Chapter 41: Chapter 41

Five years later

"Natalia Catherine Lachlan, what are you doing?"

Startled, she gasped and dropped the bowl full of flour, on the floor. "Nothing. I promise I didn't do anything"

"Then why is your face covered in flour? And what is that in your hair?"

"It wasn't my fault mommy. Jamie told me to do it"

Alexis would have laughed but Talia needed to be taught a lesson. She was always blaming her little brother for everything she did even when it was clear she was the one who'd committed the crime. Ray and her grandfathers had spoiled her rotten. She had been folding the laundry when she realized how quiet the house was. Knowing Natalia, she'd been sure she'd find them in the kitchen doing God knows what.

"What do you mean Jamie told you to do it? He can't even speak properly"

"But he did. He said he wanted some pancakes and I had to make him some." she batted her eyelashes and Alexis almost fell for it. Until Jamie spoke up.

"Mama Nat lie. Nat lie"

"Shut up Jamie," Natalia said then turned to her "He is still a child mom. He doesn't know what he's saying"

"You're right Talia. Your brother is still a child. Aren't you supposed to be his role model?" at that she sighed. They'd sat her down and talked to her about being a good example for her younger siblings. It was just Jamie for now but after a few months, she'd have another sibling. Since she was the oldest, they'd told her she would be responsible for her younger brothers. It was the one thing she had taken seriously. She was proud to be a big sister.

"I will clean my mess then and there won't be a dessert for me today" she sounded so forlorn at the thought of not having the dessert that Alexis wanted to comfort her. But she knew Natalia well. This was just another act. Tomorrow she would come home to find her buried deep in another bucket of flour.

She liked spending her time in the kitchen. Ray had told her once that their daughter would one day become a well-known chef. It was obvious she had the passion for cooking and all she needed was the skill. Since she was too young to be left alone in the kitchen they let her help in simple things like getting the ingredients for a salad ready. But when they left, she would sneak back in and start creating her own recipes. No matter how many times she apologized for making a mess, she still did it again and again. Obviously, Alexis didn't mind the mess. It was the blaming game she wanted to correct. If Talia did something wrong then she had to own up to it. Not blame her younger brother.

"Okay baby, let me know when you finish up. We need to have a talk"

"Yes mom" she rolled her eyes after realizing she wouldn't get out of it this time. Her father, who always came to her defense wasn't home yet so she had to do it all by herself.

And it would have worked if Ray hadn't walked in that minute. Talk about bad timing. "Hey honey," he said taking his coat off. Alexis walked into his arms with Jamie on her heels.

"Hey, you" she kissed him for all of five seconds before their son tried to climb over his father. Ray stepped back smiling and picked him up.

"Hello, my boy. How was your day?"

"Fine daddy but Nat lie again"

"What did she do now?"

"She make pacake"

He raised his eyebrows glancing towards the kitchen "She did? How come the house hasn't burnt down yet?"

"Mommy stop her and tell her clean"

"My Princess is cleaning the kitchen? Let's go see how she's doing so far"

Alexis placed her hand on his arm to stop him "Don't even think about it, Ray."

"I'm just going to see. I won't do anything"

"You say that all the time then the second she bats her eyelashes you're on your knees helping her. She needs to learn that actions have consequences" she didn't know who Natalia had wrapped around her finger more. Ray or her father and Vince. They were always defending her even when it wasn't necessary.

"I know. But she's my Princess" he said furrowing his eyebrows.

"I used to be your Princess once, remember?" she snapped.

"Calm down honey, I'm just going to...."

"No. You're not going anywhere. Sit over there and be quiet until she's done" Alexis pointed to the couch.

"You make mommy mad" Jamie said wiggling out of his father's arms. Ray put him down and he ran straight to his mother, wrapping his tiny hands over her legs. "Sorry mommy" that was her little boy. He was so sweet and always apologizing for everyone.

She stared down at him and started crying. "Come on Alexis, don't cry"

"I can't help it," she said between cries. "He's so adorable and instead of being nice to me you're always fighting me. When did I stop being your Princess?"

"Never baby. Never. You'll always be my Princess. The original Princess. You just graduated to my Queen"

"But I want to be your Princess again. You used to love me"

"I still love you, now more than ever. Please stop crying"

"I want to but I can't. I don't know what's wrong with me," he rolled his eyes "I saw that"

Taking her arm he pulled her with him to the couch and settled her on his lap. Not wanting to be left behind, Jamie climbed on his mother's lap still urging her to stop crying and placing kisses all over her face. It made Alexis cry harder. Ray who was already used to this, rubbed her back while telling her how beautiful she was and how she'll always be his Princess. Natalia chose to walk in at that moment saying "Mom I finished cleaning"

Alexis sniffed while studying her. She'd finished cleaning all that mess in under five minutes? The floor would have taken at least ten minutes. Not counting the kitchen island and everything else she'd used. "That was fast. Too fast"

"I did. Ask daddy"

"Why? Your father hasn't even been to the kitchen yet. Why should I ask him?"

"Cause....." she stopped looking for a plausible explanation. Failing to come up with one she said "I really love you, mommy. Tell her daddy. Tell her" Natalia said on the verge of tears. Alexis knew she hadn't done any cleaning judging by her actions. The only time she insisted she loved her mother was when she wanted something or was trying to get out of doing something she didn't like. For example cleaning or eating vegetables. Ray fell for it every time. Alexis didn't. Well, not all the time. There were times she was too cute to resist.

"Hey, you know your daughter loves you. Right?"

"I know that. I also know how cunning she can be when she's trying to get out of cleaning her own mess. Am I right baby?" Alexis asked Natalia. She was standing a few feet away from them with half her face covered in flour and wringing her hands. She was also staring at her feet which meant she was really sorry or was trying to come up with a new plan. It made her wonder who she'd taken after. Certainly not her or Ray.

"I'm really sorry mommy" God, she sounded so pitiful that Alexis gave in.

"Come here" when she was close enough, Alexis lifted her onto her lap where Jamie scooted over to make space for his older sister. "Why do you always blame your brother?"

"Because he's a boy. Daddy says boys are stronger than girls"

"You don't say"

"Yes. Even if he's my little brother he is still stronger than me and has to protect me"

"So your father told you to put the blame on your brother every time you do something wrong?"

"Yes... No.... I don't know"

"Could you please clarify that for me. Is it a yes or a no?"

"Alexis stop torturing her," Ray said pushing them off his lap. "Come here, Princess"

Natalia gasped "We agreed you will not call me that in front of mom, daddy. Now she's going to be mad at me"

The horror on her face was comical "Natalia... "

She didn't even let her finish "I'm sorry mommy. You are the only princess in the Ford family. Promise" Alexis sighed.

"I'm not mad at you Natalia"

"Really?"

"Yes. I can never be mad at you. You're my princess. Your father on the other hand.."

"Uh oh, daddy. Say sorry to mommy"

"I did nothing wrong"

"Stop being so...."

"Handsome?" he asked grinning.

"Stubborn" Alexis replied biting her lip to stop herself from laughing.

"Yes. What mommy said. Just say sorry"

"No, I won't say sorry but I'll do something better."

"What?" Both Natalia and Jamie asked simultaneously.

"Kiss her anger away"

"Yes. You're very clever daddy"

"That I am my Prince... Natalia" he corrected leaning towards Alexis. His face was inches apart from hers and she closed her eyes waiting for the kiss but it never came. Instead of kissing her, Ray had opted to tickle her. The second his hands touched her stomach, her eyes flew open

"Hey," she said trying to bat them away "That's cheating"

"No, it's not. Come on guys, help me make mommy laugh. She cries too much"

"If any of you touches me I'll....." they weren't listening. Alexis laughed so hard that her stomach hurt but they still didn't stop. So she resorted to playing dirty "Ow, ow, ow" she said pretending to be in pain. Immediately, they all stopped.

"What's wrong honey, is it the baby," Ray asked worriedly.

"I... I don't know. I just.... Could you please.." she motioned for them to move away. He pulled the kids back and the minute they were off her, she jumped up saying, "Sorry guys but you asked for it" then rushed off to the bedroom.

"That's cheating. Follow her she's getting away" Ray yelled trying to catch up with her but Natalia and Jamie took too long to get out of his way. By the time he got to the door, she had already locked it from the inside.

"I thought you knew me better darling" she taunted from the other side.

"I do baby. I do. That's why I have a spare key tucked away in a secret location." and before she knew it, he was pushing the door open, smirking triumphantly. He lifted her up, threw her on the bed and she knew that from there onwards, all bets were off.

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Ray took a moment to look at his family. They were sleeping in Natalia's room after Jamie insisted he didn't want to go to his room. It was clear that he adored his older sister and looked up to her. In fact, he didn't know anyone who his daughter hadn't managed to charm. Even Alexis tried to resist her but in the end, she still gave in. He honestly didn't understand how his wife failed to see the similarities between Natalia and her.

Wasn't that how she was when she was a kid? Everyone fell in love with her because she was too cute for her own good. Adults and other children alike had fought for her attention. Isn't that why her grandfather always called her the Rutherford Princess? All you had to do was be in her presence for a few minutes. That was all it took to love her. And Ray couldn't express how happy he was that their daughter had taken after her mother. Even their son took after her in some ways.

When Natalia was born, it had been the happiest day of his life. Aside from his wedding day of course. He had resorted to locking the hospital room just so he could have a few minutes alone with his daughter. Jasmine and Hayley had fought over who got to hold her first. When Shree joined in the fight, JR had taken the baby away only for another fight to ensue between him and his father. While the hospital staff enjoyed the scene, Ray had been irritated and taken his daughter, claiming that she needed a diaper change. Then he'd locked himself inside the room for two hours. What he couldn't believe was that Alexis had slept through all the commotion even though the doctors had pronounced Natalia's birth the easiest one in the history of giving birth.

Not that Jamie's had been different. It had been the same scenario all over again. Ray had realized his mistake and he'd promised himself to rectify it. This time around, he would call everyone two days after the baby was born. Since they already had a girl and a boy, they had decided to wait until the child was born to know the gender. Natalia Catherine had been named after his mother while James Elmer had been named after both his grandfathers. Although JR had insisted on adding Rutherford after Elmer so they'd call him JR II. Luckily Natalia had nicknamed him Jamie and it had stuck.

Smiling, he kissed his children goodnight then picked up his wife. Halfway to their room she stirred and opened her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Bedtime. Go back to sleep, my love"

"Mmm I love you"

"I love you too," he told her kissing her forehead. Ray thought that when he'd told her he would make her the happiest woman on earth, he hadn't counted on her doing the same. He was so happy that sometimes it felt like his chest would burst out of happiness. He had his own family. Two beautiful children with another one on the way and a wife he loved to distraction. What more could he ask for?

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Nothing Ray. You couldn't ask for anything more, my friend.

But seriously guys, this book has to come to an end at some point. Please don't ask for more bonus chapters

That doesn't mean I can't do more bonuses

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