Winter Legacy -11-

Six Years Later

"Let's go driving Daddy."

"Are you sure? I mean, I'm the chief and head surgeon, if something happens to me we're both dead."

"Aw, come on I'm actually pretty good."

Erik said a prayer as he climbed into the car with his daughter. But as she buckled her seat belt and adjusted her mirrors  he became a bit trusting of her. 

"So, how's your mother?" He asked as they cruised down the street.

"She's fine."

"Are you okay living with Jack?"

"Jack?" She paused, they called him Daddy Jack, or Pops. "Oh, Jack's cool."

"Dad, I don't want to have another awkward conversation about Jack." Erika now knew the details surrounding her parents divorce, she couldn't pick sides even if she wanted to, she loved everyone involved...with the exception of her father's wife, she and Jamie didn't have a good relationship, there was something off about her stepmother. 

"Okay, what do you want to talk about then?"

"Just not Jack, you're clearly obsessed with his and Mom's relationship and I find that kind of creepy. He's an awesome stepfather, he treats me just the same as Claus. I love him, I love you, I love Mom and Jaylee too."

"What about Jamie?"

"She's gives me the creeps."

Erika arrived home, the music was blasting and her mother was having a pillow fight with her little brother. Nobody's idea of the perfect family was divorced parents, or even a situation where the mother had a live-in boyfriend. In Erika's mind, her family was perfect, she had two fathers who loved her, an two younger siblings who admired her.

She showered and plopped down at the dining room table. "What are you doing?" She grinned at Jack.

"Going to take the biggest step of my life."

"Wait, are you going to do what I think you're going to do?"

"Yup."

"With the ring that I chose?"

"Yes, but don't squeal or you'll spoil the surprise."

Jack continued, "I just finalized the payment, let's go pick it up."

"I'm driving." Erika hopped up from the table. 

"Hold on girl, I've got to put some clothes on."

"Jack, have I ever told you that I love you?"

"Erika, I'm going to propose to your mother." He joked. "You called me Jack, what's wrong?"

"I'm finally able to understand what an affair is, and what divorce is all about and I just can't hate you." Jack stared at her. "I mean, I think Daddy wants me to."

"Let me put some clothes on and we'll talk on the way."

"Daddy asks about you and Mom all the time, he refuses to believe that you're happy, that I'm happy." She sighed. "It's exhausting."

"You're his baby girl, no one is ever going to be a better father to you than him, and that's the way it should be."

"Why don't you and Mom ever ask about Daddy and Jamie?"

"Because it's been a while I just thought we'd all moved on."

Suddenly she Erika smiled. "I can't wait for you to be my step-dad, then you'll have to spoil me." They shared a laugh.

Later

"Can I ask you a question Agnes?"

"Sure."

"Are you happy with the way we're living?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, with just cohabiting, being unmarried...living in sin."

"I've already done the marriage thing Jack, I'm quite content with where I am."

Jack stood, pulling Agnes up with him, he whipped out the flowers that had been resting on his other side and presented them to Agnes. "My past with women is no secret to you, it's no secret to anyone, which is why Cornelia hates me so much." He shrugged. "Which is why I'm surprised that I haven't so much as looked at another woman since I've been with you. I mean, you gave me the ultimate gift, a child that I love with all my heart. But honestly I'm not completely happy."

"I'm not happy because your name is Agnes Crumplebottom-Darling, it's a kind of stupid name, I think Winter suits you better. That being said, Agnes honey, will you do me the honor, make me the happiest man in the world, become Agnes Winter, be my wife, spend the rest of your life with me. Agnes, will you marry me?"

"Oh my God Jack!" Agnes burst into tears, she was doing so much crying that she could only manage to nod. Jack's heart hammered in his chest, he never thought of himself as the marrying kind but he had come a long way  and he knew that he was going even further.