Chapter Twelve:

This chapter begins just a few hours after Edward and Layla tied the knot.

With Emerald having to head to work, the rest of the new family spent the day by the pool. It was perhaps one of the happiest days for the whole family.

But soon life returned to normal. Eddie returned from his honeymoon vacation and went straight back to questioning the locals for his job at the police station. One perk of this questioning was that Eddie could catch up on how his brother and ex-wife were doing by asking Chloe's twin sister Diana. Sometimes he thought about reconciling with Will and Chloe, but that was one plan that he decided to put off for now.

Life settled in. Layla was happier than ever. She was married to the man of her dreams, never mind the 20 year age gap, she was happy. They talked about having kids and soon they were officially trying to get pregnant.

Layla enjoyed being the wife of a special agent. She was always seen around town, quite often the theatre or the spa. Her new life was a far cry from the hard life she led in Bridgeport.

Emerald and Elijah were happy for Layla and their father. They were nearing the end of their high school time and they were looking forward to getting out into the world so Layla and Edward could enjoy the house to themselves.

Emerald's artistic ability continued and she was always creating various sketches to hang around the house.

The happy couple continued to try. Eddie wasn't getting any younger and as the months went on he and Layla hoped she'd fall pregnant soon, or it might be too late for Eddie.

Layla was a quirky young woman. She seemed like such a happy-go-lucky girl, and yet her mind was always on the fact that she was still not pregnant.

Soon it was time for the twin's birthday.

Emerald was a stunning young woman. As when she was younger, Emerald was so much the same as her grandmother Raven.

When Eddie looked at his son, he saw Chloe so clearly. An equally stunning young man, Elijah was ready for the world out of school.

 

Emerald continued to draw. She sold her better drawings to the locals and she kept many of her favourites around the house. She had indeed inherited her artistic ability from Raven.

Eddie was soon also standing at the cake, ready for his birthday.

Layla promised Eddie that she'd be with him till death did they part and she meant it. Now more than ever. Eddies age did not matter to him, and they were just as in love as ever and the happy couple continued to try for months on end to get pregnant.

Elijah began making plans to leave the family home. He was a bit of a player amongst the ladies out in the town, and he felt that moving into his own place, in somewhere like Bridgeport, would be best for him.

As Elijah prepared to move out, the months flew by and Layla and Eddie continued to try to get pregnant.

Elijah was a natural cook and he was always cooking up great feasts for the family.

So when he got his dream job over in Bridgeport he upped the efforts to find an apartment over there. But until he could find a suitable place, he continued to commute.

The months were flying past. And still Layla wasn't geting pregnant. Eddie knew that with the genes he inherited from his alien mother, he wasn't long for life as an elder and he just hoped that he could give his wife the child that she had always wanted.

 

And that day was nearly there.

While Layla was taking her pregnancy test, Eddie excitedly called work to retire. He knew his time was limited, and he wanted to spend as much as possible with his wife.

Emerald was happy for her father and Layla. But unlike her brother, leaving the family home was not a priority for Emerald.

When Layla got confirmation about the pregnancy, she and Eddie celebrated. They didn't talk much about what Eddie's old age meant for the baby, they just basked in the light this news brought them.

But as she was saying goodnight to her husband, Layla couldn't help but worry. Her husband was getting older and older every day and she worried that he wouldn't get to see their child grow up.

Soon the day was here when Elijah found the place he wanted. He hugged his twin sister goodbye and headed off to is new life out in the bright city lights of Bridgeport.

Layla settled in for the next 9 months. She had been waiting for this time since she married the love of her life.

Layla and Emerald had been pretty close since Emerald was a teenager, and they immediately started making plans for the baby's arrival.

Emerald continued to make her contribution to the household through selling her drawings.

Layla still worried about Eddie. The age difference had never mattered. But now, in those rare moments where Layla was plagued by her insecurities, she worried that the age difference would bring her and her child heartbreak.

The months were flying past and a new resident to the neighbourhood was about to bring a welcome change to Emerald's life.

Tyler Reed just moved in next door and immediately came over to see her new neighbours. Tyler and Emerald immediately hit it off and a new friendship blossomed.

 Layla and Eddie became lost in their pregnancy bubble. As the due date drew ever nearer the doubts slowly receeded from both their minds and they were growing ever more excited about the impending birth.

Layla took to resting indoors, over resting by the pool, as the due date got closer.

It was probably a good thing that she did. She went into labour in the safety of the house, within shouting distance of her loving husband and her step-daughter.

Eddie and Layla opted against a hospital birth, and instead the family settled in for a long night.

As the sun was just rising over the tops of the trees, little Derek Summer-Moon was born.

 And here we end Chapter Twelve. Thanks for reading everyone! Leave me a comment here or on the forum page here.