Chapter 16 – Now and Forever“Night-night, Mama?”
“Yes, night-night, sweetie.”
“Okay.”
Morgana grinned inwardly as she closed the final snap on Abby's pajamas and placed her into her crib. Her youngest almost never went to sleep without staging at least a moderate protest—a testament to just how tired she was. Not that Morgana was terribly surprised by this; today had been exhausting for all members of the family, her and Leighton included.
Exhausting...but in the best possible way.
Five months ago...
“Hey Dad, Mom.”
Both Leighton and Morgana looked up as their eldest walked into the den. It was nearly midnight, and the young man looked more than a little exhausted. “Busy night?” Leighton asked.
“Meh, not really,” Sam answered. “A bunch of us hung around after the concert and started jamming, which was actually a lot of fun. I never knew that Aunt Zelda could play like that.” He set his guitar case on the floor and sat down on the sofa opposite the television. “What are you two doing up anyway? You’re never awake when I get home.”
“We just got caught up watching a movie, that’s all.”
Morgana tried not to giggle at her husband’s response. While that was indeed part of the reason, the rest of it...well...there
were some things that even their grown son didn’t need to know.
“Cool. Hey um...” Sam bit his lip. “I’m actually sort of glad that you’re up. There’s something I wanted to talk about. That I need advice on, really...”
That piqued their interest. “Oh?”
“Well,” He hesitated. “I was wondering if you could help me pick out an engagement ring.”
---It made Morgana smile whenever she thought about that night. Both she and Leighton had known for a long time that this day would come. Sam and his long-time best friend-turned-girlfriend had been more or less inseparable for the better part of a decade, so when both finally graduated from University a month or so prior they realized it was only a matter of time.
That very next morning father and son made the trek to the jewelry store to pick out the ring, and not even three days later Sam and Sandi made the announcement that they were officially engaged.
To say that his younger siblings were happy with the news would have been a serious understatement. They already considered Sandi to be their big sister, so when they found out that she was going to be their sister-in-law they were all purely ecstatic.
The next few months were abuzz with activity as the family began to lay out plans for the upcoming wedding. Neither Sam nor Sandi wanted anything opulent, just a simple gathering with family and friends at their favorite beach.
Then came the subject of the wedding date...
Three weeks later...
Leighton’s eyes widened. “Our anniversary?”
“We kind of thought that it would be a fitting tribute,” Sam explained. “I mean...so long as it is all right with you and Mom. The last thing we want to do is infringe on your special day.”
Morgana and Leighton looked at each other and smiled. That Sam and his bride would choose to wed on their fifteenth anniversary was flattering to say the very least. There was, however, one more factor to consider.
“Personally I love the idea,” Morgana spoke up, “but there is one more person who needs to be party to the conversation. After all, that day isn’t just our anniversary.”
She glanced out the window, where Alexia was practicing with her soccer ball. “Let’s bring in your sister and see what she thinks about the whole thing.”
At first her eldest daughter was disappointed that she wouldn’t be able to spend her fifteenth birthday with her friends, but Sam was quick to remind her that most of her friends would
be at the wedding since they were also family friends. It took a bit of convincing (and a touch of bribery in the form of a girls-only spa day for her and her best friend Lacey) but Alexia eventually acquiesced.
“Anything for my big brother,” she finally agreed. “But promise me one thing.”
“What is that?”
“That I won’t have to dance.”
---Oh the irony, Morgana thought as she made her way down the hallway toward Winter’s bedroom. She was rather surprised to see the light still on underneath her door, and carefully opened it.
“Hi Mommy,” Winter cooed. “I was just giving Ruby her treat. She missed me all day!”
A brief chuckle escaped Morgana’s throat. She still wasn’t quite used to the fact that her daughter had a pet rat. The story was that Gobias brought her home from the lab with the intent on keeping it, but neither Zelda nor Hannah wanted a rodent in the house. Winter had been begging for a pet but there was no room for a dog or a cat.
Long story short, Winter was now the proud owner of a slightly neurotic black and white rat, and she couldn’t have possibly been happier.
“Shouldn’t you be going to bed, sweetie?” Morgana asked. “You’re probably very tired. I know I am.”
“Yeah, I am kind of sleepy.” Winter carefully placed Ruby back into her terrarium and closed the lid. “Mommy, can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“What’s it like to be married?”
Morgana thought about this for a few moments. “Well, you get to live with your best friend and have a sleepover every night.”
“So Daddy is your best friend?”
“Yes, he is.”
“And Sandi is Sam’s best friend too, huh?”
Morgana nodded. “Yes. They were best friends even before you were born.”
“Really? Wow...” Winter contemplated this. “So...did Sam and Sandi always know they would get married someday?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
They didn’t always know...but
someone did.
Earlier this morning...
“Sam? Is everything all right?”
“Yes,” Sam replied as he straightened his bow tie. “I’m ready for this, Mom. I’m ready to take this step, to be Sandi’s husband and to have her as my wife. I just...” His voice trailed off. “I wish that Grandma was here to see this.”
“I know, Sam,” Morgana sighed. “I do too.”
Sam gazed down at one of the photographs on his dresser—an old picture of his grandmother playing with him at the playground—and smiled. “I don’t think there’s a single day that goes by where I don’t think about her. Sometimes I still can’t believe that she is gone.” His smile faded again. “You’d think after over five years I wouldn’t get so emotional about it.”
“I don’t think you ever truly get over losing someone that you love. You merely get used to the fact that they’re no longer there with you.” Morgana placed a hand on her stepson’s shoulder. “One thing is for absolute certain, though. She would be very proud of the young man whom you have become.”
“I know. And I also know that she wouldn’t want me getting all teary-eyed on her account on my own wedding day.” Sam chuckled slightly. “Especially when she was the one who made me realize that I was in love with Sandi.”
Morgana quirked an eyebrow. “
Really now?”
“Yeah. She told me that she knew soulmates when she saw them, and that her intuition had worked with you and Dad and she was sure that Sandi and I were meant to be.” He shook his head, smiling. “And she was absolutely right.”
---“Mommy, why are you crying?”
Winter’s voice brought Morgana’s mind back into the present. The eight year old was staring intently at her, a concerned expression on her innocent face. “Please don’t cry. There’s no reason to be sad. This was a
happy day.”
Wordlessly Morgana drew her daughter into an embrace. “Thank you, Winter.” She patted her daughter on the shoulder. “Why don’t you go ahead and go to bed. It’s been a very long day.”
Winter grinned. “Okay, Mommy. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Morgana turned off the lights and exited her daughter's room, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. Winter was absolutely right...
...it had indeed been a happy day.
Quietly she headed down the hallway toward her and Leighton's bedroom and opened the door, half expecting her husband to already be asleep. Much to her surprise he was not only wide awake, but still dressed in his suit, a bottle of fizzy nectar chilling on the bureau and soft music playing.
“I know it's a bit late...but happy anniversary, my love.”
Morgana slipped her arms about his waist and kissed him. “Happy anniversary to you too, handsome.”
Fifteen years. Sometimes Morgana had a hard time believing that so much time had passed. And yet, there were some days when it felt like only yesterday. Fifteen years ago she married a wonderful man, gained an equally wonderful son, and brought a beautiful daughter into the world.
And now, they had even more to celebrate.
“My son has grown up,” Leighton mused as they began to slowly sway to the music. “A career, a new wife...it almost feels unreal.”
“He has turned into an upstanding young man, just like his father in so many ways. You have every right to be proud of him.”
“I am. More than he could ever know.” Leighton hook his head in disbelief. “They're all growing up so fast, love. Winter will be nine in less than three months and the twins will be starting high school next year.” He looked into Morgana's eyes. “And before we know it
Alexia will be the one heading off to college and getting married.”
“Please don't remind me...I'm not at all ready for that yet.”
During the reception, about six hours ago...
“Wanna dance?”
Alexia grimaced. “
Me? I can’t dance worth anything.”
“So the star of our varsity soccer team has two left feet? Somehow I don’t believe that,” Simon answered. “Come on, just one song?”
Morgana could tell just by watching that her eldest daughter was conflicted. As a general rule Alexia had detested the idea of dancing ever since the so-called “prom incident” from a couple of years back. While she never expressed it out loud, Morgana knew that she was still embarrassed by the whole thing, and the last thing that Alexia wanted was to be reminded of what Randall had done to her.
On the other side of the coin, it was
Simon who had “rescued” her, so-to-speak. Over the past couple of years they had more or less patched up their differences and become friends, though it was painfully obvious that Simon wanted more than that. Morgana was fairly sure that Alexia was aware of his intentions, though her exact feelings on the matter were bit more difficult to pinpoint.
Her response didn't exactly clarify things either.
“Oh
fine,” Alexia huffed. “You’re awful, you know that?”
“I try.” Simon flashed a bright smile and took her by the hand. “I promise I won’t do anything untoward.”
“You’d
better not. I’m wearing heels.”
---A half an hour later Morgana and Leighton lay in their bed, Morgana cradled in her husband's strong but gentle grasp. She closed her eyes and sighed deeply; never would she tire of being in his arms.
Just as she was about to fall asleep she felt Leighton stirring beside her. “Love?”
“Hmm?” She quietly answered.
“You do realize that we could become grandparents in the very near future, right?”
Morgana's eyes shot open. “I don't think I'm quite ready for that, either.”
---
Author's Note: Four weeks late...but the writer's block has vanished! 
Thank you all so much for your patience. I hope that you enjoy.
Once I installed Seasons I had to do some major remodeling on the house, as Plus Plus isn't exactly a weather-friendly place with all of the disconnected rooms. I guess now you could call it Plus Plus Plus. 
Oh, and the chapter title refers to the Air Supply song by the same name. Why yes, I am a hopeless romantic. 
