Her expression softened at whatever her mother said then. “Yes, it is wonderful news. And there’s more. His brother’s wife is in the hospital right now having a baby, and we want to stay for that, but Destiny’s invited all of you for Christmas dinner tomorrow. Will you come? Please.”
Relief spread over her face. “I’ll call grandfather with the directions, then. Thank you, Mother. I love you and Merry Christmas.”
She turned off the cell phone and stood staring at it, tears shimmering in her eyes.
“I gather she said yes,” Ben said.
Kathleen nodded. “She says she can’t wait to meet all of you.” She grinned. “She also said she knew it was inevitable from the minute she saw the portrait of you.”
“Really? Wonder what she’ll say when she sees the one I’ve painted of you,” he said, glad that he’d hidden it away before sending the shipment to her gallery.
Kathleen’s mouth gaped. “You painted a portrait of me?”
“In the moonlight,” he confirmed.
“Oh, sweet heaven,” she murmured, her cheeks turning pink. “Do I have any clothes on?”
“Enough,” he told her, laughing. “Too many to suit me, though, but I wanted our kids to be able to look at this and see you the way I see you.”
“I want to see it,” she said at once.
“You will,” he promised. “But right now we’d better get back inside and see what kind of progress that baby is making.”
It was one minute after midnight when Amelia Destiny Carlton arrived, the Christmas baby that Beth had predicted. Destiny’s eyes shone with tears when she heard the baby’s name.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she whispered, clutching Richard’s hand.
“We wanted to,” Melanie said. “If it weren’t for you, none of this would ever have happened.”
“Amen to that,” Mack agreed, his gaze on Beth.
She smiled and tucked her hand into his. “I predict a lot of little Destinys in this family before too long.”
“I am not naming any boy of mine Destiny,” Mack grumbled.
“And if it’s another girl?” Ben asked him.
“That’s different,” Mack said, giving their aunt a hug.
Ben gazed at the tiny, perfect little girl in Richard’s arms. He glanced back at Kathleen. “I wonder if I can get that portrait finished in time for the show?”
They all stared at him.
“You’re painting portraits now?” Melanie asked.
“And showing your work?” Richard echoed.
Ben laughed at their shocked expressions. “Oh, yeah, that’s right, you were out of the room when I mentioned that I’m also getting married.”
“Oh, sweetie, that’s wonderful,” Melanie said and began to cry. She swiped at her eyes. “Don’t mind me. Hormones.”
“Hormones nothing,” Richard scoffed. “You’re just sentimental.”
“I notice you’ve got tears in your eyes, too, bro,” Mack commented.
Richard shrugged. “What the hell! I’d say the Carlton men have come a long way, wouldn’t you?”
“A very long way,” Melanie and Beth agreed.
Destiny gazed at each of them in turn, then clucked her tongue. “Don’t encourage them too much, ladies. There’s always room for a little improvement.”
Ben picked his aunt up and twirled her around until she told him he was making her dizzy.
“Not until you promise to stop meddling,” he said. “Your work here is done, Destiny.”
She gave him a long look that was tinged with just a hint of sorrow. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?”
“Oh, no, it’s not,” Melanie piped up.
“Absolutely not,” Kathleen and Beth agreed. “There’s a whole new generation to worry about now.”
To Ben’s relief, Destiny’s expression brightened. “My goodness, I can’t leave this precious baby and all the ones to come to the likes of you, can I?”
“Hey!” Richard protested. “I don’t think we turned out too badly.”
“Neither do I,” Mack said.
Ben looked at his brothers and the women in their lives, then turned to Kathleen. “What about you? Do you think I’ve turned out all right?”
She moved into his arms and pressed a kiss to his cheek, then whispered in his ear, “I wouldn’t want the others to hear this, but I think you turned out best of all.”
“You’re biased.”
She laughed. “Hey, I’m only following Destiny’s lead. Everybody knows you’re her favorite.”
“I heard that,” Richard grumbled.
“Me, too,” Mack protested.
“Oh, stop squabbling,” Destiny said. “I don’t have favorites.”
“Of course not,” Ben agreed at once, then leaned down. “But if you did, I’d be the one, right?”
“Isn’t knowing that you’re Kathleen’s favorite enough?” Destiny scolded.
Ben met Kathleen’s gaze over Destiny’s head. “More than enough,” he agreed at once. It was something he would never allow himself to forget.
Epilogue
For a wedding that had been pulled together in less than a month, Kathleen thought it was pretty spectacular. Her mother and Destiny had used every contact, called in every favor and invited a cast of hundreds to witness the occasion. She didn’t think it could have come together any more beautifully if they’d had an entire year to plan it.
Kathleen stood at the back of the church in a sleek, strapless satin gown from a well-known designer whom Destiny knew personally. She was holding a simple bouquet of lily of the valley and white velvet ribbons that her mother had created. Her grandfather, looking incredibly distinguished in his tuxedo, stood at her side.
“Are you happy, angel? Truly happy?” he asked.
“You can’t begin to imagine how happy,” she assured him. “I’ve gotten it exactly right this time.”
“I hope so. Ben seems like a fine young man and it’s plain that he adores you. I don’t suppose you’d reconsider and settle in Providence?”
She squeezed his hand. “No, but it means the world to me that you’d want us to.”
He nodded, his expression sad. “I wish I’d done better by you and your mother.”
“That’s in the past, Grandfather, and it has nothing to do with me wanting to stay here. My life is here now.”
He patted her hand. “No need to explain. Now it seems to me that I hear music. Are you ready?”
“I’ve been waiting my whole life for this,” she said as they took their places at the back of the church and
