But when it had been confirmed that Lauren was having twins and their doctor had advised her to stop flying, Ben had set his foot down in earnest, one of the very, very few times he had ever attempted to do so. And, quite predictably, Lauren had argued until she was blue in the face, but in the end had grudgingly conceded to her husband’s edict.

“You are not going to keep flying all over the world in your condition,” he’d told her firmly. “Not only is the flying itself dangerous for pregnant women – especially when you’re carrying twins – but I’ll tell you right now, Lauren, that there is no possible way you’re going to attempt any crazy adventures when you’re carrying my babies. And since I have zero desire to travel anywhere without you, or leave you at home alone, both of us are going to turn in our resignations to the magazine.”

Lauren had sighed in resignation. “Fine. I can tell when you get in one of your pigheaded moods so might as well save my breath. But tell me, boss, how do you expect we’re going to pay the bills after we quit our jobs?”

Ben had smiled at her indulgently, the way he did when she was in a bad mood. Fortunately, since they’d been married, her bad moods were much fewer and further between, and she’d become far less terrorizing and confrontational. Love, it seemed, had been the key to taming the shrew.

“I’ve got some ideas,” he’d told her.

Ideas that had proven extremely successful, and ones that had allowed them to not just make a comfortable living but to incorporate their shared love of travel and adventure as well. Ben and Lauren now wrote a travel blog, one geared largely to family travel and adventure, as well as having published several guidebooks along the same topics. In addition, Ben had written two very successful novels thus far, and was halfway through penning the third. Lauren’s photos continued to be popular commodities at her mother’s gallery in Carmel, selling almost as quickly as they were hung on the walls. Lauren was also working at the gallery two to three days a week now, gradually starting to take over the business from Natalie, who was devoting more time to painting. And when Madelyn retired next spring, Natalie and Robert planned to accompany her and James on an extended vacation to Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific.

With Robert’s help and guidance, Ben had added on considerably to the cabin to accommodate their growing family. The cabin now boasted two additional bedrooms, another bathroom, and the loft had been expanded so that both he and Lauren could use it as an office space. A small, separate guest cottage had also been built on the property, as well as a playhouse for the girls.

They still traveled frequently, though now their trips were more budget-friendly and geared towards family activities and adventures. Daisy and Summer – who’d been named respectively for Lauren’s favorite flower and the season of the year she and Ben had first met – were already seasoned little travelers, and had accompanied their parents on trips to nearly a dozen different states. They were both strong little swimmers and loved to hike and explore, and as soon as they were old enough Lauren and Ben planned to teach them to surf and ski, as well as enroll them in martial arts classes.

They made it out to New York a couple of times a year to see Maddy and James, and always made time while in town to have dinner or drinks with Chris and George, as well as the entire Di Nardo family. Karl and Tamsyn remained in close touch as well, and had spent a week staying in their guest cottage this past summer with their two children.

Lauren and Ben had agreed to hold off on having another baby until the twins were ready to start kindergarten, when their traveling would have to be limited to summers and school breaks. Lauren very much wanted to give Ben a son, though he insisted that his girls were all he could ever want or need – all three of them.

At Lauren’s prodding, Ben now kept in regular contact with his father as well as some of his half-siblings. Callan, in fact, was coming down to spend New Year’s Day with them, and since he lived full time now in California they saw him at least every other month. Ben and Lauren had brought the girls back to Ohio a couple of times to visit their grandparents, though Ben’s mother still continued to be distant and largely uncommunicative. But Lauren knew that Ben wasn’t bothered by his mother’s coldness, especially since Natalie had treated him like her own son since the time he’d announced his intention to marry her daughter. Ben had, in fact, finally found the close knit family he had never really known as a boy, and vowed that his own children would always know every single day of their lives how much they were loved.

Lauren walked over to where Julia sat, a decidedly rumpled looking nephew in each hand. She looked at Noah and Justin expectantly, and for the first time that evening both of the boys looked subdued.

“Now, what did you want to tell your mother?” she asked both of them in a voice that no one would ever dare disobey.

One by one the twins climbed up next to their mother on the sofa, snuggling up against her. With their dark hair and adorable features, they both looked exactly like their father, except that they had Julia’s green eyes instead of Nathan’s blue ones.

“We’re sorry we were bad, Mommy,” Noah told her with a disarming smile.

Justin rested his head against Julia’s stomach as he gave her a ferocious little hug. “We love you, Mommy,” he murmured in his most precious little boy voice.

Predictably, Julia’s eyes grew misty as each of her twin terrors gave her a sweet kiss on the cheek and she cuddled both of them to her fiercely. “I love you, too, my babies,” she whispered. “Even when you drive me to the brink of insanity.”

Lauren gave her sister a knowing wink. “Well, they’ve sure learned how to butter Mommy up, haven’t they? And I’m betting that Daddy has been teaching them the fine art of bullshitting ever since they learned how to talk.”

“Not at all,” retorted Nathan as he refilled Lauren’s and then Ben’s champagne flute. “Because it was pretty much second nature to them already. I haven’t had to teach them a thing.”

Julia eyed the bottle of champagne longingly. “I think that’s why they’ve been more difficult than usual to deal with – I’ve had to give up alcohol. Nathan, can’t I have one tiny sip? Please?”

But it was Lauren who shook her head firmly. “Nope. No way, baby sis. If I had to give up booze for my entire pregnancy, then you can, too. And believe me, it was way harder for me than it ever was for you.”

Ben nodded in agreement. “And as hormonal as someone got during that time, believe me, I was constantly tempted to let her have a shot of tequila or a beer to calm her down. Especially since she refused to give up caffeine.”

Lauren’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Hey, I got the bit about how alcohol is bad for fetuses and resisted the temptation. But as much as I adore my girls, nothing gets between me and my morning coffee.”

Natalie gave the call to dinner just a few minutes later, and the entire family – including Malcolm and his partner Talia - gathered around the festively set table where they had already enjoyed so many wonderful meals together over the past few years. Robert and Natalie were thrilled to see not only both of their daughters happily married and with children of their own, but that Maddy and James had been reunited after so many sad and lonely years apart.

Robert’s toast reflected those very same emotions. “A very merry Christmas to everyone here,” he began. “Natalie and I have always felt that family is the most precious gift any of us can ever hope to receive, and she and I have been very blessed to have such wonderful children, grandchildren, siblings, and in-laws. God bless all of you, and may Santa Claus bring everyone exactly what they asked for. Even if two of us at this table have been more than a little naughty this year.”