Epilogue Two

"Are you ready, my princess?" I put the apple juice back in the fridge and look over at my daughter, Violet, who is sitting at the island.

"I need my bow, Daddy," she says, turning and getting off her stool as she hops toward the couch where she left her hair tie. "You do it for me, Daddy?" She comes back and hands it to me.

"Um…" I look at the tie in my hand and at my daughter’s black hair. “How about we ask Mommy to do it?"

"You can't do it?" Violet puts her hands on her hips and tilts her hip. Her blue eyes just look at me. “Auntie Clarabella says girls run the world anyway." Violet shrugs at me. “It's okay, Daddy. You can cut the grass better than Mommy."

"I can do it myself," Violet tells me, and I just look at her. She is the stamp of her mother. There is no denying that she is her mini-me. But she is also the most independent kid I've ever met. She has to do everything herself, even if she can't do it, she will try to do it, and only when she gets to her wit’s end will she look for help, but even then, it’s like pulling teeth for her to ask for it. The other day, we were outside in the backyard, and she was trying to climb the monkey bars. Instead of asking me to hold her or spot her, she did it by herself. She fell over and over again but got up, and after four fucking hours, she crossed it. "Are we getting Starbucks for Mommy?"

"Not today." I get into the driver's seat and look in the rearview mirror to make sure she's buckled properly. “They are doing taste tests."

"Oh, my favorite." Violet claps her hands. “I like the cakes." I shake my head. From when she was three months old and Presley went back to work, it was with Violet strapped to her chest or being pushed in the stroller. Where she went, so did our daughter, who is now a fixture in the office. It is going to be strange when she will be in school all day, but I have no doubt she'll be running that kindergarten class with pointers for her teachers.

"Surprise," Sofia says, squatting down in front of her and giving her a hug. "And guess what?" She taps Violet's nose. "I'm staying all summer." Violet jumps up and down. "I'm going to need you to show me what to do." She smiles at her and stands up.

"Hi," I say, raising my hand. "How are you doing?"

"Good." She smiles and holds out her hand to hold Violet's. "It's good to be back."

"We always are happy when you are here," I tell her. Since she turned sixteen, she was coming down and visiting Harlow. She said she came down to help her with the baby, but she came to work with Clarabella one day, and well, she fell in love with the whole thing. She graduated high school two years ago and has been taking business classes. She has two more years to go, but it's safe to say she is most likely going to end up taking over the business eventually.

"How is school?” I ask, and I can see her eyes get guarded.

"Good." She looks down at Violet. "Do you want to help me set up the plates?"

"Yes," Violet says, jumping up and down.

"Tired," she says, leaning her head on my shoulder. She is five weeks pregnant, and we just found out. We decided that it was now or never, and well, as always it took one time, and she was pregnant. “Thank God Sofia decided to take us up on the summer intern job,” she says, looking over at her. “I mean, not that she needs it. She's been helping us since she turned sixteen." Presley laughs. "So much for staying on the farm and becoming a veterinarian like Harlow."

"I'm going to go and get everything set up for the meeting," Sofia says, and Presley just nods her head.

"Um, Violet?" she calls to our daughter. "Where are my hug and kiss?" She puts her hands on her hips like Violet did to me not too long ago. Violet rolls her eyes, and I have to look down and not show her I'm about to laugh. "Where is your bow?" she asks Violet.

"Daddy couldn't do it." She leans in and tries to whisper, but it doesn't come out as a whisper.

"I can do it," Sofia says. "Let's get you dressed for success." She holds out her hand for Violet, who goes over to her.

"Well, when you twist my arm that way," she teases as she leads me back into her office, where we go into the bathroom and have a quickie. She pulls her skirt down after she cleans up, and we walk out together.

"You guys are fucking disgusting," Shelby declares, holding Arya, her six-month-old daughter, in her arms. "There are children in the building." She holds her hands over Arya's ears. I wish I could say I was embarrassed, but with these three, nothing, and I mean nothing, could embarrass me.

"I heard you guys from my office." Clarabella waddles into the room. She's six months pregnant, but from the size of her, she's having a turkey. I'm still shocked she's having a child. "I was both disgusted and impressed."

"Okay, are we going to start this meeting?" Shelby says. "Before Sofia comes in."

"I'm so excited, Clarabella." Presley claps her hands. "She's going to be so shocked."

"Time to hand over the reins," Shelby says.

"Well," Presley says, “it's hers to take."

"You've got this," Clarabella says from behind her desk.

"Just remember, none of us knew what the hell we were doing," Presley tells me as she nurses her son from the couch while her other son is bouncing in the saucer right in front of her. Irish twins are what we call them. Shelby calls them a walking birth control sponsor.

"And if you need anything, we are here," Shelby reminds me, and I grab my pad.

"I've got this." I try to sound more sure of myself than I really am. "I've got this."

"Who runs the world?" Clarabella says.

"Boys and girls, according to Violet," I joke with her.

"Get out of my office and go nail that couple." She points at the door and turns and walks out.