrapped gift in their direction. As they opened things excitedly, Matilda watched her family with such pride and happiness. Life was hectic, Dylan was away too much, it was hard to juggle the kids, but with the biggest golf event about to put their hotel complex on the world map, and a fourth child on the way, there was no sign of any let up in the future, and she loved that. She wouldn’t change a single minute of anything.