Chapter 413
New Year's Eve found Evelyn Sinclair and Dominic Blackwood curled up on the sofa with their twins, a simple supper spread before them as the television played in the background.
Neither had eaten much at Blackwood Manor earlier.
Their phones buzzed incessantly with New Year greetings - mostly generic, copied messages. Evelyn responded politely to each one from friends, colleagues, and clients. Dominic, however, only replied to close friends, ignoring the sycophants.
The modest meal was filled with warmth. The twins, exhausted from the day's excitement, went to bed early.
Dominic wanted to carry Evelyn to bed - she was pregnant and clearly exhausted. But she insisted on making a pot pie, a family tradition symbolizing unity and prosperity for the new year.
He resisted, not wanting her to overexert herself. But her pleading eyes broke his resolve. Soon they were back in the kitchen.
The well-stocked fridge provided everything needed. Since the twins loved meat, Evelyn decided on a meat filling. Dominic took charge of the prep work while she directed from her stool.
Following her instructions, he ground pork and beef, adding spices, spring onions, garlic, and seasonings until the filling was perfect. Then came the crust - his nemesis.
No matter how he tried, the dough refused to cooperate. Evelyn burst into laughter at the lumpy, misshapen mess. Who knew the mighty Dominic Blackwood could be bested by pastry?
She took over, expertly lining the pan and sealing the pie. By the time they finished, it was 1 AM.
Curled against Dominic's furnace-like warmth, Evelyn listened to his steady heartbeat. Sometimes she still couldn't believe this was real - that the man she'd idolized as a girl was now her husband.
At 5 AM, firecrackers shattered the predawn quiet. Though banned in A City, some defiant souls kept the tradition alive. Evelyn tried to rise, but Dominic's iron grip held her close.
The usually early-rising Dominic wanted nothing more than to stay in bed with his wife. But their peace was short-lived.
"Wake up, Daddy! Mommy!" Tiny fists pounded their door.
Evelyn smiled at Dominic's grumpy expression as they dressed. For once, he seemed to regret having children interrupting their private time.
Their affluent neighborhood ignored city ordinances completely. Firecrackers popped everywhere, filling the streets with festive chaos.
While Evelyn reheated the pie and set the table, Dominic took the twins outside with a string of firecrackers.
"Why do we set these off, Daddy?"
"Why do we eat pie today?"
Through the window, Evelyn watched Dominic patiently answer their endless questions, her heart swelling with love.
Alexander, ever the daredevil, insisted on lighting one himself. Isabella covered her ears and shrieked at each explosion, running circles around the yard until her brother mischievously tossed a lit firecracker her way.
"You're mean, Alex!" she wailed, scrambling for safety until Dominic scooped her up, shooting a warning look at his son. Alexander fled to Evelyn's protection, giggling uncontrollably.
Breakfast was a joyous affair. Afterwards, they visited Reginald Blackwood, then Reginald Sinclair, where the twins received lucky money from their great-grandfathers. Evelyn encouraged them to save it for something meaningful.
Their final stop was James Kensington's home - an invitation Dominic had repeatedly postponed due to work.
As they drove, Dominic turned on the radio. Both preferred its imaginative simplicity to television. Between songs, a poignant story caught Evelyn's attention...