When the group gathered in the foyer for pictures, Emerald motioned for Luther to join her. “You need to be in the picture, too, Luther. You’ve been instrumental in helping me find my heirs.”
“It was my pleasure, madam,” he said, walking over to stand at her side.
“You know, I’m going to miss helping my grandchildren find their soul mates,” she whispered wistfully as the photographer tried to get the children to stand still for the picture.
“You’ve done a fine job with that task, madam,” Luther said, keeping his voice low as he patted her hand. “They’ve all made good matches.”
“After all of the unhappiness that my son caused, I’m pleased that we were able to make everything right and give them all their rightful place in Emerald, Inc.” Clasping his hand with hers, she gave it a little squeeze. “Now, I can concentrate on trying to find my own bliss.”
He squeezed her hand back. “I don’t think you’ll have far to look, madam,” he said gruffly.
Turning, she gave him a happy smile. “Neither do I, Luther. Neither do I.”
Epilogue
One year later
“Do any of you have the slightest idea why we’ve been summoned to Wichita?” Jake looked at his brothers and brother-in-law expectantly as they sat in the family room at Emerald’s Wichita mansion. When they all shook their heads, he shrugged. “Me neither.”
“All she told me was our presence was mandatory,” Luke said, setting the baby bottle down and shifting his six-month-old son to his shoulder to be burped.
“Yeah, I told her I had plans to go to a cattle auction in Denver and she told me to cancel it,” Nick added.
“Arielle has become pretty close to Emerald,” Hunter said, looking thoughtful. “Does she know anything, Zach?”
“If she does, she didn’t tell me,” he said, glancing over to check on his eight-month-old twin boys sleeping peacefully in their baby carriers beside his chair.
“When are she and our wives supposed to return from their shopping trip?” Caleb asked. “All of the kids will be waking up from their naps pretty soon and it’ll turn into a three-ring circus again.”
Hunter grinned. “Yeah, with ten kids between us, it does get a little hairy sometimes.”
“This time next year, there’ll be eleven,” Jake said proudly. “We just found out Heather is pregnant.”
“Make that an even dozen,” Nick said, laughing. “Cheyenne is pregnant again, too.”
“More like a baker’s dozen,” Caleb added, grinning like a fool. “Alyssa is close to entering her second trimester.”
As they all congratulated each other, Emerald, Luther and their wives walked into the room. “I would imagine you’re all wondering why I’ve asked you here for the weekend,” Emerald said, smiling.
“It’s crossed our minds a time or two,” Luke said dryly.
When Heather walked over to sit on the arm of the chair beside him, Jake put his arm around her waist and gazed up at her. He couldn’t believe how happy he’d been in the past year. Marrying her was the best thing he’d ever done. He loved her more with each passing day.
“I have a couple of announcements to make that will have a direct impact on all of you,” she said, seating herself in an empty armchair.
“You have our attention,” Jake said, watching Luther move to stand beside Emerald. Something was definitely up. Normally as stiff as a board, Jake had never seen the old gent look so relaxed.
“I’m retiring,” Emerald said without preamble.
Jake was certain he could have heard a pin drop in the suddenly silent room. The first to find his voice, he asked, “When?”
“Next month.” She paused to let the information sink in, then added, “And I’m appointing all of you to the Emerald, Inc. board of directors. I’ll maintain ten percent of my stock, but the other ninety percent will be divided equally between my six grandchildren.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Arielle asked, clearly concerned. “You started out with a home business fifty years ago and built Emerald, Inc. into a corporate empire. It’s been your life.”
Emerald smiled serenely. “I’m getting ready to enter a new chapter in my life.”
“What are you up to this time?” Hunter asked, grinning.
Jake watched her glance at Luther and for the first time since he met the older man, Luther grinned.
“Your grandmother is going to do me the honor of becoming my bride,” Luther said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“We’ll be getting married right after we both retire,” Emerald said, placing her hand on Luther’s. “Then we intend to take an extended honeymoon and travel the world. So I’m counting on all of you to see that Emerald, Inc. remains solid and the gold standard for corporate excellence.”
After everyone expressed their surprise and promised not to let their grandmother down, Jake spoke up. “I think I speak for all of us when I say we wish you every happiness. If not for you and Luther, I might never have found Heather and Mandy.”
Each of his siblings agreed that if not for Emerald and her matchmaking they might not have found their spouses and true happiness.
“Is there anything we can do to help get ready for your wedding?” Haley asked.
Jake didn’t think he’d ever seen a brighter smile on his grandmother’s face. “As a matter of fact, there is, dear. You all did such a wonderful job with Jake and Heather’s wedding that Luther and I were wondering if you’d all like to plan ours.”
“I think that’s our cue to retire to the media room, boys,” Hunter said, rising to his feet. “The Astros are playing the Cardinals this afternoon.”
“If you don’t mind, I’d quite like to join you,” Luther said, surprising all of them. He kissed Emerald’s cheek. “If you’ll excuse me, my dear. I think I’ll attempt to ‘bond,’ as the younger generation are so fond of saying, with my future grandsons.”
“There just might be hope for you yet, Luther,” Jake said, standing to shake the older man’s hand.
To his surprise, Luther actually winked. “I have twenty that says the Cardinals win. Anyone want to place a little wager?”
As Emerald watched her grandsons and the man who had stood by her side for over forty years leave to watch the ball game together, she smiled contentedly. In her day, children born out of wedlock had been considered illegitimate and in some cases went unclaimed by their families. But she’d never considered her grandchildren illegitimate. She’d searched high and low to find them and now her life was filled with more happiness than she’d ever thought possible.