Claim

by Janet Nissenson

  “Hello, Yummy Mummy,” Ian murmured to her now. His hand rested on her hip, giving it a little squeeze. “And you look exceptionally yummy this afternoon.”

  Tessa resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “And that nickname is even cornier now then it was the first time you used it.”

  “Ah, but you have to admit you love it,” he teased. “And you’re even yummier now than you were after having Gilly. You certainly don’t look like a woman who’s had four children, darling. Especially nine month old twins.”

  Her blue eyes sparkled. “It’s all the exercise I get,” she joked. “Running around after four kids all under the age of five. Looking after the house. Yoga and the gym when I can squeeze it in. And, of course, it helps that my very demanding husband gives me a real workout every night.”

  Ian laughed. “Always happy to help out, darling. Now, let me say hello to the little ones here.”

  The “little ones” were the newest - and final - additions to the family. Nine month old Adam and Ashley were fraternal twins, though they didn’t resemble each other very much. Instead, Adam and his older brother Liam had the same coloring and features as their father, while Ashley and Gilly shared their mother’s blonde hair and blue eyes.

  It had been a shock when Tessa and Ian had learned that she was carrying twins, though her surprise had immediately turned to delight. Ian, meanwhile, had set his food down very, very firmly after learning the news, so firmly that she hadn’t dared to argue with him.

  “No more children after this, Tessa,” he’d told her decisively. “My God, we’re going to have four little ones all under the age of four when you give birth in February. I don’t think I have to tell you what a daunting thought that is. I know you’ve always wanted four children in all, and somehow you’ve managed to get your wish. But, please, darling. No more babies, hmm? You’re the most wonderful mother in the world, but four is more than enough for you to handle. Speaking of which.”

  She’d groaned, knowing what was coming next. “You want me to think about hiring a nanny, don’t you?”

  Ian shook his head. “Not think about it, no. Because I’ve already made up my mind that it’s going to happen. And there’s no use arguing about it, Tessa. I’ve indulged you and given you everything you’ve asked for - which admittedly hasn’t been very much - since we’ve been together. This time, I’m the one asking for your indulgence. Please, darling, will you do as I ask? The very thought of you taking care of four small children by yourself makes me shudder. You’re a very capable woman, Tessa, extremely organized and completely devoted to Gilly and Liam. But even you aren’t Superwoman, love. So, please. Indulge your husband and at least agree to interview a few nannies, hmm?”

  She had sighed in resignation. “Fine. But whoever we end up hiring needs to understand from day one that things are going to be done my way.”

  He had chuckled and given her a kiss. “No doubt about it, darling.”

  As it turned out, they had been spared the task of interviewing potential candidates for the position after Simon had suggested his nephew’s wife for the job. Nolan, his nephew, had moved to San Francisco over the summer and was due to start law school in the fall. His wife of less than a year - a delightful girl named Zoe whom he’d met during a college semester abroad in Ireland - was a trained nanny, and eager to find a permanent position. With her wild red curls, masses of freckles, and infectious smile, Tessa had taken an instant liking to the personable Zoe. And it had taken Tessa less than a day to realize exactly how helpful the young nanny was going to be. During the last few weeks of carrying the twins, Tessa had been far more tired than with her other two pregnancies, and had been tremendously grateful she’d had Zoe to rely on.

  Nolan and Zoe were living in Simon’s house, since he and Anna had married over a year ago and lived in her house across the street. Simon still worked as Ian’s chauffeur, of course, claiming he wasn’t anywhere near ready to retire, and was so devoted to the children that people often assumed he was their grandfather. He had driven Tessa and the children to the party this afternoon, helping her to transport them inside the hotel, and Anna was due to rendezvous with him here after doing some holiday shopping.

  Ian tended to delegate more of his workload these days so that he could spend additional time at home with his family, and often worked out of his home office. His business trips were infrequent, and when he did have to visit some of the hotels, Tessa and the children nearly always accompanied him.

  Tessa lifted Adam out of the stroller and handed him off to Ian, then picked Ashley up, cuddling her baby girl against her tightly. She pressed her nose against the baby’s soft cheek, inhaling her scent.

  “I wish they would stay this little forever,” she told Ian wistfully. “I love that special scent babies have.”

  Ian waggled a finger at her. “Don’t get that hopeful note in your voice, Tessa,” he warned. “Enjoy the twins while they’re this young, because we already agreed no more babies after this.”

  “I know.” She sighed, brushing her knuckles over Ashley’s cheek. “But they’re all growing up so fast, Ian. Our Gilly is already four, and in pre-school. Next year at this time our baby will be in kindergarten. I can’t believe it sometimes.”

  Ian tickled Adam’s chubby belly, grinning when his son chortled in glee. “You can’t freeze time, love,” he reminded her. “Which is why it’s so important to cherish every day we have together. Now, come. I can tell that Gilly and Liam are getting impatient for the festivities to begin.”

  The annual tree-lighting ceremony at the hotel was something Tessa looked forward to every year, and especially since her children were now old enough to fully enjoy it all. Aside from the official lighting of the tree, there were games for the youngsters - organized by hotel employees who’d volunteered to dress up as Santa’s helpers - all manner of food and drink to sample, small gifts for the children, holiday music played by a jazz quartet, the opportunity to pose for professional photos in front of the tree, and a visit from Santa Claus himself.

  Gilly tugged urgently at Ian’s free hand. “Daddy, can I help you light the tree this year?” she pleaded.

  Liam pulled on the hem of Ian’s jacket, since his father was holding Adam in his other arm. “No, Daddy. I want to help.”

  Ian, always the diplomat, pronounced that both children could help him flip the switch that would light the tree. And even though he and Gilly still shared that special bond, with Gilly being more of a Daddy’s girl than ever, Ian showered all of his children with attention equally.

  Simon held out his arms for a squirming Adam. “Let me take young Adam from you, sir,” he offered. “He and Miss Ashley are a bit too young to be helping you light the tree this year.”

  Ian handed his younger son into Simon’s waiting arms. “Careful with this one, mate,” he teased. “I’m not looking forward to the day he starts walking, that’s for sure. I’ve got a feeling he’s going to be a handful.”

  Adam went to Simon happily, laughing when the chauffeur bounced him up and down. Tessa smiled fondly at her son, thinking briefly that all four of her children seemed to be developing very distinct personalities of their own.

  Gilly, her oldest, was as sweet and placid as ever, and had been a great help to Tessa with the younger children. At four and a half, she prided herself on being the big sister, and though she couldn’t do things like change diapers or fix meals, she helped with little tasks like fetching a toy for Ashley, or feeding Adam a spoonful of cereal, or bringing Tessa a blanket. She was bright and curious, already knowing how to read, write, and do some basic math. The very posh pre-school she attended also offered classes in French, art, music, and cooking, and Gilly had made friends there easily. The pre-school was attached to an elementary school for grades kindergarten through eighth grade, and she would transition there in September of the coming year.

  Liam, who both looked and seemed older than his two and a half years, was a serious, studious boy, and so advance
d for his age that it rattled Tessa at times. He was nearly as tall as Gilly, sturdy and agile at the same time, and already knew all the letters of the alphabet and numbers up through twenty. He asked questions frequently, learned new things at an astonishing rate, and was by far the most independent of her children. Liam was first and foremost a little boy, however, and also loved to cuddle with his mummy for afternoon story time, and shrieked with happy laughter when his daddy played soccer with him in the backyard or helped him master his tricycle.

  As for the twins, Adam and Ashley were as different as night and day, and not just in their coloring. Adam had a sunny, bubbly personality, and would happily go to most anyone, while Ashley was quiet and shy, and rarely let anyone except her parents or Zoe hold her. Tessa was a little worried about how clingy the baby was, but their pediatrician had assured her it was perfectly normal, and that Ashley would likely outgrow her reticence among strangers before too long.

  For now, though, Tessa cuddled her little girl close, pressing a kiss to her rosy cheek, and smoothing back tendrils of pale blonde hair. She’d dressed all four of the children up for the occasion, knowing that they would be taking a family holiday portrait in front of the Christmas tree this evening, and wanting everyone to look their best. In addition to being framed and hung alongside the dozens of other photographs that already filled the walls of the house, tonight’s photo would also grace their holiday greeting cards.

  Tessa suppressed a little shudder when she began to make a mental list of all the things that needed to get done before Christmas. It was only a few days after Thanksgiving, fortunately, but she would need every single day between now and then to accomplish all her tasks.

  They had celebrated Thanksgiving up at the beach house as usual, returning home yesterday afternoon just in time for their Christmas tree to be delivered and set up. The evening had been spent decorating the tree, hanging up their stockings, and setting out the myriad of holiday decorations Tessa had accumulated over the years. The entire house looked like something out of Santa’s Wonderland, with Ian joking that there wasn’t room for even one more stuffed bear or wooden soldier anywhere in the place. But the children loved it, even the twins who didn’t really understand what Christmas was as yet. Adam had waved his chubby hands at the gaily decorated tree, while Ashley was fascinated with the array of light-up ceramic Christmas houses and villages that Tessa had started collecting the first year she and Ian had lived together.

  She was already halfway through the Christmas shopping, having done the bulk of it in two major outings while Zoe had watched the children. But there was still a considerable amount to get done, along with wrapping all the presents. In addition, she needed to have the holiday cards printed and then address them all; bake Christmas cookies with Gilly and Liam; organize a costume for Gilly, who was taking part with her classmates in the school’s holiday pageant; attend a performance of The Nutcracker, and a pre-ballet tea with Gilly, Julia and Lily, and Lauren and her twin daughters.

  Then there was the annual holiday office party, as well as a handful of invitations to other parties and events that she and Ian had agreed to attend.

  And after all that they would be heading over to England to spend the holidays with the family. It would be the twins’ first visit to England, though they had met Ian’s brothers and their families during the annual summer vacation in Tuscany. Fortunately Ian had arranged for them to fly to Italy on the corporate jet, which they would be utilizing once again when they traveled to London. She couldn’t even imagine trying to get on a commercial flight - first class or not - with four young children in tow.

  But she wasn’t the least bit daunted by all of the tasks and events that required her attention or attendance over the next few weeks. Tessa had grown to love the Christmas season and all of its festivities, so much that Ian teased her about being more excited than the children at this time of year. But it was so much fun, especially with young children in the house, and Tessa took as much pleasure in their joy as she did in her own.

  Julia hurried up to her then, looking a bit flustered, judging by her flushed cheeks and slightly mussed hair. She gave Tessa a quick hug before offering a hasty apology. “I’m so sorry we’re late. Serves me right to tell Lauren what time we actually needed to be here. One of these days I’ll learn that my sister is always running late, and that I need to tell her a time twenty minutes earlier. Or call Ben directly and make arrangements with him.”

  “It’s okay,” Tessa assured her. “You haven’t missed anything yet. Ian’s planning on lighting the tree in about ten minutes. Along with his two little helpers, that is. Where are Nathan and the kids?”

  Julia waved a hand airily. “Somewhere nearby. Hopefully the boys don’t decide to try and pull Santa’s beard or some other prank that will get us kicked out of here. But they’re usually much better behaved when Auntie Lauren is nearby. She’s about the only person who intimidates them. Nathan always tells them that they aren’t alone in that regard.”

  Tessa laughed. “Your sister is certainly a force to be reckoned with. But I’m glad she and Ben and the kids were able to join us, considering she just had a baby two months ago.”

  Julia made a face. “Are you kidding? Lauren was out surfing ten days after Tate was born. And she’s already dropped all the weight she gained when she was carrying him. But speaking of babies, how’s my precious little girl doing, hmm?”

  Ashley smiled as Julia cooed at her, then fussed over the gorgeous little dress she was wearing. The red velvet dress with its tartan plaid sash was actually a hand-me-down from Gilly, who’d only worn the costly garment once. It had been another gift from Joanna, who adored shopping for her granddaughters - a welcome change, she’d told Tessa, after years of buying only boy’s clothes.

  Julia was holding out her arms to Ashley, a hopeful look on her face. “Do you think she would come to me, Tessa? I know she’s a clingy one, but she’s so adorable I just want to cuddle her for a minute.”

  “Let’s see, shall we?” Tessa pressed a kiss to her baby’s cheek. “Would you let Auntie Julia hold you for a bit, sweetheart? Mummy will be right here, okay?”

  Gingerly, Julia lifted Ashley into her arms, holding her breath for a moment or two as she watched for the baby’s reaction. Surprisingly, Ashley didn’t kick up a fuss as she usually did, and seemed content for the moment to have Julia hold her.

  Julia lowered her nose to Ashley’s curly blonde head and took a deep, appreciative sniff. “Oh, how I miss that baby scent!” she lamented. “Lily finally lost it, you know, when she turned two back in the spring. And while she still lets me dress her up, she’s getting to be a little too independent for my liking. That’s her brothers’ doing, mark my word.”

  Tessa grinned. “You could always try twisting Nathan’s arm into letting you get pregnant again,” she teased.

  But Julia evidently took the suggestion seriously, for her green eyes lit up enthusiastically. “I could, right? And - I know! Let me borrow Ashley for a few minutes, okay? I’ll bet if Nathan sees how cute she is, he’ll change his mind about having another baby. Hey, sweetie pie, would you come with Auntie Julia for a minute? Let’s go look at the pretty tree, okay?”

  Amazingly, the normally fussy Ashley allowed Julia to carry her away, and Tessa found herself in the very rare circumstance of being without any of her children for a few minutes. Gilly was playing happily with Noah, Justin, and Lauren’s twin daughters Daisy and Summer, while Liam and Lily were observing Santa Claus somewhat warily. Simon and Anna, who’d just arrived, were showing Adam off to some of the hotel employees, while Julia was doing her best to use Ashley as an enticement to get Nathan to consent to having a fourth child.

  She was without a doubt one of the luckiest, most fortunate women in the world, reflected Tessa, one who had an abundance of riches in her life - the handsomest, sexiest, and most loving husband any woman could ever dream of; four beautiful, healthy, and happy children; a wonderful group of in-laws who
considered her family and who had welcomed her into their lives without hesitation; great friends like Julia and Nathan, Lauren and Ben, Simon and Anna, and too many others to count right now. She had financial security, employees to help with childcare and housework, two beautiful homes to call her own. Her children would never know even for a moment what it was to be hungry or cold or scared, to live in poverty, or to go without so many little things. They would be fortunate enough to have everything they could wish for - clothes, toys, attending the best private schools, going on amazing vacations, taking swimming or piano or dance lessons. And they would always, always be safe and protected and most of all loved.

  Tessa brushed away a tiny tear that glistened at the corner of her eye, momentarily overcome with emotion at just how rich her life was - and not in a material way. She had come so far from that sad, lonely little girl she’d once been, or the teenager who’d had to grow up far too quickly, or the young woman who’d been married for seven years without knowing the first thing about passion. Her life was so different than anything she could have ever imagined, so much more than she could have ever dared to dream of. Cinderella, she thought with a little smile, would certainly be green with envy if she could see how Tessa’s own fairytale had come to life.

  She gasped at the sudden, unexpected touch of a man’s hands at her waist, the feel of his chest pressing boldly against her back, and the words he murmured huskily in her ear.

  “Your husband is a very foolish man, Mrs. Gregson,” he purred. “If you were mine, there’s no way I’d leave a beautiful woman like you alone like this for even a minute. Otherwise, some other man might try to stake his claim and steal you away.”

  A slow smile crossed Tessa’s features, and she gave a slow shake of her head. “Well, now, that’s just not possible,” she pointed out. “Because my husband is actually the most brilliant man I’ve ever met. He’s never done anything foolish in his life. And since I’m as crazy about him now as I was the first time we met, there’s never going to be another man for me. So you can just forget about stealing me away.”