"We're home," Katherine announced as she entered the living room of her house. "Mom," the twins yelled in excitement. They both ran and gave their mother a big bear hug. Her parents and Taryn came behind the twins with large smiles on their faces. "Oh, I've missed you two," Katherine breathed as she inhaled the scent of her children. "We missed you too," Nola said. "Yeah, we're glad you're back, mom," Nate added. "Wait a minute, don't I get any hug?" Aiden asked as he entered, dragging two suitcases and a bag behind him. "Uncle Aiden," the twins exclaimed. They then gave him a hug as he kissed Nola's head and ruffled Nate's hair. They all hugged and exchanged pleasantries. "I can't wait to see what you have for us," Nate said while rubbing his hands together."Yay, presents, presents," Nola cheered. "And I can't wait to see the pictures you guys took," Mrs. Riley added. "And I can't wait to hear the stories." Taryn said as she raised her eyebrows cheekily. "And boy, do I ha
After settling down and going back to work a few days later, Katherine told Taryn about everything that went down on the honeymoon. From the creep at the villa to the weird encounter at the souvenir shop. "Girl I would have freaked out. You know I hate those voodoo stuff," Taryn said as she handed Kat some paperwork. "I was scared as hell, but Aiden quickly got me out of there," she stated as she sat at her table and began browsing the documents. "I'm glad you and Aiden had a good time despite that.""Yeah it was really great," she remarked as she signed the papers that Taryn had given to her. "These are some of the orders we have coming up," Taryn stated as she handed Kat the tablet with the information. Katherine swiped the tablet screen as she observed the information. She suddenly rolled her eyes, and Taryn noticed."What's wrong?" "Oh, nothing really, it's just this one order," she said before showing Taryn the order. "The wedding cake?""Yeah, the violet themed wedding ca
Two Months LaterAfter receiving that text two months ago from that burner phone, Aiden knew it was from Violet. He did some digging and found out that she was indeed back in America and had visited Mrs. O'Hare to announce her engagement to her Jamaican lover, but Mrs. O'Hare was happy for her daughter and prayed that their love was genuine. Aiden also hoped that Violet would keep her distance, but he knew better. He told Katherine that she was back in the country, but he didn't tell her about the message that he got. He did not want her to worry, so he thought it was best not to tell her, hoping Violet would just stay away from them. In fact, Aiden realized that Katherine was becoming a little stressed out at work, and was feeling sick, so he didn't want to add to her problems. "I'm fine Aiden, it's just the flu," Katherine reassured before she began to down the bowl of chicken noodle soup Mrs. Lewis had made for her."I know, but I think it's best if you visit the doctor or at l
Aiden was over the moon about the news of him becoming a father. Katherine, however, was a bit worried. The drive home was a quiet one. Although Aiden was gleaming with joy and excitement, he sensed Katherine's anxiety. He decided he would try to ease whatever she was going through as soon as they got home. They entered the house and saw Mrs. Lewis sitting in the living room. "Oh, you're home early," Mrs. Lewis said when she noticed them. She was seated and watching the television. "Can I please have a bottle of water?”Katherine asked. "I'll be up in my room." "Yeah, sure. Is everything alright?” Mrs. Lewis inquired."Yes, I'm just a bit tired," Kat smiled at her before ascending the stairs. "I'll get the water. You finish watching your program," Aiden said as he began walking to the kitchen. He didn't notice that Mrs. Lewis began following him."Is she alright? What did the doctor say?" She asked. "She's fine. She just needs to rest and take things easy." "So how far along is
The next two weeks went well for Katherine. Her morning sickness was less, and she didn't feel tired all the time. She wanted to tell her parents and Taryn so badly about the pregnancy, but she refrained. She found a distraction in work and also helping Taryn plan a surprise masquerade themed birthday party for Dustin. She avoided doing anything that was too strenuous because of the Doctor's orders and also Aiden's, who took extra care in ensuring that she didn't overwork herself and was eating and taking her vitamins. Aiden secured a venue for the party and also offered to pay the bill. After leaving the Café, the ladies went over by the venue with a few of the persons who would be working that night to complete some last-minute tasks because Dustin's birthday was in two days."Did you order enough alcohol?" Taryn asked Kat as they went over the checklist. One of the men began pushing a trolley with liquor to the kitchen. "Trust me, there will be enough alcohol here to cater for
The day had finally come for Katherine to do her second ultrasound. Her anxiety heightened when she read about all the reasons why her baby could have an irregular heartbeat. She told Aiden that she was worried that something would be wrong with their baby but Aiden reassured her that everything would be fine. "It's good to see you both again," Dr. Murray said as the couple settled into her office. Katherine was already on the bed and ready to get the procedure over with. Aiden sat by her side and held her hand. "How have you been since your last visit, Mrs. Windsor?" "I've been okay. I haven't experienced much morning sickness since, and I have a lot more energy." "That's good. Have you been taking your pre-natal vitamins?" "I have," she smiled. "Even if I forget, Aiden always reminds me." "Excellent, the prenatal have components that help with morning sickness and fatigue, so I'm glad you're feeling better than before.""Yes, I read up on them. I also did a little research on
Two days later, Aiden was at his office with a potential client. He wanted to expand his business and had been looking for spaces all over the country. While on his honeymoon, he saw a great opportunity in the French Polynesian area. He reached out to the landowners, and was currently having a conference call with one of them. "Mr. Mahk, I think 20 million dollars is more than enough to pay for that property," Aiden tried to negotiate with the elderly man. "And Mr. Windsor, I will not settle for anything less than 25 million," Mr. Mahk responded after his lawyer whispered in his ear. "25 million is way more than I can afford," Aiden fibbed."You lie, Mr. Windsor. I know you are a billionaire, that’s not too much," Mr. Mahk spoke with an accent. "You know the property next to you wanted me to pay them 15 million dollars for that space, but I thought since you are about to retire, why not help you retire in style? Because I hope when I'm your age I have that amount of money to retir
Violet was now back at home with her mother. She came home with her new husband, Marvin, who her mom found out to be Jamaican. Mrs. O'Hare was a bit upset because she wanted to be a part of her daughter's wedding, but she came to the realization that if Violet is happy, then that's enough for her to be happy as well. And on the brighter side, with Violet being married to another showed she was over all her shenanigans and obsession with Aiden. Maybe now she could focus on building a relationship with Katherine and her niece and nephew."What are you having for breakfast, Violet?” Mrs. O'Hare asked as Violet came downstairs with Marvin by her side. "Good mawning, Mrs. O'Hare," Marvin said in his thick Jamaican accent. "Good morning, dear," Mrs. O'Hare replied. "I'm not hungry, mom. We’re actually on our way to the airport," Violet replied. "Airport? Are you leaving me already?" Mrs. O'Hare inquired. "Actually, Marvin has to go back home. He has a very important business meeting to
A week had passed since Katherine and her babies were released from the hospital. She felt overwhelmed on most days, but she was grateful for having her husband, her parents, and Mrs. Lewis by her side. Miss Polly had moved back home to Scotland to be with her sick mother, but she sent her best wishes. Taryn and Dustin were still on their honeymoon, but they couldn't wait to come home and meet the babies. They wanted to cut their trip short, but Katherine insisted that they stayed and enjoyed their getaway. Mr. and Mrs. Riley were at the Café overseeing things. Mrs. Lewis was upstairs checking on the babies, while Aiden and Katherine enjoyed a nice quiet lunch in the dining room. "They are fast asleep, and they are the cutest little beings I've ever seen. I realize that Kaden is trying to take the mittens off his hands," Mrs. Lewis stated as she entered the dining room."He wants to suck on his fingers like I used to do when I was small," Aiden explained. "And Adeline sleeps with
"I can't believe I fainted after seeing my child being born," Aiden expressed as he cradled his children in both of his hands. Six hours had passed since Katherine gave birth, and she and both babies were doing well. She was now laying in bed resting, while Aiden sat in a chair holding the sleeping babies. "I can't believe it either," Katherine remarked. "Taryn and Dustin will find this amusing when I tell them." "Dustin isn't gonna let me live it down," Aiden shook his head and smiled. A knock sounded on the door. "You have visitors," Dr. Murray announced as she entered the room. Mr and Mrs. Riley were walking behind her with huge smiles plastered on their faces. "Oh, my sweet pea," Mrs. Riley gushed as she walked over to her daughter. She rubbed her head and then caressed her face. She then turned her attention to Aiden and the babies. "They are beautiful," she cooed. "Shhh, you don't wanna wake them," Aiden whispered. "They are so adorable. I could just eat them up," Mrs. R
The drive over to the hospital was agonizing for both Katherine and Aiden. It felt like they had been driving for hours, even though it was approximately a fifteen minute drive. When they got to the facility, they were taken to a private room that was reserved for Katherine. Doctor Murray was already there and waiting since Aiden had called her earlier. Once they had gotten their room, Dr. Murray made sure Kat was comfortable with what was to come next, even though this was her second time experiencing labour. "Now that you're all set up, we have to check how dilated you are," Dr. Murray said to Katherine, who was wincing in pain. "The contractions are a bit far apart, but they still hurt like hell," Katherine stated as she adjusted herself on the bed. Aiden was right by her side, holding her hand every step of the way. He watched as the doctor began to probe Katherine. They both noticed how Dr. Murray's eyebrows were raised in curiosity and Aiden got a bit worried. "Is everyth
Katherine stood beside her best friend, admiring her in the mirror. She could tell that she was nervous, but she looked absolutely beautiful in her wedding dress. "Just breathe, Tar," Kat encouraged her. "I am breathing, but I think this dress is too tight. It's cutting off my circulation," Taryn fussed."Are you sure?" Katherine asked as she began to gently tug on the back of the dress. "Maybe I should've chosen a different dress." "Nonsense, this dress was made for you, literally." Taryn's dress was a silk satin fit and flare that hugged her body from her chest to her hips, then flared from her mid-thigh, creating a sexy yet sophisticated look. "I think I'm gonna be sick," she gave out as she scrambled towards the bathroom. Katherine followed behind her and found her knelt over the toilet. "Listen, I'm way too big to be walking this fast," Katherine breathed as she caught her breath. "Sorry," Taryn managed to say before hurling again. "Let it out, sweetie, let it all out,"
Dustin had been waiting for a big break in his career. For the past couple of months, he had been investigating a case that meant a lot to him. A long while back, he got information about a suspected pedophile and since then he had been obsessed with solving the case. The man's name was Donny Perez, but the evidence wasn't much, so he needed something to stick the nail in Donny's coffin. "Everyone, please stay in position," Dustin ordered over the police radios.He was parked in a neighborhood across the street from a lemonade stand. The chief got his nineteen-year-old niece Sarah to work undercover. She was posing as a vendor selling lemonade to help out an animal shelter. Even though Sarah was nineteen, she was really little because she has a trait of dwarfism. She was well-equipped to do the task, and they had police posted all over the neighborhood. Dustin and his partner watched as a few persons came up and purchased their refreshing cups of lemonade. He checked his watch, and
Aiden was at the office when he got a call from Grandma Debs, asking if he could meet up with her. He was curious as to what she needed, so he agreed to meet up at Katherine's Café. Aiden and Grandma Debs have developed a good relationship because Grandma Debs knew that it wasn't Aiden's fault the way things went down with Violet, and since they were going to be a part of each other's lives, it made sense that they remained cordial. On his lunch break, he went over to the Café and found Katherine in her office because she refused to stay home. If Aiden was being completely honest, he loved how beautiful and glowing she was at this stage, and he admired how strong she was. Most women would be at home counting down the days until they gave birth, but Kat refused to stay in bed. As long as she wasn't overworking, Dr. Murray said it was quite fine for her to do some light work. "Hi, my love," Aiden greeted as he entered the office and walked over to her smiling. "Hey," Kat returned th
A week after the ruling, things were almost back to normal. Katherine spoke to Grandma Debs almost everyday. She also invited her to stay with them for the weekend and for the family Sunday dinner. The kids were like the only close family she had at the moment, and she wanted to maintain a good relationship with them. They had movie night on Saturday and it was fun. It was wonderful to see Grandma Debs, Aiden, and the twins getting along so well. The next day, Taryn and Dustin also came over to join the traditional Sunday dinner. Mrs. Lewis, Grandma Debs and Taryn were busy in the kitchen, while Katherine rested upstairs. She felt out of place not being involved, but she knew that at her stage of pregnancy, she needed to take things slowly. The twins were preoccupied helping Aiden and Dustin to set the table and get things in place. Katherine woke up and made an attempt to go downstairs to help, but she was shocked when the twins intercepted her and brought her back to her room.
The trial began a week later, and it didn't take long for the judge and juror to decide the fate of Violet. With all the evidence, it was clear that she was guilty. The only decision that needed to be made was her punishment."Your honour, the evidence presented in this case is damning and inexcusable," the lawyer representing Nate and his family stated. "Though the evidence is there, we see no reason why the book should be thrown at my client being that she's not a repeat offender," Violet's lawyer presented. "Not a repeat offender? If I may point out, she was being investigated for embezzlement and fraud. And if I recall, she fled the country before an arrest could have been made.""That's hearsay, your honour.”"Would I have brought this up if it was only hearsay?" The lawyer pulled out a few documents from a pile that was in front of him. He them gestured to the officer to bring it to the judge. "This doesn't look good, Mr. Ryan," the judge said to Violet's lawyer after reviewi
After Aiden informed Katherine about the trial date, they both decided that they would have a sit down with Nate over the weekend and tell him about what was happening. After Katherine finished work that Saturday evening, they all sat down in the living room to have a discussion. "What did you guys do today?" Katherine asked Nate and Nola, who were sitting on both ends of the large couch in the room and were engrossed in their tablets. "I helped Ms Lewis in the garden. We will have lots of potatoes and strawberries by the end of the month," Nola said as she placed the tablet beside her. "That's great Nola. I can make some strawberry tarts when they are ready.""I played on my tablet most of the day," Nate answered without taking his eyes off the screen of the device. "Nate, can you please put the tablet aside," Aiden requested. "We have something important we want to discuss." "Okay," Nate said as he tucked the tablet in the corner beside him. "Thank you," Aiden said."Alright,