266

266
"Ms. Adams!"

"Ms. Adams over here!"

"Mr. Graff! Wha—"

"May we have a word?"

Journalists yelled at Gordon and me, sticking out their recorders to us as we strode out of the courtroom.

"What do you guys have to say about the verdict?"

"Is this the kind of justice you want?"

"How do you feel about sending your stepbrother to jail?"

I ignored the clicking of the camera and the mob trying to break through the human wall of our highly trained security agents. 

"What do you plan to do now that your nemesis is in jail, Mr Graff?"

"Can we expect a wedding?"

"Or another separation?"

"Have you heard from your sister, or rather cousin, Ms Adams?"

Gordon opened the car's door for me, and I slipped in.

"Ms. Adams!"

"Mr Graff!"

"The public woul—"

We zoomed off, leaving them in our dust and the courtroom too. The court room that changed everything.

The judge's verdicts ran in my head. Fifteen years imprisonment...

Life imprisonment and a death sentence. A death sentence.

I rested my head on the window, letting my breath fog the glass.

The war had finally ended.

After more than twenty years of crimes and lies and murder, justice had finally prevailed.

"Iris?" Gordon whispered, tapping my arm.

"Uh?" I blinked, turning my attention to him.

"Are you ok? You've been really quiet since the judge gave the verdict. Are you feeling sick?" He frowned, cupping my cheek. 

"No, I'm just... shocked," I whispered.

"Did that bastard Thomas scare you?"

"No", I shook my head.

"Then what's wrong, darling?"

"I... I'm still trying to process... to process..." I stuttered, tears welling up in my eyes. "It's just so... so... Gordon!" I cried, throwing my arms around his neck and burying my face into his chest.

"It's alright, darling," he whispered, scooping me into his lap and stroking my back.

"I... I... I'm just so overwhelmed with emotions right now that... that I feel like I'm going crazy. I can't believe it. Paul... Paul is finally paying for... for all his crimes. My mom and dad can... can finally rest in peace because their ki... killer is finally punished. Those women and... and children are now free, and we don't have to be afraid that he'll come after us and our children and... and... Tell me, Gordon, is this a dream? Will I open my eyes and... and see that this was some kind of sick twisted dream that my brain made up to comfort me? Will I wake up and realise that all this never happened and I'm supposed to marry Thomas and—"

Gordon silenced me with a soft, gentle kiss, pulling me closer to himself, like he wanted to swallow me whole. I soaked him in, letting him push away all the doubts and fear.

"Did that feel like a dream?" He asked, as he brushed his knuckles against my cheeks, wiping my tears.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head.

"This is all real, Iris. Everything. You will always wake up to see me and our beautiful angels. You will always wake up in our home, and Paul will never be able to hurt us. The truth has finally prevailed, the dead have been avenged, and we can finally look forward to the future with the ghost of the past." He smiled as he took my hand and kissed the gold engagement ring. "We can finally get married now that we are done with those two bad lucks."

"Yes, we can finally get married. I'm so happy, Gordon. Really, really happy that this has come to an end," I beamed, trying not to cry again. "And I'm happy that despite all the crazy things that happen, we found our way back to each other. Even though sometimes I wish it had been easier."

"I don't care. I will gladly go through hell and worse just to have the privilege to get to call you mine because I love you."

"I love you too," I breathed and kissed him.

"Good, now no more crying. Today, we celebrate. And celebrations are much better with cake," Gordon grinned.

"Oh, the girls are going to love that."
~•~•~•~•~••~

"M ah cocrodial!"

"Ah! Oh no! A cocodiney! Ah!"

Loud giggles erupted through the air as Gordon opened the door of the playroom, and my heart warmed.

Jill raced around the room, her brown pigtails bouncing as Willow chased her with an oversized crocodile mask over her head.

"Who let a crocodile into my house?" He asked, a huge silly grin on his face, and their heads snapped to us.

"Dada!" They squealed, their brown eyes lighting with joy, and they ran to him.

"Wiyyow is a cocodiney!" Jill giggled, reaching him first as she grabbed one of his legs.

"Don be fraid, dada! Is me! M cocrodial! Willow laughed, clinging to his other leg as she took off the mask, revealing her dark hair like her father's.

"And the cutest one I've ever seen," he grinned as he scooped them into his arms. "Hope you too were good for Irene and Bane? You guys didn't wear them out, did you?"

"There isn't a child born that can ever wear me out." Irene boasted as she set down a large teddy.

"M a good gul. Right, Dada?" Jill asked, fiddling with Gordon's hair.

"Of course you are, angel. You're the best girl," he said, kissing her cheek, and she beamed. 

"Wat abt me? Ar me a be... best gul too," Willow asked.

"Yes, you are, darling. You're the best girl too," he nodded and kissed her cheek too. "Both of you are the best girls in the whole wide world."

"The whole wid wrold?" Jill gasped, her eyes growing wide like she had discovered the cure to all human suffering. 

Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched the three people I loved the most in the entire world laugh and smile.

How did I become so lucky?

How did I go from a girl her family hated to having one that she loved so dearly?

How did I go from growing up with so much pain and sadness to having so much laughter and joy around?

It seemed like... like a dream, but no, this was real.

This family was real. This wonderful man was real. These beautiful children were real.

And they were mine.

"Mama?" Willow said, and I blinked out of my thoughts to see the three of them staring at me.

"Is something wrong, darling? You zoned out." Gordon asked.

"It's nothing. I was just stunned at how lucky I was to have the most amazing family in the entire world." I grinned, brushing my eyes with my finger.

"The whole wid wrold," Jill grinned, pleased with herself for extending her vocabulary.

"Yes, the whole wide world. You babies are the best in the whole wide world!" I praised them, and they giggled as I kissed their heads.

"What about me? Aren't I the best too?" Gordon pouted, and I laughed.

"You're the best too. The world's best husband and father." I laughed and pecked his lips. "Now, who wants cake?"

"Me!"