Too Late for Regret (Annalise and Roger) novel Chapter 167

Ana’s POV

Five Years Later:

Our home was full of laughter as the candles were blown out on Liam’s cake. He was seven years old today, and he was the spitting image of his father. The best of both of us is what Charlie always said. Liam was intelligent, and we both knew that he would do great things.

Liam was so easygoing, and everyone loved him. He was finishing up first grade and excelling in school.

His younger brother, Reid Prescott, was finishing up kindergarten. Prescott was a whirlwind, and he was my father made over.

Smart, with a stare that could make children older than him take notice. He didn’t seem to be intimidated by anyone other than his parents and grandparents. They all loved him, but he was special to my father, who recognized their bond immediately. Prescott had brown hair with a slight wave, just like his grandfather and me.

He wore it trimmed short on the sides and back, and a little longer on top. I still wanted him to look playful, as he was about to be six years old next week. He has his father’s eyes, which are blue, and they are similar to my father’s. He follows my father around when he’s here. A miniature version of my father. This Halloween, I was making him a suit, and we are spraying his temples to make him look older, as he is going as my father. I want to know how long it will take Dad to realize who Prescott is.

Our third baby, Anthony Michael, was named after Teresa, Charlie’s grandmothers, father.

She cried when she heard his name. Anthony is 41/2 years old. He is our sweetheart. He is a nurturer and dotes on our baby girl. He watches over her like her greatest protector. I was content with our three boys and didn’t want to push for another. I wanted a baby girl, but l loved our sons. I didn’t have the heart to suggest it, but when Charlie mentioned it, I was immediately on board.

I was content that no matter what our fourth baby would be, I would be happy, but we both wanted a baby girl. He wanted a girl who looked just like me. I wanted a girl to dress up and go shopping with, as the boys didn’t care about shopping. Unless it was for groceries. I learned the hard way to leave them at home.

The cart would be half full by the third aisle.

Charlie’s a wonderful father. I remember how worried he was about being a father when I was pregnant with Liam. His own father had been absent. Rarely there, and even if he was, he would still end up going to the company later on in the day. Thankfully, that changed after Liam was born. He started spending more time with everyone. He hired someone to help him at the office, James Gipson. Charlie had been working from home and also started helping out at the company. Chuck has been having Charlie come in to learn directly from him for the last few months.

Charlie will help run the company alongside James, who will work from the office daily.

However, Charlie ensured that James, who also has a family, would only work a 9-to-5 schedule so he could be there for his own family. Charlie will visit the company three times a week, for five hours a day, and will only handle the most important decisions for the company, as well as attend meetings with the board. Chuck will only attend board meetings periodically over the next two years. He wants to ensure that Charlie doesn’t have to handle it all from the start. Their relationship has grown much closer over the last few years.

Chuck is holding Elise right now, with Melissa right next to him. Our daughter’s full name is Melissa Elise, and she looks just like me.

Melissa was thrilled to finally have a namesake.

Her brothers all adore Elise, and she turned three years old three months ago. She likes to doodle next to me on the couch. I’m hoping that when she grows up, she will take over my company. I hope she also enjoys designing.

She is more reserved than her brothers, but she loves them. Her wavy brown hair falls to her shoulders, and she loves to dress up.

I’m going to teach her to sew when she gets a little older. She loves watching me create capes, dresses, and tutus for her to wear. She enjoys pretending to be a princess and roping her brothers into playing tea parties all the time. They might roll their eyes, but they never refuse her. I had intended to have our children more spaced out, but I think they might be even closer to each other this way. Liam and Prescott are best friends. Having them so close together was an accident, but it was a lovely surprise. He arrived three months before our second anniversary.

Our home is full of children today, as our friends and family are here celebrating with us.

My brother Seth is holding his youngest, Marcus, and Laney is trying to keep their oldest from pulling Liam’s birthday cake off the table.

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