Fostering Love (The Soul Sisters Series Book 1) (36 page)

I am no longer a criminal! And tomorrow is day one of my new family life.

Our life together became relatively normal after all the drama had settled down, having twins to care for was enough excitement for both of us.  Jonas and I took our babies home and started to muddle through the twists and turns of being new parents.  Help was permanently forthcoming, Neely called me daily to check on ‘her girls’ and give me the low down on anything she thought I might be missing and Barbara was such a rock of positivity.  During those times when I was so tired I couldn’t remember my own name and the early days of juggling two babies who were screaming for a feed, I knew I could rely on Barbara to show me the way forward.  After all, this bit she had done herself. 

Jonas was brilliant, no matter how tired he was from working or helping me during the night, he remained calm when I was breaking apart from exhaustion.  His ability to laugh and joke at times when I needed it was amazing, together with his ability to distract me and make me feel loved during those few minutes peace we had were a God send.

Flo came and visited often, she was keen to see a happy ending fairy story play out in real life and Lottie forced me out for coffees and girl times when it became obvious I was turning into a boring baby momma.

Chris, Oli and Sonny became firm fixtures in our lives, with Jonas back in the fold, they were keen to make sure he stayed that way.  I also know that Chris was more than pleased at the opportunity to see the hard military guy turn into a soft guy who couldn’t say no to his girls.  The humor material and amusement this has provided has been endless.

Harrison turned into the best Grandpa ever, our girls are the apple of his eye.  Whilst Jake and Jack still have grand plans to impart twin mischief wisdom at the earliest opportunity.

I’d like to say I never again thought about what I’d experienced at the hands of Tits and Billy, but I can’t.  There are nights when I wake up suddenly gasping for air because I’ve had a nightmare and those nightmares are all too real and its detail is still too vivid in my mind.  Jonas was keen for me to see a counsellor, we talked about experiences and the effects of PTSD on people but so far having him close enough to chase away the dreams is enough.  I forget that sometimes it’s hard for him too, he spent a good deal of time blaming himself until I decided enough was enough.  I can cope because he is strong and by my side, I don’t need his unnecessary feelings of guilt reminding me what we’ve been through during the daylight hours when we’re supposed to be enjoying our life and living it to the fullest.

Work for Jonas remains steady although there are times when things happen and he has to hole up in his office for days at a time.  These are the times when I leave him alone to do what he has to do, instead I just focus on keeping him fed and watered.  I know his job is important and this becomes clear when he comes out for a break, he looks like he needs a rest from the concentration alone.  I know it’s more than that, I know that what he does and sees reminds him of the role he played in defending our country when he was in active service. 

However, half an hour of playing with the girls also reminds him of why he still plays an active part in keeping our country safe and so he can continue to do his bit to keep them and other future generations just that little bit safer.

My photography work slotted into its rightful place eventually.  It didn’t take long for me to miss life through the lens and the contacts I’ve made and the work that I’ve done for Mig and Pamela mean I’m able to pick and choose my assignments.  I don’t leave the girls often, maybe a couple of times a month and its never for longer than a few days, but Jonas made me see it’s important for them to grow up and see that you can have a loving family, be a great mother and have a successful career.  He also pointed out that uninterrupted time with his princesses reminds him of how hard I have it when he works longer hours.  Barbara on the other hand was practically forcing me out of the door, she sees this as prime granny time.

My initial fears of people’s reactions to our ‘great love story’ weren’t totally unfounded. Some of the more narrow minded people found the gossip they were after, but this did dissipate when something new came along.  Those people in our lives that mattered, those that knew and loved us were happy and pleased we’d finally got our act together.  Sometimes Barbara will talk about the fears she had for us when we were growing up together, she genuinely feared that her decision to make us grow up away from each other and independently would mean that we wouldn’t get our happily ever after.

The second happiest day of my life came on the day that Jonas proposed to me. 

I was not expecting it and it was the most romantic thing I’d ever experienced.  I knew my tough demanding guy had it in him, but being on the receiving end of it was truly amazing.

We were happy with the status quo and even though I hadn’t forgotten the fateful dinner conversation at Barbara and Harrison’s it wasn’t something I needed to happen to feel like a complete family unit with Jonas and the girls.

I went into town one day with the girls, after getting them out of the car and loading them into the stroller I made my way to Wally’s as usual.  He was used to their visits and was not a happy man if I missed him off my visit schedule.  I bustled through the door with my long, rather than wide double buggy and was busy getting the girls settled with juice before I realized he hadn’t said anything to me.  He was stood behind the counter with the biggest smirk on his face and it was only then that I noticed all the normal pictures on the photo wall had been replaced.  Just the day before there had been the usual shots that I glanced over at my last visit but today they were all of Jonas.  Jonas stood in various different places in town all holding up individual letters that spelled out ‘Will you marry me?’  The last picture was of Jonas stood in the doorway of Mudjoes with his arm out, palm open holding what appeared to be a little black jewellery box.

I immediately burst into tears and started to look at the pictures again, I couldn’t believe he’d done this. 

Wally appeared behind me with a tissue and gave me a cuddle to calm me down.  As he did this he positioned me by the window and it was then that I noticed Jonas stood in the same place, same pose outside Mudjoes with a box in his hand.  I sprinted out the door at the speed of light and launched myself at Jonas.  He caught me and held me close whilst I cried and gave him a snotty “Yes.”  It was then that I noticed Mudjoes was full of our family and friends and there was a little celebration party held in our honor.  The ring he had chosen for me was stunning, there are no other words to describe it.  It was a two carat solitaire diamond on a white gold band.

After a fairly short engagement, just enough for Barbara to get carried away with planning, our wedding is finally here, after all this time I get to marry the guy of my dreams.  I get to have my happily ever after.

Today is the day everything comes together.

“Dalton, shit! B is at is again, go and sort her out will you?” he shouts at me.  I leave the kitchen and head to the back yard decking where I see Jonas leaning out of a window trying to get the girls to obey him.  He hasn’t learned that remote discipline doesn’t work, it doesn’t with me either!

A is sitting peacefully in the sand box whilst B is dumping little clumps of mud and dirt in it too.  I take a little moment, relishing the magic of my girls but it’s a moment too long and B decides that A would also look good wearing mud and dirt in her hair.  I chuckle as I go to them.  A is placid and B is a terror and a fighter.  I’m convinced it reflects how they came into this world, one born in a fairly normal manner, with the other having to fight to stay in it. It seems I’ve waited too long and Jonas storms through the room onto the decking and lifts up A whilst B times her best mud throwing attempt in his direction.

“Jesus, bloody girls, as if I don’t have enough trouble keeping your mom in line, you pair have to get in on the act,” he mumbles at them and they both giggle.

“You have no trouble keeping me in line baby, you know how to make me behave,” I reply in my best sexy voice.

“Don’t start, not now.  Teasing me whilst they’re awake and we’re expecting a house full of guests is just fuckin’ cruel.  You know I like to take my time when you’re in the mood and getting a fucking hard on now is just not on.”

“OK baby, time for us all to get showered and changed anyway.”

“Yeah because thinking about you showering is gonna help release this problem,” he says as he drops his gaze to his crotch in a frustrated way.

“Oh dear, someone’s frustrated,” I tease.

“I told you it was a stupid fuckin’ idea to go for 2 weeks with no sex.”

“What? I thought 2 weeks of abstinence may make tonight more fun.”

“Watching me explode before I get my pants off is not how I want tonight to go,” he’s still mumbling and it makes me laugh harder.

“OK baby, I’ll shower with the girls and you go....sort out your problem, but you need to come and get them when you’re done.” I take the girls off him, kiss his lips and head for what is now our family shower.

Our back yard is going to be filled with our closest friends and family and I will walk down a make shift candle lit aisle lined with pots of flowers grown in our yard.  My wedding dress is an empire style and is made of ivory silk, it has a fitted bodice that ends just below the bust and gives way to a loose flowing skirt.  It is simple and understated.  I will be carrying a beautiful handful of loose flowers matching the ones down the aisle and am going with flowers in my hair, it will still be crazy curly but I’ll have a go at taming it before I put the flowers in. 

My girls will be wearing small simple dusky pink dresses which Barbara picked out, they’re cute and will probably be clean for all of about fifteen minutes.  For this reason they’re going to be dressed roughly ten seconds before they hit the aisle with soul sister Neely, Barbara and I. 

I didn’t want to tell Jonas what to wear, I told him I wanted him to feel comfortable on our day together.  It makes no sense to have a relaxed and personal wedding if he’s trussed up like a penguin.  I will, however, kill him if he’s stood there in jeans and a t-shirt.  In an effort to try and keep it informal Jonas has decided against having traditional groomsmen, he’s asked Harrison and Chris to stand up beside him. 

The day he asked Harrison to do this for him was emotional to put it mildly.  We went for our usual weekend family dinner and usual now means the kids are spoilt rotten and allowed to misbehave at the table.  Barbara calls it having fun at granny and pops house, the twins call it early learning of necessary twin escapades and I call it what it is, naughty and mischievous.  As we were finishing dinner Jonas casually asked Harrison if he would stand up beside him at our wedding.  Harrison froze for a few seconds and then mumbled that he’d be honored, he then made some excuse about forgetting something he needed in the shed and left the table.  Jonas followed him and it turns out that Harrison wanted to have a little man-cry in private.  He told Jonas that he always dreamed of a life where he could be surrounded by people he loved, who would love him and Barbara back in return and that seeing our family grow with the addition of A and B is beyond what he could have dreamed.  I think it’s safe to assume he was happy!

At the end of the aisle will be my guy, the love of my life and our girls.  They’ll be waiting for me to join them and finally become a Drakeson.

This is one Dolly name I can’t wait to have. 

I am more than ready to become Mrs Dalton Drakeson.

THE END

Coming soon, Book two in the Soul Sisters Series.

Forgiving Love is Neely’s story and what a story it is!

About The Author

Victoria Johns is a writer who enjoys sharing a happily ever after and believes that it’s every good girl’s dream to experience a steamy one.  Growing up in North West England in a large family surrounded by love and support she found her Prince Charming many years ago and enjoys living the life they’ve made with their son.

She’s always had a creative imagination and decided that some of the stories bubbling in her head needed to be shared, so she’s created this pen name to give them their freedom to be loved by others.

When she’s not writing she’s overdosing on crisps, Rosé wine and trashy TV.

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