Before the Storm: Epilogue

CHRISTMAS DAY

The holidays are different this year.

For the first time, we’re celebrating without the monarchs of our family, and that reality weighs heavily on me as I look around the dining table at my family. But it’s also our first year all together. Each of us brought a member of the family in this year.

Rayne, the heartless enforcer, fell to his knees for Emerson and never looked back.

Wynter, the cold mafia queen, allowed Everett back into her heart after he broke it all those years ago.

Snow, the spoiled mafia princess, united two families who have been enemies for as long as we’ve existed.

And I, the mafia boss who never had time for anything but work, met my match.

It’s hard to believe all this happened in such a short period of time, but I guess when the universe has plans for you, it’s never going to come at the right time. Because there is no right time to lose your parents. There’s no right time to fall in love. And there’s no right time to start a family. It all happens when it’s meant to, and we’re just along for the ride.

Wynter is days away from giving birth, but you’d hardly know it by the way she moves. I’ve had to tell her off four times today for trying to help the catering company I hired to cook us Christmas dinner, and Everett’s about ready to have a heart attack every time she moves.

Emerson’s starting to show now, and Rayne can’t keep his hands off her growing belly. He’s even more protective than usual, and I can tell he’s going to be ropable by the time she gives birth in the summer.

Snow looks happier than I’ve ever seen her. She’s always found it hard being the youngest, but she’s found her place with Elijah, and he’s found light in his life when it’s always been nothing but darkness.

And Ayvah and me? It’s been a rough couple of months for her, but we’re getting there. Her nightmares come less frequently, and they’re less violent with each one that passes. And now she has a ring on her finger, she seems more sure of our relationship. I would have had the damn thing on her finger the day after we met if I thought she wouldn’t claw my eyes out, but now it’s there I feel settled for the first time in my life, and I’ll feel even better when she has my last name, and she’s growing my baby inside her.

She fiddles with her napkin in her lap beside me as if she’s nervous. We haven’t told everyone yet, but I didn’t miss the way Wynter’s eyes homed in on the huge diamond on her finger.

“Baby girl?” I murmur, leaning into her to give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

She looks up at me, her deep brown eyes full of apprehension. “Hmm?”

I reach over and take her hand in mine before turning my attention back to the rest of my family. “Ayvah and I have some news,” I say loudly enough Everett at the other end of the table hears. “We’re engaged.”

A flurry of squeals of congratulations are immediately followed by hugs and handshakes, and I can tell it’s overwhelming for Ayvah, but she takes it in her stride, allowing my sisters to fuss over her as they fawn over the ring. I met with the jeweler two days after we met to have it made, and that’s why I had to go out yesterday and leave her on her own despite my better judgment.

“While we’re sharing news.” Emerson bites her lip as she looks over at Rayne, who’s grinning like a fucking Cheshire Cat. “We’re having a girl.”

“That’s what we need, more Saint James women.” Everett laughs but smacks Rayne’s shoulder. “Congrats, man.”

“I already feel sorry for the first boy that takes them on a date.” Ayvah giggles, and then her eyes widen as if she’s realized she said it out loud.

Elijah’s the first to burst into laughter, closely followed by everyone else at the table. “Fuck, imagine being that poor fucker.”

“She’s never dating,” Everett and Rayne say at the same time, only making the rest of us laugh harder.

“Said like a true girl dad.” Wynter rolls her eyes, but the smile on her face is so big I’m sure her cheeks must hurt.

“Have you thought about names?” Ayvah asks. “Are you going to continue with the weather type names?”

Wynter looks up at Everett and smiles. “We’ve thought about it, but we’re going to wait to meet her to see what suits her.”

Ayvah chews on her bottom lip, contemplating whether she should ask the question on the tip of her tongue. “Where did all your names come from?” she finally asks.

I tug her chair closer to my own and wrap my arm around her shoulders. “You know that our parents met in Rawdon, right?”

She nods, her eyes glistening with curiosity.

“Well, they met during a snowstorm, in the dead of Wynter, and the following day, after they spent the whole night talking, they were both due to leave, and as they were saying goodbye, it rained,” I tell the story our parents told us over and over growing up. “And when we came along, it seemed fitting to keep our names consistent.”

“That’s beautiful.”

“I’ve always meant to ask about that,” Emerson says.

“Maybe we should start a new tradition for the new generation,” I suggest.

“I’ve always liked the consistency.” Wynter shrugs and everyone laughs. It’s hardly a surprise that my neurotic sister likes that our names are themed.

We descend into conversation as we eat Christmas dinner surrounded by family. A year ago, I never would have imagined this is what our lives would look like, but I’ve never been more grateful to be a Saint James, and I can’t wait for Ayvah to be one too.