CHAPTER 15 (LAST CHAPTER)

Three years later...

"Justin, will you grab the plates and set them on the table please?" Zoe asked as she stooped over the warm oven. Checking the rolls, she closed the door to let them sit for a little while longer to stay warm. The kitchen glowed from all the cooking the couple had been doing that day. It was their third wedding anniversary and all their friends were coming for a visit. Zoe jumped as Justin snuck up behind her and began rubbing her shoulders.

"That feels so good," she sighed as she leaned back against him. "I'm beat and they aren't even here yet."

"Well, everything's taken care of so let's take a break for a while," Justin replied, guiding Zoe out to the living room. They sat together on the couch and watched the fire in the fireplace. The house Justin had bought for them in Tennessee was massive, with enough room for all of their friends plus a few stowaways. Zoe's eyelids grew heavy as she lay her head against Justin's shoulder.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly. "You've been so tired lately. I'm kind of worried about you."

Zoe smiled softly as her eyes danced with firelight. "I'm fine," she responded. Looking up into his face, she kissed his cheek. "Don't worry about me." The doorbell's shrill cry interrupted them and they jumped to greet their first wave of visitors.

"Ayla! LANCE!" Zoe cried as she and Justin hugged their friends. Ayla and Lance entered the house with their one-year old son, Connor.

"Aunt Sowie!" Connor yelped as Zoe scooped him into her arms.

"Look at you! You're getting so big!" Zoe exclaimed as she smothered the child in kisses. Wriggling out of her grasp, Connor ran to Justin and wrapped himself around the man's legs.

"Hey there, big guy," Justin said as he picked the boy up. He hugged him for a moment, then put him down. "I think there's a present for you out in the living room," he told the excited boy, watching him sprint for the other room.

"You guys spoil him way too much," Ayla chided as she embraced the pair. Lance got his greetings in too and the four made their way to the living room.

"Well, we're his aunt and uncle. What do you expect?" Zoe laughed.

"Mommy, Mommy! Look!" Connor yelled as he held up the bucket of building blocks that Zoe and Justin had gotten for him.

"That's great hunny. What do you say to Aunt Zoe and Uncle Justin?"

"Thank you," the little boy cooed.

They watched the boy play as the doorbell screamed again.

"Hey Bean!! Jeffy, how are you??" Zoe asked as Lydia and Jeff walked through the door. Everyone greeted each other with hugs and smiles.

"How are you doing?" Zoe asked as she hugged Lydia.

"Fine. I'm moving on. It's better now that Jeff's done with the Marines."

"That's great," Zoe smiled as she wiped away a tiny tear. "You guys gonna get married any time soon?"

"Not planning on it," Lydia replied. "I just finished college and both of us still have a lot to do."

"Hey Zoe. I love the album," Jeff said as the group walked to the living room.

"Thanks hun. I'm not so sure about it. I could have spent a little longer on it," Zoe said ruefully.

Lance looked at her. "That album is great and couldn't have been done any better if you ask me. You should be proud that it went gold. Most people can't even hope for success like that."

"That would be her manager talking now," Justin joked.

"Where is your producer?" Ayla asked just as the doorbell rang again.

"Well, speak of the devil," Zoe chuckled as J.C. and his new wife, Celeste came in. Right on their heels were Joey and his girlfriend, Lila, along with Chris and his girl, Jessica.

The twelve friends hugged and kissed and caught up on the past several months. The last time they had all been together was for J.C.'s wedding that spring. They sat and chatted over coffee for about a half hour.

"So, what did Justin get you for your anniversary?" Jessica asked Zoe casually.

"He got me a box of chocolate and three beautiful new dolls," Zoe grinned, referring to her massive porcelain doll collection.

"What did she get you?" Jeff asked Justin.

"Nothing," Justin said dejectedly after a pause. "I didn't get anything today."

"Oh, don't sound so upset," Zoe reprimanded. "I told you I'd give it to you when everyone got here."

"Well, everyone's here. Go get it," Lila said with a chuckle. Zoe got up and sprinted from the room while the others continued talking. She came back holding a small package and one hand behind her back. She handed the pretty package to Justin. He looked at her for a moment.

"What's behind your back?" he asked before opening the gift.

"It's the second part to your present," Zoe responded. "But you have to open the box first."

He smiled, then tore open the package. Opening the box, he removed a small piece of cardboard. The girls in the room gasped when they recognized what it was. The men looked to each other questioningly as Justin slowly turned his gaze to Zoe. He looked up at her in total shock as she pulled a small, rectangular piece of paper from behind her back.

The paper read: IT'S TWINS!!!!

A collective squeal went up from the women as the guys sat open-mouthed. Justin recovered from his shock and jumped out of the chair. Grabbing Zoe, he twirled her around the room, smothering her face with kisses.

"OH MY GOD!" he cried. "WE'RE HAVING BABIES!!!"

"Yes we are," Zoe laughed.

"Wait," Justin stopped abruptly. He set Zoe down in her chair and quickly put a footstool under her feet. "I better be careful. I can't be swinging you around like that."

The others laughed with Zoe at Justin's overprotectiveness.

"Justin, you're not going to hurt anything my picking me up. You probably won't be able to do it three months from now, but it's o.k. at present."

"How far along are you?" Chris asked.

"Three months," Zoe said, lifting her shirt to show a slightly rounder tummy.

"Justin, you didn't notice that?" Joey questioned, gesturing to Zoe's stomach.

"Well, I thought she was putting on some weight but I didn't want to say anything," Justin blushed.

"Oh, so now I know not to ask you if I look fat. You'll never give me an honest answer," Zoe teased. "Now I think it's time to eat," she announced, moving toward the kitchen.

"And you notice that it's the pregnant woman who makes that decision," J.C. grinned wickedly.

Everyone congratulated the couple as the group made their way to the dining room. A huge spread of food was laid out before them.

"You must have spent forever cooking today," Celeste commented, her soft French accent rolling the words like honey.

"Not really," Justin said as he sat down. "Zoe's a good cook."

"Don't let him sell himself short," Zoe chided. "He was in there with me, slaving away over that hot stove."

"Well, we're very glad you did," Lydia praised.

J.C. remained standing as the others sat. He took his glass and raised it in the air.

"I would like to propose a toast. To old friends and new. To established families and growing ones. To the best guys I have ever known and the most amazing women I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. May all of you continue to grow in your personal success and your families. I promise that I will try my best to keep in touch and never lose any of you. I love you dearly, with all my heart."

"HERE, HERE!!!" the group chorused and began eating. After the meal was over, twelve people cleared the table and helped Zoe and Justin clean the kitchen. Sitting down again in the living room for more coffee, Chris and Jessica started up another fire and played with the flames. Lance took Connor, who had fallen asleep in the middle of his dinner, to the guest room that Zoe and Justin had prepared for him. Once everyone had returned to the living room, they talked about the future.

"Zoe's gonna be the next combination Jewel and Mariah Carey," J.C. announced confidently.

"Only in my dreams," Zoe blushed. "But thank you."

"You know, this is great for her, but what about me," Justin complained. "I've finally had the chance to go to the grocery store and not be killed and she's gotta go do something like get famous," he continued his gripe with a wicked grin. Zoe slapped him upside his curly head.

"I won't ever be as famous as you guys are," she argued.

"As we were," Lance corrected her.

"Oh, you guys are still famous," Lydia countered. "You still have your loyal fans."

"Yeah, if I recall correctly, your album last year went platinum," Lila chimed in from Joey's arms.

"You're right," Chris replied. "But it is nice not to have to tour constantly anymore."

"Definetly," Justin agreed.

"Why don't you guys sing something for us?" Celeste requested. The other girls and Jeff readily agreed.

"What should we sing?" Lance asked.

Without waiting for a response, the group jumped up. Snapping their fingers, they whispered harmonies, then began to sing.

As J.C. began the second verse, the men walked over to their respective girlfriends or wives and, taking their hands, slowly waltzed to the beat of the song.

The others joined in on the final chorus.

Laughter and tears finished the song as the group of friends realized that, even though years had passed since they had first met each other, their lives were just beginning.

THE END

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