Page 210 of Destined Lovers

“Unbutton your shirt, Dec, do skin-to-skin like me.”

The nurse smiles and helps me as I sit beside Nora.

“What are their names?” she asks and turns to Nora. “You’re holding Baby A.”

Nora smiles brightly, despite the tears. “This is Agnes Riley Buckley.” She kisses baby Agnes on top of her red hair, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

I’m in awe and never knew how wildly my heart could beat until now.

I look down at Baby B, and I choke. She’s so tiny and delicate.

This is what love is all about… our family, the four of us.

I wipe my tears. “This is Aoife Fiona Buckley.” Another little redhead like her mammy.

The nurse takes my phone off the table. “May I?”

I nod. Of course, I want all the memories.

I reach for Nora’s free hand, and we both smile brightly.

“You have a beautiful family, congratulations,” the nurse says.

Don’t I know it.

Eight Years Later

Declan

Today is a good day.

The best.

I have Maeve, and my girls Aoife, and Agnes by my side, while our four boys, Finn, Cameron, Rory, and James, sit next to their uncles, Wills and Jackson.

We’re at Buckingham Palace because my beautiful, intelligent wife has just been honored by The King of England as a British individual who has excelled with contributions in their respective fields.

She was given the titleOBE, Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Even thinking about it has me excited all over again.

I’ve never been prouder of anyone in my life.

Archie was devastated not to be here for his adopted mam, or mum as he says it, killing Nora a little each time.

He’s just graduated from Uni and was accepted into a fellowship in health care of exotic animals in Brazil, and unfortunately couldn’t take time off.

He made sure to video chat Nora all last night and this morning, and I’ve videoed the whole ceremony for him.

Finn and Cameron are Irish twins, which was more complicated than having the first set of twins since we weren’t expecting them so close together.

We have loved their names since we were young kids, and luckily, Nora saved them in her box, so we never forgot.

Rory was named after Nora’s da.

She wanted Aoife after her ma, and I felt it would not be complete in honoring their memory if we didn’t also have a boy named after him. Her da wasn’t only special to Nora, I admired him greatly as well, and it was a privilege the day I was able to name one of my sons after him.

And then our youngest, James, was named after the one and only Jameson Mitchell, Nora’s old bodyguard.

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